Auction 14
Lot 054:
Arugat HaBosem by Rabbi Shmuel Arkwalti on Hebrew grammar. Amsterdam 1730. On the page before the cover there is a signature that is very likely that of the Or HaHaim, since the beginning of the book is signed, as was common to him, “Haim | Atar.” As is known, Maran Shem Tov HaKodesh said about the Or HaHaim “his soul was of the spirit of David and nobility, and every night he would hear Torah from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and the immensity of his greatness cannot be written.” HaHida, in his book “Shem HaGedolim” writes about him that “I came from Sali to the holy city of Jerusalem at the end of 1742 and I, the young, was able to be in the yeshiva and I saw the great learning and wonders of the Or HaHaim. He wrote many books, was known for his great wisdom. This book is accompanied by a letter from Rav Yitzhak Yeshaya Weiss, head of the Nahalat Aharon yeshiva of Kiodinov and editor of Tzfonut, who gives his opinion of the handwriting before us. He writes in the attached certificate: “Since there is great similarity between these handwritten letters and those of the Or HaHaim, from letters of his and the signature at the beginning of this book, it is very likely that this is signature of the Or HaHaim in front of us, as he tended to do (to sign at the beginning of the book). It should be noted that he was known also according to his name, “Haim | Atar” but by when the book was printed he was already known by his nickname. Cover is defective. Moth marks, mainly on the book’s spine. New, handsome leather binding to which are attached remains of the original binding, which would have been held by the Or HaHaim. It should be stated clearly that because the signature before us could not be stated with absolute certainty to be that of the Or HaHaim, the opening price has been adapted accordingly.
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