National Library of Israel welcomes rare handwritten 15th century manuscript

The National Library of Israel has acquired a profoundly important and one-of-a-kind manuscript for its Judaica collection.

Mezukak Shivatayim, whose title means “Distilled Sevenfold”,  is an encyclopedic work that “distils” and blends halacha, theology, Aristotelian and medieval philosophy, and is one of those few rare books representing the now lost Jewish community of Provence and its unique way of life.

The item was acquired thanks to the William Davidson Foundation, Krauss Family Charitable Trust, Sid Lapidus and the Zukier Family.

Mezukak Shivatayim includes a commentary on seven out of the 14 books of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah. The manuscript was copied in Provence, apparently right after the lifetime of the author, Rabbi Yosef Kimchi.

In this work, Rabbi Kimchi provides sources for Maimonides’s rulings, both from a halachic aspect as well as from a philosophical bent, and it is a virtual encyclopedia of halachic literature of Provence.

The original manuscript serves as a testament to the intellectual prowess, spiritual depth, and cultural richness that once thrived within Provencal Jewry. Although digital copies exist, the handwritten original is testament to an intellectual universe that was almost lost.

Dr. Chaim Neria, curator of the Haim and Hanna Solomon Judaica Collection at the National Library of Israel, said: “Preserving this manuscript for posterity at the Library of the Jewish People ensures this tradition will be reincorporated into the Jewish collective memory. The acquisition of Mezukak Shiv`atayim will close a gap in the existing historical narrative and will, in some small measure, restore our collective understanding of the cultural and religious heritage of this highly significant Jewish community.”

Dr. Raquel Ukeles, head of collections at the National Library of Israel, said: “The inclusion of the Mezukak Shivatayim within the National Library of Israel’s collections will enable its safeguarding in state-of-the-art conservation and preservation conditions. Digitization and online availability of the Mezukak Shivatayim will provide this and future generations with an opportunity to research, study, and connect with a central chapter in Jewish history. This speaks to our core mission, as the National Library of Israel seeks to preserve and open access to the most complete Jewish library in the world.”