Bundle of ancient handwritten leaves removed from the "Binding Geniza".
Among the leaves:
· Part of a missive in [curly] ancient cursive Sephardic script. [17th century]. Later, this leaf was used for a letter [in Judeo-Arabic], which partly survived, featuring a cutoff signature: "Ya'akov Bacha---". The recipient is mentioned on the reverse side of the leaf: "It should arrive and be pleasing as a sacrifice before the glorious sage and dayan my brother and teacher R' Shimon Mizrachi…from Hamadan to Baghdad…". [Apparently, the recipient is Rabbi Shimon son of R' Yonah Mizrachi, a Baghdad scholar and Rabbi. In 1696, he authored his work "Kanfei Yonah" on the Hebrew calendar. Possibly, the writer is his brother Rabbi Ya'akov who in 1687 wrote his book Kehillat Ya'akov on the calendar. See enclosed material].
· Letter of recommendation for "[Avraham]? Son of R' Kamal Etzfhani", by Baghdad Rabbis who sign "Here in the holy community of Baghdad…1680". The first signature belongs to Rabbi Shimon Mizrachi, author of Kanfei Yonah. Folded leaf. The second part contains about two pages from his composition of homilies on the Torah [in the author's handwriting].
· Bill of sale of a house. Mandali [Babylonia], 1678. On the verso, the blessing of Erusin and Nisiu'in.
· Part of a composition of homilies [on the Midrash "And Ya'akov arrived complete"].
· Parts of ancient compositions in Judeo-Persian. [Moreh Nevuchim, piyyutim, etc.].
· More leaves.
· Enclosed is part of the binding, upon which more leaves are glued.
In the 18th century, Baghdad was stricken by severe epidemics that claimed many lives and heavily affected the local Jewish population. The epidemic in 1742 claimed the lives of most of the local sages and the Baghdad community was forced to apply to the Aleppo community to send them a Rabbi (Rabbi Zedakah Hozin was sent to Baghdad and served in its rabbinate for 30 years). These leaves are a very rare documentation of the 17th century - preceding the epidemics which annihilated a large part of the community and its rabbis. Very few of such documents survived and much information can be extracted from them regarding the history of Babylonian Jewry. For example, the letter sent from Hamadan to Baghdad portrays the connection between the Jewish communities of Babylonia and Persia (see previous item).
More than 15 leaf fragments, size varies, various levels of damage.
All the leaves were removed from one binding, which initially bound the manuscript featured in this catalog, see previous item.

Three illustrated manuscripts. [Persia, 19th century]:
1. Manuscript, Shir HaShirim, with Persian translation [verse and translation, one following another]. Title page illustrated in various colors. Colorful decoration on Leaf [2]. On Leaf [18], a colorful "carpet" frames the verse "I am sleeping and my Beloved is awake…". Colophon on last page: "…Ta'anit Esther the 11th of Adar Rishon…Azarya son of R' Chacham Yitzchak". [Written on the new binding: 1861]. [31] leaves.
2. Manuscript, Megillat Ruth, with Aramaic and Persian translation [verse per verse]. Title page illustrated with various colors. Illustrated frames in the beginning of chapters. Colophon on last page: "I have written this for the dear and lofty…1875". [18] leaves.
3. Manuscript, "Gather and listen, sons of Ya'akov, to the religion of your Creator" - Azharot for Pesach by Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, with Persian translation. Title page illustrated in various colors, apparently never completed. Later, the version of Petach Eliyahu and other inscriptions were written on blank leaves. [Written on the new binding: 1868]. [9] leaves.
3 manuscripts. 17.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains, tears. Some leaves have erasures or damages to text. New bindings.
Provenance: Collection of Willy Lindwer.

Two illustrated manuscripts from Persia:
1. Manuscript, Raziel HaMalach. [Persia, 19th/20th century]. Persian writing, with many Kabbalistic illustrations. Some leaves have heavy damages.
2. Manuscript, piyyutim and songs in Judeo-Persian. [Persia], 1913. Long narrow format. Persian writing. The pages are ornamented with light-blue and pink frames. Several places have illustrations and geometric-shaped adornments, fowl and Chamsa symbols. The writer signed his name in several places. Colophon on last leaf: "Praise G-d… Mashiach Cohen…Thursday…1913…".
Two manuscripts, [117] and [95] leaves (respectively). Size and condition vary.
Provenance: Collection of Willy Lindwer.

Collection of handwritten leaves: letters, homilies, shtarot, pamphlets and more. [Oriental countries and other places, 19th and 20th centuries].
Among the items: · Letter of Torah teachings, decorated in various colors. Sent to Rabbi Avraham Ben Na'im. Jerusalem, 1872. · "Honorary" card, for "Yom Kippur prayers" - "Kol Nedarim and S'gan Arvit", by Rabbi Yitzchak Pancheiri. [Italy], 1858. · Handwritten pamphlet [11 pages], bakashot and piyyutim. [Yemen]. · Handwritten pamphlet, piyyutim for Purim and a piyut for Succot. [Yemen]. Partly damaged. · Handwritten pamphlet, piyyutim for a brit milah, for brides, for naming girls, sheva berachot, Reshut for a groom, for Shavuot and for Succot, etc. · Shtar agreement for shidduchim. [Khalab? Syria?]. Signed by "Moshe Harrari" among others. · Letter sent to General Kish by the residents of the city of Erbil, regarding their desire to immigrate to Eretz Israel. Sivan [1926]. · Authorization of the Bozrah (Batzrah) Beit Din appointing a shli'ach (messenger) Beit Din to perform a kiddushin. Bozrah (Iraq), Av 1930. Signatures of Rabbi Yechezkel Sassoon, Rabbi Nissim Shalom and Rabbi Nissim Dangur. · Handwritten leaf, study itinerary and Fast of Esther, Adar Bet 1948, among others: "Eulogy…of all those who died…in Jerusalem…". · Shtar of appointment of a custodian. Lisbon (Portugal), [without a date]. · Handwritten leaf, Torah teachings on Shabbat observation, by Rabbi Khomeini Alush, Rabbi of Medenine, Tunis. · Leaf sent from Yemen to Mori Yosef David Kapach, regarding the libel slandering Yemenite Jews during the 1948 pogroms [see: Toldot Yehudei Teiman - Letters, Jerusalem 1980, p. 283]. · Manuscript sections, homilies, etc. · Several printed leaves, receipts, etc.
Approximately 35 items. Size and condition vary.