Bidspirit auction | “And in this way their

“And in this way their minds will be sharpened, their understanding broadened, and their wisdom illuminated” – A Unique Manuscript by the Ben Ish Chai, Including His Celebrated Blessing - “And I trust in the Living God that the students will see a favorable sign in their studies through this booklet… and may the will of Hashem prosper in our hands, and may He show us wonders.” (The Ben Ish Chai, on the manuscript offered here) A rare manuscript of exceptional Torah and segulah significance, written entirely—approximately 170 words—in the sacred handwriting of the great Kabbalist of Baghdad, Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, author of the Ben Ish Chai. [Baghdad, second half of the 19th century]. Offered here is a unique section of the Ben Ish Chai’s Torah teachings, comprising three Torah riddles, written consecutively and separated by dividing lines, likewise drawn in his own hand. In addition to his numerous works on halachah, homiletics, and Kabbalah, the Ben Ish Chai also composed a collection of chiddudim—intellectual Torah riddles and exercises—which was later printed in the section Chiddudin BeDivrei Torah in his work Imrei Binah. In his introduction, he explained the purpose of these riddles as follows: “These are the very ones with which I would sharpen the minds of the members of my household during the meal and after the meal, on nights and festivals… so that they would develop ideas from their own intellect and devise various original insights from their own understanding and discernment. In this way their minds would be sharpened, their comprehension broadened, and their wisdom illuminated, for it is known that the intellect is greatly sharpened when it produces new insights.” The three riddles appearing in the present manuscript were eventually printed in his book [ibid.]. In the introduction to that section, the Ben Ish Chai added a special blessing for all those who study them: “And I trust in the Living God that the students will see a favorable sign in their studies through this booklet, which I have prepared with the help of Hashem; and may the will of Hashem prosper in our hands, and may He show us wonders from His Torah, the Torah of life.” To the best of our electronic search, based on keyword searches in the Bidspirit database, among the hundreds of manuscripts offered for sale over the years, no other manuscript has yet been identified as belonging to the Chidudin BeDivrei Torah section of the Ben Ish Chai's writings. [A small number of manuscripts containing riddles have been identified, but none from his Torah riddles.] Beyond its Torah significance as a rare manuscript from a distinctive part of the Ben Ish Chai’s teachings, it also possesses special segulah significance in light of the author’s own words and blessings: he states that these riddles have the capacity to “sharpen the intellect, ” and promises that through them “the students will see a favorable sign in their studies.” As is well known, manuscripts in the sacred handwriting of the Ben Ish Chai have long been regarded as a segulah for blessing and protection. The present manuscript itself contains expressions traditionally associated with special segulah significance. In the third riddle appear the words “with regard to a sick person… with regard to a healthy person”—associated with healing; while the second riddle mentions the “egg of the Bar-Yochni, ” known from the words of the Sages as a symbol of extraordinary power. The highlight, however, is the conclusion of the first riddle, where the Ben Ish Chai penned his celebrated blessing: “E-l Shad-dai shall be our aid, protect us and assist us, Amen, may it be His will.” Some regard this blessing as one of the reasons manuscripts in the sacred handwriting of the Ben Ish Chai have, over the years, been particularly sought after as a segulah and amulet—even more so than manuscripts of many other great Torah sages. Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad [1833–1909], author of the Ben Ish Chai and the preeminent Sephardic Torah sage of his generation. He was born to Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim, son of Rabbi Moshe Chaim, Rabbi of Baghdad, and was a disciple of Rabbeinu Abdallah Somekh. Already in his youth, he became renowned for his genius and righteousness. At the age of only 26, he began delivering sermons in Baghdad’s Great Synagogue, continuing to do so every Shabbat and festival for approximately fifty years. Thousands would gather to hear his celebrated discourses, which could last four or five hours. He became renowned throughout the Jewish world as a singular master of both the revealed and hidden dimensions of Torah and was famed for his extraordinary sanctity. In 1869, he traveled to Eretz Israel to pray at the graves of the righteous. During this journey, it was revealed to him from Heaven that his soul was rooted in that of Benayahu ben Yehoyada. Accordingly, he gave related titles to many of his dozens of works, including Ben Ish Chai, Ben Ish Chayil, Ben Yehoyada,