Manuscript, Beit Tefillah – supplications, poems of consolation and poems for joyous occasions, piyyutim for festivals and special Shabbatot, handwritten by the author R. David Ben Shimon – the Tzuf Dvash. [Morocco or Eretz Israel, ca. mid-19th century].
Handwritten by the author, with deletions and emendations. The title Beit Tefillah appears at the top of the first page. Two leaves in a different hand bound at the end of the manuscript, with copyings of several piyyutim appearing in the manuscript.
The manuscript comprises many piyyutim with various acrostics of the author's name. In some cases, the acrostics are noted in the heading.
Inscription on final leaf: "This notebook of piyyutim by the great rabbi… R. David Ben Shimon…", concluding with a calligraphic signature, presumably of one of his sons.
Most of the present collection of piyyutim was printed at the end of the book Shem Chadash by his son R. Masoud Chai Ben Shimon (Egypt, 1917), under the title Shir Chadash – Shirei Tehillah, with several textual variations and omissions (primarily of the piyyut headings).
R. David son of R. Moshe Ben Shimon, author of Shaarei Tzedek (1826-1879), known as HaRav Dvash or Tzuf Dvash, was a Torah scholar in Rabat, Morocco. He immigrated to Jerusalem in 1855, where he established the Vaad HaEdah HaMaaravit (for immigrants from Maghreb, North Africa) and served as head of the Maghrebi Beit Din. He authored Shaarei Tzedek and other works. His sons were R. Refael Aharon Ben Shimon – chief rabbi of Cairo, author of Nahar Mitzrayim, and R. Masoud Chai Ben Shimon, who succeeded his brother as rabbi of Cairo after the latter's passing.
[12] leaves (approx. 15 written pages). Approx. 19 cm. Fair-poor condition. Stains. Extensive worming, with significant damage to text. Large open tears to three leaves, affecting text. Old binding, damaged.