Two handwritten volumes, Pituchei Chotam, a full composition on the Talmud, novellae on Tractates Berachot, Betza, Ta'anit, Chulin, Ketubot, Horayot, Bava Metzi'a, Nidah, Succah, Megillah and Chagiga. By R. Petachya Mordechai Birdugo. Meknes (Morocco). 1793-1799.
Illustrated title page. Written by both the author and his scribe [Rabbi Shaul Shmuel Toledano, Meknes sage at that time], with many glosses and additions by the author. Many glosses written by his brother signed "Ya'akov", "Ya'akov S"T" [Ya'akov Birdugo]. In a note on page 25/b, Rabbi Petachya cites his father [Rabbi Yekutiel Birdugo] "And Father, my teacher explained…".
The tractates and chapters end with flowery phrases and rhymes, signatures (Petachya Mordechai son of R. Yekutiel Birdugo), documentation of events and of the yeshiva study itinerary with dates of beginning and end of the study of the tractates and notes of his precise age.
A colophon appears at the end of Tractate Chulin (page 88/a) thanking the scribe who copied many parts of the manuscript: "To my friend, the copier…the wise and clever R. Shmuel Toledano", "The perfect sage R. Shaul Shmuel Toledano".
At the end of Tractate Megillah (page 199/b) is a colophon dated Adar Aleph 1796 noting that in the month of Adar 1796, Rabbi Petachya Mordechai became 32 years old.
At the end of Tractate Succah is a long poignant colophon from 1798-1799, documenting the events which took place at that time and the dedication to Torah study in spite of the perils of drought, locust plagues and epidemics and Moslem persecution, including accusations of collaborating with Napoleon's French army: "…Due to our many sins, troubles have multiplied and the news is frightening. An epidemic has spread in Fez which is the worst our fathers have seen for the past 50 years, and food and living expenses have risen considerably. Rain is very scarce and very heavy locust swarms are destroying the land… The French are progressively conquering the Ishmaelite governments, Egypt and all its surroundings and Eretz Israel and the entire region. This urged me to hurry and study this Talmud... I have begun it on the 17th of the month of Cheshvan 1798 and I have completed it with G-d's help on the 28th of Adar Rishon of the same year".
Various signatures and signed ownership inscriptions in several places by Rabbi "Yitzchak Birdugo" son of Rabbi Yekutiel, Rabbi Petachya Mordechai's brother, "Avraham Toledano", "Avraham Birdugo", "Yosef Birdugo", "Ya'akov Birdugo".
The author, Rabbi Petachya Mordechai Birdugo (1764-1820), Dayan and head of yeshiva in Meknes, wrote Pituchei Chotam and Nofet Tzufim. His son, Rabbi Meir was murdered together with his wife, and Rabbi Petachya Mordechai's progeny was continued by his daughters' sons. The illustrious Birdugo family, one of the most eminent families in Morocco, arrived in the country following the Spanish expulsion in 1492 and his descendants concentrated in the city of Meknes. According to a family tradition, the Birdugos descended from King David which some say is the origin of the name Birdugo - Ben David (Dugo is a diminutive of David), but others say that the name originates from the Portuguese Bara dogua which means the golden scepter. From the 18th century, the Birdugo family has produced rabbis, heads of yeshivas and community leaders for many generations until today.
R. Petachya Mordechai is the son of R. Yekutiel Birdugo (died in 1802, brother and teacher of R Refael Birdugo, author of Mishpatim Yesharim, known as "Malach Refael"). His brother R. Ya'akov Birdugo (1786-1843), author of Shufrei D'Ya'akov was also a leading Meknes sage. Another brother, Rabbi Yitzchak Birdugo (1768-1820), who was also a rabbi and sage in Meknes, writes and signs an inscription on this manuscript with love and esteem lauding this composition written by his brother Rabbi Petachya Mordechai.
Two volumes: Vol. 1: [1], 113 leaves. Vol. 2: 122-199 leaves. Condition varies among the leaves, good-fair; several leaves are in fair-poor condition. Wear and many tears affecting text, stains and worming. Detached leaves. New bindings.
This composition was only partially printed in the book Pituchei Chotam (Jerusalem, 1980), without the novellae on Tractates Chulin, Bava Metzi'a and Nidah. Inspection of the author's notations and the notations of his brother Rabbi Ya'akov, author of Shufrei D'Ya'akov which appear in the margins has revealed that not all the notes have been printed [possibly this book was printed from a partial copy, copied before the author finished proofreading and editing the work, whereas this is the original draft of the author].