Bidspirit auction | Nice Poem for a Marriage

Nice Poem for a Marriage Handwritten by Rabbi Avraham Bleish Av Beit Din of Provence de Nice Author of ”Afrot Tevel” – Italy, the 19th Century - Poem for the marriage of the bridegroom ”Elisha the son of the philanthropist Rabbi Eliezer Chaim Carpi” and the bride ”Mrs. Rossa Tama the daughter of the pious Rabbi Mordechai Chaim Sanguinetti. Handwritten by Rabbi Avraham Bleish Av Beit Din of Provence de Nice [Italy]. The 19th century. The poem was written on a large leaf, with a printed frame of flowers. At the beginning of the leaf, opening remarks ”Kol Dodi Hineh Zeh Bah Kulo Ratzuf Ahava Besasson UVeSimcha Behashket UVeBitach…” Italian Solitreo with the names in square letters. At the center of the leaf, the poem was written, ”Head of the flowers the Rose is considered…” (Rose/Rossa – the bride's name). The second verse begins with ”Rossa is a Eshet Chayil …” the poem is in square script. With the signature ”Eved Avraham Anochi” (I am Avraham's slave). On the lower part of the leaf, words of praise in Italian. In a foreign language and script. Rabbi Avraham Bleish was born and grew up in Tunis. He had connections with the government and was the finance minister of the Bey of Tunis. In his forties, he escaped from Tunis due to persecution by the authorities, leaving there his fortune and all his possessions. He moved through several states, intending to settle eventually in Jerusalem. When he passed through Kushta, he received the approbations of its rabbis to his book Tevu'ot Ya'akov. There, approbations by the greatest sages of Italy were also printed. When he arrived in Italy, the communities there found him agreeable.  Rabbi Moshe Zacuto Halevi writes that when he passed through Torino, he was accepted to work for the king ”Vittorio Emanuele”. When he passed through Provence de Nice he was asked to become the city's rabbis and indeed, he settled there and served as its rabbi for about 30 years. When he was seventy five, he moved to London where he taught Torah at the Etz Chaim Talmud Torag of the Sephardic community.   Besides being a great Talmid Chacham, a rabbi of several communities and a prolific writer, he was a great poet, as indicated by ten of his books, all of which contain poetic introductions. His book ”Be'er Lechai Ro'i” (Torino, 1826) which includes Masechet Derech Eretz and Mussar, is written in 130 paragraphs, all written as rhymed poems in three languages: Hebrew, Italian and French. The book contains poems in honor of Carlo Felice di Savoia and his family, poems in honor of various dignitaries, and the cities of Torino and Nice. The National Library has a manuscript of poems in honor of the minister Louis Voay and his family (Nice, 1823) including a prayer for him in Italian in Latin letter-fonts. Printed at the beginning and end of his book ”Pri Etz Chaim VeAfreha DeAvraham” are poems in honor of the gabaim of Etz chaim and the Rothschild [!] family, Moses Montefiore, Rabbi Natan Cohen Adler [!] and Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Avigdor. On the reverse side of the two title pages: a prayer in honor of the Queen Victoria and the R0yal family (English). Rabbi Avraham authored many books, among them: Yad Avishalom (Livorno, 1829). Tevu'ot Ya'akov (Livorno, 1820), Pri Etz Chaim VeAfreha DeAvraham (Livorno, 1846). Acharit LeIsh Shalom (Liborno, 1829). His book ”Afrot Tevel” (London, 1850) was published when he was eighty five years old. In his book Acharit LeIsh Shalom, he signed on the end of the title page ”Eved Avraham Anochi” , emphasizing the Avraham. In the manuscript there is a poem in honor of Hachnassat Sefer Torah by the brothers the sons of Avraham Gershon Padua, the 14th of Nissan 1827 he signed ”Eved Avraham Anochi” (National Library, listing 003444182). [1] leaf. 27x39cm. Quality leaf. Very good condition. A few fold marks and minor stains.