A Short Tribute

It is written that His mercies are over all His works, from the fishes in the depths of the sea to the birds in skies does His mercy conquer, even more so over Man who is in the Godly image…
Come and see that the Ishmaelites also welcome guests with a fair countenance, as we witnessed in Iraq, Syria and Turkey, when I, the author, would go to circumcise their sons. They would proclaim my arrival throughout the entire town and tell them to gather at their great minister's house in honor of the circumciser and teacher, the Jew's sage, and would arrive in droves to a large room prepared for gatherings, and I would preach words of reprimand to them in their tongue, the Kurmanji language, and they would very much enjoy this, and I would at times pronounce judgement for them according to Torah.
Once I went to a city named Sepidareh and they all gathered about me, and an argument began between them, for they wished to overthrow their old leader and replace him with a young one; they asked me about this and I recounted the tale of King Solomon's son, Rehoboam, to its end. They then unanimously thanked me and left the old man in his position until the day of his death; they have always had great respect for our holy Torah.

''They that wait for the LORD shall renew their strength' – 'Rabbi Nehorai says, I set aside all trades in the world and I teach my son only Torah' etc. Why? Because the Torah will stand for him in good stead in his old age, giving him hope and support. Regarding youth it says, 'They that wait for the LORD shall renew their strength' and regarding old age it says, 'They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and richness'. Therefore every person who deals in Torah is elevated, not only those of the People of Israel but non-Jews as well.
They said of the Rav HIDA [Rabbi Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806] that he had a sister who was more knowledgeable than he in Mishna but would read [the letter] het as chet, so he said to her: My sister, you are not Ashkenazic, why do you read het as chet? She answered him: Brother, dear, Scripture says "they that wait for the LORD shall renew their strength" – kaf renews het. [strength in Hebrew – ko'ach, written with kaf and het].

If, Heaven forbid, a person's relative died during a particular year, then one must take care not to weep about this at all on the Seder eve, and the people of the household are not to agonize about this. One should gather one's strength and overcome one's nature notwithstanding; he, his wife and household should be happy and be strong and, with God's help, their luck will improve.
While we were still living abroad in the town of Amadiah, we had an excellent custom on this matter. On Passover eve, after the afternoon and evening prayers, or in the morning at dawn we would go to the home of one who was still within the twelve months [of mourning the deceased] and dress all the household members in festive garments, and go to the Passover festival prayers together.

Whoever has participated in singing the Bakashot on Sabbath evenings, and been among the singers, the listening congregation, young men and women and children in particular, meaning that listening, enjoying, singing pleases God and people. For it says, 'Honour the LORD with thy substance' – read not substance, but throat – If God has gifted you with a pleasant voice, do not withhold the good from its owner. It was He, the Holy One blessed be He, who granted you a pleasant voice.
I heard a tale from my father, my master, of blessed memory and in the world to come. A tough and violent Ishmaelite notable once set out to kill a Jew named Baba Eli who owed him much money and had gone bankrupt. He traveled a day's journey and happened upon the town of Amadiah in Iraq on Yom Kippur at the hour of the Moussaf prayer.
The cantor was my elder teacher and master Rabbi Binyamin Avidani, may his memory be for the world to come, and his attendants were his two sons, my master and teacher, my uncle Hakham Rachamim, of blessed memory, and my father, my master, Rabbi Shimon, may his memory be in the world to come, and at the time they were reciting the piyut 'Happy is the eye that saw this all, our spirit is saddened by what we hear".
And the notable heard the loveliness of their voices. The three had pleasant voices that could shatter cedars. Once they had finished the entire Selichot, the notable stood up on his feet and said: I have traveled a day's journey to kill the Jew [mentioned above], but because of the pleasant sound of this prayer by your sages, I have forgiven him, and he immediately turned away and left… Therefore, gentlemen, imagine the value of songs and bakashot here, in our holy land. I therefore request from you honorable men. Strengthen your hands by them. Be strong, increase, sanctify the holies of Jacob…and that we may, as a result, merit total redemption, Amen.