Manuscript, Taamei Halachot on Orach Chaim and Yoreh Deah. Safi (Morocco), 1771-1773.

Western cursive script. Colophon of copyist at beginning of manuscript: "I wrote this book… Yitzchak son of Shimon HaKohen Alchadad [calligraphic signature]. I began to write it in Cheshvan [1771], and concluded writing it in Tevet [1773].

On p. 120b, he quotes a statement by his teacher R. Yaakov Elbaz, in turn quoting R. Yaakov Pinto, adding that this accords with the custom in Marrakesh.

Taamei Halachot is a work preserved in North African manuscripts in several variations, most of which has not been published. The work appears to have originated with the rabbis of Marrakesh, as a digest of the writings of Rishonim and Acharonim, halachic rulings and local customs, and more. The present manuscript of Taamei Halachot comprises the laws of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Chanukah, Purim, Pesach, kashrut, niddah, food of gentiles, and usury.

At the beginning of the manuscript is a copying of a "Letter that came from the Ten Tribes to Jerusalem… from the Gozan River next to Koreo, five years' distance from Jerusalem and Hebron…". According to the letter, it was sent by "the faithful gentile Hajji Tawil Nakar", and they request the response to be sent back with him. At the end of the letter: "I, Shlomo the scribe, son of R. Ovadiah… 1745". To the best of our knowledge, this letter is known from no other source.

On the last 23 leaves of the manuscript is a copying of sermons from books by North African rabbis. The last leaves are lacking. Various inscriptions, including ownership inscriptions, on several leaves.

The scribe, R. Yitzchak son of R. Shimon HaKohen Alchadad, a dayan of Safi, where he served alongside R. Machluf Ochayon and R. Yosef Zaguri (in 1788 he signs alongside R. Machluf Ochayon in Responsa Tokpo Shel Yosef, I, 26).

[4]; 180 leaves (late pencil foliation). One or two leaves lacking between leaves 49-50, and several leaves after leaf 133. 20.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and wear. Open tears to several leaves, affecting text, repaired with paper filling. Three leaves detached. New binding.

Manuscript, "Shaar HaYichudim" – Shaar Ruach HaKodesh by R. Chaim Vital, edited by his son R. Shmuel Vital. [Morocco, ca. 18th century].

Neat Western script, by three alternating copyists. The first one copied up to the beginning of leaf 33. The second continued from there to the end of the work at the beginning of leaf 65. He then proceeded with several additions on the same leaf, and the third copyist concluded the additions on leaf 66. At the tops of the pages: "Shaar HaYichudim". On p. 65a: "Up to this point reaches Sefer HaYichudim".

At top of first page – stamp of R. Refael Abensour the last, Rabbi of Fez.

66 leaves (and many blank leaves). 18 cm. Good condition. Stains. Tears to several leaves. Wear. Some worming. Loose or detached leaves and gatherings. New binding, with slipcase.

Provenance:

1. Abensour Family Collection, Fez, Morocco.

2. Victor Klagsbald Collection – Morocco, no. 3.

Reference: Victor Klagsbald, Catalogue des manuscrits marocains de la collection Klagsbald, Paris, 1980, p. 22.

Manuscript booklet, from Sefer HaShemot, lexicon of practical kabbalah. Essaouira (Mogador, Morocco), 1846.

Neat Western script. Tables and diagrams. The present manuscript contains six leaves (approx. 9 written pages), including a copying of the beginning of the work (the copyist appears to have stopped copying on the last page).

On first leaf (bound out of place), the work begins with the copyist's name and year: "This Mekor HaShemot which I copied, I… Avraham ibn Saadon of Essaouira, which I copied from Mekor HaShemot quoted by… R. Eliyahu Shapira of Poland, beginning in 1846… Avraham ibn Saadon".

Sefer HaShemot, better known as Shorshei HaShemot, is a comprehensive work on the Holy Names, with a detailed description of their functions and use in hashbaot and amulets. The work is arranged as an alphabetical encyclopedic lexicon, and includes thousands of Holy Names and kabbalistic name combinations, as well as much practical kabbalah. The core of the work was composed by the kabbalist R. Moshe Zacuto – the Ramaz, and it includes kabbalistic secrets he received from his teachers. The work of R. Moshe Zacuto was of limited scope, but it was later expanded upon significantly by R. Eliyahu Shapira. The Chida (Shem HaGedolim, Maarechet HaGedolim, entry on R. Moshe Zacuto) lists Shorshei HaShemot among his works, adding that he saw a manuscript of the work. In Maarechet Sefarim, he mentions two additional manuscripts of Shorshei HaShemot: one with many additions by R. Eliyahu Shapira, and the second: "A remarkable manuscript in quantity and quality, from Torah scholars of North Africa".

[6] leaves (9 written pages). Leaves bound out of order (beginning leaf bound as third). 22 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains. Tears and wear.

Two manuscript volumes, halachic responsa by R. Avraham David Revach. [Morocco, first half of 20th century].

Neat copying of responsa in cursive Western script. Responsa Vayaan Avraham (Djerba, 1950) was edited for print based on these volumes, but the responsa are ordered differently than in the printed version. The manuscript contains editorial inscriptions in several places by the author's son-in-law and publisher of the book, R. Shimon HaKohen.

At beginning of one volume, stamp of author: "Avraham Revach, dayan and posek in the city of Settat".

R. Avraham David Revach (1883-1938), author of Vayaan Avraham and LeAvraham LeMiknah. A Salé-born Moroccan rabbi, he was a disciple of R. Refael Ankawa and was ordained as shochet by R. Shlomo Berdugo, a position he held between 1911-1914. In the early 1920s he was appointed yeshiva dean in Salé, while simultaneously serving as scribe of the Beit Din and prayer leader. He later served as rabbi in Settat, Morocco until his passing. The responsa in the present volumes were written in his later years in Settat.

Two volumes. [121] leaves; [105] leaves. 31-32 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains. Tears and wear to several leaves. Worming, affecting text, repaired with tape. New bindings.

Manuscript, amulets and Segulot, prayers, piyyutim and various selections. [Morocco, ca. 19th century].

The volume comprises leaves written by different writers. Most leaves are handwritten by R. Shlomo son of R. Refael Abensour, who signs his name twice (pp. 10a, 12a). Several leaves appear to be handwritten by his son R. Refael Abensour (the last; Rabbi of Fez; his signature appears on p. 43b). In one place, the page is signed by R. Shlomo Eliyahu Abensour (cousin of the above R. Shlomo Abensour; p. 45b). Some of the hands have not been identified (handwriting of R. Refael Oved Abensour may also be included).

Includes: Order of the four death penalties; order of rinsing the dead; amulets for various matters (livelihood, plague, difficulty in childbirth, evil eye and more), with kabbalistic charts and diagrams; various Segulot; annulling of a dream; Tehillim to recite on Shabbat according to the weekly Torah portion; yizkor list of the Abensour family; a section headed "I copied it from the handwriting of the emissary R. Refael Yisrael Elyakim"; Melitzat Metatron; prayers, piyyutim and bakashot; sayings; and more.

56 leaves. Varying size of leaves (maximum size: 16 cm). Fair-good condition. Stains, tears and wear. New binding.