Auction 94 Kodesh books, Rabanic manuscripts, Zionism, Erez Israel. Judaica, archaeology and Jewish art
Jul 19, 2016
Israel
 3 Shatner Center 1st Floor Givat Shaul Jerusalem
The auction has ended

LOT 311:

"Chessed L'Avraham." Rare manuscript from Tilalin with additions. Morocco, 1840

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$ 6,000
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$10000 - $9000
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"Chessed L'Avraham." Rare manuscript from Tilalin with additions. Morocco, 1840
Chessed L'Avraham by Rabbi Avraham Toviana. The prayerbook contains kabbalistic kavanot, mannerisms, and prayers. Also contains several tikkunim: Tikkun HaYom, Tikkun HaMagefah, and more. According to the author's introduction, the book is based on the writings of the Arizal which were written by his primary student, Rabbi Chaim Vital, and his son Rabbi Shmuel Vital. A rare, handwritten transcription by a scribe in the city of Tilalin, Morocco. 1840. In the margins of a few pages are glosses in a different handwriting.
[1] 1-124 [8] paper leaves. 20x13 cm. Moroccan writing. An additional title page to the section "Olat HaShabbat." Written by an expert scribe in very pleasant and exact handwriting in two columns. Each column is surrounded by a double border. Emphasized words. Illustrations.
On the title page: "This book Chessed L'Avraham, which was written by the complete wise man the kabbalist… Rabbi Avraham Toviana… I copied it word by word, the one who is young in wisdom, Mordechai ben Yehudah Shabbat, one of the residents of the city of Tilalin, in the year 1840."
Despite the transcriber's declaration that he copied it word-for-word, this manuscript does not contain the author's introduction which was printed in the two known printings, and some of the introduction to the Maariv prayer are missing. Despite this, there are additions of rare prayers which were not printed there, among them: "Master of the World, I hereby prepare myself to become a chariot" and "Master of the World, I hereby prepare myself to make my entire body a chariot for the Divine Presence." In addition, from page 126b are additions that are not found in the printed books, among them: Sefer Rafrafot, Tikkunei Tefillot Kedoshot L'Keri, an awesome prayer by Rabbi Yishmael the High Priest, Birkot HaNehenin, kavanot for the days of the Shovavim. The last page ends in different handwriting: "I found written… in the works of the kabbalists that he should say the letter kuf from the alphabet…"
These additions and an additional title page which do not appear in the printed editions strengthen the assumption that the manuscript before us was not copied from the printed copies but rather from a different manuscript which he had before him, and maybe even from the manuscript from which the first edition was printed, which deleted the additions that appear here.
The city of Tilalin is in southern Morocco. Manuscripts found there are very rare and are not registered in the Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts in the National Library in Jerusalem.
 
New semi-leather cover and marbleized paper. Age stains. On a number of pages are tears and reinforcements with damage to text. Moderate condition.  

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