After sleepless nights and painstaking labor done by the historians, archivists, and scholars of the Museum, five new books -once lost to the world- have been culled from their ancient manuscripts, and released to the world. We are privileged to take a look at the once lost treasures of our prestigious ancestors, and given a chance to realize the beauty of our illustrious heritage. Over the next few months, we will explore these priceless works of genius, one masterpiece at a time.
Hacham Haim Attieh
It was right before the onset of Shabbat, April 31st 1751, when the great scholar and author Rabbi Haim Attieh was born. Descending from the royal lineage of David HaMelech, the Attieh Family had five boys; Haim was the oldest. His parents, Yeshaya and Banot, were a righteous couple and merited sons that followed in their honorable ways.
Hacham Yeshaya, was an outstanding scholar in his own rite, Rav Haim Mordechai Labaton (1780–1869), once Chief Rabbi of Aleppo, once referred to Rabbi Yeshaya Attieh as one of the Torah giants of the previous generation. He studied under the great Rabbi Yehudah Kassin, author of Mahane Yehuda.
Aside from his son Hacham Haim, the other boys, Yitzhak, Shimon, Halfon, and David all grew to be brilliant Torah personalities as well.
Though much extensive research was put into the life of Rav Haim, just about all of his youth still remains a secret to us. It is apparent, as indicated in one of his teshuvot, that he was deeply passionate about Torah study from an extraordinarily young age, and began to author his responsum in his teenage years or even younger.
On June 5, 1770, at the age of nineteen, Haim married Sarah Kassin. Sarah was the daughter of his father’s teacher, Rabbi Yehudah Kassin.
Sadly, the couple grew to be no strangers to tragedy, as they suffered many losses throughout their lives. Of their three boys and eight girls, two sons and five daughters passed away as infants and small children. Their surviving son, Yeshayah, was the eldest, and named after Rabbi Haim’s father. He is referred to as Rabbi Bechor Yeshayah. Ultimately, he too had a short life, sadly passing away at the age of just forty-one, in 1814.
Of Rabbi Haim’s three remaining daughters, his daughter Rumia was perhaps most well-known. She married Rabbi Mordechai Dayan, a member of the illustrious Dayan family. This family, as many Dayan/Dayon families in our Community today, also trace their lineage directly back to King David. Rumia and her husband had one daughter. But, as was all too common in those days, Rumia’s husband passed away young, on the 13th of Ab, 1801. The many losses suffered by the Attieh Family was unfortunately not unusual in 18th century Aleppo. Such things were awfully common due to disease, and various illnesses.
To add to Rav Haim’s troubles, he was very poor, as seen from one of his responsum in which he writes, “I am poor, and I have nothing of my own. In my house there is no bread and no clothing…”
Still, despite all of the hardships he endured, Hacham Haim persisted. Constantly moving forward. He achieved great acclaim as a scholar, as is seen from his Book, Arsot HaHaim, where an impressive list of leading Syrian scholars from Aleppo and Damascus corresponded with him. These talmidei hachamim included Rabbi Haim Amram, an eminent Dayan in Damascus; Rabbi Mordechai Galanti, Chief Rabbi of Damascus and author of Berach Moshe; Rabbi Yisrael Sasson, author of Knesset Yisrael; and Rabbi Eliyahu Shamah, Aleppo’s Chief Rabbi during the early nineteenth century, and author of Korban Isheh and Machshirei Milah.
Once, after seeing the thorough, systematic breakdown of Rabbi Haim Attieh’s halachic response, the illustrious Hida responded “My body trembles from your analytical reasoning”.
Such great accomplishments, in just 44 years of life.
Sefer Arsot HaHaim
The Sephardic Heritage Museum compiled this publication “Arsot HaHaim” from several sources, including six manuscripts from their own collection. A bulk of the material came from an additional text that was in the possession of one of the author’s descendants, the famed Gaon and Kabbalist, Hacham Yehudah Aslan Attieh. Other material used in the Book was courteously provided to the Museum by libraries throughout the world, and gathered from other publications.
The Sefer consists of she’elot u’tshvot, questions and answers, both posed by Rav Haim himself, or asked to him by others. The information varies throughout all four volumes of the Shulhan Aruch, ranging from topics of everyday life, to divorce, to business, and far more.
In Siman Lamed Bet, the author speaks of our (Sepharadim) unwavering adherence to the rulings of Maran, Hacham Yosef Kairo. The ancient Minhagim of Allepo are likewise spoken about in that Siman.
Also included in this masterwork are likutim; a collection of Rav Haim’s teachings on a variety of different subjects such as novel ideas on the Torah, personal elucidations of the Midrashim, explanations on the words of Tehillim, and much, much more.
Hespedim, eulogies, have been printed at the beginning of the Sefer. The heartening words of eulogy were delivered by many Geonim, including Hacham Eliyahu Shamma A”H, Chief Rabbi of Allepo.
Filled with masses of Talmudic knowledge, laced with analytical brilliance that isn’t to be believed, the responsa of Arsot HaHaim is truly remarkable. This book is relevant to both the layman and scholar alike.
Yet another success for the hardworking staff at The Sephardic Heritage Museum.
