AI en Translation, Pages 126-150
Page 126
Chapter Five
Whoever denies, etc. denied
A person should sell his house in the field, etc. What is the reason? Because he needs to stand before it
at the time of prayer, and a fortress etc. and what is it etc. denied who gave for tax
one who has many fields etc. and what is the reason he does not work them
because people do not dwell in them, and thus he said, one should not sell
his field and leave his house etc. as it is said etc. and what is it
two pairs of oxen etc. and what is the reason? because they are not common
etc. and what is it, a cloak etc. Rav Chisda said etc. and so said Rav
Yehuda in the name of Rav etc. all these words etc. but with coins
it is permitted etc. and so said Rav etc. what is it, a Torah scroll
as it is said etc. and Rabbi Yochanan said etc. and even a widow etc.
like that case of a certain woman etc. they took her comb etc. she came
before Rav Huna etc. go return it to her etc. he said to him
but isn't it the Master who said etc. he said to him, these words apply
to a poor widow, but to a wealthy widow, there is no question
swore etc. Rav said
Gidel said in the name of Rav etc. Rashbam of blessed memory explained that he is exempt from a Torah oath
as it is written: 'And its owner shall accept it and he shall not pay'—the one who must pay is the one who swears
and is released, and this one, since he pays, does not swear etc. after the oath etc. swore
on everything because he admitted to a part. How so? Denied etc. behold he swears etc.
until he denied everything etc. Rav Nachman etc. and Rav Sheshet etc. the law is like Rav Nachman
regarding Rav Sheshet etc. and so said Rav etc. for example, he claimed vessels and land
and he admitted to the vessels and denied the land etc. and Rav and Shmuel both say
property that does not have security (movable) binds property that has security (land)
to swear upon them etc. so it is a settled law etc. and so the fourth foundation
that he cannot make him swear etc. from an inclusive oath he does not have etc.
Up to this point, all the places where the term 'additions' is written regarding the matter and what he wrote explicitly that they were not written
additions in the Mishneh Torah, and for this reason he wrote that they were not written, not to explain the Holy Scriptures -
And what the Rabbi, of blessed memory, wrote that he explained this above in Law 17, for there he explained regarding the scribe's fee
as it says, and the law follows Rabbi Yose who said <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> he taught him and said for a fee and not in the category of the reward for a commandment
And he wrote that since he explained his intention that the main dispute is between the First Tanna and Rabbi Yose
and the law follows Rabbi Yose, he did not need to explain except for what the Rabbi wrote in the Commentary on the Mishnah there
and to explain the word 'and said for a fee' that our Rabbi wrote, and he wrote that they were not written, not to explain the Holy Scriptures
but wrote the fee that he took upon himself to ensure he would not be idle from his work or that he accepted upon himself
compensation for idleness, etc. Thus far are the words of the Rabbi, of blessed memory, in the Commentary on the Mishnah at the beginning of Pe'ah and there
he explained at greater length, see there and study it well:
I also saw for the Rabbi, the author of Knesset HaGedolah, of blessed memory, in Choshen Mishpat Chapter 34 in the Glosses of the Tur
sign 14, where he wrote and these are his words: Maharash Yonah, of blessed memory, wrote on page 150b, and these are his words: The Rabbi
the author of Kesef Mishneh, of blessed memory, wrote in Chapter 7 of the Laws of Testimony, Law 4, where our Rabbi [Maimonides], of blessed memory, wrote: 'And that is provided he
is knowledgeable in the nature of betrothals and divorces, for he is like a judge in the matter.' And the Ra'avad, of blessed memory, wrote on it:
'Impossible; what do we care about betrothals and divorces? Do not the witnesses sign only on the transaction, but
on the counting?' And Maran [the author of Kesef Mishneh], of blessed memory, in Kesef Mishneh answered this, and these are his words: 'And it can be said that here
we are dealing with a woman's bill of divorce, which requires that he know the nature of divorces and betrothals,' end of quote. And Maharash
Yonah mentioned above wrote on it, and these are his words: 'I do not know what he answered with this, for even if you say we are dealing with a woman's bill of divorce,
nevertheless the difficulty of the Ra'avad, of blessed memory, remains in its place, for since the witnesses sign only on
the counting, what do we care if he knows the nature of divorces and betrothals? This requires further investigation,' end of quote from Maharash Yonah,
of blessed memory. However, in my humble opinion, it seems to me to answer the words of Maran, of blessed memory, that this was his intention to say: that here
we are dealing with a woman's bill of divorce, and since this is so, he must be knowledgeable in the nature of divorces and betrothals, for since he
becomes like a judge in the matter, as our Rabbi wrote, if so, he certainly must be knowledgeable in the nature of
divorces and betrothals, for if he did not know the nature of divorces and betrothals, how could he act as a judge in this matter?
For just as the judge must know the law by which he judges, so the witness who becomes a judge in the matter must
know the law upon which he testifies. And since this is so, our Rabbi said well: 'And that is provided he
is knowledgeable in the nature of betrothals and divorces, for he is like a judge in the matter.' And study this well. And as for the difficulty raised by
the Ra'avad, of blessed memory: 'Do not the witnesses sign only on the counting?' it seems to me to answer that Maran,
of blessed memory, held that it is not difficult at all, for even though the witnesses sign only on the counting,
nevertheless, since he becomes like a judge in the matter, we require him to be knowledgeable in the nature of divorces and betrothals,
as I have written, and study it well. This appears to me, written by the youth Yechezkel Shimon ⟦illegible⟧ S.T.
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And what must be mentioned
is that in the week the late Dana Kaher Rachel Daoud bin Yosef Khuzuri died
she passed away on Yom Kippur as we moved from our house, mention of which is in the Dananir quarter, to
the one they call the Old Jewish Quarter, and we lived in the house of Master Rafael David Ram
according to the payment of rent; and the people of the house were Khawaja Farah and his son Menashe and his brother Khawaja
Daoud and Um Salem and Um Naim, and all that was, and our partnership with them was equal, meaning
food and drink and everything was one, except for sleeping, as each one would sleep in a room
alone, and we used to pay them 3 riyals monthly, and they have a beautiful favor upon us that will not be forgotten
all our life, may God reward them with good and give them a good life, Amen, so be His will.
Tevet Kislev Year 5656
And after that, mention
that on Sunday, 17th of Elul, year 5656, we left the house of Khawaja Farah
and we were in the house of Salim Agha and we paid the rent for the year 5657
two hundred and twenty Qaran, and from 그 time our expenses became
on us alone and everything by ourselves, except for the house which is shared
between the two parties, and from that time ⟦...⟧
⟦illegible⟧
Portion of
Balak
Verse: And he saw
Balak son of Zippor
And Balak son of Zippor saw
The Sages said: He was his enemy from the start, and when he saw that vengeance was taken for him from Sihon
and from his brother, he became proud over him and said: Blessed is He who has kept me alive after I saw the fall of
my enemy this much. Rather, as people say: I will sharpen your spear from your enemy
like the day you do a favor for your brother. And the meaning of 'And all of Moab'
is that when they saw that Sihon and Og had fallen, they said: These two men who were guarding us
did not stand before Israel, we all the more so. 'And Moab was afraid'
like one who is in mourning, Moab from Israel. And the verse says 'And Moab was sickened'. They were sick of their lives
a parable, to what is the matter comparable? To one who took a cup to drink and a wasp entered it
and pressured him until he died. So were Moab afraid of Israel until they were sick of their lives.
'And Moab said to the elders of Midian'. Were they not enemies to one another, as it is said: 'who smote Midian
in the field of Moab'? Rather, out of great fear they made peace between them. A parable of two dogs
that were in the flock and were snapping at each other; a wolf came upon one of them. The second said: If I do not
help him today, he will kill him, and tomorrow he will come upon me. They both stood and killed the wolf. So
Moab and Midian. Another explanation: what is the nature of the elders of Midian here? Rather, they saw Moses
who grew up in Midian, they said: Let us ask them what his qualities are. They said to them: His power is only in his mouth.
They said: We too will come against them with a man whose power is in his mouth. 'Now this assembly will lick up
all that is around us, as the ox licks up'. Just as an ox, its power is in its mouth, so too these, their power is in their mouth.
Another explanation: just as an ox uproots all that is before it, so these do not leave anything. Another explanation: just as an ox
has only today, so these have only today; for as long as you stand
against them, they have no standing. 'And Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time'.
Was he not a prince initially, as it is said: 'the princes of Sihon'? Rather, once Sihon was killed,
they crowned him over them because he was a fierce warrior. 'And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor
at Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of his people, to call him.' Pethor - for he was a solver of dreams.
Another explanation: for all kings were advised by him. Another explanation: Pethor - he was a money changer and the kings of nations
would profit with him. 'Which is by the River, to the land of his people'. For they came with him and he had
sorceries that he would perform with them like the action of a river. Another explanation: the land of his people - for from there was Balak
and he was prophesying about him that he was destined to reign. 'Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, behold they cover the
eye of the land, and they dwell opposite me'. He said to him: You say 'behold, a people has come out of Egypt'
of its own accord they came out; but I say to you they did not come out of their own accord but their God brought them out
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. 'Behold, they cover the eye of the land' - for they killed Sihon and Og who were
guarding us, and now we remain exposed and breached. 'And they dwell opposite me'
a small piece am I, and they dwell upon me and want to swallow me. 'And now, please come, curse for me
this people, for they are too mighty for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know
that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed'. 'Please come, curse for me'. What did Balak see
to call Balaam? Rather, Balak said: Let him whose power is in his mouth come and stand against him whose power is in his mouth.
And Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was very afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sickened because of the children of Israel. And Moab said to the elders of Midian, "Now this assembly will lick up everything around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field." And Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the River, the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, "Behold, a people has come out of Egypt; behold, they cover the eye of the earth, and they dwell opposite me. And now, please come, curse for me this people, for they are too mighty for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse shall be cursed."
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with divinations in their hands, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. And he said to them, "Lodge here tonight, and I will bring you back word as the Lord shall speak to me." And the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. And God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?" And Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me: 'Behold, the people that is come out of Egypt, it covers the eye of the earth; now, come curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.'" And God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, "Go to your land, for the Lord refuses to give me leave to go with you." And the princes of Moab rose up, and they came to Balak and said, "Balaam refuses to go with us." And Balak sent yet again princes, more and more distinguished than those. And they came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus says Balak son of Zippor: 'Let nothing, I pray you, hinder you from coming to me; for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come therefore, I pray you, curse this people for me.'" And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do small or great. And now, please, stay here you also tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will speak with me." And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I shall speak to you, that shall you do." And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the Lord placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his donkey, and his two servants were with him. And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey to turn her into the way. Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, a wall on this side and a wall on that side. And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, and she thrust herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he struck her again. And the angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, and she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have mocked me; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you." And the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, upon which you have ridden all your life long until this day? Was I ever wont to do so to you?" And he said, "No." Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head and fell on his face. And the angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because the way is contrary to me; and the donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times; unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain you and saved her alive." And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the way against me; now therefore, if it be evil in your eyes, I will go back." And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of Arnon, which is at the utmost part of the border. And Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not earnestly send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?" And Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you; have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak." And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and to the princes that were with him. And it came to pass in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal, and he saw from there the utmost part of the people.
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In the name of the Lord, we shall do
Solomon said in his wisdom: "The spirit of a man will sustain his sickness, but a broken spirit, who can bear it?"
Rashi of blessed memory explained: King David, peace be upon him, doubled [this], saying: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
and the Lord will be his trust." For trust is complete faith and a whole heart.
And he who trusts in the Lord is he who trusts with all his heart and does not lean on his own knowledge or wisdom,
nor says "my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth," as the wise man said:
"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom etc. but let him that glories glory in this: that he understands and knows me,
that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the Lord."
And this is what King Solomon, peace be upon him, said: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord
and depart from evil. It will be health to your navel and marrow to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of
all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
nor be weary of His reproof; for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father the son in whom he delights.
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain
than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand,
in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life
to those who take hold of her, and happy are those who retain her. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens;
by His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let them not depart from your eyes; keep sound wisdom
and discretion; so they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot
will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden
fear, nor of the destruction of the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. Do not say to your neighbor,
‘Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give,’ when you have it with you. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, while he dwells safely
with you. Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm. Do not envy the oppressor
and choose none of his ways; for the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, but His secret is with the upright. The curse of the Lord is in the house
of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just. Surely He scorns the scorners, but He gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit
glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools."
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55
And this is what King David, peace be upon him, said: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord will be his trust."
For trust is the complete faith and the whole heart; and he who trusts in the Lord is he who trusts
with all his heart and does not lean on his own knowledge or wisdom, nor says "my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth,"
as the wise man said: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom etc. but let him that glories glory in this:
that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight,
says the Lord."
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Today too I forgot, with God's help, 2nd of Tammuz 5684. I looked into an ancient book I found in a certain port,
A letter sent by our Master of God, in which wonderful things are written
About the hidden light and the widow's son who came to him from heaven not before his time,
And the miracle that was done for him in the great synagogue which is there
In the city of Toledo, and they copied it into the Arabic language by a swift scribe, etc.
There he sat on the chair of instruction and said a new song, etc. and this is the gist of the matters:
So that the last generation may know, children yet to be born shall arise and tell their children,
All the city of Jerusalem bowed down to the Lord,
And we will praise God from now until eternity, Hallelujah.
And after I wrote this in this book, an old, ancient manuscript happened to come to me,
And I found written in it this story <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> in the Holy Tongue and I copied it here letter for letter.
And this is the copy: Once there were two brothers, great merchants, and they loved each other so,
And in their love they would not part, and it was their way to always love one another.
And once a certain merchandise came their way in a certain city far from them, a journey
Of 30 days, and they both went together and did their business and profited much silver and gold,
And they returned toward their border, and on the way back they strayed from the path and went into a desolate desert,
And on the way there was no water and no path or road, and there was no shepherd there nor any man walking.
And they walked for three days and did not drink water, and they nearly fainted from thirst and their strength failed,
And they both fell to the earth on their faces and cried out to the Lord with a bitter voice, and the older brother wept
Over his younger brother and said to him: My brother, my brother, why did we leave our home and what has happened to us
That we have come to this place to die of thirst, we and all our possessions, and now as the Lord lives
I cannot bear to see your death and your hunger, and now my son, listen to my voice and do this now:
The verse says: And the Lord said to Moses, come up to me on the mountain and be there,
and I will give you the stone tablets and the Torah and the commandment which I have written to teach them.
That all of these are from Sinai, and everything written in it was not written for nothing, but rather
to teach them to everyone who will come after Moses, that he should do according to the deeds of Moses and be
acceptable before the Omnipresent, blessed be He, and every deed of a man is written in a
book.
And in this book, there is another matter from which we will understand how we must
be in this world, both in the matter of the Lord, may He be blessed, and between honor to
his parents, as it is written: Honor your father and your mother so that your days may be long
upon the land which the Lord your God gives you. And if he does not honor them,
woe to him and woe to his soul, and into the house of the Lord, may He be blessed, he shall not enter. And also in this
book are written very important things regarding the matter of the Lord, may He be blessed, and regarding
the Torah and the commandments and every single thing in the world, and every
person who reads it will understand the way in which he should walk. And it is also written
there, and so regarding the matter of the honor of the whole man, we must know everything,
because everything a person does is all written about him in the book, and also
about a person who does not walk in the ways of the Lord, may He be blessed, and does not honor
his father and his mother, for everything is written about him and his punishment will be very, very severe.
But if he returns in repentance and walks in the ways of the Torah and the commandments,
then the Holy One, blessed be He, will forgive him for everything he did and he will be beloved
before the Omnipresent, blessed be He, and he will have a portion in the world to come and be an honor to
his parents and will have a proper structure in the house of the Lord our God, Amen.
Honor to
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Adar
And you, my lord, may God have mercy on you
And as it remains in your hand of the dinars that are in your hand now, do not hide
⟦...⟧ you want to exchange them as you wish, for this is what is on
the mind, but, my lord, you know that people, my lord
⟦...⟧ you know that it needs ⟦...⟧
And that was in ⟦...⟧
And if it were ⟦...⟧
And perhaps it will be ⟦...⟧
Thus, my lord ⟦...⟧
My lord, if I had dinars, each dinar worth ⟦...⟧
From dinars ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
As I told him, and I cannot lie to you, my lord
I am your servant, and if the dinars become as you wish
From this time of mine, my lord ⟦...⟧
With this news, for it will be ⟦...⟧
In your hand, my lord, and God knows my condition, that I have nothing
Except God, and you, my lord, do good with me and do
With me the utmost you can of goodness and the correction of the matter
Because, my lord, from the beginning of Adar the market is less than others
And you, my lord, do your best, and peace be upon you and the mercy
of God and His blessings
And so it was prepared on Monday of the Torah portion of Va'era in the year 5680 [1920], and this is the essence:
1. Mordechai Eliyahu, 2. Ezra Shimon Cohen, grandson of Hakham Sasson Cohen,
regarding the matter of the woman Khatun daughter of Yosef Sofer, wife of David son of Ezra Zechariah,
who fled two years ago and his location is not known, and no one
knew his location at all. And her aforementioned husband, when he left, wrote her a Ketubah
in the amount of 24 [units] and 1, and mortgaged to her the household movables and also gold and silver jewelry,
and the door of the house they live in, and also they had rent for 6 months.
And since the aforementioned fled and the aforementioned husband died, his aforementioned father came and sold everything,
and furthermore, all the household utensils he took for himself, everything, and left her nothing. And now the
aforementioned stood before us in weeping and said that she has nothing to eat, she and her small son,
and she asked of the aforementioned, the father of her aforementioned husband, for sustenance ⟦...⟧
o o
o o
The essence: S. David Habbib, S. David Yosef, S. Menashe Hayyim Raphael Sofer and Moshe
Pinhas Yitzhak HaLevi Cohen, and all admit to the business of the partnership which
(they made) between them (namely) (Rabbi) and as they said, we shall be partners with each other
in whatever business happens to come their way, whether buying or selling, whether in Baghdad or
abroad, via a messenger or by themselves, and any profit that shall occur
according to the time, they shall divide among themselves equally, share for share, and also the loss, G-d forbid,
equally. And they stipulated among themselves that any merchandise they buy or sell must be
by the word of the three of them specifically, and according to their knowledge and will. But only if two of them agree
on a certain thing and the third does not want this thing, the authority is
in the hands of the two to do that thing; such was the condition between them and so they took upon themselves.
But only to take money out of the pocket for any business, the two cannot
take out without the consent of the third, may his Majesty be exalted. And for proof they signed here, and all is valid and established.
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⟦...⟧
And I with my signature ⟦...⟧ this ⟦...⟧
I say, I the undersigned below, the honorable Salach son of M. Yechezkel Cohen ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
Written on the 14th of Kislev
The undersigned, the honorable Salach ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
And Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good, said to him: By an oath, I shall come to you
at the hour when you release your soul from the world, and I will tell those angels of
destruction ⟦that they should leave⟧ you and not touch you, for the Angel's face will shine for you at that
hour, and I will fulfill this for you.
And after the pious man heard this, his mind was eased and he rejoiced greatly, and his son
also rejoiced. And Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good, said to him: By an oath, I
will not leave the entrance of your house until the day of your departure from the world arrives.
And Elijah,
remembered for good, dwelt in the house of the pious man for eighty days, and no man saw him
except for the pious man and his son, and the pious man and his son would study with him every single day.
And at the end of eighty days, Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good, said to the pious man:
This day is the day of your departure from the world; arise and wash your body
and put on clean clothes and purify yourself, for the Angel is coming to take
your soul from the world. And at that hour, the pious man stood up and washed his body
and put on clean clothes and purified himself, and sat before Elijah the Prophet,
remembered for good, and was studying with him until the hour arrived.
And at that hour, the house was filled with a great light like the sun,
and the pious man and his son and Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good,
were sitting and studying together.
And behold, the Angel of Death came from heaven with a sharp and drawn sword in his hand,
and he wanted to enter the house of the pious man but was unable because of the light
that was in the house; and the Angel stood outside and was unable to enter, and he was
very distressed. And Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good, saw him
and was laughing. And the Angel said to Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good: Why are you
laughing? Behold, I have come to take the soul of this pious man by the command of the Creator,
blessed be His name, and you are hindering me. And Elijah the Prophet, remembered for good, said
to the Angel of Death: By an oath, you shall not enter this house.
Page 132
Said Judah, son of ⟦illegible⟧
Said Judah, son of ⟦illegible⟧
104
With the Help of God
SS
SS
And these are the names [of] the village
And they did the work and they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its vessels,
its clasps, its boards, its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets; and the covering of tanned ram skins,
and the covering of tachash skins, and the veil of the screen; and the ark of the testimony and its poles,
and the mercy seat; and the table and all its vessels, and the showbread; and the pure lampstand,
its lamps, the lamps set in order, and all its vessels, and the oil for the light; and the golden altar,
and the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent; the bronze altar,
and its bronze grating, its poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its stand; the
hangings of the courtyard, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the courtyard, its cords,
and its pegs, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; the garments of office for serving
in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons to serve as priests; according to all that
the Lord commanded Moses, so the Israelites did all the work. And Moses saw all
the work, and behold, they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, so they had done. And Moses blessed them.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: On the first day of the first month you shall set up the
tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And you shall put there the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
And you shall bring in the table and set in order its arrangement, and you shall bring in the lampstand and light its lamps.
And you shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and you shall put the screen of the entrance
to the tabernacle. And you shall set the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And you shall set
the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water there. And you shall set the courtyard around,
and you shall set the screen of the gate of the courtyard. And you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle
and all that is in it, and you shall sanctify it and all its vessels, and it shall be holy. And you shall anoint the altar
of burnt offering and all its vessels, and you shall sanctify the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. And you shall anoint
the basin and its stand and sanctify it. And you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance
of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. And you shall clothe Aaron with the holy garments and you shall anoint
him and sanctify him, and he shall serve Me as a priest. And you shall bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. And you shall anoint
them as you anointed their father, and they shall serve Me as priests; and their anointing shall be for them for an everlasting priesthood
throughout their generations. And Moses did according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did. And it was in the first month
And the first payment of the new year is nine hundred
And for everything in this world there is an end, and God Almighty remains without end
A thousand prayers and a thousand peace be upon the Messenger of God who (brought) the clear light
(Which) illuminates the whole world, and he said, O servants of God, do not fear
The Prophet of Mercy will have mercy on all the nation of Muhammad <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> they will be shown mercy
O Lord, from <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> to You we complain, You are aware of all our condition, You know
How we were and how we became among the infidels ⟦...⟧
And the Lord of the worlds is living, providing for us as long as the eye blinks in sleep
O Lord, cover us and cover all the nation of Muhammad forever and ever
Pay attention, O brothers, to the fear of time, for every day words flow over us
We cry three times every day, and the tears flow like a pouring flood
By God, O Lord, in Your hand is the judgment, O Creator of all, I have no lover but You
That You wish to have mercy on whoever asks You always by the thunders of the sky, the earth, and the water
We, O Lord of the worlds, guide us to the paths of truth and do not afflict us with trials
Nor is there any rejection from You for the one blamed, who sees You and You support him <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> with Your eternal victory O
Creator of creatures, O Lord of Forgiveness, eternal O He in whose hand is the management of affairs
The master of the house said, look what happened to me, O people, in this year nine hundred
From the strangeness of time, I have not seen anything like this (unlucky) year that occurred
In these lands, O present listeners, stand and pray for the Prophet of God, O masters
⟦...⟧ a story in this year <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> something happened to us that did not happen in the ages
Behold, in this year, by God O brothers, we saw wonders and marvels that have no count
On Holy Saturday, the day of the feast, we went out to the fields to look at the spring and the
Flowers, and everyone who has joy and pleasure goes out to the fields, O creatures, to look
Let us mention again the destruction that befell us, by God O people, nothing has happened
In the world like this distress
Page 133
(15)
And he said like sulfur
And if they are not desired and do not come out by her hand, run and turn away from the furnace it becomes
dusty copper. Wind a thousand and thousands of thousands thousand becomes a thousand bucket sulfur -
with that we bless in the excess copper sulfur and like a thousand of gold
And that which results in copper for them, run washing and pour the gold becomes copper a thousand of your bucket
they are not like gold towards sulfur for them like the cinnabar it burns like them a little
the gold and it does not change from the color and the little will become like the dust
except that the gold can return to sulfur like a gold dinar it takes head and nature
and both are free from the color, but sulfur was specified and not like coarse dust and the
high from you do not make coarse dust except with moisture and the drink and the concentration
And if it was dust your weight in a second degree it sees ⟦...⟧ and the drink and the concentration
they want from the furnace color drink the gold and so it is clean drinking of coarse dust
as the gold mentioned to you in what preceded
And he wants your furnace to be and the most gold and he returns to blow evil cauterization
gold. and the rose gold of the yellowing becomes like kohl like a raven eating the gold and he returns
the gold dust to your eye like kohl and you take all the gold and pour it on the glass
it enters to the middle all gold and in its bottom ruby is obtained and you take the gold from the color
it will be a thousand ⟦line⟧ and the ruby will be a red ruby
you make from it jewelry and every color sought in the gold you manufacture it all returns to gold
and as for the ruby you cook it and likewise it all vanishes and returns like this gold
it eats the furnace like a push and from the end of the words of the people of the furnace which they said when
gold entered the furnace and in the likeness of gold and they consumed the furnace it eats the gold it goes into the air
and likewise the gold eats the spirit
And like this, kfar and ras will be prepared at the hand of this building, the government accountant, to the life of the lord Faraj by his hand
on the father's house from <del>the place of the Name</del> in place of the D. from the house of H. B. A. M.
Ezra Kokhi H.
It was great with Laman that he cannot write, neither from other than the state nor from
it is possible except from the side of George the AH. I have no claim, notice, or protest regarding him
and the matters are wearying as they are without any doubt or challenge
and a notice is revealed to me and everything that was spoken is but truth and justice and what was is past and what
will be here and everything that was done by me and by my authority and my complete will without any
duress or compulsion or any kind of necessity at all, and not as a reliance and not as a prototype
of documents and anything not proper and not in order
and everything is valid and established according to the path and bow of the land, not to be changed
Page 134
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::
And the report that was mentioned
that he moved from the house of perishability to the house of eternity, ⟦no less than⟧
on Tuesday, the nineteenth of the month of Tammuz in the year 5677 (1917)
by the mercy of God Almighty and His pleasure and the goodness of his reward as a recompense for the righteous who act
by His will and are zealous for His religion and who guide towards His obedience and pleasure.
May God Almighty settle him in the Gardens of Eden with our masters Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Everyone who sees and hears what happened to this deceased person should weep for him and mourn him
and remember his beautiful deeds during the time of his life and all that he used to do with
people of goodness, kindness, charity, and performing good deeds with the stranger
and the relative, and with the poor and the needy, and with the neighbor and the distant one. For that,
very great sadness was felt for him. May God have mercy on him with His vast mercy.
May it be the will before our Father in Heaven and let Him say
Amen, may it be so.
⟦line⟧
And the intention ⟦?⟧ is that we discuss some things from what the Sage, of blessed memory, mentioned
in the book Otzar Nechmad.
And from it, a person learns to hold his soul accountable in this vanishing world
before death and the journey from the house of perishability to the house of eternity, as mentioned
by the Sage—may the Merciful One protect us ⟦?⟧—in the Gemara: Prepare yourself in the hallway so that you may enter
the banquet hall. And this is a true statement because the world is a path
leading to the eternal world. So, whoever walks on the path leading to
the city will reach it, and he who walks on another path will not reach
it. And this is very clear.
O God, You have shown mercy, shown mercy to that man
who had become bewildered, for in him the foundation of existence <del>his</del> again
from the hands of women who are like a snare, like a magnet that
pulls the hearts and attracts them, for giving one's heart to it has no
and betrayal in between. If you want the heart's desire, come and turn
color and scent, for He is of one color and scent, like a magnet that
heart ⟦...⟧ for giving one's heart to it has no and betrayal in between
desire ⟦...⟧ for giving one's heart to it has no and betrayal in between
Unless it has the face of one heart, you with this smoke ⟦...⟧ so that your heart burns
Among one color and scent there is like a magnet that giving one's heart to it
has no and betrayal in between. If you want the heart's desire, come and turn
smoke from the heart that ⟦...⟧ for giving one's heart to it has no and betrayal
⟦...⟧ for giving one's heart to it has no and betrayal in between
⟦...⟧ for giving one's heart to it has no
⟦illegible⟧
Page 135
228
With God's Help
Such-and-such shall take upon himself
And he shall not pursue Nahman etc. all for the love of the soul all the days of his life as is proper etc.
And her food and her clothing and all her needs according to her dignity and all her requirements as is customary
among us, a denar less one, and he shall not borrow ⟦...⟧ and he shall not profit and he shall not take interest from the gentiles and from
Israel whether with a pledge or without a pledge and he shall not desecrate the Sabbath nor a Festival
And he shall not swear by the name of the Lord falsely, nor by any name of the holy names, and he shall not mention the name of Heaven
in vain, and he shall not be angry, and he shall not reproach, and he shall not blaspheme, and he shall not lift a hand to strike any creature
And he shall not eat from the slaughtering of any person except from the slaughtering of the slaughterer who is an expert for the public
And he shall not drink libation wine or the ordinary wine of gentiles, and he shall not shave his beard with a razor
And he shall not round the corners of his head, and he shall not walk with an erect posture, and he shall not gaze at women
even at an unmarried one and even at her little finger, and he shall not be alone with any woman
in the world except for his wife
And he shall be careful all his days not to be angry at all, even for the sake of a commandment and even to discipline his household
And he shall not say any word of falsehood or lie, and he shall not speak idle words nor mundane conversation
in the synagogue, nor during the time of prayer, and even not during the time of prayer he shall not converse
mundane conversation on Sabbath and Festivals, but only in words of Torah, and he shall pray with great devotion
And he shall not omit any blessing from the morning blessings and the Grace after Meals and all the blessings in their entirety
And between Mincha and Ma'ariv he shall engage in Torah, and before he sleeps he shall say a confession for all that he sinned
on that day, and he shall forgive anyone who sinned against him, and he shall take upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven
with awe and with fear, and he shall recite the Shema upon the bed with great devotion, and he shall arise
at midnight and lament over the destruction of the Holy Temple and over the exile of the Shekhinah and over the neglect of
Torah, and he shall engage in Torah until the light of the morning, and he shall not be idle from the Torah for a single moment
all the days of his life except at the time he engages in his livelihood for his sustenance, and his business dealings shall be
in good faith, and he shall establish fixed times for Torah every single day, and he shall study every day a fixed portion and not pass it over
And he shall be very careful with the honor of his father and his mother and with the honor of his teacher and with the honor of Torah scholars
And he shall love every person and be humble and of lowly spirit before every person, and he shall judge every person
favorably and receive every person with a pleasant countenance
These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan
in the wilderness, in the plain over against Suph, between Paran and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth,
and Di-zahab. Eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.
And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke
unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them; after
he had smitten Sihon the king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og
the king of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashtaroth, at Edrei; on the other side of the Jordan, in the land
of Moab, Moses took upon him to expound this law, saying: The Lord our God
spoke unto us in Horeb, saying: 'Ye have dwelt long enough in this mountain; turn you, and take your journey,
and go to the hill-country of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the Arabah, in the hill-country, and in the Lowland,
and in the South, and by the sea-shore, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river
Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which
the Lord swore unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed
after them.' And I spoke unto you at that time, saying: 'I am not able to bear
you myself alone; the Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven
for multitude. The Lord, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless
you, as He hath promised you! How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden,
and your strife? Get you from each one of your tribes wise men, and understanding, and full of knowledge,
and I will make them heads over you.' And ye answered me, and said: 'The thing which
thou hast spoken is good for us to do.' So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men,
and full of knowledge, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds,
and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, tribe by tribe. And I charged
your judges at that time, saying: 'Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously
between a man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; ye shall hear the small
and the great alike; ye shall not be afraid of the face of any man; for the judgment is God's'
Page 136
With Help
On the sixth day of the week, the fifth day of the month of Adar, in the year five thousand six hundred
and eighteen since the creation of the world, according to the reckoning we are accustomed to use here in Baghdad,
the city situated on the river Tigris and well-waters, how Rabbi Isaac, son of Rabbi Solomon,
said to this woman, Mrs. Simcha, daughter of Rabbi Isaac, my wife: "Be my wife according to the law of
Moses and Israel, and I shall work for, honor, provide for and support you in the manner of Jewish men
who work for, honor, provide for and support their wives in truth; and I give you the dowry
of your virginity, two hundred silver zuz which belong to you, and your food, your clothing, your necessities, and to live
with you as is the way of all the earth." And this Mrs. Simcha consented and became his wife; and this
is the dowry that she brought to him from her father's house, whether in silver, gold, or jewelry,
clothing, or bedding; all this Rabbi Isaac, this groom, accepted upon himself
as one hundred and fifty Reals. And Rabbi Isaac, this groom, consented and added for her from his own
on top of the principal of her Ketubah fifty Reals; thus the total of her Ketubah, including principal,
dowry, and addition, is two hundred Reals, besides the two hundred zuz that belong to her from the start.
And thus said Rabbi Isaac, this groom: "The responsibility for this Ketubah, this dowry, and this addition,
I take upon myself and my heirs after me, to be paid from all the best property and possessions
that I have under all the heavens, which I have acquired or which I shall acquire, property that has
security and property that has no security; all of them shall be responsible and serve as a guarantee to pay from them
this Ketubah, this dowry, and this addition, even from the cloak upon my shoulders,
during my life and after my life, from this day and forever." And the responsibility and the weight of this Ketubah deed,
this dowry, and this addition, Rabbi Isaac, this groom, took upon himself like the weight of all
Ketubah deeds customary for the daughters of Israel, made according to the regulation of our Sages of blessed memory, not
as a mere promise and not as a form of documents. And we have performed a symbolic acquisition from Rabbi Isaac, son of Rabbi Solomon,
this groom, for Mrs. Simcha, daughter of this Rabbi Isaac, regarding everything written and specified
above, with an instrument fit to perform an acquisition; and everything is valid, clear, and established.
⟦illegible⟧ Witness
⟦illegible⟧ Witness
And what he will take from with him 500 and from them 500 and their fixed amount which they spent because -
With them for a year and handed over to Rachel in every month 2500 per kur
In Shawwal 2500 per kur and handed over to Daoud Youssef from his account as atonement but
He takes from Warda because their expenses and if there was with him from the kur
All of it with me and likewise dinars with him and if there was with him from the kur
And more for the owner of the need because they have with them likewise 2500 per kur
And its expenditure in the year because but in every month 2500 per kur
So that is also by taking dinars in the year 2500
Upon that dinars he took ⟦illegible⟧ dinars
And that he assists in that regarding 3000 dinars
⟦illegible⟧ 3000 dinars which is due to the wet-nurse
And from those who assist for the sake of the wet-nurse in the year 2500 dinars
To Rachel who is entitled for a year 2500 dinars
And he took in the year in that <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> he takes and so
And from them 500 and from them 500 and their fixed amount which he takes from with him
In the year in that and handed over to Rachel in every month 2500 per kur
And expenditure for a year in a month 2500 per kur because
And its fixed amount for a year for the kur in every month 2500 per kur
And in the year in that and handed over to Rachel in every month 2500 per kur
In a month 2500 per kur and handed over
⟦illegible⟧
Page 137
Dripped
And likewise he had children from the daughter of the deceased Solomon David
Rahamim Jacob to Menahem from the wives of his uncle David and likewise
To the deceased Aaron son of David Moussa Lulu had two daughters named
Masuda and Farah, and also the brother of the deceased Ezekiel Rahamim David
Had one daughter who married Menashe Elias David ⟦...⟧
// The deceased Solomon son of David Moussa Lulu
⟦blue ink⟧ Double from the inheritance of his father ⟦/blue ink⟧
Obtained by the hand of the deceased Menahem son of his sister from the time until this date
⟦line⟧
And that which reached the total thereof as the initial capital in Dirhams
Five hundred and thirty-five and a quarter and a half and a quarter that day at the price
Marlo. And with the ease of that in the half we calculated for him the quarter that arrived
As a second payment. On the capital of this year which is from the beginning of the year 659
And the right of Menahem from the capital of the aforementioned belongs to him from that
Half and it belongs to him from that according to what he has from the profit i.e. half
The mentioned capital and after what goes for the expenses of the generations and the property and other
Than that as it is recorded in our ledgers and the net profit was that which
Was obtained in our hand from the year 659 until the end of the year 661 is the amount of
One hundred and fifty riyals and a half Islamic riyal and a silver quarter and a half of
That goes to the deceased Menahem that goes to him from that
From that goes to the deceased Solomon in his account for the Menahem
Page 138
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A story of Mr. Joseph al-Andalusi who was a servant to our master
King Almanzor in the West, for he was a righteous man who feared the Lord more than many
in the Torah of the Lord, for he had it and would not leave anything
that he would not fulfill, but he was poor and needy always
and all his days he would sit in fasting and would not eat or drink
And on one of the days the holiday of Shavuot came and he went down from the palace
of the king to go to his house to eat the double bread
And behold, an Ishmaelite man came to him and said to him: Oh my master Joseph, know
that I have a large courtyard and it has a well of living water
and I want to sell it to you for one hundred gold pieces, and he took the money
and gave it to him and he went to his house and ate and drank and was glad
And on the second day he went to inspect the courtyard and found it ruined and there was
nothing in it except for the well alone, and he went to the king's house
to do his work, and it happened on that day that the king's servants came and said
to him: Our master the king wants you, and you shall go with them, and he came
to the king and found him sitting and happy and in good spirits and he said
to him: The king, Oh Joseph, listen to one thing from me and do it
and I will give you whatever you request from me, and Joseph said to him
And blessed is she who lives after
the written from the hand of the good of the banner, the written as it was written and the written
so the written upon it as was written the banner and given from as
and in it and the written from who has not in it here as the written guardian of the banner
the written and the in it the from challenged as the written and in it ⟦illegible⟧
and the written the written the written as the written ⟦illegible⟧ from who has in it
the written the written the banner the written as the written and in it the written
as the written ⟦illegible⟧ from as the written and the written and in it the written
<del>the written</del> the written the from the written the written and in it ⟦illegible⟧
the written as the written the written the written as the written and in it the written
the from the written the written the written the written the written the written from
the written the written the written the written the from the written and in it
the written as the written the written as the written and in it the written
the written as the written as the written as the written and in it the written
the written the written the written the written the written the written the written
the written as the written and in it the written the from the written the written
the written as the written as the written and in it the from the written
the written the written the from the written and in it the from the written the written
and in it the written the written the from the written and in it the written the written
and in it and in it
the written as the written the written from as and in it the written the written
and in it the written the written the written the written the written the written
the written the written
Page 139
Rad
And your daughter's daughter in the cursed foundation, a priest, his name is a symbol, and I shall see you in it
Do not paint blue for ⟦...⟧ in it, a high priest ate in it, a name to tread
His sheep to the ground and it was like this, and it falls upon this
The green copper table, and whoever sees you, Ina, from his mind wants to finish you
And unless I took you, Ina, and from us ⟦...⟧ he wants it, Ina, it will destroy his hatred for you
Support likewise, likewise from him, likewise Ina Ina Ina Ina come O hatred
Except come Ina from you and from us, from you and from us, come Ina, come O hatred
⟦...⟧ heal them upon your head, upon come hide him, Karnir, a Lord who loves you, Ina
Come come Ina Ina and not Ina take Ina brothers Ina Ina and all Ina Ina
And likewise O Krakhak, he wants it Ina Ina thus Ina
Ina Ina he wants it take Ina he wants it take he wants it take Ina
He wants it Ina Ina take Ina he wants it take Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina take
Ina take Ina thus Ina Ina thus Ina Ina Ina take Ina Ina
Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina take Ina Ina Ina
O Ina Ina Ina he wants it thus Ina Ina take Ina Ina take
Ina Ina Ina Ina he wants it Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
Ina take Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
Take Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
Take Ina take Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
Y take Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina Ina
My master, my uncle, may his light shine, many greetings as is due to your high honor
May you shine, and all the members of your household and all those joined to you, peace, and all that is yours
peace. Your clear letter arrived correctly yesterday, Tuesday, and in it
I read and rejoiced at its arrival, and I saw that his honor, thank God, is in good health
and life for long years. Regarding the matter which you wrote to me about the matter
of Mr. Salem, may his Rock and Redeemer preserve him, I have already written to his honor in my previous letter that
I spoke with the aforementioned and he gave me a clear answer that he has no time
now. And he told me that he would write to your honor himself. And I do not know if
he wrote or not. And in any case I will speak with him again and see
what he will answer. And regarding the business of the wool ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
currently the prices have dropped a bit and there are no buyers ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
Page 140
And it
should not be hidden from her like others who know the way. Rather, she possesses a
high status. Therefore, she must be meticulous in observation
in every movement and stillness, and in every thought that crosses her mind
so that her conduct is correct as befits <her status> her lofty status in which
she walks. So let her not be deceived by herself and say, "I have reached
a level that enables me to act as I please without opposition."
For vanity thwarts a person and casts them to the lowest depths,
and likewise conceit. Whoever sees themselves with an eye of satisfaction has destroyed themselves,
and whoever sees people as beneath them is the one despised by God and by people.
And as it was said: whoever humbles themselves for God, He raises them, and whoever is arrogant toward Him, He humbles them.
A grievous matter and a great loss. So beware, O my sister, of these
vices that cause harm and regret when there is no time for regret.
And if the soul that commands evil entices you, do not listen to it,
but rather repel its cunning and remind it of the transience of the world and the speed of the passing
of its highness and elevation if it is not founded upon
the fear of God and His obedience.
And always read the biographies of the righteous and the lives of the prophets and messengers
who served God with a sound heart and pure intention, seeking
no reward or thanks for their service except for the sake of God Almighty and seeking
His pleasure. For those are the ones who won eternal happiness
and the permanent good that does not fade or perish. However, do not
belittle yourself and say, "Who am I compared to them? Those are prophets
and saints, and I am one of the common people," for God loves the righteous.
Rather, look at the poor man toiling for his livelihood while you are at ease in your mind.
O heedless one, know your truth; this word <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> will be your final outcome.
Just as happened to this heedless one, whose mind was not occupied
with any matter of his world, and he went under and most people followed his desire ⟦line⟧
He used to come out of the bath, go to the market to look at the people,
and return to the house to eat, drink, and be merry, and the world passed him by. ⟦line⟧
And he was wandering one of those days,
and it happened to him that he went to see the gardens outside.
He went there and sat down to look at the creatures and the people coming and going.
Then he saw a man of handsome appearance and prestige riding a horse,
and he spurred the horse toward him. When he reached him,
he dismounted from the horse, greeted him, and said to him, 'O my master, I am a stranger;
will you accept me to be your servant, to serve you in everything you command me?'
He said to him, 'Yes, my son, welcome.'
And listen, take my brotherly advice, your father's counsel in a thousand parables; if you would listen,
you would know and understand the matter of the Truth, and gain your world and your hereafter.
And to you, O heedless one, occupy your mind with obedience to God, may He be exalted, and with obedience to parents; take
advice from me, for this heedless one whom we mentioned to you, his news
and his story with the youth who served him, if you would hear and accept.
That servant took from him and said to him, 'O my master, I desire from your grace
that you make me a place where I may sit alone and no one may enter upon me.'
So he brought him a room from among the rooms that he had.
Page 141
David
<del>Part One</del>
Said David son of Joseph son of Job, known as Daud Cogah son of Joseph son of Job
of blessed memory, author of the book Lashon Limmudim and the book Kisse David and the book
Michtam Le-David and the book Yad David and the book Kelal David and the book Zechut David
and the book Shir David and the book Tehillah Le-David and the book Pi Kerem David
⟦...⟧ <del>⟦...⟧</del> this is the book Vayashev David, dealing with the matters of this
world, as the ancient proverb: 'he shot and sat down' [proverb and allegory], and for all the strong hand
which is in the hand of every man, for God already made man upright
but they have sought out many schemes, and there is no advantage to the master of the tongue, and also
because Kohelet sought to find words of delight, and written uprightly are words of truth
for the superiority of man over beast is nothing, for all is vanity, and what is crooked
cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be numbered, and there is a thing of which it is said: see
this is new, it has already been in the ages which were before us, and there is no remembrance
for the former things, and also for the latter ones that will be, there will be no remembrance for them among those who will be
at the last, since he is also flesh, and his days shall be one hundred and twenty years
and it is toil and anger and vexation of spirit; also every man who eats and drinks and sees
good in all his toil, it is the gift of God. And I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom
over folly as the advantage of light over darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head
but the fool walks in darkness, and one fate happens to them all, and there is no
advantage to the wise man more than the fool <del>⟦...⟧</del> what more has the wise man
than the poor man who knows how to walk before the living? A good name is better than good oil, and the day
of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house
of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
Anger is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the face the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house
of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so
is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity. For oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys
the heart of a gift. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is the patient in spirit
than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Say not: 'How was it that the former days were better
than these?' For it is not out of wisdom that you ask concerning this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance
The governor of Denia went and returned and this is his word to him and peace and they asked about him all of them
and peace <del>upon him and to the governor the governor</del> Muhammad bin <del>Abdullah al-Husayni</del> in Denia and peace upon him
and peace upon him and returned <del>Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Husayni</del>
The governor in Maskuba and returned to him the governor and returned for them Sukuba and returned
the governor and returned and other than Denia for him in peace upon him for him in peace upon him
in returned for him and peace <del>upon him</del> and peace upon him returned for him in Denia peace
the governor and returned for him in returned for him and peace returned for him in Denia peace
and all peace returned in Denia and peace returned in Denia in Denia
because all <del>peace</del> returned for him in peace and returned for him in peace and returned for him in peace
<del>and peace upon him and peace</del> and peace upon him for him in peace for him and peace upon him and all of that
and peace for him <del>and peace upon him</del> for him in peace for him in peace for him in peace
the governor and returned much for him and peace upon him returned for him and peace upon him in
and peace for him in returned and peace returned for him in returned and peace returned
the governor and returned much and peace for him and peace for him in peace upon him and peace returned
in Denia returned for him in peace and returned for him in peace and returned for him in peace
and in returned much and peace for him and peace returned for him and peace returned for him and peace returned
and peace much and peace for him and in much and peace returned for him in for him
for him returned and peace returned <del>for him</del> and peace returned for him in for him and peace
and peace for him in returned and peace for him in returned and peace returned for him in returned
returned much and peace and peace returned and peace because returned for him in for him
Page 142
They said in the generation of so-and-so and behind what was mentioned regarding one of them in Yatar
There was a gold game ⟦...⟧ God will choose
How Murad and he will return the ⟦...⟧
Abu ⟦...⟧ came with him
I was descending like fire ⟦...⟧
And he rode upon ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ command like wine and he returned generously ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧ how they extended and he went out to the sea ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
They extended and I returned to the pit in ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
And I also write ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
And a doctor returned, his memory entered ⟦...⟧
Murad's support ⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
As Murad entered ⟦...⟧
Page 143
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
⟦...⟧
And memorialize the soul of Mr. Y. heir of Mr. Sivan ⟦...⟧ and Mansour Cohen and Gorgi and Rahamim
and Rivka and Rachel and Khatoon and Farha and Rachel and like Murad and Masuda
and Abu Talib and Salman and Mansour and Khatoon and Salima and Naima and Daha and Menashe and R. David and Khosrow
and Saleh and Salman and Meir and Moshe and Naim and Simha and Rachel and all who follow them and Menachem and Sarah
and Mansour and Eliyahu and Yosef and those who follow them and Ghazala and Naim and R. Yehezkel and R. Yaakov and Salah
and Korgi and Shoshana and Meir and Menachem Yair and Sivan and Eliyahu and Menashe and like Ezra and Farha
and Shaul and R. Faraj and Gorgi and Rahamim and Menashe and Naim and Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. Yosef
and like Khalifa and R. Eliyahu and R. Yehezkel and Sultana and Sarah and Rachel and like Naima and Rivka
and like Yosef and Naim and R. Rahamim and R. Yaakov and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Meir
and Eliyahu and Salim and Naim and R. Avraham and R. David and Menashe and Sarah
or Yosef and Farha and Salah and Yosef and R. Aaron and R. Shalom and R. Moshe and R. Yosef and R. Yitzhak and R. Avraham
and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and Yosef and R. Yitzhak and R. Aaron and R. Shimon and R. David and R. Shaul and R. Yitzhak and R. David and R. Aaron
and the rest is good for everyone and especially Mr. Nazal like Menashe and Salim and Naim
and Esther and Salima and Menashe and Khatoon and all who follow them, May it be the will, Blessed be He and Exalted
In Your mercy Yehezkel and Shimon and Rahamim and Esther and all their family and like Yosef and Moshe
and Yehezkel and Khatoon and Said and Farha and Yosef and R. Menashe and R. Yosef and R. Levi and R. David
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Menashe and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R.
David and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
and R. Yosef and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Yehezkel and R. David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu and R. David and R. Menashe
Said and Naim and Yosef
and Salah and Farha and Rachel
and Khatoon and all who follow them
and like Yosef and Naim and R.
Yehezkel and R. Yaakov and R.
David and R. Yosef and R. Eliyahu
and R. David and R. Meir and Eliyahu
and Salim and Naim and R. Avraham
and R. David and Menashe and Sarah
And one should not forgive even a single prutah of consecrated property, and all the more so the Torah and the Rabbis,
for it is forbidden to despise any Torah scholar, and so too between one who blesses and one who does not bless ⟦...⟧
And even regarding a change in the custom of the prayer leader <del>etc.</del> such as in the building Etz Chaim peace be upon him
where they were not accustomed to bless after Sim Shalom, and our master the Ben Ish Chai of blessed memory instructed there in his place
to bless according to the law of "Returning His Presence to Zion," and even though they were not accustomed in the Great Synagogue
there in Jerusalem may it be rebuilt and established speedily in our days, they do not bless, but this one instructed to bless there
and they accepted his instruction; and so too several thousand differences that are not like the building of Etz
Chaim peace be upon him, and all this depends on the heart toward Heaven, provided that he directs his heart to Heaven.
And even so, let him not change in a way that causes public dispute so as not to come to a quarrel, God forbid, all
the days of his life he shall pursue peace, for peace is great, as it is written: "seek peace and pursue it."
And even if it is not for its own sake, he will come to do it for its own sake, and from [doing it] not for its own sake he will come to [doing it] for its own sake,
and from [doing it] not for its own sake, Torah and fear of Heaven and acts of kindness will come to this, as it is said:
On three things the world stands: on the Torah, on the service, and on acts of kindness,
and perforce the Torah is the main thing, and the study of Torah is equivalent to them all.
And even if he is pursued by an evil person, he should flee from him and not quarrel with him,
and even in his home he should be careful to be humble before every person, and especially before his wife
and his children, also from his father-in-law and mother-in-law and brothers-in-law, and all the more so his father and mother, whose honor he must be very careful of
in their old age when they do not have the strength to suffer anything, even one harsh word,
and all the more so during the time of their illness, God forbid, he should be very careful not to distress them, God forbid, even with a hint.
And even if they say an improper thing to him, he should be silent and say to them: You have spoken well and beautifully,
and he should say to them: Life and kindness, do not forsake me and do not abandon me until very old age and hoary head,
O God, do not forsake me, etc. Amen, so may it be the will of our Father in Heaven.
My God, create the thoughts of my heart for good and for His service.
Page 144
Mercy
so that the matter is fine and clear, and he shall say to the Jews in their anger:
Do not fear and do not be dismayed, for I am with you to save you
from the hand of the king, for his power is great and we are few and soft
on a pure day the faces of the wicked, and save us from the hand of the adversary and every weapon
in our city is peace, and we trusted in God who saved us from all evil
And now hear me, my masters, and I will tell you a thing that is good and right in the eyes of
the king, for he loved his people, and would that it were in your heart like the priest of my people and not
be hatred between you and the king and his second, and he shall do
the king according to all that he spoke, and he shall do good to you and to all who join you
and you, you and all that is yours, and peace shall be to you always and all
life of flesh and spirit
And the people answered and said: For this thing we are ready to do
and all that you command us we will do, and all that you say we will hear
with a whole heart we are your people together, and whoever does not listen to your word
shall surely die, only be very strong and courageous, and do not be dismayed and do not fear
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go
And Mordecai heard these words and rejoiced with great joy
and he fell on his face to the ground and prostrated himself to the Lord and blessed the people and said
Blessed be the Lord who did not cease to provide a redeemer for Israel, and now
arise and let us go up to the house of the Lord and prostrate ourselves to Him and give thanks to His name for He is good
for His mercy endures forever
Head after the thought that does not turn as in the ⟦...⟧ that does not turn
Become that which as the intellect is used, likewise that which uses the intellect which
Likewise that which has no evidence just as he has evidence that which has
That which he becomes that which is in the intellect, likewise that which he is that which is in the intellect
That which he is
That which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
That which is in that which has no evidence, likewise that which has no evidence in that which
That which has no evidence
That which is in that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
In that which has no evidence in that which <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> that which is in that which
In that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
In that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
<del>In that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which</del>
<del>In that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which</del>
That which is in that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
In that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
In that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
In that which has no evidence in that which
That which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
In that which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
That which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
That which has no evidence in that which has no evidence in that which
Page 145
Merciful
When David came on the morning of Yom Kippur to the synagogue and read the Torah scroll,
for Musaf he went up to the Hekhal to read the Haftarah and the Musaf. They opened
the Book of Jonah for him, and he stood and read before the eyes of the people, and he read it all
very well with melody and cantillation marks, such that in all of that
synagogue they were weeping from the words of God Almighty out of fear, except for David –
And after the Musaf prayer was completed, and from David's standing on that day,
all the people remained ⟦...⟧ looking at him and kissing his hands. And he did not eat
nor drink from the night of Kippur until the night of Sukkot while he was fasting,
and he stood on the day of Sukkot and prayed the holiday prayer and went up for Musaf –
and he read "Yosef bi-yos Yosef" oil, and the people kissed his hand and went
to their homes rejoicing.
And from a long time ago, what belonged to David son of Jesse the Kohen at that
time, he stood with great honor. Another went through every
synagogue with him as an additional Kohen and was imprisoned except for paying ...
⟦...⟧ from the Sabbath day, and on the Sabbath day he went up
to the Torah scroll and read the weekly portion as required,
and he had a beautiful voice and a good reading. And at the conclusion of the Sabbath,
that is after Havdalah, a group of Jews came to hear
from David stories of the time of the Prophet David, peace be upon him, what happened to him from
that time until the time of his death. And David stood and told them
words of truth and correctness, and that was on Sunday night, the 26th of Elul, and the truth.
⟦illegible⟧
Seeking good for his people and speaking peace to all his seed, so says the mouth of Phinehas
And I am ignorant and do not know, and I am a poor woman and bitter and wretched and lonely
And a widow, and a joyful mother of children, and if she vowed, and if she vowed or bound
An obligation upon her soul in her father's house in her youth, and her father heard her vow
And her obligation which she bound upon her soul, and her father remained silent to her, then shall stand
All her vows, and every obligation which she bound upon her soul shall stand. But if he hindered
Her father, her on the day he heard, all her vows and her obligations which she bound upon
Her soul shall not stand, and the Lord will forgive her because her father hindered her. And if
She should happen to be for a man and her vows be upon her or the utterance of her lips which
She bound upon her soul
And her husband heard on the day he heard and remained silent to her, then her vows and her obligations which
She bound upon her soul shall stand. But if on the day her husband hears he hinders her
And breaks her vow which is upon her and the utterance of her lips which she bound
Upon her soul, then the Lord will forgive her. And the vow of a widow and a divorced woman, all that
<del>she bound</del> <del>upon her soul</del> <del>shall stand upon her</del>. And if in her husband's house she vowed or bound
An obligation upon her soul by an oath, and her husband heard and remained silent to her, did not hinder
Her, then all her vows and every obligation which she bound upon her soul shall stand
But if her husband surely breaks them on the day he hears, everything that came out of
Her lips regarding her vows and regarding the obligation of her soul shall not stand; her husband broke them and the Lord
Will forgive her. Every vow and every binding oath
To afflict the soul, her husband may establish it and her husband may break it. But if her husband remains silent
To her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or
All her obligations which are upon her; he established them because he remained silent to her on the day
He heard. But if he shall surely break them after he heard, then he shall bear her iniquity.
Page 146
In the name of
Good remembrance and blessing and life and peace from heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen
Selah Amen so may it be the will and so may it be the will from heaven so may it be the will
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del> Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life and peace and all good
Amen in the name of El Shaddai I am that I am and blessing and life and all good
And life and peace and blessing and life and all good and life and peace and all good and life
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and life and peace and all good from heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen
And blessing and all good and life and peace and all good from heaven for all Israel Amen
Amen Selah Amen so may it be the will from heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen Selah
Selah Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life and peace and all good from heaven
And blessing and all good and life and peace and all good from heaven for all Israel
And blessing and all good and life and peace and all good from heaven for all Israel Amen
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and blessing and all good and life and peace and all good from heaven
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del>
In the name of the Merciful One remember
God of Abraham God of Isaac and God of Jacob from heaven for all Israel
Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life and peace and all good from heaven
For all Israel Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life and peace and all good from
heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life and peace and all
good from heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life and peace
And all good from heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life
And peace and all good from heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen Selah and blessing
And life and peace and all good from heaven for all Israel Amen and Amen Selah
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and blessing and life and peace and all good from heaven for all Israel
Amen and Amen Selah and blessing and life and peace and all good from heaven for all Israel
<del>⟦illegible⟧</del>
Four cases were brought, but whoever denies these three departed from them once after another.
If he says his bad speech appears before them, and whoever makes his good speech appear
to the people, and his speech is walking only on a support, only he sees and exceeds the power
with knowledge and with a tongue that returns the word of God the Exalted, knowing the permitted and the forbidden.
He shall be ⟦...⟧ all the people love you, because he who is well-mannered is beloved,
and he who is coarse of nature is loathed by the people. And he should not have
filth on his clothes, and his garment should be clean always and at all times, because
cleanliness is from faith, and the ⟦...⟧ people flee from him and do not accept
his word. And he should not be like the outcast who is loathed by every
one. And he should be truthful in all his sayings, not a liar with a fair mouth
and a bitter heart; he should be truthful of tongue and heart with people. And God
the Exalted loves the truthful in his speech and has mercy on him. And he who is
a liar, God the Exalted hates him and the people hate him, and he shall not have
great joy or expansion. And he should not be angry, getting upset over everything,
but should be broad-hearted, bearing everything. And he should not be spiteful, carrying
anger in his heart against anyone, because God the Exalted says: You shall not take vengeance
nor bear a grudge against the children of your people. And this one who carries spite in his heart
is like the madman who kills himself with his own hand, and he shall have no
rest in this world or the hereafter, because the spiteful person dies of grief and oppression.
And let the fear of God the Exalted be set before his eyes always, and let him not wrong
anyone, and let him not eat the wealth of the people through forbidden means, and let him be faithful
with people. And he who is faithful, God the Exalted will bless him in his wealth.
Page 147
RM
He said to her, the wicked are dust and you shall return to dust, as it is written, And the
dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God, etc. -
and it is written, you shall surely die, and this is your death, you are dust, the hands of the wicked are dust
but ash is the burning of fire, as it is said, and he took the ash and scattered it, etc.
and so is the explanation, strong <del>and</del> nullified, you are made of dust -
and it is written, and he is bound and placed in prison, as it is said, For man also knoweth
not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, etc.
it is written as a net
And already Joseph was a master to an angel and there is no dividing screen between you like a
firmament of heaven over your earthly dust and a fence, for after he returned to you
and not this, but your inclination that was in him, and this name that they called bound <del>⟦illegible⟧</del>
is not, for Joseph the Righteous did not do, for I am the Lord your God, nullified dust
and it is written, and all the faces of the staff are his, but it is a decree of heaven, the king atoned
for it, for a king of flesh and blood is a king
And the Karaites and our Sages of blessed memory have already explained that this name of the staff has a second reason, for so
is the verse, My name is within him, which is a parable, to what is the matter comparable? To a king of flesh and blood
to one of his beloved whom he sent to a province and he did not behave properly in the province, and the king commanded
that they should imprison him in the prison house, and they rebelled against the king and said, we will not imprison him, and the king sent
a minister and a high official and said to them, imprison him, and to him also they did not listen
and the king sent his only son and said to them, he is my son
listen to him, immediately they were afraid of the king and of the son, and they arose
and wanted to appease him, for they regretted what they had done
For wisdom has an advantage over folly as light has an advantage over darkness.
The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness; and I also knew
that one fate happens to them all. And I said in my heart, as the fate of
the fool, so it will happen to me too; and why then was I more wise? And I spoke in my heart
that this too is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise man along with the fool forever,
inasmuch as in the coming days all is forgotten. And how does the wise man die along with the fool?
And I hated life, for the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me; for
all is vanity and a pursuit of wind. And I hated all my labor in which I labor
under the sun, that I should leave it to the man who will be after me.
And thus the double expression will be understood: "For wisdom has an advantage over folly as light has an advantage over darkness,"
as will be explained with the help of God, may His name be blessed forever, Amen, Eternity, Selah.
Know that wisdom is the light of the intellect, and folly is the absence of light, which is darkness.
And this is because the intellect is a spiritual substance emanating from God, may He be blessed, and it is separate from
matter, and it is not a body nor a power within the body, and it is eternal, existing forever and ever, and is not
dependent on time; and it is the true form of man that sustains him, and it is the image
of God, for He made man in His image, in the image of God He created him.
And behold, while this soul is in the body of man, it is imprisoned in the bonds of the body,
the murky and the dark, and is sunken within the thick and coarse matter, and it cannot
shine with its bright and pure light except for a very little, according to the refinement of the matter
in which it dwells, and according to the removal of the screens that separate it
and the light of the intellect.
Page 148
With the help of God
64
65
Section on the praise of the Priest
And the Priest shall stand before the Ark and open the Torah scroll and say:
"You are a priest forever etc." and you respond "Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness"
And the Priest says "Let him not be ashamed before all etc." and you respond "For the lips of
the priest shall keep knowledge etc." Then he says "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain
my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set
the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
my flesh also shall rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow
Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at
Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." :: Then he says "To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord
is God; there is none other besides Him." :: "To Him who alone does great wonders,
for His mercy endures forever." :: "There is none like You among the gods, O Lord; nor are there any works like Yours."
"The Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; let Him not leave us, nor
forsake us." :: "Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up
forever." :: "For Your servant David's sake, turn not away the face of Your anointed." :: "But as for me,
in the abundance of Your mercy I will come into Your house; in Your fear I will worship toward Your holy temple."
"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." :: "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship
at His footstool; for He is holy." :: "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy
hill; for the Lord our God is holy." :: "Please, O God, bring near the salvation of those who hope for You;
remove their fear, bring them out from the house of bondage." :: "The Lord shall reign forever—your God,
O Zion, to all generations. Hallelujah!" ::
<del>Beginning of the case</del> On the Holy Sabbath day, 11th of Adar, year 5656
Mistress Sarah, widow of the honorable Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory, came and claimed
how the neighbor Khoja Menashe Yosef aforementioned lived in one house with
her son Ezekiel aforementioned, and while she was sitting there, Mistress
Mas'uda, wife of the aforementioned Yosef, came and insulted and blasphemed her with
very harsh words and slapped her cheek with two strong slaps
and caused her shame and disgrace, and also knocked off the headscarf
that was on her head and uncovered her head inside the house, and also tore
her tunic that was upon her, and she cried out a great and bitter cry
until the aforementioned neighbor came and saved her from her hand and sat her
beside him until her mind was calmed.
And this is the text of the power of attorney:
We, the witnesses signed below, in a session of three as one, were present
when the young man Ezekiel Yosef, of blessed memory, came before us and they performed a kinyan with him
with a vessel fit to perform a kinyan, from now, with the cancellation of all notifications
and the delivery of notifications that issued from his mouth, and a notification of notifications, etc., not
as an asmakhta and not as a template of documents, but with the stringency of all documents of
powers of attorney made according to the enactment of our Sages of blessed memory that are customary in Israel, how he made
appointed and designated as a trustee, representative, and proxy in his place the exalted Sage
Rabbi Yosef Hayyim, may his Rock and Redeemer protect him, to litigate and speak and appease and forgive
with the woman Mistress Mas'uda, wife of the aforementioned Yosef, for everything
she did to his mother, the aforementioned Mistress Sarah, regarding insult and blasphemy and striking
and degradation and tearing of clothes and uncovering the head and all types of damage and suffering
she caused her, whether in body or in property, whether by the laws of Israel or
by the laws of the nations of the world, and he gave him permission to litigate and to compromise as he sees
fit, and whatever he does is done, and whatever he speaks is spoken.
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Nader <del>Aslam</del> Kafar
O first of what I saw in this land of the people who know our Lord Kafar the Jews
Jethro, a mighty man, and for this reason I traveled and came
If I can write to you today that it crossed my mind, I write today, my master
So-and-so on his hand likewise a thousand, because every day it comes to my mind perhaps
And I say on his hand safety and such, and I say I want you to send me from
this book, and that is because a letter reached me in Algiers in which there is news that
Sitt Gaza this died; likewise it was written to us, Sitt Gaza this dear one
I wonder if that is a lie or true, although my heart tells me it is true and not [a lie]
And I want you in any case to ask and inquire if that is true or not
And if that is true, may God have mercy on all, our world and not [his] world, O
We used to love her with great honor, and God knows, and this is not hidden from you
Upon
I want
And ah, that happened to me as happened to Sheikh Mansur the day the news reached him of the death
of Sheikh Mordechai Isaac, and he stood and rent his clothes and sat weeping the weeping
which has no end, and said that the news of the death of Sheikh Mordechai Isaac reached me
Then people said to him: My master, Sitt Gaza this is still alive and has not died. So he said to them:
I am not weeping for Sitt Gaza this, I am weeping for my soul which remained
an orphan without a mother. So it is with me, my master, the day I heard this news
I wept a weeping that breaks the heart; if it were a rock it would split, so how can a human?
I, my master, if an answer reaches me from you containing the truth of this news
If the dear one has died, may God have mercy on her, and if she is alive, may He preserve her
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Story
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I saw fit to write this story
And may it be a guide for good and blessing for us and all Israel, Amen, and so may it be His will.
The story is about King David, peace be upon him, with King Saul, and how he used to pursue him
And follow him from place to place and from town to town, and David, peace be upon him, would flee from
His presence and run and hide himself in the mountains and the caves, and that did not happen
Except by the command of God Almighty, and no one was able to seize him nor
To gain anything from him. Days and years passed and Saul searched for David,
And every time news came to him about David, he would ride after him, he and all
The armies and the soldiers, and ride horse and foot, and despite all that he did not
Gain anything from him, and David would flee from before him and go to the mountains and the caves.
Once, Saul heard David was in Mount Carmel; he rode after him,
He and all his armies and with all his commanders. He reached the mountain and searched for him, and they found him
Sleeping inside the cave, he and his men <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> frightened and terrified.
David's men said to him, "O my lord David, this is the day that God has delivered
Your enemy into your hand; rise, kill him, and be at rest from him." David said to them, "Far be it
From God that I should do this deed to God's anointed, and it is not permitted for me to kill him
Ever, for his blood is on his head, and God will reward him for his actions with me."
And David rose and cut the edge of the robe belonging to Saul while he was sleeping, and he
Did not know about him. Saul returned and woke from sleep and rode and was going on his way,
And David stood at the top of the mountain and shouted and said, "O my lord King Saul."
Saul turned and saw David; he prostrated to him and kissed the ground and said to him, "O my lord,
O King, why do you listen to the words of the people who say to you: David wants
Evil for you? And if I had wanted evil for you, I would have killed you while you were sleeping.
And today God delivered you into my hand and I did not want to kill you because you are God's anointed.
Here, see this edge of your robe in my hand; if I had wanted to kill you, I would have
Killed you, and I would not have cut the edge of your robe while you were sleeping and you did not know
Anything. If I had wanted to do evil to you, see this proof in my hand."
And I have served you, my lord, for my whole life, and if I have served you,
it became such that you can, whatever may be in your hand <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> to manage in your hand.
And my soul is your ransom, O my lord, and by God, behold, O my lord, three or four
dollars in your hand. When the reply from you arrives and you write to me about the arrival of the money, I will be most
satisfied at that time; I will know what to do and I will go look for a way for myself
to go fetch that thing and bring the money of others and come, God
willing.
If it happens that I come there and bring people's money with me,
I will bring copper with me, and if that is not to be, I will have money,
plenty from God exalted; I will bring myself merchandise that is suitable there,
I will bring something from there that is useful for here. And by God, O my lord, I have
a reputation among those people <del>⟦illegible⟧</del> and I do not want to ruin my name among the people.
I adjure you by God to assist me with your reply regarding the arrival of that money,
O my lord, news that cools the heart ⟦...⟧
concerning the rent
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