Bidspirit auction | Two Manuscripts from Morocco –

Two Manuscripts from Morocco – Hundreds of Autographs and Signatures of Leading Moroccan Rabbis - Two manuscripts from Morocco, with hundreds of autographs and signatures of leading Moroccan rabbis: · Volume of halachic rulings and responsa letters from Morocco – a large collection of autographs and signatures of leading Moroccan rabbis, mainly from Fez and Meknes, from the 18th century (including halachic rulings from 1713, 1716, 1722, 1729 and more) and early 19th century (ca. 1803-1836). The rabbis of Fez who wrote and signed the present documents include: R. Refael Oved Abensour, R. Eliyahu HaTzarfati, R. Matitiah Serero, R. Shaul ibn Danan, R. Yehudah HaLevi, R. Yaakov ibn Attar, R. Shmuel ibn Saadon, R. Masud Nechemias, R. Imanuel Mansano, R. Menachem Serero, R. Yehudah Ashriki, R. Efraim Monsonego, R. Mordechai Saba, R. Yaakov Malka, R. Saadiah ibn Danan, R. Maimon Bussidan, R. Yaakov son of David Ochayun, R. Refael Aharon Monsonego, R. Yisrael HaTzarfati, and others. The rabbis of Meknes who wrote and signed the present documents include: R. Refael Berdugo (”the angel Refael”), R. Maimon Berdugo, R. Yaakov Berdugo, R. Yaakov Toledano (Maharit), R. Shlomo Toledano, R. Moshe Toledano, R. Avraham son of R. Yosef Ensalem, R. Shlomo Tapiero, R. Shmuel ibn Wa'ish, R. Yehudah Coriat, R. Shlomo Maimaran, R. Mordechai Elbaz, R. Avraham Chaliwa, R. Moshe Tobi, and others. Signatures of rabbis from other places in Morocco, including two halachic rulings signed by R. Yehudah son of R. Avraham Coriat (the first) of Tétouan. [87] leaves (including blank leaves). Approx. 14-15 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, tears and wear. Folding marks. Detached leaves. Without binding. Placed in a case. · Handwritten volume containing several works and halachic rulings handwritten and signed by various rabbis: Begins with a halachic ruling handwritten and signed by R. Yaakov Berdugo; four leaves of halachic rulings and novellae handwritten by R. Yaakov Abensour – the Yaavetz, with his signatures (marginal inscriptions handwritten by R. Refael Abensour the youngest); copying of two works: Kitzur Minhagei Bedikot HaRe'ah VeChidushei Dinim, by R. Refael Berdugo, edited by his son R. Maimon Berdugo (HaRav HaMevin); followed by ”novel laws”, with corrections and glosses, by R. Maimon Berdugo; Shir Chadash by R. Shalom Abensour, in a neat copying, concluding with a colophon signed by ”Shmuel HaLevi Aben Yuli”; selected laws handwritten by R. Shlomo Abensour. [59] leaves. Approx. 16 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains. Worming, affecting text. Without binding. Placed in a case. Provenance: 1. The Abensour Family Collection, Fez, Morocco. 2. The Victor Klagsbald Collection – Morocco 40 and 40bis. Reference: Victor Klagsbald, Catalogue des manuscrits marocains de la collection Klagsbald, Paris, 1980, pp. 87-90. Manuscript Collection of Moroccan Rabbis – The Abensour Family In the 1960s, the Klagsbald collection was supplemented by a particularly important collection – the manuscripts of the Abensour (Ibn Tzur) family of Fez. The collection contains many volumes comprising halachic rulings and correspondence of leading Moroccan rabbis, centering around the figure of R. Yaakov Abensour, the Yaavetz, a leading Moroccan Torah scholar and Rabbi of Fez, and an ancestor of the family. The collection was painstakingly assembled by R. Refael Abensour the youngest (see below) and was held in its entirety by the Abensour family in Fez until its purchase by Victor Klagsbald. This collection is of inestimable importance as an immense and rare compilation of the Torah teachings and halachic rulings of generations of Moroccan rabbis, kept in its entirety over many generations. Many parts of this collection have yet to be studied and published. Furthermore, the present collection preserves an unparalleled, comprehensive assemblage of autograph manuscripts – handwritten by the leading rabbis of Morocco, with their unique, calligraphic signatures, first and foremost by the Or HaChaim and his peers. R. Yaakov Abensour – the Yaavetz The centerpiece of the collection is comprised of numerous halachic rulings and autographs by R. Yaakov Abensour, the Yaavetz (1673-1752; Malchei Rabanan, pp. 64-65), a most prominent and illustrious figure of Moroccan Jewry. A leading halachic authority of his generation (the generation of the holy Or HaChaim and his teachers), a poet and a kabbalist, also well versed in practical kabbalah. At the age of twenty, he was appointed scribe of the Beit Din of R. Vidal HaTzarfati, R. Menachem Serero and R. Yehudah ibn Attar in Fez. He then authored Et Sofer – laws and customs of halachic documents. With the passing of R. Vidal HaTzarfati, R. Yehudah ibn Attar was appointed head of the Beit Din and the Yaavetz became his fellow dayan. The Yaavetz (along with R. Yehudah ibn Attar and other leading Torah scholars of the generation) authored the approbation to Chefetz Hashem by R. Chaim ibn Attar,