Ahavath Hakadmonim. Siddur… Keminhag K[ehila] K[edosha] HaToshavim…Fez.

(MOROCCO).

S. Zuckerman

Jerusalem

1889

FIRST EDITION . Two title-pages, first with red lettering. From the library of Rabbi Dr. David de Sola Pool.

Halevy, 636.

RARE. Halevy records only one copy (located at Machon Ben Tzvi). Prayers and piyutim for weekdays, Sabbath and Holidays according to the old Moroccan rite practiced in Fez, before the Spanish Expulsion. According to the introduction, as well as the approbation by R. Raphael ibn Tzur of Fez, when the Spanish exiles arrived in Morocco they prayed in accordance with their Castilian rite. In time, most synagogues in Morocco followed suit and began to adopt the Spanish custom. The only synagogue that retained the original, ancient Moroccan rite, was the Toshavim Synagogue in Fez - however it was never brought to publication. The present volume was composed from the sole manuscript extant of the rite, composed by the Hazan of Fez’s Toshavim congregation. The introduction also contains interesting historical information pertaining to the Jews of Fez, their ancient cemetery and relations with the surrounding Arab population. The final leaves (ff. 79b-83b) contain a Pesak Din (dated 1715) concerning the ownership and administration of the Toshavim synagogue.