Manuscript, Siddur Kavanot HaRashash – Kavanot of the Kedushah prayer, Kavanot of Malkot (lashes), and more. [Salonika, early 19th century].
Square and semi–cursive Oriental script, presumably by several writers. The manuscript opens with Shemot HaKelim D'Abiya. Several leaves with other selections.
Date at the top of the first page (in a different hand): 8th Iyar 1808.
On the front endpaper, ownership inscriptions (partially deleted).
Various inscriptions on the endpapers, including table of contents of "Ma'asiot" (tales).
Siddur HaRashash was a siddur with kabbalistic kavanot based on the writings of the Arizal and R. Chaim Vital, edited by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva in Jerusalem, based on the siddur compiled by their teacher the Rashash – R. Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi, dean of the Beit El yeshiva in the mid–18th century. For many years, copyings of Siddur HaRashash were produced from accurate manuscripts proofread by the kabbalists in the yeshiva.
Prayer using the manuscripts of the siddur was the privilege of just a few kabbalists. In general, the kabbalists themselves produced various copyings of Siddur HaRashash for their personal use, or entrusted them to reliable kabbalists only. Each of these manuscripts bore the stamp of the kabbalist who copied it, through the emendations and additions he inserted.
For many years, the siddur was zealously and intentionally kept in manuscript form only, without being printed at all. Only in 1911–1916 was in published in six parts by several Ashkenazi kabbalists of Yeshivat Shaar HaShamayim in Jerusalem.

[39] leaves. Approx. 22 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains, including dampstains (two leaves with dark ink stains). Worming, affecting text. Original binding, partially repaired.

Regarding the development of Siddur HaRashash, its scribing and redaction by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva, see essay by R. Moshe Hillel: The Rashash's Meditation Prayer Books, Between Tradition and Innovation, in: Windows on Jewish Worlds. Essays in Honor of William Gross, ed. Shalom Sabar, Emile Schrijver, Falk Wiesemann, pp 205–239.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, OT.011.030.

Manuscript, Siddur Kavanot HaRashash – kavanot for the morning blessings. [Tunisia, 19th century].
Neat, square and semi–cursive Sephardic (Tunisian) script. The manuscript opens with a passage from the foreword to Rechovot HaNahar. Several glosses by a different writer.
One section mentions the year 1768, yet it was presumably part of the text copied by the writer from an earlier siddur.

Siddur HaRashash was a siddur with kabbalistic kavanot based on the writings of the Arizal and R. Chaim Vital, edited by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva in Jerusalem, based on the siddur compiled by their teacher the Rashash – R. Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi, dean of the Beit El yeshiva in the mid–18th century. For many years, copyings of Siddur HaRashash were produced from accurate manuscripts proofread by the kabbalists in the yeshiva.
Prayer using the manuscripts of the siddur was the privilege of just a few kabbalists. In general, the kabbalists themselves produced various copyings of Siddur HaRashash for their personal use, or entrusted them to reliable kabbalists only. Each of these manuscripts bore the stamp of the kabbalist who copied it, through the emendations and additions he inserted.
For many years, the siddur was zealously and intentionally kept in manuscript form only, without being printed at all. Only in 1911–1916 was in published in six parts by several Ashkenazi kabbalists of Yeshivat Shaar HaShamayim in Jerusalem.

[22] leaves (+ blank leaves). 21.5 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Worming, slightly affecting text in several places. New binding.

Regarding the development of Siddur HaRashash, its scribing and redaction by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva, see essay by R. Moshe Hillel: The Rashash's Meditation Prayer Books, Between Tradition and Innovation, in: Windows on Jewish Worlds. Essays in Honor of William Gross, ed. Shalom Sabar, Emile Schrijver, Falk Wiesemann, pp 205–239. An addendum at the end of his essay lists the manuscripts of Siddur HaRashash found in the Gross Family Collection. The present manuscript is listed there as no. 5.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, TU.011.007.

Manuscript, Siddur Kavanot HaRashash – for Chanukah, Purim and Passover Haggadah, scribed by the kabbalist R. Yichye Tzarum. [Jerusalem, 19th/20th century].
Oriental–Yemenite script. In several places, the copyist – R. Yichye Tzarum – added his own glosses. The Passover Haggadah is preceded by homilies for the Seder by R. David Magar (prominent disciple of the Rashash).

R. Yichye son of R. Yosef Tzarum (1843–1917), a leader of Yemenite immigration in 1882. In 1885, he was appointed head of the Yemenite Beit Din and rabbi of the Yemenite community in Jerusalem. A kabbalist in the Beit El yeshiva.

Siddur HaRashash was a siddur with kabbalistic kavanot based on the writings of the Arizal and R. Chaim Vital, edited by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva in Jerusalem, based on the siddur compiled by their teacher the Rashash – R. Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi, dean of the Beit El yeshiva in the mid–18th century. For many years, copyings of Siddur HaRashash were produced from accurate manuscripts proofread by the kabbalists in the yeshiva.
Prayer using the manuscripts of the siddur was the privilege of just a few kabbalists. In general, the kabbalists themselves produced various copyings of Siddur HaRashash for their personal use, or entrusted them to reliable kabbalists only. Each of these manuscripts bore the stamp of the kabbalist who copied it, through the emendations and additions he inserted.
For many years, the siddur was zealously and intentionally kept in manuscript form only, without being printed at all. Only in 1911–1916 was in published in six parts by several Ashkenazi kabbalists of Yeshivat Shaar HaShamayim in Jerusalem.

[42] leaves. 18 cm. Good condition. Stains. Stamps. New, elegant leather binding.

Regarding the development of Siddur HaRashash, its scribing and redaction by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva, see essay by R. Moshe Hillel: The Rashash's Meditation Prayer Books, Between Tradition and Innovation, in: Windows on Jewish Worlds. Essays in Honor of William Gross, ed. Shalom Sabar, Emile Schrijver, Falk Wiesemann, pp 205–239. An addendum at the end of his essay lists the manuscripts of Siddur HaRashash found in the Gross Family Collection. The present manuscript is listed there as no. 12.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EI.011.012.

Manuscript, Siddur Kavanot HaRashash – kavanot for the Shabbat prayers and for the Passover Seder, scribed by the kabbalist R. Shalom Yosef Alshech, head of the Yemenite Beit Din in Jerusalem. [Jerusalem, 19th/20th century].
Neat Oriental–Yemenite script.

R. Shalom son of Yosef HaLevi Alshech (1859–1944), prominent kabbalist and head of the Yemenite Beit Din in Jerusalem. Disciple of R. Chaim Korach and R. Yichye Badichi. Immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1891, where he helped establish the Yemenite institutions in Jerusalem. Kabbalist of the Beit El and Rechovot HaNahar yeshivot. Composed many piyyutim on yearning for Eretz Israel.

Siddur HaRashash was a siddur with kabbalistic kavanot based on the writings of the Arizal and R. Chaim Vital, edited by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva in Jerusalem, based on the siddur compiled by their teacher the Rashash – R. Shalom Mizrachi Sharabi, dean of the Beit El yeshiva in the mid–18th century. For many years, copyings of Siddur HaRashash were produced from accurate manuscripts proofread by the kabbalists in the yeshiva.
Prayer using the manuscripts of the siddur was the privilege of just a few kabbalists. In general, the kabbalists themselves produced various copyings of Siddur HaRashash for their personal use, or entrusted them to reliable kabbalists only. Each of these manuscripts bore the stamp of the kabbalist who copied it, through the emendations and additions he inserted.
For many years, the siddur was zealously and intentionally kept in manuscript form only, without being printed at all. Only in 1911–1916 was in published in six parts by several Ashkenazi kabbalists of Yeshivat Shaar HaShamayim in Jerusalem.

[34] leaves. 21 cm. Good condition. Stains (including dark stains). Wear. Some worming. Original binding, detached and damaged.

Enclosed: piece of paper with kavanot, dated 1930.
Regarding the development of Siddur HaRashash, its scribing and redaction by the kabbalists of the Beit El yeshiva, see essay by R. Moshe Hillel: The Rashash's Meditation Prayer Books, Between Tradition and Innovation, in: Windows on Jewish Worlds. Essays in Honor of William Gross, ed. Shalom Sabar, Emile Schrijver, Falk Wiesemann, pp 205–239. An addendum at the end of his essay lists the manuscripts of Siddur HaRashash found in the Gross Family Collection. The present manuscript is listed there as no. 15.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, EI.011.014.

Three Books by R. Menasseh Ben Israel. Amsterdam: 17th Century.
1. De Mortuorum Resurrectione [on the resurrection of the dead]. Amsterdam: Typis & Sumptibus authoris, 1636. Latin.
[12] leaves, 346, [6] pages (mispagination).
2. "צרור החיים – De Termino Vitae" [on the finiteness of life]. Amsterdam, Typis & Sumptibus authoris, 1639. Latin. Bookplate of Heinrich Loewe (Eljakim Ben Yehuda; 1869–1951). Lacking the poem originally printed in this edition, by Jacob Rosales.
[7] leaves. 237, [26] pages (lacking 24 pages at the end of the volume – a poem by Jacob Rosales).
3. Conciliador, o, De la conviniencia de los lugares de la S. Escriptura. Parts III and IV (bound together). Amsterdam: Semuel Ben Israel Soeiro, 1650 and 1651. Spanish.
These parts were printed in Rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel's printing house – considered to be the first Hebrew printing house in Amsterdam (separate title page to each part, with printer's device; the first two parts were published by Nicolaus de Ravesteyn).
[6] leaves, 208, [3] pages; [4] leaves, 201, [7] pages. 19 cm.

Rabbi Menashe Ben Israel (1604–1657), rabbi, preacher and statesman, born in France, founder of the first Hebrew printing press in Amsterdam. Restlessly worked for the benefit of the Jewish diaspora.
In 1655 a convention was held in England, headed by Oliver Cromwell, to deal with the Jews' right to return to England. Menasseh Ben Israel was invited to England by Cromwell as a representative of the Jewish community, to participate in the discussions, and had a decisive contribution to the re-establishment of a Jewish community in England, after the expulsion ordered by King Edward I.

Condition varies. The books were not thoroughly inspected, and are sold as is.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, NHB.433, NHB.439, NHB.111.