AI English Translation, Pages 251-275
Cursed is the word of the rebel, and I and my house will serve the Lord
Or a wicked hater, or an acquaintance and lesser, according to the law of atonement and deviation
Chosen and given to him a whole heart, and found him faithful
⟦...⟧ a lot what he said, and he saw a resting place that it was good, and the land
And this, in my humble opinion, is the intent of "And all the people saw and they sang and fell on
their faces," for these do not serve except out of love ⟦...⟧
thus, and from whose faces we learned from Joseph the Righteous, as it is said, "And he fell on the neck of
Benjamin his brother and wept, and on his neck he wept," and our Sages of blessed memory explained
over the first Temple and the second Temple that would be destroyed; and this one wept
in vain, and wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks, and she has no comforter
⟦...⟧ and now God will leave us and not forsake us according to the judgment
the first ⟦...⟧ stumbling, and said that man does not know
his time, like fish that are caught in an evil net, and like birds
caught in a snare, so are the children of men snared at an evil time
when it falls upon them suddenly ⟦...⟧
our eyes see the evil that we found in our many iniquities
and we have gone down lower and lower ⟦...⟧
All who pass by clapped their hands, and hissed and wagged their head at the daughter
of Jerusalem: "Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?"
The Lord has swallowed up and has not pitied all the habitations of Jacob; He has thrown down in His wrath
the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He has brought them down to the ground; He has profaned the kingdom and its princes.
He has cut off in fierce anger all the horn of Israel; He has drawn back His right hand
from before the enemy; and He burned in Jacob like a flaming fire, which devours round about.
He has bent His bow like an enemy; His right hand stood as an adversary, and He has slain all that were pleasant
to the eye; in the tent of the daughter of Zion He has poured out His fury like fire. Her
princes have become like harts that find no pasture, and they have gone without strength
before the pursuer. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries
all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old; when her people fell
into the hand of the adversary, and none did help her; the adversaries saw her, they did mock at her desolations.
Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she is become as one unclean; all that honored her
despise her, because they have seen her nakedness; yea, she herself sighs, and turns backward.
Her filthiness was in her skirts; she remembered not her last end; therefore she is come down wonderfully;
she has no comforter. "O Lord, behold my affliction; for the enemy has magnified
himself." The adversary has spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things; for she has seen that the nations
entered into her sanctuary, whom Thou didst command that they should not enter into Thy congregation.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things
for food to relieve the soul. "See, O Lord, and behold, for I am become vile."
"Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any
sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is brought upon me, wherewith the Lord has afflicted me
in the day of His fierce anger. From on high has He sent fire into my bones, and it prevails against them;
He has spread a net for my feet, He has turned me back; He has made me desolate
and faint all the day. The yoke of my transgressions is bound by His hand; they are knit together,
they are come up upon my neck; He has made my strength to fail; the Lord has delivered me into their hands, from whom I am
not able to rise up. The Lord has trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me; He has called
a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men; the Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah."
"For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runs down with water; because the comforter
that should relieve my soul is far from me; my children are desolate, because the enemy
has prevailed." Zion spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; the Lord has commanded
concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries; Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
"The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against His commandment; hear, I pray you, all ye peoples,
and behold my sorrow; my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. I called
for my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and mine elders perished in the city, while they
sought food for themselves to relieve their souls. Behold, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my inwards burn; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled; abroad
the sword bereaves, at home there is as death. They have heard that I sigh;
there is none to comfort me."
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Certainly, it belongs to the homeowner from every ⟦...⟧ known
And Rav Shmuel said since all this improvement is ours
He cannot <del>remove</del> say to him "take it"
Like Rav Hai, who holds that he has a partnership within this land
it belongs to him. And that which Rav Nachman said: He who descends
to the land of his fellow and salvaged it and stood it upon a stack, it is appraised for him
and his hand is at a disadvantage. And Rashi z"l explained that if the improvement is greater
than the expenditure, he takes the expenditure; and if the expenditure is greater than
the improvement, he takes the improvement. Consequently, he has a claim to the improvement
if <del>because</del> <del>that improvement</del> because he is one who descends with permission
as there it is dealing with a field that is intended to be planted, which normally
stands for planting, and the improvement comes to it automatically
and for this reason he gives him the improvement. But here
in a field that is not intended to be planted, which does not
stand for planting, and all improvement is through the action of this person that
comes, he only gives him expenditure up to the amount of the improvement
and even according to the one who says he is entitled to the value etc.
who disagrees with Rav Nachman, he holds that he is one who descends
with permission and takes the improvement that reaches the shoulders
however, in our case, everyone agrees that he is
one who descends with permission and takes expenditure up to the amount of improvement
wherever he did not say to him "leave." And since this
is the law, he cannot remove him by any means
per the explanation of Rashbam z"l there, so it seems to my humble opinion
and regarding the oath that your honored Torah excellency z"l wrote, in this it seems to me
that in this time the world has practiced according to this custom
that he does not swear at all except by holding a sacred object and upon
the consensus of the public so that he shall have no annulment, and also
by an oath that has no annulment at all. Thus far.
The matter of a dream that a person saw at night and was frightened by it
He shall perform this improvement before three of his friends and say to them:
A good dream I have seen, and they shall say to him: A good dream you have seen,
It is good and good it shall be, may the Merciful One make it for good,
Seven times let them decree upon it from heaven that it should be good.
<del>And may it be the will that from heaven they decree upon it that it should be good</del>
And may it be the will that from heaven they decree upon it that it should be good.
And they shall say these verses three times:
You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.
Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together;
For I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
Nevertheless the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but the Lord
your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you.
And afterwards they shall say three times:
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many with me.
And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought
this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not fall
one hair of his head to the ground; for he has wrought with God this day.
So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
And afterwards they shall say three times:
Creating the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near,
says the Lord, and I will heal him. Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief
of the captains: Yours are we, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse: Peace, peace be unto you,
and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you. Then David received them,
and made them captains of the band. And thus shall you say: All hail! and peace be both to you,
and peace be to your house, and peace be unto all that you have. The Lord will give strength
unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
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Parashat Vayechi
Essay <del>that</del> a man when he dies in a tent, this is the Torah
A man when he offers from you a sacrifice to the Lord, it was not said
when a person offers but rather 'Adam' (man) to tell you just as
Adam the first did not offer from stolen goods, so too
you shall not offer from stolen goods, therefore
it said 'Adam when he offers from you' and did not
say 'a person'
and do not wonder, for behold it says 'For I the Lord
love justice, I hate robbery with a burnt offering' etc. and it says
'And you shall do what is right and good <del>in the eyes of the Lord</del> so that it may be well
with you' etc. and it says 'He has told you, O man, what is good
and what the Lord requires of you, but to do justice
and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God'
and it says 'Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are
peace' and it says 'He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards
his soul from troubles' and it says 'Death and life are in the power of
the tongue' and it says 'Keep your tongue from evil and your lips
from speaking deceit; depart from evil and do good; seek
peace and pursue it' and it says 'Who is the man who desires
life, who loves days to see good? Keep
your tongue from evil' etc. and it says 'He who keeps a commandment
keeps his soul; he who despises his ways shall die'
And this <del>name</del> as I heard from our elders -
the judges of the city who should not sleep in the academy
<del>and even</del> and so on Tosafot Berakhot but here it comes to teach us
<del>to the</del> <del>matter</del> entirely it is forbidden for him to sleep in it
within a person's domain and certainly in the synagogue
<del>which is called a miniature sanctuary</del> etc. and also in the study hall
<del>even</del> without <del>fixed</del> sleep and this is simple and clear
and from all that is revealed and even though all this is true and stable
nevertheless we have not seen in our days anyone who is careful in this
and certainly in our study hall where there
they sleep at night and during the day and an afternoon nap
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And this matter was a stumbling block and an obstacle for me and I did not find
a remedy for my wound except by what I saw
in the book <del>Yemei Shlomo</del> <del>by Rabbi</del> Chaim Palagi of blessed memory, Section
Synagogue, letter 24, where he wrote as follows: and this custom
that they are accustomed to sleep in the synagogue on the night of Yom Kippur
or on other nights when they perform supplications there or study
and they do not sleep in the synagogue proper but in the help
<del>women</del> <del>that</del> which is called the Ezrah and there is no concern in this
for it is not called a synagogue except for the place where they pray
there the men <del>but the women's section</del> <del>not</del> was not sanctified
<del>with the sanctity of</del> <del>the synagogue</del> <del>proper</del> and they treated it as permissible
and even according to the one who says that our women's section is judged as a synagogue
for they made it with a condition for that purpose from the beginning, until here are his words -
The land of Canaan did not come to them by inheritance but by plunder,
as it is written: 'And He gave them the lands of the nations, and they inherited the labor of the peoples,
that they might keep His statutes,' etc. That is to say, as a reward for keeping His statutes they inherited the lands of
the nations. And this is what it says here: 'and shall possess the gate of his enemies.' And this is what it says:
'Your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies,' meaning that they will conquer
their cities and dwell in them. And this is what it says here: 'and your seed shall possess'
etc. And this is what the verse says: 'An inheritance without boundaries,' as it says:
'And you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and your seed shall be as the dust of
the earth,' etc. And this is what it says here: 'And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed'
etc. 'Because you have obeyed My voice.' And this is what it says
there: 'And they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice; that
the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken of him,' etc.
And this is what it says here: 'So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went
together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.'
And juxtaposed to it: 'And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham,
saying: Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
Uz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and
Bethuel.' And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight did
Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah,
she also bore Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maacah.
What is written above the matter? 'And Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.'
And what is written after it? 'And it came to pass after these things, that it was told
to Abraham, saying: Behold, Milcah has borne,' etc. What is the connection between one and the other?
Rather, when Abraham came from Mount Moriah, he was reflecting
and saying: 'If my son Isaac had been slaughtered, he would have died without children.
Now I will marry him to a woman from the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre.'
The Holy One, blessed be He, brought him news that Rebekah, his mate, was born, as it is said: 'Behold,
Milcah has borne,' etc. 'And Bethuel begot Rebekah,' etc.
And this is what the verse says: 'Declaring the end from the beginning,' etc.
their responsibility by name, and if, Heaven forbid, they lose, they shall both lose,
and if they profit, they shall both profit half and half according to the custom
known among merchants. And if they wish to add to the aforementioned
money, they have the permission, and all the business dealings shall be
between them in honesty and faith, and they shall be faithful to one another
in all matters of the aforementioned business dealings like two valid witnesses.
And everything they say to each other shall be trusted
by them like two witnesses, and any dispute that arises between them
shall be judged in the court of justice, and they shall be obligated to obey
everything the aforementioned court rules for them. And neither
of them shall have the permission to take the aforementioned money out
of the city without the permission of his partner. And all this was done by the will
of both of them and with a complete and finished acquisition from now according to law and practice,
and with the annulment of all notices, etc., and the disqualification of its witnesses, etc., not
as a mere promise, etc. And we have performed an act of acquisition from the aforementioned parties
⟦line⟧ Today is Tuesday ⟦line⟧
aforementioned regarding everything written and specified above with a valid vessel
to acquire with it, and everything is valid, clear, and established. And we have signed
our names here in Baghdad, may God protect it, on Tuesday, the 3rd of the month of Shevat, in the year
5613 of the creation. And everything is valid, clear, and established. And we have signed
our names here in Baghdad, may God protect it, on Tuesday, the 3rd of the month of Shevat, in the year
5613 of the creation. And everything is valid, clear, and established.
⟦line⟧ The humble servant Isaac, son of the honorable Abraham HaLevi, may his end be good ⟦line⟧
I wish to explain three things that Moses did alone and of his own mind
and the Holy One, Blessed be He, agreed with him, and these are: He added one day of his own mind
and he separated from his wife, and he broke the Tablets. He added one day of his own mind,
what did he interpret? "And sanctify them today and tomorrow," today is like tomorrow; just as tomorrow includes its night,
so too today includes its night, and the night of this Sabbath has already passed from it.
And Moses said, this night is not counted in the numbering, as there must be
full days with their nights included. Thus there were three days excluding
that day, and this is what is written: "Be ready for three days,
do not approach a woman." And he separated from his wife, what did he interpret? He applied
an a fortiori argument to himself: He said, if Israel, with whom the Divine Presence did not speak
but for one hour and a set time was fixed for them, the Torah said
"Do not approach a woman," I, for whom at every hour the Word
speaks with me and I have no fixed time but rather He speaks with me
suddenly, is it not logical that I should separate from my wife? And he broke the Tablets,
what did he interpret? He said, if the Passover offering, which is but one of the 613 commandments,
the Torah said, "No foreigner shall eat of it," the entire Torah
is here, and the Israelites are apostates, how then shall I give it to them? And he broke them
before the eyes of all Israel. And from where do we know the Holy One, Blessed be He, agreed with him?
As it is written: "which you broke," and Reish Lakish said: "May your strength be firm
because you broke [them]." And from where do we know He agreed with him that he separated from his wife?
As it is written: "Go say to them: Return to your tents, but you,
stand here with Me." And from where do we know He agreed with him that he added
one day of his own mind? For the Divine Presence did not rest until the
third day, which was the Sabbath, on which the Torah was given to Israel,
as it is said: "And it came to pass on the third day when it was morning," etc.
And this is what the Scripture says: "He who keeps a commandment shall know no evil thing;
and a wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment. For every matter has its time and judgment,
though the misery of man is great upon him."
But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless you from the house of the Lord
The Lord is God, and He has given us light; bind the festival offering with cords to the horns of the altar
You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever
All Your works shall praise You, O Lord our God, and Your pious ones, the righteous who do Your will
And all Your people, the House of Israel, with song shall thank, bless, praise, glorify
Exalt, adore, sanctify, and proclaim the sovereignty of Your name, our King
For it is good to thank You, and pleasant to sing to Your name, for from eternity
To eternity You are God. Blessed are You, Lord, King extolled with praises
Amen ⟦line⟧
To the Chief Musician with stringed instruments, a Psalm and Song. May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, Selah
That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples with equity and lead the nations upon the earth, Selah
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You
The earth has yielded its harvest; God, our God, shall bless us
God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him
Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance?
He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy
He will again have compassion on us, He will subdue our iniquities; and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea
You will show faithfulness to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, as You have sworn to our fathers from days of old
Out of my distress I called to the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
The Lord is on my side among those who help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes
530 ⟦illegible⟧ Rachel when for his partner he entered and his wife
that at that hour her husband built strong and quick to her
and he did not leave there again from the hour he separated from her
and he also engaged in the commandment and the feast from which he separated
that they gave money of the tithe as mentioned above
and they gave them a good reward - a reward
for when our righteous Messiah comes quickly in our days -
and hears the voice of my beloved Rachel ⟦illegible⟧ rejoicing -
Amen, may it be the will, grace and mercy -
as mentioned above.
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And if as we wrote above for there is a great secret and a hint in this
that at the hour he separated from her he had an evil eye
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Yaakov Kfir Fak son of Abraham Yitzchak, may his Rock and Redeemer preserve him, son of the deceased
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(Announcement and delivery of words before prayer etc.)
Behold, I deliver an announcement before you
and with all my heart and all my soul and very much. And I take upon myself
His Blessed Divinity and His love and His fear
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and His fear, blessed be His name
with the nullification of all announcements and deliveries of announcements
that I deliver an announcement before you. I, so-and-so son of so-and-so
concerning every evil thought and evil reflection and evil spirit
that arose in my heart and my mind and my idea. Whether awake or in a dream
whether by compulsion or by will. Whether unintentionally or intentionally
from now and forever. Behold, I nullify those thoughts
evil ones and evil reflections and strange and evil ideas
that arose in my heart and my mind and my idea. And all that I have sinned
and twisted and transgressed before You. And I damaged the letter Yod
of Your great and holy Name. And the letter He and the letter Vav
and the final letter He of Your great and holy Name
and the name Adonai. And the name Eheyeh. And the name Shaddai
and the name Elohim. And the name Tzevaot. And all the names
holy and pure that are not erased. And those that are erased
Behold, I return in complete repentance before You and regret
with absolute regret for all that I have sinned and twisted and transgressed
before You. And I cast everything out out out
and take upon myself Your Blessed Divinity and Your love and Your fear
and all strange and evil thoughts and evil reflections
and evil ideas that arose in my heart and my mind and my idea
of all of them I deny and nullify them with a complete nullification
like a broken shard and like a thing that has no substance
and they shall not be thought of and they shall not be remembered and they shall not be counted and they shall not arise
upon the heart at all and essentially. And behold, I deliver a great
announcement before you that every evil thought and evil reflection
and evil idea that will arise in my heart and my mind and my idea
during the prayer or during the study or before then
or after then. That all of them are void and nullified
not valid and not existing. And they shall be as if they never were
And behold, I intend in the saying of the verse Hear O Israel
to surrender my soul for the holiness of Your Blessed Name
and to take upon myself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven with love
and the yoke of Torah and commandments with love and with fear
Hearken now to me, my lord King David, King of Israel
As an angel of God are you, to discern between good and evil
And everything that you desire to do, you
do, for there is none who shall say to you what you shall do
and what you shall perform, for the word of a king is sovereign, and who shall say to him
what you shall do? He who keeps the commandment shall know no evil thing
And now, my lord the King, let not your anger burn against your servant
for not in malice of heart did I speak these things
before my lord the King, but rather in my integrity and the uprightness of my heart
And you, my lord the King, are wise as an angel of God to know
all that is on the earth; and now, may my lord
the King know that I am your servant, the son of your handmaid, and all my father's house
are servants to my lord the King; and who am I and what is my father's house
that you have brought me thus far to sit before my lord
the King and to speak such words in the ears of my lord
the King? As your soul lives, my lord the King, if I have not loved you
with the love of my soul, and all my salvation and all my desire is to see
the good of my lord the King and to rejoice in his joy
And now, may my lord the King please forgive his servant for this matter
which I spoke before him, for it was an error
and not malice; and now, if I have found favor in the eyes
of my lord the King, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people
at my request, for how can I endure to see the evil
that shall come upon my people? Or how can I endure to see
the destruction of my kindred? And now, may my lord the King know
that not for rebellion nor for treachery did I speak these things
before my lord the King, but rather out of my love
for you and my compassion for your honor did I speak thus
And now, may my lord the King please forgive his servant
and receive his words with favor, and do not turn me away
empty-handed from before him, for you, my lord the King,
are an angel of God to discern between good
and evil, and to perform justice and righteousness for all the oppressed
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Pras Menachem ⟦...⟧ David ⟦...⟧ Honorable Rabbi Yosef ⟦...⟧
and after him the Honorable Saleh Yosef, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, from the community, may its Rock and Redeemer protect it, and from the Blessed Name
Blessed be He who has not left us without a redeemer, and also blessed be He who has not left
the master, the Honorable Gourji, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, son of Mr. Ezra, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, and may the Name lengthen their days
and their seed like them, as the sand and the stars of the heaven in multitude, and as the dust in abundance
in the land, Amen, may it be so. This holy book was also dedicated
for the rest of the deceased, the Honorable Ezekiel, son of the Honorable Yosef ⟦...⟧
May the spirit of the Lord rest him in the Garden of Eden, Amen.
And the year ⟦...⟧ according to the minor era, here in Baghdad, may the Almighty establish it
And you who cleave to the Lord your God are all alive today
And all who read in it shall be privileged to behold the pleasantness of the Lord and to visit
in His temple, Amen. And I have written my name upon it so it shall not be lost
and he is the young and the small, a poor and thin servant, the servant of God Saleh
Yosef Matzliach, may his end be good. ⟦...⟧
Said the aforementioned young writer, behold I have seen
this manuscript book, and it is as dear to me as the apple of my eye
and I took it for a high price so it shall not be lost
and I dedicated it for the rest of the deceased, the aforementioned Honorable Ezekiel
May his soul be bound in the bond of life. Please, O Lord, save now; please, O Lord, prosper now
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer
Blessed be the Lord forever, Amen and Amen.
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For you surely know that the will of our Creator, blessed be His name, is to do ⟦--⟧
even though we do not have the ability to act like the ministering angels
and to accept the yoke of the kingdom of heaven with love and fear, etc.
⟦...⟧ and you shall love your neighbor as yourself, this is a great principle in the Torah
We have already written this above ⟦...⟧
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And a person is obligated to bless for the evil just as he blesses for
the good, as it is said, etc., to receive everything with love, etc.
And everyone who performs one commandment, it goes well for him, etc.
⟦Law⟧
And concerning the matter of page ⟦...⟧
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Or perhaps ⟦...⟧
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And why is it so? Because they have no one to lean on
except their Father in heaven, etc.
After the death of Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, for the sake of Joshua the son of Nun
who entered the Land of Israel and was going and conquering the land
all the days of his life. And it was after the death of Joshua the son of Nun
and there arose another generation who did not know the Lord, nor the work
which He had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil
in the eyes of the Lord, and they served the Baals. And they forsook the Lord
the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed
other gods, of the gods of the peoples of the land who
were around them, and they bowed down to them, and they provoked the Lord to anger.
And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger
of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of spoilers, and they spoiled them,
and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, and they could no longer stand
before their enemies. In everything they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them
for evil, as the Lord had spoken and as the Lord had sworn to them,
and they were greatly distressed. And the Lord raised up judges, and they saved them from the hand
of their spoilers. And yet to their judges they did not listen, for they went astray after
other gods and bowed down to them; they turned quickly from the way
that their fathers had walked in to obey the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so.
And when the Lord raised up judges for them, then the Lord was with the judge
and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord relented
because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and crushed them. And it was
at the death of the judge, they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, to follow
other gods, to serve them and to bow down to them;
they did not cease from their practices nor from their stubborn way. And the anger
of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed
My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and they have not
listened to My voice, I also will no longer drive out any man
from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died,
in order to test Israel through them, whether they will keep the
way of the Lord to walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not."
So the Lord left those nations, without driving them out quickly,
and He did not deliver them into the hand of Joshua. And these are the nations which the Lord left
to test Israel by them, all those who had not known
all the wars of Canaan; only so that the generations of the children of
Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who previously did not know them:
the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites
who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
And they were to test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the
commandments of the Lord, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. And the children
of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites,
and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And they took their daughters to themselves for wives,
and their daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.
And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and they forgot the
Lord their God, and they served the Baals and the Asherahs.
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim
king of Aram-naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan-
rishathaim eight years. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord,
and the Lord raised up a savior for the children of Israel, and he saved them—Othniel
the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. And the spirit of the Lord was upon him,
and he judged Israel, and he went out to war, and the Lord delivered into his hand
Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram; and his hand prevailed against Cushan-
rishathaim. And the land was quiet for forty years. And Othniel
the son of Kenaz died.
I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments.
I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes.
With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word.
Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.
I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.
My soul breaks with longing for Your judgments at all times.
You rebuke the proud—the cursed, who stray from Your commandments.
Remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies.
Princes also sit and speak against me, but Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.
My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.
I have declared my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes.
Make me understand the way of Your precepts; so shall I meditate on Your wondrous works.
My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word.
Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously.
I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.
I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame!
I will run the course of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart.
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.
Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You.
Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness.
Eve of Menachem Av the year 5686 according to the small era ⟦...⟧
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⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧
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⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ ⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧
⟦illegible⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧ ⟦...⟧
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⟦illegible⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Peace like a river and righteousness like the waves of the sea to my friend and beloved, my soul's delight
The perfect and comprehensive Sage, the glory of his name, the honorable Rabbi Aaron, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him
After an abundance of life and peace to him, his offspring, and all who accompany him
I make known that, blessed be God, we are in life and peace, and so may it be with you
For length of days and years of life, Amen. The money that you sent has reached our hands
By means of the messenger Rabbi Joseph, may his light shine, the sum of twenty-five Grush
And we received them from his hand with great joy and many thanks
For all the good you have bestowed upon us, and may God repay your good reward
And pour out a blessing upon you until it is more than enough, Amen. Also reaching our hands
Was the book you sent me with the aforementioned messenger, and I read it
And I rejoiced in it with great joy over the words of Torah and wisdom
Written therein. And regarding what you asked about the matter of the match for the daughter
Mistress Sarah, may she be blessed among women, behold we spoke with her father and he is pleased
With the matter, and she also desires this, but there are some small things
That need to be arranged between them before the conclusion, and with the help of God, blessed be He
We hope that everything will fall into place in peace. And regarding the business matter
Which you wrote to me about, behold I have investigated and inquired among the merchants
And they told me that now is not a suitable time for this because the prices
Have dropped miraculously and there are no buyers and no sellers, and it is better to wait
Until the wrath passes and God has mercy on His people and His inheritance
And grants blessing in the land. Regards to all the members of your household
And to all the friends and companions, each by his good name
From me, your friend, who seeks your peace and welfare all the days
The young Joseph Hayyim ⟦...⟧ may his end be good
⟦...⟧ Blessed be His name and exalted be His memory forever and for all eternity the heart ⟦...⟧
The glory of His kingdom ⟦...⟧ His name forever and for all eternity
Upon ⟦...⟧ in order to bless and praise His good name and to thank Him
Even though we have no power to bless and praise His name, blessed and exalted
Above all blessing and praise ⟦...⟧ to bless His good name
And all that have the breath of life in their nostrils shall praise the Lord, for He alone
Is exalted and uplifted above all blessing and praise, the glory of His kingdom forever
And ever and for all eternity Amen and Amen, so may it be Your will before You
God, God of the spirits of all flesh, that You shall put in our hearts to love and to fear
Your great and awesome name ⟦...⟧ forever and for all eternity ⟦...⟧
Your great and holy name upon us and upon all Your people the House of Israel
And may You bestow upon us an abundance of holiness and purity from You from the heavens
And may it be Your will before You, O Lord our God and God of our fathers, that You help us
For the sake of the glory of Your name, and let no one among us stumble
In the iniquity which we have sinned before You, please pardon and forgive us
For You are good and forgiving
⟦illegible⟧
And there is more to explain the verse "For a commandment is a lamp and the Torah is light"
By way of moral wisdom to straighten the people in the way of
Truth and honesty and the good path before the Lord, the living God and King
Of the world, living and existing, awesome and exalted and holy is His name forever
⟦...⟧ Happy is the man who listens to me, to watch at my doors day
By day, to guard the posts of my gates, for he who finds me finds life
And obtains favor from the Lord ⟦...⟧
And so may it be Your will before You, O Lord our God and God of
Our fathers, that You shall put in our hearts to love and to fear Your
Great and awesome name ⟦...⟧ forever and for all eternity
Amen and Amen
Praise be to God, blessed be His name forever, no good shall be lacking
My dear and pleasant uncle passed away, the honored teacher and rabbi Eliyahu
son of the honored teacher and rabbi Meir, of blessed memory, summoned to the Heavenly Academy
Passed away on the 1st day of the holy Sabbath, the 17th of the month
of Marheshvan in the year 5620 of the creation, may his soul be bound in the bond of life
And life for us and for all Israel he has left
Passed away at about 60 years of age
May it be His will that he intercedes well for us
and for all Israel, Amen
So may it be His will
I too, the young writer, was sick with liver disease and danger, and I was
in danger of death, and God, blessed be He, in His mercy and great kindness saved me from death to life
and healed me with a complete recovery, and may it be His will, blessed be He, that He lengthen my days and years
in goodness and pleasantness for His service, blessed be His name forever, Amen and Amen, and so may it be His will
All die, and Moses died, and several prophets died
⟦line⟧
Praise be to God, blessed be His name forever, no good shall be lacking
My dear and pleasant brother passed away, the honored teacher and rabbi
David Chai, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, summoned to the Heavenly Academy
Passed away on the 5th day of the holy Sabbath, the 23rd of the month
of Adar I in the year 5627 of the creation, may his soul be bound in the bond of life
And life for us and for all Israel he has left
Passed away at about 25 years of age, a young man who
had not married, due to our many sins he was plucked in his prime
May it be His will that he intercedes well for us
and for all Israel, Amen
So may it be His will
On Thursday, the eleventh day of the month of Adar Rishon
five thousand six hundred and eighty-seven from the creation of the world
according to the count we use here in Baghdad, may God protect it, situated on the Tigris River,
how the woman Mrs. Rachel daughter of
Menashe Yosef David, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, came before our Great Court, may its Rock and Redeemer protect it, and appointed for herself an administrator and a complete,
absolute, valid, and established agent on her behalf and in her place, the Sage
Eliyahu David Yosef David, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, to be her representative and to argue
on her behalf and to speak in her name with her husband Yehezkel Yosef
Ezra HaLevi, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, in all matters of claims, responses, and demands
that she has against him, whether regarding her Ketubah, her dowry, and her
delayed marriage-gift, and all conditions of the Ketubah, or regarding other
claims and demands she has against him from any side or manner
there may be, and to make with him any kind of compromise or settlement
as he sees fit, and whatever the aforementioned agent
does in the aforementioned matter is done as if done [by her] and performed as if performed [by her], not
to be changed and not to be rebelled against, and she performed a symbolic acquisition from him regarding all the above
with a vessel fit for acquisition, not as a mere promise and not
as form-letters, with the annulment of all notifications and notifications of notifications
until the end of all notifications established by our Sages of blessed memory, and with the disqualification
of their witnesses according to the opinion of the Rashba of blessed memory, and everything is valid, clear,
and established.
The humble Yosef, son of my lord father Aaron Sasson, may his end be good.
The humble Avraham Moshe Hillel, may his end be good.
The humble Eliyahu Daniel, may his end be good.