Manuscript – segulot, hashbaot, incantations, amulets, lots and interpretation of dreams – practical kabbalah notebook of R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai, son of the Chida and rabbi of Ancona. Written in part by a scribe and in part by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai. [Ancona, ca. 1818-1819].
The manuscript was written alternately by a scribe (neat Italian script) and by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai (Sephardic script), who added many segulot and hashbaot. The manuscript also contains his personal notes, with records of income and expenditures and names of Jews from Ancona, from the years 1818-1819.
Three leaves in neat Sephardic script (from an unknown writer), featuring tables, kabbalistic diagrams, and Angelic script.
Contents:
Leaves [1-3] – Segulot, hashbaot and incantations, for various occasions: "For blessing the home", "To restore a person's mind", "To find favor in the eyes of all people even a king and ruler", "For love", "To imprison a person", "To change the mind of a dayan or ruler", "To overcome adversaries", and more; the manner of "arranging amulets", with prayers to "sanctify the amulet".
Leaves [4-7] – Segulot and incantations handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai: "For a women who despises her husband", "she'elat chalom [dream question]", "To bring menstruation", "To end menstruation", etc.
Leaf [8] – Many segulot for "love", including a "wonderful" segulah for love called "Hashbaah of the Valerian".
Leaves [10-11] – many segulot for love; "Segulot of 7 dishes which are helpful for all maladies", hashbaot for writing on dishes to cure various maladies: "For aching hands and feet", "For heart conditions", "For headaches and for all illnesses", "For obsessions and boredom", "For mutism or crooked hands, feet or mouth", "For vesicles", "For a person who arises at night with fears and trembling and imagines things or for anxiety"; G-d's Name which "is forbidden to utter, only to focus on in thought", for times of trouble: "When the world is in great trouble due to dread or war or pestilence or an epidemic or hunger…". The long Name is followed by the "Seal of the aforementioned Name" – chart of the combination of letters of the Name.
Leaf [12] – "Segulah and secret for treating fear".
Leaves [13-14] – Various instructions for casting lots (titled Goral Baduk), for a dream question. Leaf [13b] contains the text of an amulet handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai. Inscription handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai on leaf [14b]: "Here is a wondrous matter and great secret for confusion of the mind and insanity and depression…".
Leaf [15] – Segulot handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai: "Marvelous matter if other cures and segulot do not help…".
Leaf [16b] – Handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai: "Dream question – write on the leaf of an etrog and place under your head…".
Leaves [17-21] – Sefer Pitron Chalomot.
Leaf [24b] – Text of an amulet "For a person who wants to change and is under a spell…" handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai, and more.
Leaves [25-27] – "Verified hashbaah of a ring to cast a lot" – in neat Oriental script by an unknown writer.
Leaf [27b] – "Incantation for a very painful headache", handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai.
Leaf [28] – "Incantation for a person who is coerced by devils", incantation in Italian (in vocalized Hebrew letters), with the addition of two lines handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai.
Leaf [29] – "To destroy an enemy, know the secret of this Name…", handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai.
Leaves [29b-31a] – Amulets and segulot "To separate the love between two people who love one another", "For the hate of an enemy", "For pain of the eyes", "For an eye malady", "To enlighten dark eyes", "For a deathly illness", "To overcome your adversary", "To cause a person to die", and more.
Leaf [31b] – Various segulot handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai: "For hate", "A verified way to overcome an adversary in judgement", "For a woman whose children do not survive", etc.
Personal notes handwritten by R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai:
Leaf [16a] – "Account of the Safed emissary R. Mordechai Asseo, I have taken from the treasurer S. Yitzchak Levi for his expenses…" (R. Mordechai Asseo, a Salonikan Torah scholar, author of Higid Mordechai, immigrated to Jerusalem and travelled to Italy as an emissary).
Leaf [22] – "Calculation of the wine which I take from David Hasson Adar 1819… until Rosh Chodesh Adar… Erev Rosh Chodesh Nissan… Passover… Erev Shavuot… Sivan… Tammuz"; Today, Thursday…, I have made a calculation with Shimshon Sereni[?]…".
Leaf [23] – "Calculation with the abovementioned…", "I owe Shimshon…".
Leaf [32] – "Nissan 1818: That which I need to take into my account from the community… What I received from David Hasson… Sr. Moshe Chaim Morpurgo [rabbi in Ancona]… Sr. Yehuda Avraham Morpurgo … Sr. Shabtai Chaim Sepilli… Sr. Azaryah Kohen…".
R. Refael Yeshaya Azulai (1743-1826), eldest son of the illustrious R. Chaim Yosef David Azulai – the Chida and a great Torah scholar in his own right. Born in Jerusalem, he served a rabbi, posek and leader of Italian Jewry in his times. Some of his halachic responsa were printed in his father's books, who honored and esteemed him and always mentioned him with epithets of love ("my dear son", "my firstborn son, the perfect great chacham", "the light of my eyes", "friend of my soul", etc.). After the death of R. Avraham Yisrael Rabbi of Ancona in 1785, the community leaders turned to the Chida who hinted that his son R. Refael Yeshaya was suitable for this position. He indeed served as rabbi of Ancona until his passing on 9th Shevat 1826 (he lived 83 years, like his father). He was greatly honored at his death and was mourned by his congregation for a long time (for further information see M. Benayahu's book on the Chida, pp. 476-487].
[32] leaves. 19 cm. Good condition. Stains, minor wear to margins. Worming, slightly affecting text in several places. Several detached leaves. Partially detached gatherings. Without binding.

Manuscript, prayers for the cemetery. [Italy, ca. late 18th or early 19th century].
Pocket size. Square and semi-cursive Italian script, mostly vocalized (headings and instructions non-vocalized).
The manuscript begins with the blessing recited upon entering the cemetery – Asher Yatzar Etchem BaDin. The manuscript also comprises: Seder Tziduk HaDin, Hakafot SheOmrim LeIsh, prayer recited when accompanying the dead to the grave, and the long Kaddish (customarily recited after burial).
[15] leaves. Approx. 10 cm. Thick, high-quality paper. Good condition. Stains. Original leather binding, slightly damaged.

Manuscript, Chupat Chatanim – Pinkas Zechirat HaKetubot handwritten by R. Refael ibn Tzur Rabbi of Fez, documenting close to 300 marriage ketubot scribed by the Beit Din. Fez (Morocco), Tishrei 1859 to Adar 1869.
Neat cursive Sephardic script; two columns per page. From the changes in the writing and ink color, it is obvious that the manuscript was written over the years. Heading at the top of the pages: "Chupat Chatanim". On some leaves, blessings were added in the heading or chronogram.
The present manuscript was seen by R. Yosef Benaim, who quotes it once in his book Malchei Rabbanan (Jerusalem, 1931, p. 30a, entry on R. Chaim Yamin HaKohen) as "R. R. ibn Tzur in Zechirat HaKetubot". To the best of our knowledge, this work has not been published (apart from the quote in Malchei Rabbanan).
The manuscript documents (often in poetic terms) all the marriage ketubot scribed by the Beit Din in Fez in the given period (all ketubot and contracts in Morocco were written by the Beit Din scribes, in accordance with early regulations of the Moroccan Jewish communities). It therefore serves as a rich source of information on the history and customs of the Fez community, its families and rabbis.
The main significance of this manuscript is its function as a Book of Lineage for Moroccan Jewish families (see sidebar on Zechirat HaKetubot by Fez rabbis). The records include the names of the grooms and brides, their fathers and lineage generations back (see also previous item). The names of the witnesses are also documented. In most of the recorded ketubot, R. Refael himself served as one of the two witnesses, as he writes: "Witnesses… and myself, Refael ibn Tzur".
The records also include other information from ketubot: the amounts of the dowry and of the basic and additional ketubah monies; blessings for the couple (usually in poetic terms); and various details about the couple and marital agreements (primarily in second marriages, which involve more complex monetary arrangements, such as alimony for children from previous marriages – see Hebrew sidebar on marital agreements and rules of conduct appearing in ketubot). The manuscript documents many cases of a man remarrying his divorcee, Ketubah DeIrkasa (replacement ketubah), polygyny (practice which was still prevalent in Morocco, unlike Ashkenazic communities who accepted the ban of Rabbenu Gershom), levirate marriages and the marriage of orphans betrothed as minors.
The manuscript includes various mentions of regulations instituted by "Rabbotenu HaMegorashim" – prominent Torah scholars from the first generation of Spanish exiles, who settled in Morocco and particularly in Fez. These Torah leaders served as dayanim in Moroccan cities, and instituted various regulations pertaining to marital and monetary matters, following the customs of Spanish Jewry.
One of the entries, which records the marriage of a woman from Sefrou with a man from Fez, highlights the differences between the customs of various Moroccan communities. The record mentions agreements made before the wedding, such as the condition that the wedding would take place in Sefrou. The woman ultimately waived this requirement and the wedding was held in Fez, though it was stipulated that the couple would return to live in Sefrou, and that any monetary matters would be settled according to the regulations instituted in Sefrou by Rabbotenu HaMegorashim (Iyar 1866; p. [16]b).
R. Refael son of R. Shlomo ibn Tzur (1830-1916), rabbi of Fez. He first served as scribe in the Fez Beit Din, and was later appointed rabbi of the city. Apart from his Torah prominence, he enjoyed material wealth and owned much property. He left behind several halachic works and novellae on various topics. He was also known as a collector of books and manuscripts.
[19] written leaves (approx. 33 pages) + blank leaves. 23 cm. High-quality paper. Good-fair condition. Stains. Worming, affecting text. New binding, with leather spine.

Zechirat HaKetubot by Fez Rabbis – Books of Lineage of Moroccan Jewry
Notebooks with copyings of Ketubot by the dayanim of Moroccan Batei Din, are referred to in various sources as Zechirat HaKetubot or Mazkeret Ketubot.
These works serve as a rich source of information on the history of Moroccan Jewry, and contain detailed genealogical documentation, the likes of which do not exist in any other community. Various sources mention Zechirat HaKetubot manuscripts written by leading Moroccan rabbis, though these works have not been published.
R. Yosef Benaim in his book Malchei Rabbanan (Jerusalem, 1931), biographies of Moroccan rabbis, repeatedly quotes such record books and ketubot, including the present manuscript – see other sidebar. Likewise, in his book Responsa She'erit HaTzon (Part I, sections 96 and 122), R. Yosef Benaim quotes a Zechirat HaKetubot manuscript by R. Refael ibn Tzur (the passage he quotes was not found in the present manuscript, and it presumably appears in a different manuscript, documenting other years).
R. Refael's ancestor – R. Yaakov ibn Tzur Rabbi of Fez, known as the Yaavetz, also had a Zechirat HaKetubot notebook. It is quoted several times in Malchei Rabbanan, as well as in Pirchei Shoshanim by R. Yedidia Monsonego. R. Refael Oved ibn Tzur (son of the Yaavetz) likewise wrote a similar composition, also quoted in Malchei Rabbanan.
In the present manuscript, a composition referred to as "Sefer Yuchasin by my grandfather Geon Yaakov" is quoted repeatedly (see other sidebar), and it is presumably the Zechirat HaKetubot notebook of the Yaavetz.
Such a composition was the primary source for Igeret Yachas Fez by R. Avner Yisrael HaTzarfati, published in Fez VeChachameha (see Part I, pp. 138 and 141).
In Malchei Rabbanan, R. Yosef Benaim relates that he found genealogical records handwritten by R. Natan Memmi, who wrote that when going over an old notebook of ketubot records, he discovered and took note of the lineage of families which have vanished in the Maghreb (Malchei Rabbanan, p. 99a).

Yachas HaKetubah in the Present Manuscript
Many records in the present manuscript include Yachas HaKetubah of the groom or bride, or of both. One record includes Yachas HaKetubah listing 11 generations of the Elbaz family, ancestors of the bride, and 4 generations of the Edery family, ancestors of the groom.
In the present manuscript, R. Refael ibn Tzur occasionally abridges the Yachas HaKetubah by referring to the Yachas already listed elsewhere, in other Books of Lineage, written by him or others. In several places, he refers to the writings of "my grandfather Geon Yaakov" (presumably his ancestor R. Yaakov ibn Tzur, the Yaavetz, who served as rabbi of Fez several generations before him).
For instance, in Cheshvan 1860, there is a record of the marriage of the dayan R. Yedidia Monsonego (presumably his second marriage, in his old age). In the Yachas of the groom's family, he writes briefly and refers to the Sefer Yuchasin of his grandfather Geon Yaakov, whilst in the Yachas of the bride, he lists five generations of rabbis from the Ben Simchon family, including all the original titles of honor and praises.
The present manuscript is quoted in Malchei Rabbanan (Jerusalem, 1931, p. 30a, entry on R. Chaim Yamin HaKohen). The quoted passage is found on the final page of the present manuscript, in the middle of an entry recording a levirate marriage, listing 8 generations of the ancestors of the groom, and 6 generations of the ancestors of the bride.
See Hebrew for examples from the present manuscript.

Manuscript, notebook of halachic novellae and homiletics, handwritten by the Saba Kadisha, R. Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari. [Ca. 19th/20th century].
The notebook comprises hundreds of passages on various topics, which R. Alfandari recorded during the course of his studies, with no specific order of writing or topics: halachic rulings and novellae, commentaries to verses and homiletics, references, and more. In one place, there is a lengthy responsum on the topic of one who finds money in his friend's house, addressed to Moharitz.
The contents of the notebook were not published (to the best of our knowledge).
A similar notebook was published by Machon Ahavat Shalom under the title Yakhel Shlomo Part I (Jerusalem, 2012). R. Yaakov Moshe Hillel, in his foreword there, describes the diligence of the Saba Kadisha in his unceasing Torah study, and his habit of taking notes as he learned, whether halachic responsa and novellae, or comments and commentaries on whatever topic he delved into and whichever book he studied, thereby leaving behind a wealth of Torah teachings for future generations.
The first leaves of the manuscript (pp. [2-4]) contain a copying of the beginning of the Shacharit prayer in a different hand. Inscription in Ladino on the first page in the same hand, attesting that the notebook belongs to Nissim Yitzchak Alfandari. The notebook apparently belonged to a Nissim Yitzchak Alfandari (perhaps a family member) before reaching the hands of R. Shlomo Eliezer who reused it to record his novellae.
R. Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari (ca. 1813-1930), leading Turkish rabbi. In his youth, he exchanged halachic correspondence with R. Akiva Eger (who passed away in 1837). He served as chief rabbi of Constantinople and Damascus. When he was about 100 years old, he immigrated to Eretz Israel where he served as rabbi of Safed. In his final years, he settled in Jerusalem, where he passed away close to the age of 120. During his time in Jerusalem, he refrained from taking a stance on communal matters, and remained in his home studying Halachah and Kabbalah, together with the elite holy men of Jerusalem. In his final year, the Minchat Elazar of Munkacs came to Eretz Israel specially to visit him, and they discussed kabbalistic matters together (reputedly, when the Minchat Elazar was asked about this visit, he stated in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that in each generation there is one Torah leader who is Mashiach ben Yosef, and R. Alfandari was the one of that generation. Yeshurun, XXX, p. 514). He authored Responsa of Maharsha, Responsa of the Saba Kadisha, and more.
[37] leaves written on both sides (over 70 pages handwritten by R. Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari). Approx. 21 cm. Paper of various colors: green, white and yellow. Fair-good condition. Stains. Wear and tears. Open tears, affecting text. Final two leaves torn down middle, lacking half the leaf. Original binding, torn, with significant loss.