Two leaves handwritten by R. Chaim Yosef David Azulai – the Chida: kavanot based on the kabbalah of the Arizal for weekdays, and for the Shabbat prayers and meals.
One leaf, written on both sides, contains kavanot for Minchah of Erev Shabbat, Kabbalat Shabbat, Arvit, Shacharit, Mussaf and Minchah of Shabbat. Including kavanot for the Shabbat Torah reading and for the Shabbat Kiddush and meals. The second leaf contains several lines with kavanot for the weekday prayers.
The Chida – R. Chaim Yosef David Azulai (1724-1806) was a leading halachic authority, Kabbalist, outstanding Torah scholar, prolific author and famous emissary. Born in Jerusalem to R. Refael Yitzchak Zerachya Azulai, a Jerusalem scholar and great-grandson of the kabbalist R. Avraham Azulai author of Chesed LeAvraham. From his early years, he was a disciple of leading Jerusalemite Torah scholars and kabbalists, including R. Chaim ben Attar, the Or HaChaim. He began studying kabbalah at the Beit El Yeshiva for kabbalists headed by R. Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi – the Rashash, alongside with his colleague R. Yom Tov Algazi. In 1753, he embarked on his first mission as emissary on behalf of the Hebron community. During the course of his five years of travel, he passed through Italy, Germany, Holland, England and France. During this mission, his name began to spread. Wherever he traversed, he attracted a great deal of attention and many acknowledged his greatness. In 1773, the Chida embarked on an additional mission on behalf of the Hebron community, leaving a profound imprint on all the places he visited. At the end of this journey, he settled in Livorno, Italy, serving there as rabbi. In Livorno he published most of his books.
The Chida was among the greatest authors of all times and composed more than 80 works in all facets of Torah, including his composition Birkei Yosef, a commentary on the Shulchan Aruch which greatly impacted the field of halachic rulings. His books were accepted throughout the Diaspora, and were regarded with great esteem.
The majority of his compositions were written while he was preoccupied with his travels or other matters, and with access to very few books, and this attests to his tremendous erudition and phenomenal memory. In each city the Chida visited, he would visit the local libraries and search for unknown manuscripts and compositions written by prominent Torah scholars. Due to the great respect and admiration he evoked, he was granted authorization to enter large libraries and museums, such as the National Library of France, where he spent many hours copying important manuscripts. The vast knowledge he gleaned during these opportunities pervade all his books, particularly his bibliographic masterpiece Shem HaGedolim.
[2] leaves (one leaf written on both sides and another leaf with writing on upper part of one side; approx. 60 autograph llines). 15.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Open tears along margins, affecting text, professionally restored with paper. New, elegant leather binding.