Beschreibung:

Collection of manuscript pages, Halachic responsa handwritten and signed by R. Eliyahu Suleiman Mani, rabbi of Hebron, including many responsa sent to his student R. Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, the Ben Ish Chai. [Hebron, ca. 1876]. The pages are excerpts from R. Mani's personal notebook of responsa (leaves 12-19, 37-42). The notebook is written alternately in the autographic handwriting of R. Mani (with erasures, additions and corrections), and another handwriting, likely that of his son, R. Suleiman Menachem Mani. Apparently, this notebook was used to write the original responsa, and they were then copied and sent to the askers. These pages include many responsa and sections that have never been printed. Contents of the pages: · On the first page is a part of a contract, copying in the handwriting of R. Suleiman Menachem Mani, with emendations by his father R. Eliyahu. Page 12a. · Twenty-five questions sent by R. Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, the Ben Ish Chai, to R. Eliyahu. The questions are written in succession by R. Menachem Mani, followed by answers handwritten by R. Eliyahu. R. Eliyahu's signature appears following the last answer: "The young Eliyahu Suleiman Mani". Three of the responsa (without the questions) have been printed in Birchat Eliyahu by R. Eliyahu Suleiman Mani (Jerusalem, 1961, p. 28); the others, to the best of our knowledge, have never been printed. Pages 12b-15a. · Question regarding ownership issues in cases of inheritance, with a long responsum by R. Eliyahu Mani; responsum regarding this issue by R. Avraham Ashkenazi, the Rishon Letzion of Jerusalem, copied by R. Menachem Mani; further responsum in this matter by R. Eliyahu Mani (the responsa are written alternately by R. Eliyahu and his son). These responsa have been printed in Responsa Tana D'vei Eliyahu by R. Eliyahu Suleiman Mani (Jerusalem: Chevrat Ahavat Shalom, 1991). Pages 15b-19b. · Incomplete responsum (lacking at the beginning) regarding the principles of Halachic ownership, signed "the young Yitzchak Abulafia" (R. Yitzchak Abulafia, of Tiberias and Damascus, author of Pnei Yitzchak). The responsum was copied by R. Eliyahu Mani, and to the best of our knowledge has never been printed. Pages 37a-38a. · Draft of a responsum regarding monetary matters, ending: "These are the words of the young Eliyahu Suleiman Mani". To the best of our knowledge this responsum has never been printed. Pages 39a-b. · Twenty questions asked by R. Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, the Ben Ish Chai, to R. Eliyahu Mani. The questions are written in succession, handwritten by R. Menachem Mani, followed by R. Eliyahu's answers to these questions in his own handwriting. The title reads: "These questions I received from Babylon (Iraq), from R. Yosef Chaim…". The answers are signed: "These are the words of a poor man Eliyahu Suleiman Mani". These questions and answers, except the last, were printed in Chevrat Ahavat Shalom's "Min HaGenazim" anthology (Vol. VI, 2015, pp. 171-183), using a copy of the responsa prepared by R. Yechezkel Ezra Rachamim (Haya'ar). Here we have the original text in the author's handwriting, including some unprinted additions, as well as the twentieth question which was not printed. Pages 40a-41b. · Questions from the Ben Ish Chai in the handwriting of R. Eliyahu Mani, numbered 57-82, titled: "On 22 Nissan 1876, I received 82 questions from R. Yosef Chaim, and I wrote answers… these are the remaining questions". To the best of our knowledge, they have never been printed. Pages 42a-b. R. Eliyahu Suleiman Mani (1818-1899) was among the great Torah scholars of Babylon (Iraq), and the Chief Rabbi of Hebron. He was born in Baghdad, where he became a disciple of R. Abdullah Somech. He studied Kabbalah from a young age, and would fast and mortify himself in honor of G-ds presence. He moved to the Holy Land in 1856 in order to join the kabbalistic Beit El Yeshiva in Jerusalem. In 1858 he moved to Hebron, and was appointed chief rabbi of the city in 1864. He established th