Auction 93 Part 1 - Manuscripts, Prints and Engravings, Objects and Facsimiles, from the Gross Family Collection, and Private Collections
Manuscript, Musar Haskel by R. Hai Gaon, and Ke'arat Kesef by R. Yosef Ezobi. [Morocco, 1751].
Maghrebi script. Decorated title page; title page text includes name of scribe: Moshe son of Menachem Monsonego, and the date: 5th Kislev 1751. The name of the writer is also incorporated in the border.
Musar Haskel and Ke'arat Kesef were printed together from the start, first in Fano 1504, and later in Venice 1578. This manuscript was copied from the Venice 1578 edition (as stated on the title page and in the colophon).
Headpiece and floral illustration on p. 10b. Inscriptions on final pages, with calculations of the civil calendar for 1583 and 1700.
[11] leaves. 14.5 cm. Fair–good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Marginal open tears, not affecting text. Inscriptions. New binding.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.040.
Manuscript, Shaar HaPesukim, teachings of the Arizal, by R. Chaim Vital. [Meknes, 1785].
Neat Maghrebi script, written by R. Machlouf Benshetrit at the age of 13 (see below). Illustrated title page with floral motifs, in typical Moroccan style. Space designated for title page text remains blank.
Shaar HaPesukim in this manuscript follows the initial version by R. Chaim Vital, before having been edited by the latter's son R. Shmuel Vital (the printed editions usually comprise of R. Shmuel's version). The homilies from the colleagues of R. Chaim Vital are concentrated at the end of the manuscript, rather than noted throughout. Glosses by various kabbalists in in–text windows.
Writer's colophon on final page: "Completed on Thursday 4th Tishrei 1785… by Machlouf Benshetrit at the age of 13, son of R. Moshe…" – the writer was presumably R. Machlouf son of R. Moshe Shetrit (the fourth), a Meknes Torah scholar.
[66] leaves (+ several blank leaves). Approx. 21 cm. Fair–good condition. Stains, including large dampstains. Worming. Tears to several leaves, affecting text, repaired in part with paper. Endpaper detached. Inscriptions. New binding, incorporating parts of original binding.
Exhibition: Yeshiva University Museum, New York, "The Sephardic Journey: 1492–1992", 1990–1992. See exhibition catalog, no. 399, p. 297.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.018.
Manuscript, She'erit Yosef, on leap years and the Jewish calendar, by R. Yosef ben Shem Tov, with a commentary by R. Daniel HaKohen. [Morocco], 1794.
She'erit Yosef was first published in Salonika 1521, and again with the commentary of R. Daniel HaKohen in Salonika, 1568. The main part of the work is a long poem on calculating leap years, with a commentary by the author R. Yosef ben Shem Tov ben Yeshuah Chai, and an additional commentary by R. Daniel son of R. Perachya HaKohen. It also contains other topics relating to the calendar.
The title page states: "She'erit Yosef, I wrote it in 1794, so says Moshe son of R. Maimon Maaravi".
Many textual variations in comparison with the printed version.
Leaves 14–15 in late script.
[1], [108] leaves. 15.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and open tears, primarily to first leaves, affecting text and border, repaired in part with paper. Title page detached. New leather binding.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.044.
Manuscript, anthology of works: Taamei Halachot, novellae by R. Moshe Berdugo, and more. Meknes (Morocco), [1831].
Title page text set in floral border, with a pointed Moorish arch in the center.
The manuscript contains several works:
• Taamei Halachot on the laws of Passover (incomplete), Tisha B'Av, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (incomplete).
• Laws of shechitah in question–answer form. Copying interrupted after one leaf.
• Novellae by R. Moshe Berdugo – two leaves, ends in the middle of a topic.
• Novellae by other Torah scholars.
Various inscriptions of members of the Toledano family.
[142] leaves, including 43 written leaves (many leaves remain blank). 14 cm. Fair–good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming, affecting text. Minor marginal tears and open tears to first and final leaves, not affecting text. Final leaf detached. Original leather over wooden boards, damaged, with remnants of copper clasps.
Exhibition:
• Andre Goldenberg, Art and Jews of Morocco, Paris, 2014, p. 166.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.029.
Manuscript, laws of shechitah and terefot following the customs of Marrakesh (Morocco). [Marrakesh, 19th century].
Decorated, colorful title page, stating: "Minhagei Marrakesh". The work contains laws, customs, reasons and light thoughts on the laws of shechitah and terefot. On p. [2]a, colorful illustration of a lung and other organs. Signature near the illustration (in a different hand): "Mordechai Yisrael" (Krupp Collection Ms. 287, also with the Marrakesh customs on the laws of shechitah and terefot, is signed at the end by the copyist "Mordechai Yisrael". He may be the signatory here, and perhaps this entire manuscript was copied by him).
On the endpapers, on the verso of the title page and in other places, many inscriptions and signatures of the owner "Avraham Ifergan", one of them dated 1926.
[20] leaves. 18 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Worming, affecting text. Marginal tears and open tears to some leaves, not affecting text. New binding.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.072.
Manuscript, amulets, hashbaot and segulot. [Morocco, 18th century].
Neat cursive Sephardic (Maghrebi) script. Tables, kabbalistic illustrations and Angelic script.
The manuscript opens with 35 sections listing various methods of performing dream questions, followed by many selections of amulet texts, hashbaot and segulot for various situations.
In several places, the source is stated as "a manuscript of R. Chaim Vital".
[48] written leaves (+ several blank leaves). 15 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming, affecting text in several places. Detached leaves. Original binding, damaged.
See:
• Windows on Jewish Worlds. Essays in Honor of William Gross. Edited by Shalom Sabar, Emile Schrijver and Falk Wiesemann. Zutphen, Walburg Pers, 2019, p. 185–186.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.082.
Manuscript, piyyutim for various occasions, in Hebrew and Judeo–Arabic. [Morocco, ca. 19th–20th centuries].
Anthology by various writers, in semi–cursive and cursive Sephardic (Maghrebi) script.
The manuscript opens with a decorative border, and a piyyut on the Ten Commandments in Judeo–Arabic. The initial word of each commandment is set in a similar frame. The scribe signed in his name in the initial word panel of the fourth commandment: "Yehoshua HaTzarfati", and again at the foot of p. 22a.
The piyyut for Shavuot is followed by piyyutim for various occasions, by R. Yaakov Berdugo and other North–African Torah scholars.
Signatures by various writers throughout the manuscript (and inscription in one place of the year 1886).
[80] leaves (including several blank leaves). Approx. 17 cm. Fair–good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and open tears, affecting text (primarily to final leaves). Tears to decorations on several leaves due to ink erosion. New binding.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.074.
Manuscript, Shir HaMolad VehaIbur, with the commentary of the author R. Shalom Ibn Tzur. [Morocco, 18th/19th century].
Square and cursive Maghrebi script. Three hand illustrations for calculating tekufot.
R. Shalom Ibn Tzur's work is structured as a poem, with a detailed commentary by the author to each stanza. The work was printed as an addendum to the book Tziltzelei Shama, piyyutim by R. Moshe Ibn Tzur, Alexandria 1892. The present manuscript begins with the second stanza of the poem, and is lacking the concluding poem. Tables and illustrations for calculating tekufot at the end of the work.
[14] leaves. 15.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming, slightly affecting text. Marginal tears, professionally restored with paper. New binding.
Exhibition:
• Andre Goldenberg, Art and Jews of Morocco, Paris, 2014, p. 166.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.046.
Manuscript, document recording the sale of claims, handwritten and signed by R. Shlomo ibn Tzur. Fez, 1839.
The document records the sale by the heirs of Yitzchak Mordjan to Yehuda Ben David Ohayon of any claims they have against R. Shmuel son of R. Chaim Vaknin. Dated Tuesday 7th Shevat 1839, with the calligraphic signature of R. Shlomo Ibn Tzur, and an addition handwritten and signed by R. Shlomo Ibn Tzur and another rabbi.
On the verso, record of the sale of the document to Moshe son of R. Chaim Vaknin, signed by R. Shlomo Ibn Tzur and R. Yisrael Yaakov Aflalo.
On the back of the leaf, inscription by R. Shlomo Ibn Tzur about the topic of the document.
R. Shlomo Ibn Tzur (1805–1843), a Fez Torah scholar, son of R. Rafael Ibn Tzur and grandson of R. Yaakov Ibn Tzur – the Yaavetz.
[1] double leaf. 15.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Minor marginal wear. Folding marks. New binding.
Exhibition:
• Yeshiva University Museum, New York, "The Sephardic Journey: 1492–1992", 1990–1992, p. 297, no. 402.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.050, 133.011.002.
Manuscript, anthology of works on sample letters and language, by Moroccan Torah scholars. [Morocco, 18th century].
Cursive Maghrebi script.
The manuscript comprises two anthologies of sample letters and poetic expressions titled Leshon Limudim: Leshon Limudim by R. Yaakov Ibn Tzur – the Yaavetz, with letters by other Moroccan Torah scholars (some unpublished); and Leshon Limudim by R. Shaul Serero; followed by Leshon Chachamim by R. Yitzchak son of Yehuda HaKohen Rappaport – dictionary of rhyming expressions.
R. Shaul son of R. Matityah Serero, (the third) was a Fez Torah scholar in the second half of the 18th century. He is mentioned in this manuscript as amongst the living. His work is presumably unpublished.
Bound at the beginning of the manuscript: decorated leaf not connected to the manuscript, from a work on the Hebrew calendar, with an illustration of a hand, and the date 1776.
Ornamental tailpiece at the end of the manuscript, featuring a pair of birds, and the inscription: "Yosef Yitzchak Assayag".
[1], 54; [4], 5, 7–20, [1] leaves (including several blank leaves). 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming with some damage to text. Tears and open tears, affecting text. Inscriptions and signatures. New binding.
Exhibition:
• Arts et cultures du Maroc. Marie–Rose Rabaté, André Goldenberg. Paris, c2004, p. 262 / p.289.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.015.
Manuscript, Pitchei Olam – astronomy and calendars, by R. Mordechai Malka. [Morocco, ca. late 19th century].
Manuscript handwritten by the author (in neat Maghrebi script). Decorated title page at the beginning of the manuscript. Many fine illustrations and diagrams throughout, of the heavenly bodies, zodiacs, and more.
Eight leaves on red paper, with calendars of Muslim and Christian dates, and the solar cycle from 1884.
No details are known to us about the author, thought there are several extant manuscripts he authored.
46, [1], [31] pages (including many blank leaves). 27 cm. Eight leaves of red paper. Good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Worming. Marginal tears. Inscriptions. New binding.
Exhibition:
• Angels and demons: Jewish magic through the ages. Jerusalem, Bible Lands Museum, 2010.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.062.
Manuscript, Tahir shel Pesach [laws of Passover]. [Morocco, 18th/19th century].
Square and semi–cursive script. Comprised of two manuscripts (switches over in the middle of the translation of the Haftarah for the second day of Passover, several lines duplicate). Both parts are finely decorated, partially in color, in typical Moroccan style, and include carpet pages and architectonic ornaments.
At the beginning of the manuscript, leaf with letter on business matters in Judeo–Arabic, in semi–cursive script.
Tahir shel Pesach is a composition recited in North African communities during Passover, containing a halachic piyyut of the laws of Passover, in the Holy Tongue with Judeo–Arabic translation (paragraph by paragraph); other piyyutim in Judeo–Arabic and translation of the Passover haftarot.
[26] leaves. Lacking end. Approx. 14 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and open tears, affecting text, repaired in part with paper. Inscriptions. New binding.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.026.