Auction 74 - Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinical Letters, Ceremonial Art
Collection of Legal Documents Signed by the Rabbis of the Sanaa Beit Din in the 18th Century – Document Signed by the Maharitz
Opening: $1,000
Sold for: $2,375
Including buyer's premium
Collection of monetary legal documents, signed by the dayanim of the Sanaa Beit Din in the 18th century, 1708-1796. Including documents signed by the head of the Beit Din R. Shalom Hamdi, a document signed by the head of the Beit Din R. Yichye Tzalach – the Maharitz, and documents signed by R. Yichye Mishreqi (son of R. David author of Shetilei Zeitim).
The documents are in Judeo-Arabic; the dayanim's signatures appear at the foot of each leaf.
List of documents (in chronological order): • Document dated 8th Cheshvan 1708, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. • Document dated 28th Adar II 1715, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. On verso, signatures of a third dayan: R. Saadya son of R. Shalom HaLevi [Amar]. • Document from 2nd Elul 1716, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. • Two documents dated 7th Kislev 1719, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadia [Qati'i]. • Document dated 26th Elul 1784, signed by R. Yichye son of R. Yosef Tzalach – the Maharitz, and R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal]. • Document dated 14th Kislev 1787, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal] and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 22nd Elul 1788, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal], R. Yichye son of R. Yehuda Tzaadi (also known as Maharitz) and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 29th Kislev 1788, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal] and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 24th Kislev 1793, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal], R. Yichye son of R. Yehuda Tzaadi and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 22nd Av 1796, signed by R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi and R. Avraham son of Aharon [Manzeli].
The documents in this remarkable collection bear the signatures of leading rabbis and dayanim in Sanaa, in the 17th-18th centuries:
R. Moshe son of R. Saadya Qati'i (d. 1715), a leader of the Exile of Mawza' refugees and amongst the rabbis who instituted regulations following the exile. He later served as dayan in Sanaa (from ca. 1696). A prolific writer.
The head of the Sanaa Beit Din – R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi Hamdi (1649-1724), a native of Sanaa, amongst the Mawza' exiles. He was appointed dayan in Sanaa after 1690, and in ca. 1715, became head of the Sanaa Beit Din and chief rabbi of Yemen.
R. Saadya son of Shalom HaLevi Amar (1682-1757), a Sanaa Torah scholar. Not much information is known about him. The Maharitz mentions him as the one who instituted a prayer regulation in R. Yichye HaLevi's synagogue.
The head of the Sanaa Beit Din – R. Yichye son of R. Yosef Tzalach – the Maharitz (1715-1805), a foremost Yemenite rabbi in the 18th century, and a leading halachic authority. He was the disciple of his grandfather Mori Tzalach, and of R. Aharon HaKohen Iraqi, R. Yichye Iraqi and R. David Mishreqi, author of "Shetilei Zeitim". At the age of 43, he was appointed
chief rabbi and head of the Beit Din of all Yemenite communities, a position he held for more than 45 years. His authority was unequivocally accepted throughout Yemen, and to this day many Yemenite Jews adhere to his customs and rulings. He compiled the Tiklal siddur with the Etz Chaim commentary, and many halachic works: Zevach Toda and Shaarei Kedusha on the laws of shechita, Shaarei Tahara on the laws of Niddah, Responsa Peulat Tzaddik, and other books of halacha, musar and kabbalah.
R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua Elgamal (Gamliel; ca. 1720-1795). Prominent rabbi in Sanaa. In 1770, he was appointed dayan in the Beit Din of the Maharitz, and his signature appears on Beit Din rulings.
R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi (1734-1809), founder of the Shami rite together with his father (the Shetilei Zeitim). He was appointed temporary dayan in 1785 and from 1795, served as permanent dayan in the Beit Din of the Maharitz. His novellae and rulings were published together with his father's novellae in Revid HaZahav.
R. Avraham son of R. Aharon Manzeli (1752-1827), a rabbi in Sanaa. He was appointed permanent dayan ca. 1809, alongside R. Yosef Qareh and R. Yosef Nakash.
11 documents. Size varies, overall good-fair condition. Tears and wear, primarily to margins. Folding marks.
The documents are in Judeo-Arabic; the dayanim's signatures appear at the foot of each leaf.
List of documents (in chronological order): • Document dated 8th Cheshvan 1708, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. • Document dated 28th Adar II 1715, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. On verso, signatures of a third dayan: R. Saadya son of R. Shalom HaLevi [Amar]. • Document from 2nd Elul 1716, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. • Two documents dated 7th Kislev 1719, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadia [Qati'i]. • Document dated 26th Elul 1784, signed by R. Yichye son of R. Yosef Tzalach – the Maharitz, and R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal]. • Document dated 14th Kislev 1787, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal] and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 22nd Elul 1788, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal], R. Yichye son of R. Yehuda Tzaadi (also known as Maharitz) and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 29th Kislev 1788, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal] and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 24th Kislev 1793, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal], R. Yichye son of R. Yehuda Tzaadi and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 22nd Av 1796, signed by R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi and R. Avraham son of Aharon [Manzeli].
The documents in this remarkable collection bear the signatures of leading rabbis and dayanim in Sanaa, in the 17th-18th centuries:
R. Moshe son of R. Saadya Qati'i (d. 1715), a leader of the Exile of Mawza' refugees and amongst the rabbis who instituted regulations following the exile. He later served as dayan in Sanaa (from ca. 1696). A prolific writer.
The head of the Sanaa Beit Din – R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi Hamdi (1649-1724), a native of Sanaa, amongst the Mawza' exiles. He was appointed dayan in Sanaa after 1690, and in ca. 1715, became head of the Sanaa Beit Din and chief rabbi of Yemen.
R. Saadya son of Shalom HaLevi Amar (1682-1757), a Sanaa Torah scholar. Not much information is known about him. The Maharitz mentions him as the one who instituted a prayer regulation in R. Yichye HaLevi's synagogue.
The head of the Sanaa Beit Din – R. Yichye son of R. Yosef Tzalach – the Maharitz (1715-1805), a foremost Yemenite rabbi in the 18th century, and a leading halachic authority. He was the disciple of his grandfather Mori Tzalach, and of R. Aharon HaKohen Iraqi, R. Yichye Iraqi and R. David Mishreqi, author of "Shetilei Zeitim". At the age of 43, he was appointed
chief rabbi and head of the Beit Din of all Yemenite communities, a position he held for more than 45 years. His authority was unequivocally accepted throughout Yemen, and to this day many Yemenite Jews adhere to his customs and rulings. He compiled the Tiklal siddur with the Etz Chaim commentary, and many halachic works: Zevach Toda and Shaarei Kedusha on the laws of shechita, Shaarei Tahara on the laws of Niddah, Responsa Peulat Tzaddik, and other books of halacha, musar and kabbalah.
R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua Elgamal (Gamliel; ca. 1720-1795). Prominent rabbi in Sanaa. In 1770, he was appointed dayan in the Beit Din of the Maharitz, and his signature appears on Beit Din rulings.
R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi (1734-1809), founder of the Shami rite together with his father (the Shetilei Zeitim). He was appointed temporary dayan in 1785 and from 1795, served as permanent dayan in the Beit Din of the Maharitz. His novellae and rulings were published together with his father's novellae in Revid HaZahav.
R. Avraham son of R. Aharon Manzeli (1752-1827), a rabbi in Sanaa. He was appointed permanent dayan ca. 1809, alongside R. Yosef Qareh and R. Yosef Nakash.
11 documents. Size varies, overall good-fair condition. Tears and wear, primarily to margins. Folding marks.
Yemenite Jewry – Manuscripts and Letters
Yemenite Jewry – Manuscripts and Letters