Sefer Tzava'aot MeRabbi Naftali Hacohen [the Semichat Chachamim] VeRabbi Shabtai Sheftil Horowitz. Zhitomir ...

Sefer Tzava'aot MeRabbi Naftali Hacohen [the Semichat Chachamim] VeRabbi Shabtai Sheftil Horowitz. Zhitomir, [1847]. Rare.

The last will of Rabbi Naftali Hacohen, the author of the Semichat Chachamim, with the last will of Rabbi Shabtai Sheftil Halvi Horowitz. The press of Rabbi Chanina Lipa and his partners, the grandsons of the Rav of Slavita.

Rabbi Naftali Katz Hacohen, the author of the Semichat Chachamim [1648-1719]:

In his youth was captured by the Tartars yet managed to escape.

Married the daughter of Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke [Av Beit Din of Ostroh] who appointed him as the Rosh Yeshiva and Gabai of the Beit Midrash he had built with his money.

Moved to live in Poznan (Poland) and served as the head of the Chevra Kaddisha and Av Beit Din. Was known as knowledgeable of practical Kabbalah and the use of amulets. He mounted on the outer walls of his house the head of a horned gazelle, placing inside it a parchment with holy names and since then, a fire never broke out on the street.

He moved to Frankfurt (Germany) and everywhere he went, he took with him a case with shrouds, a Tallit, a Kitel and some dirt from Eretz Yisrael to never wear a Tallit that wasn't his, to always remember the day of death and to throw dirt on his body the day he passes away. He diligently studied Kabbalah and discovered 11 Psalms whose reading was a Segulah for Yeshu'ah.

In 1719, he traveled to Kushta (Turkey) with his wife on his way to Eretz Yisrael. However, he then became sick, informing his relative the exact time of his passing. On that day, many members of the community came to his house and he told each of them his reincarnation. He appointed people to deal with his burial and banned everyone from eulogizing him, praising him using the words Tzaddik or Chassid, allowing only to note that he was a scholar, and from writing praises on his tombstone except for 'here is buried Rabbi Naftali Hacohen the son of the great Rav Rabbi Yitzchak Hacohen of the pedigreed dynasty of several Geonim who were descendants of Aharon Hacohen'.

He closed the door of his room and instructed to write sacred names on the door and windows. When he noticed the anxiety of all those present, he asked them to leave except for the scribe and the Shamash. Then he said: 'Welcome father, welcome grandfather Rabbi Naftali, welcome great-grandfather Rabbi Mendel, welcome great=grandfather Rabbi Moshe Charif' and additional Tzaddikim and angels. Suddenly there was a loud noise and fire erupted around his bed. He asked the scribe and Shamash to leaves the room and returned his soul to its Creator.

Rabbi Shabtai Sheftel Halevi Horowitz – Sheftel Segal [1592-1660]:

The son of HaShelah Hakadosh. Rav and Rosh yeshiva, one of the leading rabbis of Ashkenaz Jewry in his generation. Darshan of the Prague community and the Rav of Furth, Frankfurt, Poznan and Vienna. Edited the book Shnei Luchot Habrit that was written by his father, Rabbi Yeshaya Halevi Horowitz and was renowned for his book Vavei HaAmudim and his moral will that was printed at the end of the book Yesh Nochalin.

Zhitomir, [1847]. At the press of the grandsons of the Rav of Slavita.

[2], 34 pp. Fine complete copy.

Rare and precious book