Responsa Darchei Noam - Signature of Rabbi Eliezer Papo Author of Peleh Yoetz

Responsa Darchei Noam - Signature of Rabbi Eliezer Papo Author of Peleh Yoetz
Darchei Noam, responsa on the four parts of Shulchan Aruch by R. Mordechai HaLevi Rabbi of Egypt, with Milchemet Mitzva, by R. Avraham HaLevi, son of the author (with separate title page). Venice: Bragadin Brothers, 1697. First edition. On the verso of the title page, an illustrated map of the Temple. Ownership inscriptions and various signatures on the main title page: "Eliezer Papo"; "…Binyamin Pinto"; "Eliyahu HaKohen". Some marginal glosses in Sephardic script, one of them signed "says Shimon Pesach" (p. 182b). Most of the other notes were presumably written by this same author. R. Eliezer Papo (1786-1827), author of Peleh Yoetz, a great and holy Torah scholar, was a foremost Sephardi rabbi in the Balkans. Born in Sarajevo (Bosnia), he was a leading Torah scholar of the city. He served as rabbi of Silistra (Bulgaria) and for a time of the Sephardi community in Bucharest (Romania). He authored many books: ethics and homily books, prayer and piyyutim books, books of Halacha and novellae on Shulchan Aruch, responsa and novellae on the Talmud. He is particularly renowned for his book Peleh Yoetz, which until this day is one of the basic ethics books studied by the entire Jewish people (the Chatam Sofer would regularly precede his lectures on Talmudic topics with the study of a section of Peleh Yoetz with his disciples. R. Tzvi Hirsh Michel Shapira of Jerusalem was particularly fond of the book and would keep it constantly on hand. R. Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky - the Steipler would instruct teachers and parents to study Orchot Tzadikim and Peleh Yoetz with their children. The kabbalist R. Mordechai Sharabi would advise those who turned to him to study Reshit Chochma and Peleh Yoetz). R. Eliezer Papo was known for his great piety, living his entire life with outstanding asceticism and great devotion in his worship of G-d. Already in his lifetime, he earnt the reputation of a wonder worker. The ledger of the Silistra Jewish community reports miraculous stories about him, of journeys being shortened and other wonders. He passed away prematurely during a Cholera epidemic, reputedly declaring before his death that his passing would arrest the epidemic, and promising his community that whoever would pray at his gravesite with a broken heart after immersing in a Mikvah would have his prayer accepted and would merit a redemption (see Melitzei Aish, part VII in the addenda, p. 89a, based on the Silistra community ledger). Until this day, people come from around the world to pray at his gravesite in Silistra, and many stories of salvations were publicized in recent years by people who travelled there to pray. R. Moshe Shimon Pesach (1869-1955) was the rabbi of Volos (Greece). After the German invasion of Greece during WWII, the elderly rabbi endeavored to save his community from the Nazis, and succeeded in smuggling the Jewish residents to mountain villages. After the war, he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Greece. [1], 2-282 leaves; [1], 2-41 leaves. 28 cm. High-quality paper. Good-fair condition. Dampstains and wear. Minor tears. Early binding, with leather spine, worn. In the endpapers, leaf fragments from a printed book on grammar principles. Enclosed is a report from an expert on rabbinic manuscripts, authenticating the handwriting of the Peleh Yoetz.