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Responsa from R. Elijah ben Moses Israel. The title page is comprised of a laudatory first paragraph and a second paragraph informing that Uggat Eliyahu was published posthumously by R. Elijah’s son, Jedidiah Solomon, both in lieu of an introduction. The title page is dated “for he has given you ðúï ìëí (590= 1830) the first rain in due measure” (Joel 2:23). The text follows immediately after the title page and is comprised of forty two responsa. From 66a are indexes of topics and sources. The responsa cover such varied subjects as prayer, lulav, Purim, Yayyin Nesah, Orlah, gifts, partnership, terumah, Gittin, and vows. The text is in a single column in rabbinic type, excepting headers and initial letters.
R. Elijah ben Moses Israel (c. 1710–1784) was born in Jerusalem, but from an early age was raised in Rhodes where his father served as rabbi. He returned to Jerusalem after the death of his father in 1744, becoming, in 1763, as had been his father and uncle, an emissary for the Jewish community in Jerusalem to the Jewish communities in Western Europe, passing through Italy, France, and Holland. During the course of his mission he wrote many of his responsa. Elijah eventually returned to Rhodes and from there was appointed rabbi in Alexandria. Afterwards he became rabbi of Rhodes, and was later offered the chief rabbinate of Alexandria. Though a prolific writer, few of his works have been published. Almost all of Elijah Israel’s other titles, several of which remain in manuscript, also include the name Eliyahu. Those so named are Kol Eliyahu, responsa; Kisse Eliyahu, glosses and novellae on the Shulhan Arukh O. H.; Devar Eliyahu, homilies; and Azor Eliyahu, on Rav Hai Gaon’s Ha-Mikkah ve-ha-Mimkar. Exceptions, books by Elijah Israel without the name Eliyahu, include Kuntres Ar’a de-Yisrael, on Talmudic methodology. |
