Auction 95 Early Printed Books, Chassidut and Kabbalah, Letters and Manuscripts, Engravings and Jewish Ceremonial Objects
Manuscript, amulets. [Morocco?, first half of 20th century.]
Manuscript with exceptional illustrations and amulets, which are written as "rugs" across the entire span of the pages. Replete with Star of David symbols and schematic illustrations of angels and demons, with many Holy Names. Many pages contain added colors (red, green, purple and blue).
The manuscript was made on lined notebook paper, bound together in faux leather binding, with a fabric ribbon for tying. On top of the binding is mounted a piece of paper with the name of the owner.
[133] leaves. 20 cm. Stains, including dampstains, affecting text. Wear and tears. Faux leather binding (light-colored, with floral decorations), damaged.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.001.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, Goralot, amulets, Segulot and cures. [Morocco, 19th century.]
Western script by several scribes. Composed of two manuscripts. The first part is in unskilled writing, the second in neater writing. Many kabbalistic illustrations and diagrams.
The majority is in Judeo-Arabic (with sections in the Moroccan dialect).
Among other things, includes: amulets, Segulot and cures for various matters; Goralot, zodiacs, Hashbaot for demons, and more.
See Hebrew description for further contents of manuscript.
Colophon of one of the scribes on p. 56a. Name and ownership inscriptions in various places in the manuscript. Recurring inscriptions of the family name "Abuchatzeira" on p. 75a.
[159] leaves. 18 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Tears and wear, affecting text. Large open tears to several leaves, affecting text, partially repaired with paper. New binding.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.025.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, Segulot, cures and amulets. [Morocco, late 19th century or early 20th century.]
Western script. Judeo-Arabic and Hebrew. Many kabbalistic illustrations and diagrams.
Contains a large selection of amulets and Segulot for various matters. Goral on p. 52a. Table of names of prophets according to Islam on p. 71a, followed by Hashbaot for them (including Muhammad). On p. 84a is a formula for a divorce document, naming the city Marrakesh.
[106] leaves (17 last leaves bound later, with personal accounts in a later hand). 21.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Wear, tears and open tears, affecting text. Disconnected leaves. Old, damaged binding. Placed in a new box.
At the beginning of the manuscript is bound Refael HaMalach by R. Yehudah Yudel Rosenberg [Łódź, ca. 1930]. 128 pages. 21 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Many tears and open tears, affecting text. Disconnected leaves.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.063.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, anthology of practical Kabbalah – amulets, Segulot, cures and more. [Morocco], 1858.
Large format. Neat Western semi-cursive and square script. Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic. Includes kabbalistic symbols, illustrations and diagrams.
At the beginning of the first page, it is stated that most of the contents derive from the books of R. Khalifa ibn Malka, one of the leading Moroccan Torah scholars and kabbalists in the 17th and 18th century, active in Agadir, author of Kaf Naki and other works.
Index of contents at beginning of manuscript.
[64] leaves. 33.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, including dampstains and ink smears. Browning to some leaves. Tears to several leaves, including tears resulting from ink erosion, affecting text. New binding.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.037.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, anthology of practical Kabbalah – amulets, cures, Segulot, astrology and Goralot. [Morocco], 1906.
Thick volume in small format. Primarily from one scribe, with various additions from other scribes. At the beginning of the volume is an illustrated title page, with the scribe's inscription. Signature on previous blank page: "Mordechai Malka".
Contains Goralot, Segulot and amulets, mostly in Arabic, for various issues; and more. Includes Kabbalistic illustrations.
At the beginning of the manuscript are several leaves from other manuscripts.
[170] leaves (including some 30 blank leaves). 11 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Leaves browned in several places. Tears to several leaves. Original binding, damaged.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.053.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, practical Kabbalah. [Morocco, 19th century]. Judeo-Arabic and some Hebrew.
Western script, with many illustrations, tables and diagrams. Ownership inscription, dated 1886.
Amulets and hashbaot for various issues. Including "black magic" sections copied from Arabic manuscripts, including speaking with demons and speaking with the dead.
Markings for performing geomancy.
[39] leaves. Approx. 21 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains and wear. Tears and worming, slightly affecting text. New binding.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.049.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, piyyutim, bakashot and additional selections. [Morocco, ca. 19th century].
Western script, in varying hands (some in a later hand, signed by the copyist). Decorated with title pages and initial panels (with color added later).
Contains: Bakashot and piyyutim for festivals and various occasions, songs and qasidahs in Judeo-Arabic.
[194] leaves. 17 cm. Condition of leaves varies, fair-good. Stains and wear. Some leaves stained or darkened, some with ink fading, affecting legibility. Tears to several leaves, affecting text. New binding.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.002.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, Et Sofer – formulas for Shtarot. [Morocco, ca. 19th century].
Neat Western script. Contains formulas for various Shtarot (halachic documents) relating to monetary and marital matters.
Inscription in pencil on p. 69a: “Chaim Abichatzeira”.
At the beginning of the manuscript is bound a new title page, made recently, decorated, with a caption written in the style of the manuscript.
[1], 92, [1] leaves. 19 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dampstains and dark stains. Light wear. New binding.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, MO.011.069.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.
Manuscript, Shaar HaOtzar – index to Otzar HaMichtavim by R. Yosef Messas. Tlemcen (Algeria)?, ca. 1932.]
Neat Western script, with many decorations, in handwriting of the author R. Yosef Messas. The letters of the title Shaar HaOtzar on every page are designed with various graphical forms, and on the last page is a large decoration of flowers and leaves with red color, drawn by R. Messas himself, who was known for his artistic sense.
Index to responsa 332-903, which were later printed in his book Otzar HaMichtavim. Responsum 903 (in the middle of Part II of the printed book) was written in 1932, hence the dating of this index to ca. 1932, decades before the book was printed in 1968-1975.
The index follows the order of the Bible, Talmud, Midrashim, Shulchan Aruch, various matters, lamentations and consolations, and names of recipients of the letters (including R. Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld and R. Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook). The index in the printed book is adapted and expanded.
R. Yosef Messas (1892-1974), born in Meknes to his father R. Chaim Messas, studied under R. Chaim Berdugo in the Beit El VeEtz Chaim yeshiva. At the age of 31 he was appointed head rabbi of Tlemcen, Algeria, and he returned to Meknes in 1940 to serve as dayan. He immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1964, settling in Haifa, where he was appointed chief rabbi of the city until his passing.
[8] leaves (and 2 more blank leaves, with frames for writing). Approx. 31 cm. Good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Minute marginal tears. Tape to reinforce page connections. New binding.
Provenance: Gross Family Collection, MO.011.021.
PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.