Collection of leaves handwritten by R. Shlomo Michael Yonah, Rabbi of Torino – sermons and novellae on the Torah. [Torino, ca. 18th century].

The present lot is comprised of two groups of leaves in the author’s autograph manuscript, with erasures, corrections and additions. In one group appears a draft of a lengthy sermon for Shabbat Bereshit. In this group, there is lesser use of leaves from letters sent to R. Shlomo Michael Yonah, and on some leaves appear the recipient’s address – his name and address in Torino, with remains of postmarks left on them.

The second group, in larger format, contains sermons on the Torah portions of the Book of Bereshit. The present leaves contain sections on Bereshit, Noach, Lech Lecha, Vayera and Chayei Sarah; followed by various selections. The first page contains a title page formula, with the title Divrei Shlomo.
To the best of our knowledge, these novellae have not been printed.

R. Shlomo Michael Yonah, one of the leading Italian Torah scholars in the 18th century. Brother-in-law of R. Yechiel Chaim Troyes, Rabbi of Vercelli. First he lived in Alessandria where he met and developed an ongoing friendship with the Chida on his first mission to Italy. He was subsequently appointed Rabbi of Torino, where he again hosted the Chida.

[5] leaves, 30 cm; [7] leaves, 24 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, tears and wear.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Manuscript, Seder Tefillat Nashim – special prayers for women, scribed by R. Elisha Pontremoli. Chieri, Italy, 1814.

Hebrew in square Italian script, vowelized; with titles and instructions in Italian (in Latin characters).
Includes special prayers for women, including prayers for a pregnant woman, prayer for the ninth month of pregnancy, a prayer for candle-lighting, while separating Challah, for the night of immersion in the Mikveh, following birth, a prayer for a nursing woman, and more.

Colophon on last page by the scribe, R. Elisha Pontremoli (1779-1852), an Italian Torah scholar, author of many works still in manuscript.

[12] leaves. 17 cm. Fair-good condition. Dark and stained leaves. Stains. Some wear. Original parchment binding, damaged.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, IT.011.006.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Manuscript, Menorat HaMaor by R. Yitzchak Aboab. [Yemen], 1745.

Yemenite script. Complete copying of Menorat HaMaor, Venice 1544 edition. At the beginning of the manuscript is a piyyut and table of contents (partial), followed by a double-page with illustrations of the Tabernacle, the Temple and their vessels, decorated with red ink. On the next page appears Lamnatzeach in the shape of a Menorah, followed by the copying of the work. Dated inscriptions after the introduction and on leaf 158.
Ownership inscriptions on the blank page before the illustrations, pp. 1a and 12a.

Menorat HaMaor was particularly well received among Yemenite Jewry, who refer to it simply as "Menorah". Yemenite Jews would read it every Shabbat and festival in the synagogue, before the recital of Aleinu. The Maharitz mentions this custom (in his Tiklal siddur), and the custom is preserved to this day in the Yemenite community.

[5], 123, [1], 122-131, [1], 134-308, [1] leaves (some misfoliation). 22 cm. Condition of leaves varies, fair-good. Stains, including large and dark dampstains to some leaves. Wear and tears. Worming and open tears to several leaves, affecting text (repaired with paper and paper filling on illustrated pages). Original leather binding, damaged and worn.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, YM.011.070.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Manuscript, kabbalistic commentaries on prayer – sections from Or Zarua by R. David son of Yehudah HeChasid and the commentary attributed to R. Yosef ibn Tzayach – a copying in the handwriting of R. Yichya son of R. Yosef Tzalach, the Maharitz. [Yemen, 18th century].

A copying in the characteristic handwriting of the Maharitz. In the page before the title page appears an ownership inscription of the great-grandson of the Maharitz: "Yosef son of Chacham son of R. Av[raham] Tzalach".

The first page contains a fine, illustrated title page, attributing the manuscript's commentary on prayer to the kabbalist R. Yosef ibn Tzayach, a Torah scholar from Jerusalem and Damascus in the 16th century. It goes on to describe the copy that was the source of the present manuscript as the autograph copy of R. Yosef ibn Tzayach. The Maharitz writes that when that manuscript began to undergo tears and erasures, the owner of the manuscript, R. Shalom Iraqi, had him copy it. The Maharitz does not sign his name. Furthermore, the present copying is incomplete, and was interrupted some leaves later.

[16] leaves. 22 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Heavy worming, affecting title frame and text of all leaves. New binding.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, YM.011.063.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.

Manuscript, Machzor according to the Yemenite rite for the high holidays and three festivals. [Yemen, ca. 18th century].

Especially neat Yemenite script, vocalized (supralinear vocalization in the first half of the manuscript, sublinear vocalization in the second half). With fine artistic decorations, integrated with ink in red and other colors, in initial panels and in other places.

The manuscript is incomplete, and is missing leaves in several places in the middle.
Instructions and halachot in small (sometimes micrographic) letters, in Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic.
Leaves in a later hand are integrated in several places. Several marginal glosses and supplements in later hands.

[121] leaves. Approx. 15 cm. Varying condition between leaves, fair-good. Stains. Wear and tears, mainly to margins. Worming and open tears, affecting text, mainly to first leaves and last leaves, repaired with paper. Old leather binding, damaged.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, YM.011.053.

PLEASE NOTE: Item descriptions were shortened in translation. For further information, please refer to Hebrew text.