Bidspirit auction | Discovery! Manuscript — Pamphlet of

Discovery! Manuscript — Pamphlet of Fourteen Pages in the Handwriting of HaGaon Rabbi Avraham Rozanis (the First), Father-in-Law of the Author of Mishneh L'Melech — Never Printed! — Sephardic Semi-Cursive Script An interesting phenomenon — entire passages from the present leaves were printed in the Sefer Parashat Derachim of his son-in-law, the author of Mishneh L'Melech (due to an error of the editor and arranger for print, the Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Culi). This phenomenon was already noted by the Chida in his Sefer Shem HaGedolim. “Derush that I delivered in our Beis Midrash — explanation of verses in I Samuel — from chapter 21, from Parashas Emor.” Corrections, notes, and brief additions in manuscript between the lines and in the margins of the leaves, apparently in the author’s hand. The renowned Gaon Rabbi Avraham (Ben Rabbi Meir) Rozanis (1635–1720), known as Rabbi Avraham Rozanis the First, was among the leading Chachmei Constantinople. A disciple of Mahari”t Tzahalon (Maharitatz). He served as an advisor at the royal court of the Sultan, and in 1659 was compelled to relocate with the royal court to the city of Adrianople, where he lived until 1677. His name became famous among the Chachmei Turkey. His only daughter married his foremost disciple and nephew, the renowned Gaon Rabbi Yehuda Rozanis, author of Mishneh L'Melech, who incorporated much of his father-in-law’s Torah in his own works. A small number of his responsa were printed in the works of the Gedoim in his generation, but a large portion of his Torah insights he wrote as glosses and notes in the margins of the leaves of his Sefarim. After his passing, all of his Torah writings, including his Sefarim with their numerous glosses, passed into the possession of his distinguished son-in-law, the author of Mishneh L'Melech. Many of these Chiddushim were printed within Mishneh L'Melech, which was edited and prepared for print by the Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Culi, author of Me’am Lo’ez. The Chida, in Shem HaGedolim, entry Rabbi Avraham Rozanis, writes: ”רבי אברהם רוזאניס הראשון... חמיו של הרב משנה למלך, והיה סיני ועוקר הרים, וכתב הרבה בגליון הספרים, וכל הדברים קצרים שיש במשנה למלך על מהרש”ך בתוקף הם מהרב ז”ל, והעתיקם חתנו המשנה למלך בספרו, והמסדר [רבי יעקב כולי] חשב דתורה דיליה היא” He further wrote about this in the entry on Rabbi Yehuda Rozanis:  ”שבכמה מקומות שיש איזה דברים קצרים בספר משנה למלך ובפרט כשכותב בתוקף להשיג על האחרונים, כל זה לאו מר חתים עלה ואינו מתורת הרב, רק הן הן דברי הרב מר חמיו מהר”א רוזאניס, והרב העתיק דברי מר חמיו בגליונות, ומצאם מהר”י כולי מכתיבת ידו [של חתנו ה”משנה למלך”] וחשב דתורה דיליה היא. וזה קבלתי מפום רבנן קדישי” A similar phenomenon appears in the present Derush. Entire passages printed in Parashat Derachim, by his son-in-law the author of Mishneh L'Melech, Derush 13, originate from the present pamphlet written by his father-in-law Rabbi Avraham Rozanis (see attached material). For identification of the handwriting of Rabbi Avraham Rozanis in his glosses, see the article: “Editing of the Sefer Mishneh L'Melech on the Rambam, ” by Yisrael Natan Heshel, Beit Aharon VeYisrael, issue 67, pp. 91–98. [7] leaves (14 written pages). 22 cm. Stains. Worm damage forming a channel in the center of the leaves and damage along the margins. Moderate condition.