Kise Rachamim, commentary on Tractate Kalah, Sofrim and Avot, by R. Chaim Yosef David Azulai – the Chida. Livorno: Eliezer Saadon, [1803]. First edition.
Copy of Rebbe Nachum Dov Ber Friedman of Sadigura; at the top of the title page are two of his stamps, one with his name "Nachum Dov Ber Friedman" and a lion icon (somewhat blurred), and a second stamp "Kinyan Kaspi".
Rebbe Nachum Dov Ber (Bernyu) Friedman of Sadigura (d. 1883), grandson of Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin, son of Rebbe Shalom Yosef and son-in-law of Rebbe Avraham Yaakov of Sadigura. R. Nachum Dov Ber was a prominent collector of early manuscripts and books, and possessed a large library. R. Nachum Dov used several types of stamps in his library. Books he inherited from his father were stamped "Nachalat Avotai", books he purchased were stamped "Kinyan Kaspi", and books received as a gift were stamped "Minchat Shai".
Copy of R. Shmuel Heller, Rabbi of Safed. On title page, ownership inscription in his handwriting (deleted with pencil): "Shmuel son of R. Yisrael Heller, shochet here in Safed". His stamp appears on the title page (scraped off) and on the last leaf with his signature. On p. 2a, kvittel inscription in his handwriting (deleted with pencil).
R. Shmuel Heller (1786-1884), leading Torah scholar and physician who was also an expert in secular studies, raised in the home of the Chozeh of Lublin, at whose advice he immigrated to Eretz Israel with his family. He served as Rabbi of Safed for sixty years.
The present signatures and inscriptions are from an early period of R. Shmuel Heller's life, and offer novel biographical information, including the name of his first wife, "Golda Devorah daughter of Eidel", which was heretofore unknown (according to Rivka Ambon, "R. Shmuel Heller (1803-1884) and His Role in the Jewish Community in Safed", PhD dissertation, Tel Aviv University, 2016, p. 65).
The present signature dates to early in R. Shmuel's life, during his tenure as shochet in Safed, a position he held before his appointment as rabbi and dayan in Safed. He broke his arm in the Safed earthquake, preventing him from continuing to serve as shochet. He was instead appointed as supervisor over shochatim.
At the top of the title page is another signature, deleted, and a calligraphic Sephardic signature (undeciphered).
120 leaves. 29 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Light wear. Marginal tears to title page and several other leaves, repaired with paper. Light worming. Ink coloring across title frame, and to decoration in center of title page. Elaborate early leather binding (from the library of R. Nachum Dov Ber), rubbed and worn.
PLEASE NOTE: Some lot descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to the Hebrew text.
