Bidspirit auction | The personal Tanakh of Maran

The personal Tanakh of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef - Torah, Prophets and Writings (Tanakh) – Koren Publishers, Jerusalem. 1980. The personal copy of Maran, the Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Israel, Ovadia Yosef. A highly significant and exceptional copy, from the personal library of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef — one of the greatest halachic authorities and spiritual leaders of the Jewish people in the modern era, who served as Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Israel. On the front endpaper appears Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s official stamp, identifying him in his capacity as Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Israel, alongside an autograph inscription in his own hand — a personal addition attesting to his direct use of the volume and his special relationship with it. The handwritten inscription incorporates symbolic biblical quotations, accompanied by references to specific years expressed through gematria: “And I will give you as a covenant of the people” (Isaiah 42:6) — whose gematria corresponds to the year 5752. “The glory of Lebanon shall be given to her” (Isaiah 35:2) — whose gematria corresponds to the year 5710. The precise connection between the selected verses, the indicated years, and the book itself — printed in the year 5741 — remains unclear, and should be regarded as an unresolved enigma, adding a personal, contemplative, and intriguing dimension to the item, and offering a rare glimpse into the inner world and modes of thought of Maran. This is therefore not merely a finely produced Tanakh, but a tangible and living testament to the intellectual and spiritual world of one of the foremost Torah authorities of recent generations — an item of outstanding Torah, historical, and collectors’ significance. Condition: Very good. Original Binding.