First Siddur in the World with Rulings from the Chida!
Siddur Tefillah Zakah
First Edition. Livorno 1789
Exceptionally Important and Rare!
Siddur Tefillah Zakah for the entire year – weekdays, Shabbos, Yomim Tovim and Moadim, with practical tefillos and brachos and Birkas Hamazon.
The siddur is interspersed with the customs of the Livorno community and with insightful commentaries, some according to kabbalah, from Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Castillo, one of the foremost scholars of Livorno.
This is the first siddur in the world in which customs and halachic rulings of the Chida were printed!
Today, almost every Sefardic siddur includes halachic rulings from the Chida.
The author mentions the Chida’s words in ‘Birkei Yosef’ many times: "The great Rav, the light of our eyes, author of ‘Birkei Yosef’ wrote…" (leaf [6]a); "And thus concluded the great Rav of Israel, author of ‘Birkei Yosef’…" (62a), and more than ten additional times throughout the siddur.
The author maintained a close relationship with the Chida and printed several of his works (see below). It is nearly certain that he consulted with the Chida, who was proficient in the entire Torah, regarding the halachos and customs he wrote in this present siddur.
The Chida was closely connected with the Jews of Livorno and was considered one of their greatest Rabbanim, although he refused to serve in an official capacity. In 1757 he printed there his first sefer, ‘Shaar Yosef’. He lived in Livorno for decades and wrote most of his works there. His works went on to become renowned throughout the Jewish world. He passed away there in 1806.
The author Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Castillo (1726-1789) was among Livorno’s greatest scholars for decades and the foremost authority on the community’s customs. An extraordinary scholar and poet, he was known for his remarkable drashos which he gave to the large Livorno community (see below). He established a printing house with Rabbi Eliezer Saadon, where he printed many sefarim including classic works.
He maintained a close relationship with the Chida, and after his passing in 1789, the Chida spoke in his place and extolled his virtues in his first drasha (Kisei David, Drush 9). He printed many of the Chida’s sefarim, such as ‘Simchas HaRegel’, ‘Machazik Bracha’, and others.
A very rare siddur. Not scanned in Otzar HaChochma or Hebrew-Books. To the best of Zaidy’s knowledge, it has appeared at public auction only once in recent decades.
The siddur is not mentioned in the list of "Sifrei Tefillah Based on the Works of the Chida" compiled by Benayahu in his book ‘HaChida’ (p. 253).
Livorno, 1789-1792. First Edition. The siddur has vowels. At the beginning of the siddur there are approbations from seven Rabbanim of Livorno.
Page Count: [6], 115, 115-228 leaves.
Size: 17.3 cm.
Condition: Good, impressive copy. Thick, high-quality pages. Stains on first pages. Two pages bound out of place. New half-leather binding.
This thick-volumed siddur is the first in the world based entirely on the customs of the illustrious Livorno community.
The author labored to clarify and search for sources, explanations, and various allusions to the community’s customs and even wrote a large work about this called ‘Siach Avraham’ (as mentioned in the introduction), which is unknown today.
Regarding a particular Livornese custom that is disputed among the poskim, he writes:
"There are many different customs among the holy poskim…
Our intent is to document the customs of the holy community of Livorno, may it be established forever, as practiced by the righteous of the land, and which are still upheld today. How precious are the words of the great and illustrious Rav, author of Birkei Yosef, who said: Allow the Jewish people to follow their customs…" (50b. See: Birkei Yosef Siman 131, end of section 4)
~ Wonderful Commentaries ~
The author, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Castillo, was known for his magnificent drashos and his engaging rhetoric that captivated people’s hearts. Even the Chida, when he spoke in Tishrei 1790 in place of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Castillo (who passed away in Av 1789), remarked:
"These people are accustomed to his profound reasoning, his well-structured insights, and his mussar – so how can I even open my mouth?" (Kisei David Drasha 9)
Throughout the siddur, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Castillo writes many beautiful insights regarding prayers.
