Collection of monetary legal documents, signed by the dayanim of the Sanaa Beit Din in the 18th century, 1708-1796. Including documents signed by the head of the Beit Din R. Shalom Hamdi, a document signed by the head of the Beit Din R. Yichye Tzalach – the Maharitz, and documents signed by R. Yichye Mishreqi (son of R. David author of Shetilei Zeitim).
The documents are in Judeo-Arabic; the dayanim's signatures appear at the foot of each leaf.
List of documents (in chronological order): • Document dated 8th Cheshvan 1708, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. • Document dated 28th Adar II 1715, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. On verso, signatures of a third dayan: R. Saadya son of R. Shalom HaLevi [Amar]. • Document from 2nd Elul 1716, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadya [Qati'i]. • Two documents dated 7th Kislev 1719, signed by R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi [Hamdi] and R. Moshe son of R. Saadia [Qati'i]. • Document dated 26th Elul 1784, signed by R. Yichye son of R. Yosef Tzalach – the Maharitz, and R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal]. • Document dated 14th Kislev 1787, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal] and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 22nd Elul 1788, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal], R. Yichye son of R. Yehuda Tzaadi (also known as Maharitz) and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 29th Kislev 1788, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal] and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 24th Kislev 1793, signed by R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua [Elgamal], R. Yichye son of R. Yehuda Tzaadi and R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi. • Document dated 22nd Av 1796, signed by R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi and R. Avraham son of Aharon [Manzeli].
The documents in this remarkable collection bear the signatures of leading rabbis and dayanim in Sanaa, in the 17th-18th centuries:
R. Moshe son of R. Saadya Qati'i (d. 1715), a leader of the Exile of Mawza' refugees and amongst the rabbis who instituted regulations following the exile. He later served as dayan in Sanaa (from ca. 1696). A prolific writer.
The head of the Sanaa Beit Din – R. Shalom son of R. Amram HaLevi Hamdi (1649-1724), a native of Sanaa, amongst the Mawza' exiles. He was appointed dayan in Sanaa after 1690, and in ca. 1715, became head of the Sanaa Beit Din and chief rabbi of Yemen.
R. Saadya son of Shalom HaLevi Amar (1682-1757), a Sanaa Torah scholar. Not much information is known about him. The Maharitz mentions him as the one who instituted a prayer regulation in R. Yichye HaLevi's synagogue.
The head of the Sanaa Beit Din – R. Yichye son of R. Yosef Tzalach – the Maharitz (1715-1805), a foremost Yemenite rabbi in the 18th century, and a leading halachic authority. He was the disciple of his grandfather Mori Tzalach, and of R. Aharon HaKohen Iraqi, R. Yichye Iraqi and R. David Mishreqi, author of "Shetilei Zeitim". At the age of 43, he was appointed
chief rabbi and head of the Beit Din of all Yemenite communities, a position he held for more than 45 years. His authority was unequivocally accepted throughout Yemen, and to this day many Yemenite Jews adhere to his customs and rulings. He compiled the Tiklal siddur with the Etz Chaim commentary, and many halachic works: Zevach Toda and Shaarei Kedusha on the laws of shechita, Shaarei Tahara on the laws of Niddah, Responsa Peulat Tzaddik, and other books of halacha, musar and kabbalah.
R. Shlomo son of R. Yeshua Elgamal (Gamliel; ca. 1720-1795). Prominent rabbi in Sanaa. In 1770, he was appointed dayan in the Beit Din of the Maharitz, and his signature appears on Beit Din rulings.
R. Yichye son of R. David Mishreqi (1734-1809), founder of the Shami rite together with his father (the Shetilei Zeitim). He was appointed temporary dayan in 1785 and from 1795, served as permanent dayan in the Beit Din of the Maharitz. His novellae and rulings were published together with his father's novellae in Revid HaZahav.
R. Avraham son of R. Aharon Manzeli (1752-1827), a rabbi in Sanaa. He was appointed permanent dayan ca. 1809, alongside R. Yosef Qareh and R. Yosef Nakash.
11 documents. Size varies, overall good-fair condition. Tears and wear, primarily to margins. Folding marks.

Manuscript, Yemenite rite Tiklal siddur, with Chiddushin and commentary by R. Yitzchak (Mahari) Wanneh – prayers for weekdays, Shabbat, festivals, special days and fasts. [Yemen, ca. 1705-1706].
With later additions and replacements (approx. 32 leaves throughout the volume – first leaves and other leaves in the middle of the volume), presumably ca. 1892-1893.
Early Yemenite script, predominantly with supralinear vocalization. On many leaves, the author included lengthy in-text commentaries in "windows", some of them entitled "Chiddushin". Most of the commentaries and novellae are attributed to R. Yitzchak Wanneh. Several marginal glosses from other writers, in Yemenite script, including some lengthy glosses, containing additional commentary.
The manuscript comprises: weekday prayers, Tikkunei Shabbat and Tikkun Shabbat Malketa; Shabbat prayers; Pirkei Avot with commentary; songs for Motza'ei Shabbat; Rosh Chodesh prayers; prayers for Passover and Passover Haggadah (with Chiddushin – commentary to the Haggadah by R. Yitzchak Wanneh); Shavuot prayers; prayer for fast days, Megillat Eichah and lamentations; prayers for the High Holidays; prayers for Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret, Hoshanot, prayer for rain, Hakafot and piyyutim for Simchat Torah; order of Chanukah with Megillat Bnei Chashmona'i; Tikkun Purim; Selichot LeLeilei Ashmurot (for the month of Elul); Keter Malchut by R. Shlomo ibn Gabirol; El Melech and Maranot selichot (piyyutim for Yom Kippur night, beginning with the words El Melech and Maran); order of Yom Kippur service (by R. Avraham ibn Ezra); order of Berachot, Birkat HaMazon and laws of mitzvot; calendars of leap years and Tekufot beginning from the year 1705. Additional (later) leaves of Tekufot calendars beginning 1892-1893; texts of contracts and other piyyutim.
[287] leaves. 29 cm. Lacking leaves at end of volume. Condition varies, good-fair. Stains, tears and wear. Open tears to many leaves, affecting text, with unskilled paper repairs. Worming. Loose gatherings. Various stamps and ownership inscriptions. Worn and damaged binding, with spine from crudely tanned leather.

Manuscript, Yemenite rite Tiklal siddur; prayers for weekdays, Shabbat and festivals, with Chiddushin and commentaries by R. Yitzchak (Mahari) Wanneh and other commentators. At the end of the volume – various midrashim and compositions, segulah books and dream interpretations. [Yemen, ca. 1877].
A complete, large format siddur in neat Yemenite script (style and text based on early Tiklal siddurim, predominantly with supralinear vocalization). The commentaries, which are set in a separate column, are entitled Chiddushin or other, as follows: Tikunei Shabbat with the Tikunei Shabbat commentary; Pirkei Avot with Chiddushin; Passover Haggadah with Chiddushin; Azharot by R. Shlomo ibn Gabirol with Perush Azharot; Megillat Esther and Megillat Bnei Chashmona'i with commentaries (entitled Midrash Esther); High holiday prayers and Hoshanot with Chiddushin; Keter Malchut piyyutim, Ashmorot (selichot for the month of Elul); El Melech and Maranot piyyutim (selichot for Yom Kippur night, opening with the words El Melech and Maran), without commentary; Yom Kippur service by R. Avraham ibn Ezra; Birkat HaMazon with Chiddushin, order of blessings; calendar of leap years and Tekufot beginning 1876.
Several compositions were copied further in the volume, most of which do not appear in other Tiklal siddurim: midrashim in Judeo-Arabic on the Ten Commandments and the passing of Aharon HaKohen and Moshe Rabbenu; texts of ketubot, divorce and other official documents; Shaar HaTekufot – segulot for predicting the future; Letter of Eldad HaDani; Tale of Yeshu (Jesus); Tale of Ben Sira; the Taamim Nechmadim composition; Pitron Chalomot (dream interpretations).
The scribe's colophon, which was written alongside the concluding lines of the book Taamim Nechmadim, states that the book was written for Ya'ish Salam al-Shaer.
[193] leaves. Approx. 33 cm. Thick, high-quality paper. Wide margins. Overall good condition. Many stains, minor wear. Marginal tears and paper repairs to first leaf. Several detached leaves. Crude leather binding, with tooling. Binding worn and slightly damaged, worming to endpaper.

Manuscript, Tafsir of R. Saadya Gaon, Judeo-Arabic translation of the Torah, composed by R. Saadya Gaon. [Yemen, 18th/19th century and 20th century].
The manuscript is comprised of several manuscript parts scribed in different periods. Leaves [45-102] – script typical of ca. 18th century. Leaves [19-44], different hand, presumably completed at a slightly later date, ca. 19th century. Leaves [2-18; 103-106] are later additions [20th century]. It appears that the combined manuscript comprises the complete composition.
[2-106] leaves. 31 cm. Various types of paper. Condition varies. Overall fair condition. Wear and tears. Mold stains to some leaves. New binding.
It is rare to find a manuscript of this work as a book on its own. Tafsir of R. Saadia Gaon is usually included in Taj books of the Torah, in a separate column alongside the text of the Torah and Targum Onkelos.

Manuscript, Diwan – songs and piyyutim. [Yemen, ca. 19th century]. Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic.
Tall and narrow format.
[159] pages. 33.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains (dark stains and dampstains), tears and wear. Worming. Old binding.
Provenance: Mehlman Ms. 88.