Siddur Shaarei Shamayim – Jerusalem, 1884 – Copy of Moses Montefiore, With Dedication to Him by Rabbi Chaim Michel ...

Siddur Shaarei Shamayim – Jerusalem, 1884 – Copy of Moses Montefiore, With Dedication to Him by Rabbi Chaim Michel Michlin – Miniature Bound in Fine Decorated Leather and Olive Wood Binding

Shaarei Shamayim siddur, "containing year-round prayers, according to the Ashkenazi rite, edited based on the siddur of R. Wolf Heidenheim, for the benefit of travelers", by Mordechai Adelman. Jerusalem: Y. Gościnny, 1884.

Miniature in a fine decorated leather and olive wood binding, with colorful decorations on the binding, and a dedication in decorated calligraphy to Sir Moses Montefiore, on the occasion of his hundredth birthday on 8th Cheshvan (October) 1884.

Copy of Sir Moses Montefiore, with original decorated and illustrated binding, made of wooden boards and a leather spine. On the front of the binding appears an illustration of a colorful symbol with a lion and a unicorn (the coat of arms of the United Kingdom), next to the inscription: "Jerusalem, 8th Cheshvan 1885". Below it is a poem bearing the acrostic of the name "Montefiore", praising his deeds and generosity. A dedication appears on the back binding, next to a (mounted) colorful illustration of flowers: "A gift sent by me, Chaim Michel, son-in-law of R. Michel HaKohen, 8th Cheshvan 1884, birthday of Sir Moses Montefiore".

Another handwritten dedication appears on the front endpaper, next to the title page: "A gift sent by me, Chaim Michel, son-in-law of R. Michel HaKohen, scribe of the Torah school".

R. Chaim Michel Michlin (1867-1939), Torah scholar and a famous activist who developed Jerusalem; served as secretary of Etz Chaim yeshiva and Bikur Cholim hospital for an extended period of time, along with his father-in-law R. Michel HaKohen, and was personal secretary of rabbis of Jerusalem – R. Moshe Nechemiah Kahanov and R. Shmuel Salant. In 1893 a rift developed between his father-in-law and rabbis of the Ashkenazi community, and both he and his father-in-law were dismissed from their positions. He then began to serve as secretary of Rishon LeTzion R. Yaakov Shaul Elyashar, as member and manager of the Sephardi Community Council and as chief secretary of the Misgav LaDach hospital which was founded at that time by his father-in-law.

[1], 144 leaves. 7 cm. Overall good condition. Stains. Tears, including marginal open tears to several leaves, slightly affecting text of last leaf. Original binding, made of wooden boards and leather spine. Damage to binding and spine. Front side of binding and spine mostly detached. Placed in original case, fabric-coated cardboard.

Rare edition, not documented by Sh. Halevy.