Auction 65

Gift by the Author Rabbeinu the Chida of His First Book that was Printed by Rabbi Ezra Malki: Sha'ar Yosef - First Edition, Livorno 1756

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Sefer Sha’ar Yosef on Tractate Horayot by the Gaon Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, the Chida. 

This book is the first of the many books by the Chida that was published, authored by him at the age of 17 years only. First Edition, Livorno 1756. 16 pp. 120, 40 leaves. In the National Library, the book appears in the Rare Book Collection. 

On pages 3-4: a printed dedication by the author to Michael Ferrera de Leon, in Spanish. On pages 5-6: a printing license by the leaders of the Livorno community, August 1756. The second part of this book is a Shut by the author. Since the author was a revered figure in Eretz Yisrael and abroad, the book was approbated by many leading rabbis, including the rabbis of Jerusalem, Hebron, Livorno, Amsterdam, Egypt and more. 

Partly detached binding. Ancient binding with a leather spine. Some moth damage. Except for some leaves, the leaves are bright and fine. Good overall condition. 

On the title page, a dedication in Sephardic script indicating this copy was given by Rabbeinu the hida to Rabbi Ezra Malki – "מנחה מהרב הכולל ענוותן כהלל כמה"ר חיים יוסף דוד אזולאי נר"ו, להרב המובהק פטיש החזק כמה"ר עזרא מלכי נר"ו, היושב על כסא ההוראה במתא רודיס יע"א, יהי שמו לעד".

Addiitonal notations, see pictures. 

Rabbi Ezra Malki (1710-1768) the Rav of Rhodes. The son of the physician rabbi Raphael Mordechai Malki of Italy who immigrated to Eretz Yisrael and became one of the prominent sages of his generation. Rabbi Ezra authored the book Malki Bakodesh, Shemen Lama’or, Ein Mishpat and Einot Mayim.