Bidspirit auction | Rare and Unique Yismach Yisrael

Rare and Unique Yismach Yisrael The Maqam Music Sefer of the Jews of Jerusalem, Bound in a Magnificent Binding Jerusalem, 1875 * Sefer Yismach Yisrael contains introductions, supplications, and songs which the young men of Jerusalem would sing each Shabbos in the “holy community Istambulis” of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was printed by Rabbi Yaakov Chai Burla and Rabbi Eliyahu Moshe son of Rabbi Yehuda, who longed to revive the tradition of song that had ceased a few years earlier, following the passing of the founder of the gathering, the sage Rabbi Yitzchak Altaras, author of Yitzchak Yiranen (Jerusalem 1855). A rare sefer. It was printed primarily for the young men, singers of the 'maqam' (the system of melodic modes used in traditional Arab music and native to Sephardic Jewry), of the Istanbulis synagogue in Jerusalem. The title page was printed in golden ink, surrounded by an elegant gilded frame, of a type seldom found in works printed in Jerusalem. The sefer is bound in its original, impressive and unique leather binding, adorned with an illustration of the Kosel HaMa’aravi, inscribed with the words: “The site of our Beis HaMikdash in the holy city of Jerusalem, ” with the name of the owner stamped in gold: “The young Mircado Albasrawi, may he be protected.” The sefer contains: Thirteen introductions (“to begin with song”), twenty-one supplications, including one in Ladino and one in both Hebrew and Ladino, and one hundred and thirty-one songs – maqams. The maqams were printed according to their types: Rast, Mahur, Bayati, Husseini, Ashiran, Saba, Nawa, Ajam, Sikah, Farahnak, Hisar, Hijaz, Isfahan. Among the composers of the piyutim are: Rabbi Yitzchak Altaras, Rabbi Yosef Nissim Burla, Rabbi Shlomo Chazan, Rabbi Aharon Azriel, Rabbi Shaul Elyashar, the “Re’ach HaTov” Rabbi Rachamim Yosef Chaim Oplatka, Rabbi Amram Amar, Rabbi Eliyahu Chazan, Rabbi Shalom Mehadib, Rabbi Aharon Cohen, and others. It includes the famous piyut “Mother Rachel” composed by the sage Rabbi Aharon Azriel, son-in-law of the Pele Yoetz. Printed at the end of the piyutim is a beautiful illustration of Kever Rachel Imeinu. Bound at the end of the sefer are [21] handwritten pages, containing over fifteen additional piyutim composed by the sages Aharon Azriel, Yaakov Elyashar, Moshe Arvatz, and others. Jerusalem, 1875. First edition of the sefer (some of the piyutim were printed earlier). Page Count: [4], 65, [3] leaves + [21] handwritten pages, and additional blank leaves. Size: 16.2 cm. Condition: Good, with a few stains and signs of use, a few holes. Housed in a matching fabric-covered case.