Auction 78 - Rare and Important Items
Displaying 13 - 14 of 14
Auction 78 - Rare and Important Items
May 25, 2021
Opening: $8,000
Estimate: $12,000 - $18,000
Unsold
Letter handwritten and signed by R. Yaakov Abuchatzeira, the Abir Yaakov of Morocco.
11 lines in his handwriting, with his signature (in cursive Western script): "Yaakov". Written in the Moroccan dialect of Judeo-Arabic. The letter begins: "…R. Yaakov son of Avraham, from the undersigned, servant of G-d, who seeks your well-being".
R. Yaakov Abuchatzeira – the Abir Yaakov (1806-1880), renowned from a young age as a brilliant Torah scholar, well versed in revealed parts of the Torah and Halachah, and a holy kabbalist. He served as rabbi of Tafilalt (the main community in the Ziz valley, southern Morocco). Already in his twenties, his authority was accepted by most the rabbis in the region. R. Yaakov is considered one of the leading halachic authorities in his generation, and he exchanged halachic correspondence with prominent rabbis throughout North Africa. A holy, G-dly man accustomed to miracles, many wondrous accounts are told about him, including his meriting the revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi (Malchei Rabbanan, leaf 66 – see also Maaseh Nissim, Jerusalem 1968, written based on accounts heard from the Baba Sali and other rabbis from the Abuchatzeira family). He was also famous amongst the local Muslims who reverently dubbed him al-Hasan al-Kabir [=the great rabbi].
He passed away while traveling to Eretz Israel, and was buried in Damanhur, Egypt. His tombstone is inscribed with profuse tributes that portray the extent to which he was venerated by his generation.
His compositions include: Ginzei HaMelech, Yagel Yaakov, Responsa Yoru Mishpatecha LeYaakov, Pituchei Chotam, Doresh tov, Bigdei HaSerad, Machsof HaLavan, and many other works.
Dozens of piyyutim were composed in his memory and honor, and some of them are recited by Moroccan Jews until this day. The famous picture of him sitting with his legs crossed, with a holy book in his hands, was displayed in many homes in Morocco and around the world.
His sons and grandchildren were renowned for their holiness and Torah knowledge. The most famous are R. Yisrael Abuhatzeira – the Baba Sali and his brother R. Yitzchak – the Baba Chaki, R. Meir Abuhatzeira – the Baba Meir and many other prominent rabbis and wonder-workers.
[1] leaf. 13 cm. Good condition. Stains. Open tears, affecting several words, professionally restored.
Expert report enclosed.
11 lines in his handwriting, with his signature (in cursive Western script): "Yaakov". Written in the Moroccan dialect of Judeo-Arabic. The letter begins: "…R. Yaakov son of Avraham, from the undersigned, servant of G-d, who seeks your well-being".
R. Yaakov Abuchatzeira – the Abir Yaakov (1806-1880), renowned from a young age as a brilliant Torah scholar, well versed in revealed parts of the Torah and Halachah, and a holy kabbalist. He served as rabbi of Tafilalt (the main community in the Ziz valley, southern Morocco). Already in his twenties, his authority was accepted by most the rabbis in the region. R. Yaakov is considered one of the leading halachic authorities in his generation, and he exchanged halachic correspondence with prominent rabbis throughout North Africa. A holy, G-dly man accustomed to miracles, many wondrous accounts are told about him, including his meriting the revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi (Malchei Rabbanan, leaf 66 – see also Maaseh Nissim, Jerusalem 1968, written based on accounts heard from the Baba Sali and other rabbis from the Abuchatzeira family). He was also famous amongst the local Muslims who reverently dubbed him al-Hasan al-Kabir [=the great rabbi].
He passed away while traveling to Eretz Israel, and was buried in Damanhur, Egypt. His tombstone is inscribed with profuse tributes that portray the extent to which he was venerated by his generation.
His compositions include: Ginzei HaMelech, Yagel Yaakov, Responsa Yoru Mishpatecha LeYaakov, Pituchei Chotam, Doresh tov, Bigdei HaSerad, Machsof HaLavan, and many other works.
Dozens of piyyutim were composed in his memory and honor, and some of them are recited by Moroccan Jews until this day. The famous picture of him sitting with his legs crossed, with a holy book in his hands, was displayed in many homes in Morocco and around the world.
His sons and grandchildren were renowned for their holiness and Torah knowledge. The most famous are R. Yisrael Abuhatzeira – the Baba Sali and his brother R. Yitzchak – the Baba Chaki, R. Meir Abuhatzeira – the Baba Meir and many other prominent rabbis and wonder-workers.
[1] leaf. 13 cm. Good condition. Stains. Open tears, affecting several words, professionally restored.
Expert report enclosed.
Category
Oriental Torah Scholars
Catalogue
Auction 78 - Rare and Important Items
May 25, 2021
Opening: $1,000
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000
Unsold
Printed leaf containing a special prayer "so that he and his family be rescued from danger", with a gloss handwritten by the kabbalist R. Yehuda Fatiyah. Jerusalem: HaOt Press, [WWII].
The leaf contains various verses which one should recite in time of danger. The heading at the top of the leaf mentions the concern of an air raid (Eretz Israel was attacked several times by the air force of fascist Italy): " And if G-d forbid, this should never happen, there is an air raid, one should say this again and again continuously, and no harm will befall them". This leaf was presumably printed and distributed at that time at the initiative of R. Yehuda Fatiyah.
This leaf, which was part of the library of R. Yehuda Fatiyah, bears his handwritten gloss (penciled; at the foot of the leaf). In his gloss, R. Yehuda Fatiyah explains one of the verses printed on this leaf: "But to all the children of Israel, not one dog will whet its tongue against either man or beast…", demonstrating how it contains allusions to the enemies of the Jewish people: Edom (presumably in reference to Rome, Italy, whose planes bombed Eretz Israel) and Yishmael (the Arabs). He states that the numerical value of Kelev (dog) is equal to that of Edom, while the word "LeMeIsh" (against either man) shares the same letters as Yishmael, without the letter Ayin, since "the eyes of the wicked shall fail".
R. Yehuda Fatiyah (1859-Av 1942), prominent kabbalist and Iraqi Torah scholar, disciple of the Ben Ish Chai in Baghdad. After immigrating to Jerusalem in 1934, he studied in the yeshiva for kabbalists under HaRav HaSadeh, alongside his colleague R. Yaakov Chaim Sofer, author of Kaf HaChaim. A posek and kabbalist, he delt extensively in kabbalistic tikkunim and amulets, and over the years was involved in exorcising dybbukim and evil spirits, as he relates in his book HaRuchot Mesaprot. During WWII, he composed kabbalistic prayers and tikkunim, arranged prayer ceremonies of prominent kabbalists for the rescue of Eretz Israel Jewry from the hands of the Nazis. He authored Beit Lechem Yehuda, Matok LaNefesh and other books. R. Yehuda Fatiyah passed away shortly after the printing of this leaf, during WWII.
[1] leaf. 23 cm. Good condition. Many stains. The leaf was mounted on card and bound in a special binding (with gilt decorations; card partially detached from binding).
Expert report enclosed (pasted inside binding).
The leaf contains various verses which one should recite in time of danger. The heading at the top of the leaf mentions the concern of an air raid (Eretz Israel was attacked several times by the air force of fascist Italy): " And if G-d forbid, this should never happen, there is an air raid, one should say this again and again continuously, and no harm will befall them". This leaf was presumably printed and distributed at that time at the initiative of R. Yehuda Fatiyah.
This leaf, which was part of the library of R. Yehuda Fatiyah, bears his handwritten gloss (penciled; at the foot of the leaf). In his gloss, R. Yehuda Fatiyah explains one of the verses printed on this leaf: "But to all the children of Israel, not one dog will whet its tongue against either man or beast…", demonstrating how it contains allusions to the enemies of the Jewish people: Edom (presumably in reference to Rome, Italy, whose planes bombed Eretz Israel) and Yishmael (the Arabs). He states that the numerical value of Kelev (dog) is equal to that of Edom, while the word "LeMeIsh" (against either man) shares the same letters as Yishmael, without the letter Ayin, since "the eyes of the wicked shall fail".
R. Yehuda Fatiyah (1859-Av 1942), prominent kabbalist and Iraqi Torah scholar, disciple of the Ben Ish Chai in Baghdad. After immigrating to Jerusalem in 1934, he studied in the yeshiva for kabbalists under HaRav HaSadeh, alongside his colleague R. Yaakov Chaim Sofer, author of Kaf HaChaim. A posek and kabbalist, he delt extensively in kabbalistic tikkunim and amulets, and over the years was involved in exorcising dybbukim and evil spirits, as he relates in his book HaRuchot Mesaprot. During WWII, he composed kabbalistic prayers and tikkunim, arranged prayer ceremonies of prominent kabbalists for the rescue of Eretz Israel Jewry from the hands of the Nazis. He authored Beit Lechem Yehuda, Matok LaNefesh and other books. R. Yehuda Fatiyah passed away shortly after the printing of this leaf, during WWII.
[1] leaf. 23 cm. Good condition. Many stains. The leaf was mounted on card and bound in a special binding (with gilt decorations; card partially detached from binding).
Expert report enclosed (pasted inside binding).
Category
Oriental Torah Scholars
Catalogue