Bidspirit auction | Manuscript, Halachic Works and Responsa

Manuscript, Halachic Works and Responsa Handwritten by Rabbi Shlomo Abensour and His Son Rabbi Refael Abensour – With Several Original Halachic Rulings Signed by the Yaavetz and Rabbis of Fez, and by Rabbis of Sefrou – Original Binding from Morocco, Made by Rabbi Yosef son of Rabbi Moshe Abuchatzeira - Manuscript, halachic works and responsa handwritten by R. Shlomo Abensour and his son R. Refael Abensour, bound with several original halachic rulings signed by the Yaavetz and Moroccan rabbis. [Most of the volume dates to the 19th century; several leaves from mid-18th century]. The present volume comprises several works: The first half (leaves 1-194) is a neat copying handwritten by R. Refael Abensour (the last), of halachic rulings and responsa from Moroccan rabbis, copied by his ancestor the Yaavetz, with many responsa and halachic rulings of the Yaavetz himself. On some of the leaves, R. Refael Abensour added his own glosses and additions (sometimes signed with his initials). The second half of the volume comprises works copied by R. Shmuel Abensour (father of R. Refael the last), including: responsa and halachic rulings on various issues by R. Shmuel Abensour (leaves 203-210, and several other leaves), Zoveach Todah, with novellae and comments by R. Shmuel (leaves 211-227), copyings of responsa of Moroccan rabbis (leaves 227-250), order of the Get (leaves 259-260), Likutei Pesakim (selected rulings, 214 paragraphs; leaves 267-293), Kitzur Minhagei Bedikot HaReah by R. Refael Berdugo, with additions of his son R. Maimon Berdugo, and additions by R. Shmuel (leaves 295-302) and additional selections on laws of terefot (leaves 303-310). In several places, marginal glosses by R. Refael, the scribe's son. Among the leaves are also bound original letters and halachic rulings, with autograph signatures of Moroccan rabbis: On leaf 261 – halachic ruling from 1748, signed by R. Yaakov Abensour – the Yaavetz, R. Shmuel Elbaz and R. Yosef son of Avraham Attiya (on first page, marginal gloss handwritten by the Yaavetz). On leaf 262 – halachic ruling dated 1775, signed by rabbis of Fez – R. Eliyahu HaTzarfati, R. Matitiah Serero and R. Shmuel Abensour. On leaf 294 – halachic ruling dated 1790, signed by R. Eliyahu HaTzarfati. On leaves 295-297 – halachic ruling dated 1836, signed by rabbis of Sefrou: R. Yehoshua Yisrael Yaakov Oliel, R. Amor Abitbol, R. Shmuel Elbaz and R. Amram Elbaz. Original leather binding, made in Morocco by R. Yosef son of R. Moshe Abuchatzeira of Fez. On front and back of binding, embossed decorations reading: ”This is my work, Yosef son of R. Moshe Abuchatzeira” (regarding this individual and his bookbinding work, see: R. Sh.Z. Miyara, Geonei Mishpachat Abuchatzeira, I, 2014, pp. 121-123). 312 leaves (including approx. 15 blank leaves). 21 cm. Varying condition: first part of volume in fair-good condition, second part in good condition. Stains. Browning of some entire leaves in first part of volume. Tears to several leaves in this part from ink erosion, affecting text. Original leather binding, damaged and with worming. Provenance: 1. The Abensour Family Collection, Fez, Morocco. 2. The Victor Klagsbald Collection – no. Morocco 15. Reference: Victor Klagsbald, Catalogue des manuscrits marocains de la collection Klagsbald, Paris, 1980, p. 43. 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. 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.