Shenei Luchot HaBrit (Shelah) – First Edition – Amsterdam, 1648 – Glosses and Signatures

Shenei Luchot HaBrit (Shelah) – First Edition – Amsterdam, 1648 – Glosses and Signatures
Shenei Luchot HaBrit (The Holy Shelah), words of ethics and fear of G-d, Kabbalah and Halachah, by R. Yeshaya HaLevi Horowitz; with Vavei HaAmudim by his son R. Sheftel Segal. Amsterdam: Immanuel Benveniste, 1648. First edition.
Shenei Luchot HaBrit contains many halachic novellae, Kabbalistic principles, homiletics and ethics, and incorporates all realms of the Torah. The book was received with awe throughout the Jewish world, and its teachings are quoted in the books of leading poskim and kabbalists. Many renowned Chassidic leaders were extraordinarily devoted to the study of the books of the Shelah.
The Bach – R. Yoel Sirkis, notably acclaimed the author and his works in his approbation to the Shaar HaShamayim siddur: "R. Yeshaya HaLevi… he left behind blessing in his holy compositions, and upon seeing and reading them we sensed holiness in all our limbs, and this is the sign that his works were composed for the sake of Heaven, to elevate future generations…". The Tosafot Yom Tov writes in his approbation to the siddur: "He is a holy, awe-inspiring man… no doubt he was invested with a heavenly spirit".
The book Vavei HaAmudim is printed on the final 44 leaves, with a separate title page.
Many ownership inscriptions on the title page, leaf 2 and p. 264a, including: "Belongs to the exceptional dayan R. Lieberman Kohen of Metz"; "This book Shenei Luchot HaBrit belongs to the community leader Zalman son of R. Sekle May of Metz"; "Belongs to Avraham Yaakov Katz Perle"; "Refael Leib son of R. Shimon Kirchheim, town shochet" (Raphael Kirchheim [1804-1889], author, researcher and editor of manuscripts, affiliated with the Reform movement. Born in Frankfurt, he first served as shochet of the Orthodox community of R. Shimshon Refael Hirsch, yet under the influence of Abraham Geiger, he became a radical Reformist and was therefore dismissed from his position as shochet).
Many glosses, some lengthy (and trimmed), some kabbalistic, handwritten by various writers. Most were presumably handwritten by R. Avraham Yaakov Katz mentioned above – gloss with his signature on p. 171a: "so it seems to me, Yaakov Katz"; on p. 326a, at the end of a kabbalistic gloss: "so I heard this commentary".
[2], 421, [1]; 44 leaves. 29 cm. Fair-good condition. Many stains, including dampstains and wax stains. Wear. Worming affecting text, repaired in part with paper. Tears, including open tears affecting text, and marginal tears to title page, repaired in part with paper (with handwritten text replacement on one leaf). Several leaves presumably supplied from a different copy. Stamps. New leather binding.