Bidspirit auction | Discovery! Two Unknown Torah Compositions

Discovery! Two Unknown Torah Compositions from Tyre, Lebanon. Early 20th Century * Lebanese Jewry is one of the most ancient communities, with a continuous Jewish presence from ancient times through the Middle Ages and into the modern era. After the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, immigrants settled in Lebanon, and over time the Jewish community there experienced both growth and decline. The Jews of Tyre maintained strong ties with the neighboring community in Eretz Yisrael. At the time these compositions were written, the Jewish population of Lebanon numbered approximately 3,000 individuals, most residing in Beirut and Sidon, with a small minority in the city of Tyre. Manuscripts from Tyre are exceedingly rare! Manuscript of the sefer Peh LeAdam and the sefer Pi Melech – Tyre (Lebanon), 1917–1918 Two manuscripts bound together: Peh LeAdam – Ethical discourses arranged in encyclopedic fashion according to the aleph-beis. Pi Melech – Explanations on verses from Koheles and various other collected writings. Among them are poems in praise of Eretz Yisrael and the city of Tzfas, commentary on the weekly parshiyos, and other compilations. At the beginning of Peh LeAdam there is an elaborate, poetic introduction in the style of the Sephardic sages, with each paragraph concluding with the word Adam. The author’s name is hinted on the title page: Moshe Levi, and he signs his name at the end of the introduction. In the introduction, the author alludes to the fact that he was nineteen years old at the time of writing the composition! This is an unknown and never-before-published manuscript. At the beginning of both works are handwritten title pages styled after printed title pages. The Pi Melech manuscript features a title page with an architectural border. Tyre, 1917–1918, with additional entries continuing into the 1950s. Page Count: [110] leaves, most of which are written. Size: 14×20 cm. Condition: Good. Minor defects at the top of several leaves. Original cardboard binding (slightly worn).