To be Spared from the Birthpangs of Mashiach: Rare Derashah for the Generation of Redemption, Handwritten by the ...

To be Spared from the Birthpangs of Mashiach: Rare Derashah for the Generation of Redemption, Handwritten by the Ben Ish Chai, with a Double Blessing!

Two-page manuscript dealing with the final redemption, may it come speedily in our days, with Hashem's help, and with the sacred Names by which it will come. Written entirely [approximately 170 words] in the penmanship of the leading Kabbalist of Babylon, the living lion, Rabbeinu Yosef Chaim of Baghdad. [Baghdad, late 19th century]. The derashah was printed [with slight changes] in his sefer, Ben Ish Chayil, [Jerusalem, 1901, Part I, Responsum 4], but a large portion of the manuscript was not printed at all [a full page with reminders the Ben Ish Chai wrote for himself!]. 

Rare derashah, important and with segulah capabilities, dealing with the last generation - Mashiach's generation, the generation of the redemption. Due to its importance, this passage was transcribed in Sefer Otzrot Chayim by Rabbeinu Yosef Chaim zlh"h - the future redemption (Ahavat Shalom Publications, Jerusalem, 1996, p. 94, refer to the photocopy) with a compilation of Kabbalistic novellae by the Ben Ish Chai regarding the redemption.

All manuscripts written by the Ben Ish Chai are known to have been used as tried-and-true amulets, especially those dealing with the same topic as this manuscript here. How much more so this manuscript here, filled with blessings and many more sacred Names than standard in his derashot, due to the lofty nature of its topic - the coming of the complete geulah, such that the segulah of this manuscript is especially great to be spared from the birth pangs of mashiach, about which it is said: (Daniel 12:1) "It will be a time of trouble, unlike anything that has ever been since there was a nation until that time, " and most of the world will die then.

The blessings:

• "In the merit of the Jewish people who guards the faith, I bless them, as a tzaddik will live with his faith" (page 1 of the manuscript)
• "Our eyes will see and our hearts will rejoice with the beginning of the righteous redeemer coming soon in our days, amen, may it be His will"  (page 1 of the manuscript)
• "May E-l Shad-ai help us and protect us, and assist us always, amen, may it be His will" (end of page 1 of the manuscript)
• Rare repetition of the famous blessing: "May E-l Shad-ai help us and protect us, and assist us always, amen, may it be His will"(end of page 2 of the manuscript)

 

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a list of the Names

He sets a blessing for himself, the additional part of the manuscript, which was not printed [the entire second page] on which the Ben Ish Chai writes a reminder to himself about the lofty derashah, noting at the top: "Reminder." At the end of the second page, the Ben Ish Chai repeats his famous blessing, "May E-l Shad-ai help us and protect us, and assist us always." Text of the reminder:

Reminder

This is the drush I prepared, drush Hashem, about what is written in Ma'amar Sanhedrin on leaf 92 regarding Nevuchadnetzar etc, I did not write it in the 97th drush.

Also the affair of the wealthy and ignorant man who came to the study hall on the first day of Rosh HaShanah, etc, I have not written.

Also what I gave over in Ma'amar Tik'u B'Chodesh Shofar and the story of the vine, I have not written.

"May E-l Shad-ai help us and protect us, and assist us always, amen, may it be His will"

 

It is known that the Ben Ish Chai would complete his derashot with the famous blessing: "May E-l Shad-ai help us and protect us, and assist us always." There are those who say that due to this blessing, the Ben Ish Chai's manuscripts stood apart as amulets beyond those of his contemporaries. This manuscript has the rare instance of the famous blessing twice, both at the end of the first page and the end of the second page - double the wisdom!

Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad.

[2] pp. 14.5x10 cm. Characteristic autograph script.

Fine condition. Tiny tears in the margins. Magnificent new binding, as befits such a sacred manuscript.