Opening materialIntroduction of the Genius Rabbi, the renowned, wondrous, and exalted, our teacher the sage Rabbi Shlomo Ashkenazi, may Hashem guard him, author of Merkavat haMishneh, may his Rock preserve him
Introduction of the Genius Rabbi, the renowned, wondrous, and exalted, our teacher the sage Rabbi Shlomo Ashkenazi, may Hashem guard him, author of Merkavat haMishneh, may his Rock preserve him
הַקְדָּמַת הָרַב הַגָּאוֹן הַמְּפוּרְסָם הַמֻּפְלָא וְהַמֻּפְלָג כְּמוֹהַר״ר שְׁלֹמֹה אַשְׁכְּנָזִי ה״י בַּעַל מֶרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה י״ץ
As I passed through here—the holy community of Izmir—on my way to the Holy Land (מִדֵּי עָבְרִי פֹּה ק״ק אִזְמִיר לְאֶרֶץ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה), I became acquainted with the honorable sage, perfect and all-encompassing (נִתְוַדַּע לִי ה״ה הֶחָכָם הַשָּׁלֵם וְהַכֹּלֵל), for he is mighty in the revealed matters (כִּי עָצוּם הוּא בַּנִּגְלוֹת), and possesses ten portions in the concealed matters (וְלוֹ עֶשֶׂר יָדוֹת בַּנִּסְתָּרוֹת), the distinguished divine Kabbalist (הַמְּקוּבָּל הָאֱלֹהִי״ המֻבְהָק), the esteemed rabbi, our teacher Rabbi Shlomo Molcho, may he live and be protected (כְּמָהוֹר״ר שְׁלֹמֹה מוֹלְכוֹ שְׁלִיט״א). And he sent me as a gift his book Shemen Mishḥat Kodesh [Oil of Holy Anointment], a delightful commentary on Shir haShirim [Song of Songs] (וְשָׁלַח לִי תְּשׁוּרָה סִפְרוֹ שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ בֵּיאוּר נֶחְמָד עַל שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), expressed in the Holy Tongue (בָּרָה״ק נֶאֱמַר).
And I completed reading it with intense study (וְגָמַרְתִּי קְרִיאָתִי בוֹ בְּעִיוּן נִמְרָץ), and I saw that it is pleasant within the palate of the one who tastes it (וְרָאִיתִי שֶׁהוּא נָעִים מִתּוֹךְ חֵךְ הַטּוֹעֵם). It contains allusion and indeed number, from beginning to end (שָׂם רֶמֶז וְהֵן מִסְפָּר וּמֵרֵישָׁא לְסֵיפָא). Its soundness has been tested in the finest subtleties requiring examination (חֲזָקָתוֹ בָּדוּק בְּדַקִּין שֶׁבְּעַיֵּין)—with an ever-open eye (עִינָא פְּקִיחָא)—for everything is built like a tower (שֶׁהַכֹּל בָּנוּי לְתַלְפִּיּוֹת), upon foundations of truth (עַל אַדְנֵי אֱמֶת), namely, the writings of the Ari, may the memory of the righteous and holy one be a blessing (כִּתְבֵי הָאֲרִ״י זצוק״ל). For great is the strength of this distinguished sage (כִּי רַב כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל הַחָכָם הַמֻבְהָק הַזֶּה), in Sod [mystical teaching] and in Gemara, Perush, and Tosafot [Talmud, Commentary, and Additions] (בְּסו״ד וּבְגַפ״ת), and he performs wonders with the Tree that ascends to the highest heavens (וּמַפְלִיא לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּאִילָן דְּעוֹלָה לִשְׁמֵי מָרוֹם). The paths of the firmament and the paths of Neharde’a are luminous to him (נְהִירִין לֵיהּ שְׁבִילֵי דִּרְקִיעָא וּשְׁבִילֵי דְּנַהֲרְדְּע״ה).
And now, today, the aforementioned honorable and distinguished sage asked me (וְהֵן הַיּוֹם בִּקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנִּי ה״ה הֶחָכָם הַמֻבְהָק הַנ״ל), to provide him with an introduction to this book, Shemen Zayit Zakh [Pure Olive Oil], “crushed for the light,” sparks of fire (לִיתֵּן לוֹ הַקְדָּמָה עַל סֵפֶר זֶה שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר זִיקוּקִין דְּנוּרָא), concerning the foundations of divine wisdom (בִּיסוֹדוֹת שֶׁל הַחָכְמָה הָאֱלֹהִית). And it would have been proper for me to hide my hand in the dish (וּמֵהָרָאוּי הָיָה לִטְמוֹן יָדִי בַּצַּלַּחַת), for who am I—poor in this wisdom (כִּי מִי אָנֹכִי הַדַּל בַּחָכְמָה זוֹ)? And how meager is the little that I have tasted of this wisdom (וּמִצְעָר הִיא הַמְעַט אֲשֶׁר טָעַמְתִּי בַּחָכְמָה זוֹ). How, then, could I place my hand upon it in support (וְאֵיךְ אֶתְמוֹךְ יָדִי עָלָיו), when he is great and mighty in the holy writings of the Ari, of blessed and holy memory (כִּי רַב וְעָצוּם הוּא בִּכְתָבֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁל הָאֲרִ״י זל״ה״ה)?
All the more so, since at present I stand with one foot upon the ferry (מַה גַּם דְּכְדוּ קָאֵימְנָא חַד כְּרַעָא אַמְּבַּרָא), and I have no time even to bring his aforementioned book and pass over it cursorily (וְאֵין לִי פְּנַאי אַף לְהָבִיא בְּסִפְרוֹ הַנ״ל וּלְעָבֳרֵי בְּעַלְמָא). For one who has not seen the new work—how can he come and testify concerning it (וְזֶה שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה אֶת הַחָדָשׁ אֵיךְ יָבוֹא וְיָעִיד)? Yet I could not turn away the face of a great man (וְאוּלָם לְהָשִׁיב פְּנֵי אָדָם גָּדוֹל לֹא יָכֹלְתִּי), and a man’s will is his honor (וּרְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם זֶהוּ כְבוֹדוֹ). And my examination of his first book has benefited us (וְעִיוּנִי בְּסִפְרוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן אַהֲנֵי לַן), for the part shall testify concerning the whole (כִּי הַחֵלֶק יָעִיד עַל הַכֹּל).
Therefore, I have seen that he is worthy and fitting (כִּי עַל כֵּן רָאִיתִי כִּי רָאוּי וְהָגוּן הוּא), that his words should be engraved with an iron pen and lead (שֶׁיוּחֲקוּ מִלָּיו בְּעֵט בַּרְזֶל וְעוֹפֶרֶת), and that this work shall be carried out diligently (וְעֲבִידְתָּא דָּא אֲסַפְּרַנָּא תִּתְעַבֵּיד).
Thus says the undersigned, writing and signing in haste for the honor of the Torah and those who study it (הַכ״ד הַכּוֹתֵב וְהַחוֹתֵם בְּחִפָּזוֹן לִכְבוֹד הַתּוֹרָה וְלוֹמְדֶיהָ), here in the aforementioned holy community, today, Rosh Ḥodesh Av, in the year “Yitzmaḥ Yeshu‘ah” [May salvation spring forth—539 according to the minor reckoning, corresponding to 5539 (1779 CE)] (פֹּה ק״ק הַנ״ל הַיּוֹם ר״ח אָב שְׁנַת יִצְמַ״ח יְשׁוּעָ״ה לַפ״ק).
The young one, Shlomo, Rav of Lviv and Tegali”l, may his Rock protect and sustain him, author of Merkavat haMishneh [Chariot of the Mishneh] (הַצָּעִיר שְׁלֹמֹה רַב מִלְבוֹב וּתְגַלִי״ל יִצ״וּ בַּעַל מֶרְכַּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה).
