Manuscript of the Book "Levonah Zakah" by Rabbi Ya'akov Abuhatzeira, the Abir Ya'akov - The Book was Printed from ...

Manuscript of the Book "Levonah Zakah" by Rabbi Ya'akov Abuhatzeira, the Abir Ya'akov - The Book was Printed from this Manuscript! With a handwritten Approbation that has never been Published!
Sefer "Levonah Zakah" - commentary on sugiyot of the Talmud in order of Parashot ha'Shavuah. The first edition of the book was published bu his grandson, rabbi Shalom Abuhatzeira, the second son of Rabbi Aharon, who is Rabbi Ya'akov's second son. Printed in Na Amun, Egypt in 1929 by Rabbi Ya'akov Ben Atar.
This manuscript is undoubtedly the manuscript from which the printer printed the book. The style of the handwriting is called Filali script in the name of the city of Tafilalt, the city of the "Abir Ya'akov". The writing is very similar to the writing style of Rabbi Ya'akov and it is most likely his handwriting; however, we cannot determine indisputably that this is indeed the author's autograph since the handwriting of the rabbis of the Abuhatzeira family of Tafilalt are similar. It is possible that it is the handwriting of his son, Rabbi Aharon (who published most of Rabbi Ya'akov's books), or his grandson, Rabbi Shalom (who brought this book to the printing house).

Rabbi Ya'akov refused his books to be printed while he was alive. His eldest son, Rabbi Masud, asked for his permission to print his books many times. Rabbi Ya'akov answered that he after his death, he will appear in his dreams and tell him whether the books are welcome by God and only then he will be allowed to print them. This indeed is what had happened. After his death, he appeared in his son's dream and told him he may print his books. Most of the books were printed during the years 1884-1888 in Jerusalem by his sons. The book "Yoru Mishpatecha Le'Ya'akov" was printed by his son Rabbi Aharon as well as the book "Doresh Tov". The book "Ginzel Melech" was printed by his son Rabbi Avraham.

The manuscript before us
16 leaves of the Parashot of Vayikra. 12 leaves of the book of Devarim Parashot Re'eh-Nitzavim. 4 leaves of the book of Devarim Parashot Va'Etchanan, Re'eh, Vayelech.
Very neat writing, with the title of the book "Levonah Zaka" and the titles of the Parashot. The writing is black ink on paper, with commas (in pencil) between the words that had been added later. The book was printed with the commas that appear here.
In addition, there is a handwritten leaf titled "Approbation", most likely, an approbation by Rabbi Raphael Aharon Ben Shimon, who writes, among others, the words "Min Ha'Aretz Ha'Zot Darach Kochav Mi'Ya'akov" (from this country, a star shall come out of Ya'akov). He implies that at the end of his days, Rabbi Ya'akov arrived in Egypt, Rabbi Ben Shimon's country, on his way to the Land of Israel; however, he did not reach his destination since he died in Egypt and was buried in Alexandria.
This approbation had not been printed in this book of Rabbi Ya'akov nor in his other books and it contains 3 neatly written pages, without the end. On the fourth page, the approbation is continued in a different handwriting (in cursive writing). On the three first pages of the approbation there are corrections and additions between the words and the lines.
The approbation had not been completed and ends with the words "I could not extend…" it is possible that for this reason it was not printed in the book.
Condition: Varying - Good-Bad. The 12 leaves are in good condition. The four leaves are in fair condition and the 16 leaves are in fair-bad condition. Due to the pungency of the ink, the leaf has been damaged.
21 cm.
Rabbi Ya'akov Abuhatzeira (1806-1880) was a leading Moroccan-Jewish rabbi of the 19th century. He was born in Tafilalt. In 1879, he left his native Morocco and embarked on a pilgrimage to the Land of Israel via Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. While passing through the Egyptian Nile Delta city of Damanhour, he grew ill and died. He was buried in Damanhour, where his tomb has become a site of pilgrimage.
He is known as "The Divine Kabbalist" and as the "Abir Ya'akov".
His descendants were all prominent rabbis, one of them being the Baba Sali. He authored many books on the Torah, among them "Pituchei Chotam", "Machsof Ha'Lavan", "Ma'aglei Tzedek", "Elef Binah" and more.