Auction 40 - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters

Yissachar and Zevulun Agreement in the Handwriting of Rabbi Natan Amram – Alexandria, 1833

Opening: $400
Sold for: $1,625
Including buyer's premium
Yissachar and Zevulun agreement between Rabbi Natan Amram and Refael di Figiutto, in the handwriting of Rabbi Natan Amram. Alexandria, 1833.
Agreement of Torah study for the merit of the gentleman (the Gvir di Figiutto), in consideration for his sustaining Rabbi Natan Amram. The agreement is signed at the end by the Gvir [Refael di Figiutto], but is fully written in the handwriting of Rabbi Natan Amram who refers to himself as "the writer Natan Amram" in numerous occasions. The phraseology of the agreement is unique and it seems that Rabbi Amram took great care in its formulation.
"I, the undersigned agree… that I have commanded the writer Natan Amram to study for me and in my stead and in my merit one book of Tehillim, and so the aforementioned Natan Amran did, and in this merit, I as of now, have undertaken… to give the aforementioned writer Rabbi Amram and his children the total of 750… for the durance of 15 consecutive years…he has done this favor to me of his own accord and from now on, the aforementioned writer Rabbi Natan has undertaken… that all the days of his life with G-d's help, he has undertaken to study in my name and for my merit one page of Talmud with Rashi and Tosfot every day…I have signed my name here in Alexandria on the last third of the month of Adar of the year 1833…".
The renowned Rabbi Natan Amram (1791-1871), author of Kinyan Perot, Kinyan Guf and Noam Midot was born in Damascus to his father Rabbi Chaim Amram author of Mita'am HaMelech. In 1805, he moved with his father to Safed and from 1826, he began to make rounds as an emissary of the Kollelim of Tiberias and Hebron, first in Alexandria, Egypt and later in the communities of Turkey and Greece. During the years he was fulfilling this mission, he printed some of his books and his father's books. Eventually, he returned to Egypt and after the death of Rabbi Israel Moshe Chazan in 1863, he was appointed Rabbi Chazan's successor as the Av Beit Din and Chief Rabbi of Alexandria.
The members of the Di-Figiutto family were known as wealthy individuals and as philanthropists and served as consuls in European countries, Aleppo and in other places [see attached material].
21X15 cm. Good condition, spotting, wear and tears at the margins and some folding marks.
Eastern Jewry – Manuscripts, Glosses and Letters Glosses and Letters
Eastern Jewry – Manuscripts, Glosses and Letters Glosses and Letters