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Abridgment of R. Israel Jacob ben Yom Tov Algazi’s Emet le-Yakov under the title le-David Emet by R. Hayyim Joseph David Azulai (Hida). The subject matter are the halakhot pertaining to the reading, writing, and conduct befiting a Sefer Torah. Le-David Emet is comprised of twenty-two simanim, each divided into numerous numbered sub-paragraphs. Hida, who knew R. Algazi, condensed and completed the work begun by the latter.
R. Israel Jacob ben Yom Tov Algazi, (1680–1756), halakhic scholar and kabbalist, grandson of both R. (Nissim) Solomon Algazi and Joseph Hazzan. Probably born in Smyrna, Algazi lived in Safed, and for a few years, prior to 1730, in Smyrna. He was a member of a closed circle of kabbalists headed by R. Jacob Vilna. R. Algazi copied and published Hemdat Yamim (Smyrna, 1731–32), with many of his own glosses. By 1737 he was in Jerusalem and, a year later, dedicated "Neveh Shalom Berit Avraham," a yeshivah founded there for him. R. Algazi became head of Bet El, a bet midrash for pietists, and was consequently known as "the pietist rabbi." His was the first signature on the constitution of the kabbalistic group Ahavat Shalom. R. Algazi was appointed chief rabbi upon the death of his colleague, R. Isaac ha-Kohen (1755), but he died the following year. One of the most productive scholars of his time, he wrote many halakhic and homiletic works including: Emet le-Ya'akov (Constantinople, 1764) on the laws of Torah scrolls; Ara de-Rabbanan (ibid., 1745), reprinted with Judah Ayyash's commentary; Afra de-Ara (Leghorn, 1783), a methodology for Talmud and codes; Hug ha-Arez (Jerusalem, 1910; with addenda, 1927), on the laws of Purim; Ne'ot Ya'akov (Smyrna, 1767); Kehillat Ya'akov (Salonika, 1786), a methodology; Shalmei Zibbur and Shalmei Hagigah (Salonika, 1790), on the laws of prayer and blessings; sermons Part 1 Shema Ya'akov (Constantinople, 1745); and Part 2; She'erit Ya'akov (ibid., 1751). Some of his works are still in manuscript
R. Hayyim Joseph David Azulai, (Hida, 1724–1806) is one of the great Sephardi gedolim. Born in Jerusalem where his father was a leading rabbi, Hida wrote his first work at the age of 15, showing that many Jewish scholars had made mistakes in matters of bibliography and chronology. At the age of 29, he was sent as an emissary (shaliah) to raise money for the Jerusalem community. Hida was the author of almost 100 books on a wide variety of Judaic subjects, among them halakhic works, responsa, and on festivals. His best known is his Shem ha-Gedolim with biographies of 1,300 scholars and a description of 2,200 books. His diaries cover his full life, as rabbi of Cairo, a student in Hebron, his two great European journeys, and much more, including humor, pathos, and adventure (captured by pirates, and his meeting King Louis XVI of France). |
