The volume contains the two compositions of Rabbi Raphael Hassan:
A. Lechem Oni - Commentary on the Passover Haggadah. London, 1784. First edition. Rare!
Ya'ari 208. Otzar Ha'Haggadot 312.
The Haggadah combines Sephardic and Ashkenazic customs as the author notes on the title page of the book. There are also two versions of Birkat Ha'Mazon: a Sephardic and Ashkenazic one.
On the page of "The Author's Apology" there is a nice engraving of King David playing his harp.
In his introduction, the author describes his great desire and devotion to the holy Torah. He also elaborates on the various Batei Midrash he had studied in and the hardships he had gone through.
The commentary on the Haggdah is most kabbalist and the author refers to kabbalist books and quotes from the "Zohar".
(2) 42 leaves. (The last leaf containing the last verse of "Chad Gadya" is missing)
B. Pirsumei Nissa. London, 1784. Extremely rare!
Kabbalist commentary and acronyms. Demonstrates how the acronyms of Dinei Hanukkah and the Hanukkah miracles are implied by the first Mishnah of the "Bameh Madlikin" chapter of the Shabbat tractate.
Unique, interesting composition.
The book does not appear in libraries in Israel! The Bibliography of the Hebrew Book listed it according to a copy which lacks half of the composition. It is most likely that this is the only copy in the world that contains the complete composition.
The original book is small in size but large in quality. It includes only two leaves (4 pp.), except for the title page and a leaf with an approbation by Rabbi Moshe di Azivido, rabbi of the Sephardic community of London and the author's interesting introduction. All in all, the book contains 8 pages.
The author, Rabbi Raphael Hassan, was one of the geniuses of Mogador, Morocco. In his old age, he settled in London. One of the disciples of Rabbi Avraham Koriat, author of "Berit Avot". He died after 1834. Before us are the two single composition by the author that had been published.
On the inner binding, an English signature: "g.m. Hathan[?]" - maybe the signature of one of the author's descendants.
[6] pp.
13x199 cm.
Condition: Very Good. Thick leaves. Wine stains. Ancient binding.