Physical Description:

First edition, [5], 248; [1], 220, [5]; [1], 152, [5], 82 ff., octavo,  203:120 mm., usual light age and damp staining, old hands on titles 1 & 4, ex-lib stamps. A very good set bound in contemporary boards, rubbed.

Volumes 1,2 4,5 only, wanting volume 3 (183 ff) and [12] final ff of volume 5, דברי שלום ואמת , not in all copies. Title of volume 4-5 marked 3.

בראשית; שמות; במדבר-דברים

The copy of R. Joseph b. Maimon Boussdin of Jerusalem/ Morocco with his inscription on initial and final title dated 1782.

Detailed Description:   

Comprehensive commentary on the Zohar by R. Shalom b. Moses Buzagli (c. 1700–1780), Moroccan kabbalist. R. Buzagli was born in Marrakesh. Among his teachers in Kabbalah were R. Abraham b. Israel Azulai, one of the rabbis of Marrakesh (d. 1741), R. Jacob Pinto, and R. Isaiah ha-Kohen. In his native land R. Buzaglo was persecuted by the sultan and was subjected to torture by fire. As a result of this experience he signed himself, "brand plucked out of the fire" (Zech. 3:2). In about 1745 he left Morocco and settled in London and there wrote his books on esoteric and exoteric matters.

His major work was his commentary on the Zohar. In the controversy between R. Jacob Emden and R. Jonathan Eybeschuetz both sides attempted to influence R. Buzaglo to endorse their particular points of view but he tried to remain neutral. He acknowledged, however, that R. Eybeschuetz' amulets were Shabbatean in character, but he also accepted the argument that they had been falsified. R. Buzaglo's commentaries on the Zohar were first published in 1750–1755 in Amsterdam and London. These are Mikdash Melekh, a commentary on the whole Zohar, book by book, in four volumes (to which he also added R. Moses Zacuto's commentary from a manuscript); Hadrat Melekh, on difficult passages in the Zohar; Penei Melekh, Hod Melekh, and Kevod Melekh, all on the Idras in the Zohar and on Sifra di-Zeni'uta Kisse Melekh on Tikkunei ha-Zohar. Mikdash Melekh was the first systematic commentary on the whole Zohar to be published. It was very popular and was printed several times. Subsequently the text of the Zohar together with R. Buzaglo's commentaries were printed in Leghorn (1858) and in Zolkiew (1862). These were based mainly on Lurianic Kabbalah, including all the scattered work of R. Isaac Luria's disciples, which R. Buzaglo usually copied word for word, occasionally quoting other opinions. Although this book does not convey the literal meaning of the Zohar, it has had a continuing value for scholars. In several books he added his own novellae on the Talmud. He spent his last years in London where he seems to have served for a time as a member of an Ashkenazi bet din. A number of his pamphlets referring to an halakhic dispute which broke out in London in 1774 were also published. He died in London. Several of his manuscripts were preserved in the bet ha-midrash of the Great Synagogue in London.

Printed by Israel Jaffe, a disciple of R. Menahem Mendel of Vitebsk and R. Shneur Zalman of Liady. Jaffe is known for his printing the first editions of many Hasidic works of the Besht and the Ba'al ha-Tanya.

Hebrew Description:   

ספר מקדש מלך : ... פי' על ספר הזוהר ... שחיבר החה"ש ... / כמוה"ר שלום בוזאגלו ממה שלמד מרבותיו חכמי המערב... ויתן בפי ש'י'ר' חדש תהלה לאלקינו [תק"י]

References:   

EJ; BE 3373