Mizbe'ach HaZahav, with a Segulah for a Plague. Approbations from Gedolei Olam. Especially Rare

Mizbe'ach HaZahav, with a Segulah for a Plague. Approbations from Gedolei Olam. Especially Rare

Mizbe'ach HaZahav - elucidation on 'Seder Pitum HaKetoret' and how to recite it during times of distress and plague, by Rabbi Shlomo son of Rabbi Mordechai of Mezeritch (a disciple of the Maharsh"al). Basel, 1602. First edition. Incomplete copy.

"As such, I found it appropriate to present the cure before the disease arrives, may it not come, and I brought it to print, with the approbation of gedolei hadorot ... so that every Jewish person can have it in his possession [... in case of need ...] Heaven forbid."

The sefer opens with the recitation of Pitum HaKetoret to avoid the plague, followed by a special supplication written by the author as a segulah in case of plague. The author writes that he composed this when there was a plague in Ostroh. Many non-Jews died, but not a single Jew.

The author writes at length in his preface about his being a disciple of the Maharsha"l, and that he wrote this sefer following the Maharsha"l's sefer, Menorat Zahav Tahor.

The main part of the sefer is an expanded commentary on 'Seder Pitum HaKetoret.'

With approbations from geonei olam: Rabbi Mordechai Jaffe, author of the Levushim; Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim of Luntschitz, author of Kli Yakar; Rabbi Yehoshua Volk Falk, author of Sm"a; Rabbi Yeshayah Horowitz, author of the Shla"h; and others.

Especially rare sefer.

The complete copy in the National Library was received from the Valmadonna Library.

To the best of our knowledge, this sefer has not appeared at auction for many years.

Comment in antique script on leaf 31.

The complete sefer contains 44 leaves. This copy has the title page and leaf 4 in photocopy, and leaves 41-43 are lacking. Blemish with lack in the leaf, completed in ancient script.

Fine condition. Aging stains. New semi-leather binding.