Introduction of the Rabbis of Izmir, may they live and be well
הַקְדָּמַת רַבָּנֵי אִזְמִיר יע״א
Introduction of the Eminent Rabbi, our teacher the sage Rabbi Chaim Modaip1-0, may his light shine
הַקְדָּמַת הָרַב הַמֻּבְהָק כְּמוֹהַר״ר חַיִּים מוֹדָעִי נר״ו
The eye that sees (עֵינָא דְּחָזֵי), understands everything concerning Shlomo that is spoken of in Shir haShirim [Song of Songs] (כּוּל שְׁלֹמֹה הָאֲמוּר בְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), wrapped in sapphires (מְעוּלֶּפֶת סְפִירִים), and He placed upon him chambers of majesty (וַיָּשֶׁת לוֹ הֲדָרִים), a scroll of secrets (מְגִלַּת סְתָרִים), hidden wisdom (תַּעֲלוּמוֹת חָכְמָה), and it was hidden away (וְהָיְתָה הַעֲלָמָה). These are my callings (אֵלֶּה קְרִיאָי), hidden utterances (אִמּוּר סִתְרָאֵי), they are so (נִינְהוּ). A matter in holiness, sanctified (חוֹמֶר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ מְקֻדָּשׁ), for from the dwelling of the Ari (כִּי מִנְוֵית הָאֲרִ״י), its waters descend from the Temple (רָדָה מֵימָיו מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ).
It is the Heikhal [Palace] before me (הוּא הַהֵיכָל לְפָנַי); Shlomo, in his wisdom, expounded these verses at Sinai (שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ דָּרְשִׁינְהוּ לְהָנֵי קְרָאֵי בְּסִינַי), by way of introduction (דֶּרֶךְ הַקְּדִימָה), overlaid within with gold (צָפָה זָהָב לִפְנִימָה). The verse includes it all (הַכָּתוּב לְכַלְּלוֹ), conceals it (סָתַר לוֹ), deep and hidden (עֲמִיקְתָּא וּמִסְתַּרְתָּא); all of them are halakhot (כֻּלְּהוּ הִלְכְּתָא נִינְהוּ). If they are peace-offerings (אִם שְׁלָמִים), like lofty ones (כְּמוֹ רָמִים), every man wise in secrets (כָּל אִישׁ חָכַם הָרָזִים), to my strongholds of might (לְמִבְצְרֵי מָעוּזִים).
The faithful and whole ones (שְׁלוֹמֵי אֱמוּנִי), knowers of knowledge and understanding (יוֹדְעֵי דָעַת וּמְבִינֵי), everything that is depicted and sealed (כָּל מִידֵי דְצַיֵּיר וְחָתִים), I heard them sheltered (שְׁמַעְתִּים סוּכָּתִים), the pathways of Heaven (שְׁבִילֵי דִּשְׁמַיָּא), fit to be concealed (הַכְּשֵׁר לְהַצְנִיעַ), the dwellers of the firmament (יוֹשְׁבֵי רָקִיעָא), they are so (נִינְהוּ).
These are faithful to testify their testimony and be justified (אֵלּוּ נֶאֱמָנִין לְהָעִיד עֵדוּתָן וְיִצְדָּקוּ), for all these matters draw abundance from the days of plenty (כִּי כָּל הָנֵי מִילֵּי שֶׁפַע יָמִים יִינָקוּ), and they are openings with binyan in height (וְהֵמָּה פְּתִיחוֹת בְּנִיָּ״וֹת בְּרָמָה), and in sealed wisdom (וּבְסָתוּם חָכְמָה), fashioned by sages who repeat them in their speech (עֲבִידֵי רַבְרְבָנַן דְּמַשְׁנ״וּ בִּדְבוּרַיְיהוּ), they give him praise, a word clothed upon them (נוֹתְנִין לוֹ אֶת הַשֶּׁבַח מִלְּתָא אַלְבִּישַׁיְיהוּ). This is a revealer of secrets (דֵּין גָּלֵי רָזַיָּא), of supreme holiness (דְּקָדוֹשִׁ״י מַעְלַיָּא), they are so (נִינְהוּ). But as for me - what am I to speak of life? (וְאוּלָם אֲנִי מַה מִּנִּי חַיִּים מְדַבֵּר), and mighty ones shall prevail (וְחַיָּלִים יִגְבָּר), I know in my soul (יָדַעְנָא בְּנַפְשָׁאִי), I am from the outside (אֲנָא מֵאַבְּרָאִי).
Behold, I am lacking all (הֵן אֲנִי בַּחֲסֵר כֹּל), in the secrecy of concealed things (בְּסֵתֶר דְּבָרִים הַמְּכֻסִּין). And to you then - what is this support from scraps and fragments? (וּלְךָ אֵפוֹא מַה זֹּאת סְמִיכָה מִן סַרְמִיסִין מִן חֲמִיסִין). Are not my words a burden stone? (הֲלֹא כֹּה דְבָרַי אֶבֶן מַעֲמָסָה). They are not ones fit to go out among the multitudes (לָאו בְּנֵי מֵיפַק בְּאוּכְלוֹסָא נִינְהוּ). Great is love, which disrupts the line (גְּדוֹלָה אַהֲבָה שֶׁמְּקַלְקֶלֶת אֶת הַשּׁוּרָה), this is the love for the perfect Sage, the Divine Kabbalist, the author (זוֹ אַהֲבַת הֶחָכָם הַשָּׁלֵם הַמְּקוּבָּל הָאֱלֹהִי הַמְחַבֵּר), crowned in his refinement (מוּכְתָּר בְּנִימוּסוֹ), Shlomo with a crown (שְׁלֹמֹה בַּעֲטָרָה), an expert in chambers (בָּקִי בַּחֲדָרִי), matters written are called holy (דְּבָרִים שֶׁבִּכְתָב קֹדֶשׁ אִיקְּרֵי), drawing and watering (דּוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה), with fine distinctions of Torah and refinements (דִּקְדּוּקֵי תּוֹרָה וְדִקְדּוּקֵי), filling them with ointments (מְמַלֵּא לְהוֹ בְּאַסְפַּרְמַקֵּי), from the verse passages (מִכְּדֵי פְּסוּקֵי). They are so (נִינְהוּ).
Shlomo spoke a pleasant saying (אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה אֲמִירָה נְעִימָה), “and upon me was your desire” (וְעָלַי תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ), and the urging was for Hezekiah in his illness (וְהָיְתָה הַפְצִירָ"ה לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ בְּחָלֹתוֹ), these are living words I set forth (הָנֵי מִילֵּי מֵחַיִּים אָשִׂימֵם), the openings of lines - the first words (דּוּבְרוֹ"ת רָאשֵׁי שׁוּרוֹת), let it be a platform (לִהְוֵי פְרוּנְקָא), and on the book a law engraved (וְעַל סֵפֶר חֻקָּה), not ones of firmness (לָאו בְּנֵי חֲזָקָה נִינְהוּ). The sayings of my mouth and the meditation (אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן), of a clear path (אָרַח"שׁ בְּנִקָּיוֹן), the wisdom of Shlomo gives forth her voice in the streets (חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה בָּרְחֹבוֹת תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ), this call is in the night (קְרִיאָתָהּ זוֹ הִיא הַלַּיְלָה). Every wise-hearted one to know hidden things (כָּל חֲכַם לֵב לָדַעַת מִילֵּי דְּמִסְתַּמַּן), they will understand the workings of their depth and height (יָבִינוּ אֶל פְּעוּלוֹת עָמְקָן וְרוּמָן), reaching the Heavens, awesome flame (מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה נוֹרָא יְקִידְתָּא), a holy congregation (כְּנִשְׁתָּא קַדִּישְׁתָּא), they are so (נִינְהוּ).
Behold, I have taken a blessing—my seal of blessings (הִנֵּה בְּרָכָה לָקַחְתִּי חוֹתָמִי בְּרָכוֹת). Two from the heaps (שְׁתַּיִם מֵעֲרֵמוֹת). For Shlomo: may Elohim be gracious to us and bless us (לִשְׁלֹמֹה אֱלֹהִים יְחָנֵּנוּ וִיבָרְכֵנוּ). May Shlomo ascend upon the holy mountain, the city of our appointed times (יַעֲלֶה שְׁלֹמֹה בְּהַר הַקֹּדֶשׁ קִרְיַת מוֹעֲדֵינוּ). May He establish him (יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ). May He guard him (יִצְּרֵנֵהוּ). Like the pupil of the eye (כְּאִישׁוֹן בַּת). To behold the goodness of (לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּבַת). A tranquil habitation—and behold, the land is broad (נָוֶה שַׁאֲנָן וְהָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה רַחֲבַת). Pure, enlightening the eyes (בָּרָה מְאִירַת עֵינַיִם). And together they shall be (וְיַחְדָּו יִהְיוּ). All the blessings are complete (תָּמִים כָּל הַבְּרָכִי״ם). With one stroke, all of them are one blessing (כְּחַדָא מַחְתָּא כֻּלְּהוּ בִּרְכָּתָא נִינְהוּ). All that is written for life—my hand has founded it (כָּל הַכָּתוּב לְחַיִּים יָדִי יְסָדָהּ).
Rabbi Shlomo said: because of the pressure, he signed in a gondalit [a reversed writing direction] (אָמַר רַ״שׁ אֲגַב דּוּחְקָא גּוֹנְדָּלִית חָתַם). Behold, I stand here—Azmir, may God protect it—before the congregation, to serve them (הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נִצָּב פֹּה אַזְמִיר יַע״א לִפְנֵי הָעֵדָה לְשָׁרְתָם). On the twenty-first day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar (יוֹם הָאֶחָד וְעֶשְׂרִים לַחֹדֶשׁ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר הוּא חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר שְׁמוֹ). Their signs go forth in song (אוֹתוֹתָ״ם יוֹצְאִים בְּשִׁיר). Behold, I shall call; he goes forth; they slept their sleep (הֵ״ן אֶקְרָא יוֹצֵא נְמ״וּ שְׁנָתָ״ם). His palate is sweetness; all of him is desirable (חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים כֻּלּוֹ מַחֲמַדִּים). This is my beloved, and this is my friend—according to the full count (זֶה דוֹדִי וְזֶה רֵעִי לְפִ״ג).
Chayim Moda‘i. (חַיִּים מוֹדָעִי).
Notes
Rabbi Chaim Moda’i (1720–1794 / ה׳ת"פ–ה׳תקנ"ד) - Counted among the eminent Sephardic sages of the late eighteenth century, known in his generation as haRav haMechubad. Born in Constantinople in the year 5480 (ה׳ת"פ), he became a disciple of Rabbi Ḥayyim Abulafia the Younger. In 5489 (1729), at approximately nine years old, he ascended with his family to the Land of Israel and settled in Safed, where he remained for twenty-five years and rose to the position of Rosh Ḥakhmei Ṣefat. In 5515 (1755) he returned to Istanbul to serve as a dayan. After the catastrophic Safed earthquake of 5520 (1760) he became a shadar, journeying through Europe to raise relief funds for the stricken Galilean community. During these travels he forged connections with leading rabbinic authorities, including Rabbi Yechezkel Landau of Prague, who references him with honor in Noda BiYehudah, and maintained close association with Rabbi Ḥayyim Yosef David Azulai (the Ḥida). In the early 5530s (1770s) he was called to Izmir (Smyrna), where he served for roughly seventeen years as Av Beit Din and later as chief rabbi of the city-then among the great Sephardi centers of the Ottoman Empire. There he led the prestigious “Beit Yaakov Rabbi” yeshiva together with Rabbi Yitzhak Mayo, and his halakhic authority was recognized throughout the region. Feeling the burden of age, he returned to Safed in 5553 (1793), where he passed away the following year, in the winter of 5554 (1794). Though the exact Hebrew date is not preserved in surviving sources, his passing is consistently recorded in that year. He was laid to rest in the ancient cemetery of Safed. Rabbi Moda’i authored Tiv Gittin (Jerusalem, 5635 / 1875) on the laws of divorce, and the two-volume responsa Chaim La’Olam (Izmir, 5639–5645 / 1879–1885), published posthumously by his descendants. His halakhic rulings are cited in the writings of his contemporaries, including the Ḥida’s Chaim Sha’al and Rabbi Raphael A. Matzliaḥ’s Ma’amar HaMelekh. He also composed the rabbinic introduction to the Salonika 5539 (1779) edition of Shemen Zayit Zakh, thereby helping preserve the legacy of Rabbi Shlomo Molcho. Through his leadership in both Safed and Izmir, Rabbi Chaim Moda’i became firmly established as one of the honored geonim of his era.