Handwritten Commentary by Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya Azzoulay
with Autographed Comment by His Son the Chida.
Constantinople, circa 1741
Hand-written pamphlet containing commentary on Tanach and sermons by the sacred hand of Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya Azzoulay, father of the Chida.
Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya carried this pamphlet with him when traveling in order to write down any chidushim that came to mind in the course of his travels.
This pamphlet was bequeathed to the Chida, who inscribed an autograph comment in the margins of leaf 5a: “
Also I, in my explanations of the writings of the [Rambam printed in Shu”t Chaim Sha’al Vol. 2 Ch. 3]… Chida.”
The Chida cited his father’s writings from this pamphlet in other sefarim as well. The second paragraph of this pamphlet, for example, is referenced in Pnei Dovid (Parshas Bechukosai #12).
At the top of leaf 5b: “Constantinople” is noted as the location of writing.
It is known that Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya Azzoulay sojourned in Constantinople while traversing Europe in 1741 to raise money for the residents of the Yishuv. The present manuscript is dated based on this information.
Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya Azzoulay (1702-1765), of the great Jerusalem scholars and tzaddikim in his era, as well as a revered dayan and Rosh Yeshivah. He was the son of Rabbi Yeshaya Azzoulay, grandson of Rabbi Yitzchak Azzoulay, and great-grandson of the saintly Kabbalist Rabbi Avraham Azzoulay, author of Chessed L’Avraham. Rabbi Yitzchak Zerachya studied Torah and Kabbalah under Rabbi Avraham Yitzchaki, author of Zera Avraham. His written legacy, aside from the present pamphlet is a composition entitled Zera Yitzchak, parts of which were printed in the sefer Min Hagenazim (Ahavat Shalom Institute Files 10,12), and the many teachings transmitted to his son and quoted throughout the seforim of the Chida.
The author’s style entailed recounting lessons and messages taught by scholars and sages, and this genre is evident in the present pamphlet. In the pamphlet, he cites the Radvaz, Mahari Rosanis (author of Mishneh Lamelech), and some of the venerable sages of Jerusalem including Rabbi Dovid Habilio (HaCardach); Rabbi Shmuel Yisrael Meir Mizrachi (HaRimam), author of Pri Ha’aretz; Rabbi Yaakov Molecho (HaRim) and Rabbi Gedalya Chayun (Chara”g).
Constantinople, circa 1741. Page Count: [7] leaves; 14 handwritten sides.
Page Size: 15×10 cm.
Condition: Miniscule holes; new cloth binding.
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