Michtav Me’Eliyahu [commentary to Tur Choshen Mishpat]

ALFANDARI, ELIJAH BEN JACOB

Constantinople

17th-18th century

Manuscript in Hebrew; written in semi-cursive Sephardic hand on paper.

UNPUBLISHED AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT. A thick volume of a most important work on the fourth section of Arba Turim (Choshen Mishpat). The manuscript also includes a commentary to the second chapter of Tractate Kehuvoth (Ha’isha Shenisarmila) and Kuntress Hatefisa. R. Eliyahu Alfandari (c.1670-1717) served as the Head of the Rabbinical Court in Constantinople and was one of the greatest halachic authorities of his period. His halachic writings to this day are still regarded as among the most authoritative. The Alfandari family originated in Andalusia claiming descent from Bezalel of the Tribe of Judah. Following the Expulsion of 1492 the family spread throughout the Ottoman Empire and France. For many generations they were among the major rabbinic and communal leaders of Turkey, Egypt and Eretz Israel.