Sefer Makkat Bakkurot (Polemic Against a Halakhic Ruling of Pinhas Hai Anav), Immanuel Hai Ricci, [Italy: early 18th century]

24 leaves  (8 x 6 1/8 in.; 203 x 155 mm). Dampstaining throughout, though in no way affecting legibility of text. Fore-edge slightly frayed to ff. 1-3; other edges trace fraying. Modern buckram. Vellum spine; leather lettering piece.

The Kohanim (priests) in the Italian and Ashkenazic communities of Ferrara had a longstanding custom of using a tune for the recitation of the Priestly Benediction (Num. 6:24-26) that stressed the words ve-yishmerekha, elekha, and vi-yekhunekka on the ultimate syllable (mi-le-ra), rather than on the penultimate syllable (mi-le-eil), as standard Hebrew grammar would dictate. Nehemiah ha-Kohen, a rabbi in Ferrara, sought to switch the practice so that the words would be pronounced properly. In response, Phinehas Hai Anau (Piattelli) (1693-1768), another rabbi in the city, published a defense of the ancient custom in the second issue of his teacher Rabbi Isaac Lampronti’s (1679-1756) periodical, entitled Tosefet Bikkurei Ketzir Talmud Torah … shel K”K Ferrara (Venice, 1715).

In the aftermath, a full-blown controversy broke out, with many rabbis rushing to Ha-Kohen’s defense. Mordecai Zahalon (d. 1748), yet another rabbi in Ferrara, published Metzitz u-Melitz (Venice, 1715), including both his own take on the issue as well as responsa and letters from other Italian rabbis, some of them authored several years earlier, when Ha-Kohen first sought to change the custom. One of the letters, dated Thursday, 16 Elul 5466 (August, 26, 1706), was written by Raphael Immanuel ben Abraham Hai Ricchi (1688-1743), an Italian rabbi, kabbalist, and poet.

Following the publication of Anau’s defense, Ricchi penned another treatise on the subject, entitled Makkat Bakkurot, playing on the name of the controversial responsum. He completed the work on 22 Tammuz 5475 (July 23, 1715). The present manuscript is a neat, complete copy of this tract, which was never printed and exists in only about ten copies worldwide.