The 18th-century manuscript by the Or HaChaim offers a rare glimpse into Moroccan Jewish history
A historic handwritten letter by Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar (c1696-1743), the revered author of the biblical commentary “Or HaChaim,” sold for $700,000 (2.5 million shekels) at auction in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
The sale, conducted by Kedem Auction House, includes an additional 25% commission fee.
The manuscript, which emerged from a comprehensive collection assembled by Israeli attorney Avigdor Klagsbald, features the distinctive signature of Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar and addresses the Jewish religious judges of Meknes regarding tax relief for a community member. The letter was discovered within a remarkable volume containing hundreds of manuscripts and signatures from prominent 18th-century Moroccan Torah scholars, including Rabbi Yaakov ibn Tzur and Rabbi Yehudah ben Attar.