Midrash Talpiyos
First Edition. Constantinople, circa 1720
Midrash Talpiyos, by Rabbi Eliyahu Hakohein of Izmir, in which he compiled an anthology of midrashim, and teachings of Chaza”l from over three hundred sefarim, many of them rare and singular manuscripts and added a commentary to the medrashim.
It contains 926 (the numerical value of the word ‘talpiyos’) paragraphs in alphabetical order.
This sefer, which contains 60 leaves, was only partially printed, with the printing incomplete for unknown reasons. The present printed edition of Midrash Talpiyos was unknown to the bibliographers who set about compiling lists of sefarim that were incompletely printed, and it is thus omitted from the records and articles dedicated to the category of incomplete prints. (Haberman, Areshes Vol. 3; Shisha, Areshes Vol. 5, Ben Menachem, V’im Bigvuros).
The first to record the discovery of this partially-printed sefer found in the archives of Machon Ben Tzvi was Benayahu in his essay on Shivchei Ha’Ar”i in Areshes Vol. 3 p. 151.
The same copy was then documented by Yaari in his work Hadfus HaIvri B’Kushta #302 which he labeled as “the only copy in the world.”
The saintly
Rabbi Eliyahu Kohein HaItmari of Izmir (d. 1729), author of Shevet Mussar and Midrash Talpiyos, was a tzaddik and miracle worker “whose words were heard in the heavens.” He authored over thirty important sefarim, and the Chida attests that he was a talented orator who inspired many Jews with his impassioned sermons and mussar. Rabbi Chaim Palagi praises him effusively in his sefer and relates awe-inspiring stories about his wisdom and the wonders that he enacted. His name was uttered with respect by all Sephardic and Ashkenazic scholars.
It is known that Rabbi Eliyahu Hakohein’s sefer Shevet Mussar lay perpetually on the desk of the Admor Rabbi Bunim of Peschischa who studied it regularly (see Ramasayim Tozfim on Tanna Dvei Eliyahu Ch. 30 Letter 87 and preface to Shevet Mussar [1989 Edition] p. 18.) The Admor Rabbi Yaakov of Shepitovka once wrote in a letter to his disciple, “My beloved, always study from the sefer Shevet Mussar” (printed in Imros Tehoros [Lemberg, 1892]).
Constantinople, 1720. Abraham Franco and Abraham Rosanis Press. Page Count: 1-60 leaves.
Page Size: 28.5 cm.
Condition: Professionally restored at margins; first, last and several pages stained
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