Manuscript, anthology of books on the zodiac, tekufot, various prayers and segulot, by the fabricator Yitzchak son of Shmuel of Persia. [Persia, ca. 1780s–1790s].
Decorated title pages with ornamental borders and colored, hollow letters. The pages of a large part of the manuscript are framed with borders comprising text, in the same technique. Oriental script. The manuscript comprises several works on the zodiacs, tekufot and other topics, see Hebrew description for list of contents.
R. Moshe Hillel studied the manuscript extensively, and came to the conclusion that this anthology is part of a group of works written or fabricated by Yitzchak [=Or] son of Shmuel of Persia. Some of the works comprising this manuscript were copied with errors and additions, while others are not known from any other source (see Hebrew description for further details; the text of Birkat HaChamah is copied from his own version of Sefer HaPeliah – see item no. 83). See: R. Moshe Hillel, Sifro shel Badai: Yitzchak ben Shmuel MiParas VeChiburav HaBeduyim, Jerusalem 2017 (the present manuscript is described on pp. 66–72).
Inscription in neat script on the back endpaper. Inscriptions in Hebrew and Arabic (in Arabic characters) on the endpapers.

[69] leaves. Approx. 17.5 cm. Fair–good condition. Stains, including dampstains. Marginal tears and wear. Several detached leaves. Old leather binding, damaged.

Provenance:
1. Kedem Auction 30, March 2013, item 203.
2. The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, PS.011.013.

Manuscript, Tafsir Keter Malchut and poems in Judeo–Persian. [Iran, 1779–1780].
Oriental script. Headings in red ink. Each page of text enclosed in red border. Colorful, decorated heading at the top of the first page (partially deleted).
The main part of the manuscript comprises Tafsir Keter Malchut – Judeo–Persian translation and commentary to R. Shlomo ibn Gabirol's Keter Malchut. Followed by two poems in Judeo–Persian (lengthy note in Arabic characters on p. [29a]).
The manuscript is dated 1779 at the beginning. Colophon at the end of the Tafsir (p. [27]): "Written and completed on Sunday, 16th Iyar 1779". At the end of the manuscript: "I wrote it in 1780". Late ownership inscription, dated 1927, near last colophon.

The manuscript is bound in a fine lacquer-coated cover. Lacquer work was one of the fine classic arts of Iran; the present binding is a unique example of the use of this classic Iran skill with a Hebrew manuscript.

[32] leaves. 15.5 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains. Tears and minor open tears, with slight damage to text, repaired in part with paper. Colorful binding (spine restored, non–original).

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, PS.011.008.

Manuscript, Shesh Kenafayim, homilies on the Mishnah stating that every Jew has a portion in the World to Come, by R. Reuven son of R. Avraham Moshe. [Quba (Azerbaijan), 1871].
Neat Oriental script. Illustrated title page, depicting the Tablets of the Law and six–winged putti. Colophon at the end, stating the date of completion – Monday, 20th Av 1871, the place of writing – Quba, and the name of the scribe.
Shesh Kenafayim comprises six homiletic ways of explaining the Mishnah "Kol Yisrael", with commentaries to sayings of the sages and other topics. Unpublished work.
R. Reuven son of R. Avraham Moshe was a Torah scholar in Azerbaijan. There are other known works and manuscripts he authored and copied in Quba in the second half of the 19th century.
Quba is in northern Azerbaijan, and was the main seat of the Mountain Jews (see Hebrew sidebar).

[66] leaves. 18 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Margins of several leaves trimmed (without damage to text). Inscriptions. New binding.

Exhibition:
• "The Mountain Jews", exhibition catalog, the Israel Museum, 2001, p. 108–109.
• Only on paper: Six Centuries of Judaica from the Gross Family Collection, CD, 2005.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, AZB.011.002.

Two manuscripts on the laws of Shechitah, scribed by R. Aharon son of Refael Tawil "resident of Gaza", in Rashid, Egypt, 1700. Colorful, decorated title pages:
• Zevach HaShelamim, summary of laws of Shechitah, by R. Aharon Tawil. Handwritten by the author.
The author copied the work several times, in a different redaction.

[8] leaves. 16 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. Small hole to title page. New binding.

Illustrated manuscripts originating from Rashid are exceptionally rare.

• Zikaron LiBnei Yisrael, summary of laws of Shechitah and terefot, by R. Avraham Mizrachi, copied by R. Aharon Tawil in Rashid, 1700 (as stated on the decorated title page).
The work was first published in Yemin Moshe, Amsterdam 1718. The present manuscript precedes the printed edition by 18 years (with minor textual variations, without Hilchot HaKashrut at the end).

[8] leaves. 16 cm. Good–fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. A few tears. New binding.

Exhibition:
• Yeshiva University Museum, New York, "The Sephardic Journey: 1492–1992", 1990–1992, p. 166, nos. 279, 280.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, OT.011.004, OT.011.005.

Manuscript, Minchah and Arvit for the Three Festivals, scribed by Yitzchak Meir Chaim Moshe Gabbai. [Baghdad, 1854].
Miniature format. Neat square and semi–cursive Oriental script, with ornaments.
Colophon stating the date of completion: 25th Adar 1854. Copyist's signatures in various places in the manuscript.
Yitzchak Meir Chaim Moshe Gabbai also produced that year a decorated Passover Haggadah (sold at Kedem auction 92, part II, item 131; Gross Collection IQ.011.014). There is also a group of decorated Esther scrolls he produced in ca. 1848–1854. See Kedem auction catalog, ibid, for more details.

[43] leaves (+ many blank leaves). 9.5 cm. Good condition. Stains. Tiny marginal tears. Inscriptions. Original leather binding, damaged.

Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, IQ.011.015.