Illustrated manuscript booklet, mnemonic for the order of the weekly Torah portions, Haftarot, calendar and prayer to recite after reading Shir HaShirim. [Persia, early 19th century].

Persian Oriental script. At the beginning of the manuscript is a page with an elaborate frame, illustrated in gold and other colors (in the style of Islamic manuscripts). Colorful line frames on the other pages.
On the illustrated first page is a poetic mnemonic for the Torah portions (by R. Yissachar Susan, printed in his book Tikkun Yissachar). The title attributes the work to Shmuel son of R. Azariah.

Inscriptions on the front endpaper, including the dates 1814 and 1825.
Includes Haftarot for the Torah portions Shemot, Bo, Bechukotai and Haazinu. Leaf [8]: prayer to recite after Shir HaShirim. Leaf [9]: calendar of intercalated months and Torah portions for years 1802-1865.

[9] leaves. 17 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Tears and open tears to several leaves, affecting text.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, PS.011.012.

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

Manuscript, zodiacs, Goralot, amulets, piyyutim and more, by R. Reuven son of R. Avraham Moshe. [Quba (Azerbaijan), 1879.]
Neat Oriental script, with illustrated decorations in color in margins of pages.

Contains zodiacs, Segulot and amulets for various matters, "Urim VeTumim" Goralot, with a prayer before performing the Goral, and various piyyutim. The text is written in frames in the center of the page, leaving wide margins, with many notations of lines and dots (in ink and pencil) made while performing a Goral, some with the names and details of the people the Goral was performed for.

At the bottom of the pages on leaves [5-10] appear illustrated and colored decorations, with a progressive colophon with the name of the scribe's place (Quba) and son. The scribe's name appears on p. [16b] and in the acrostic of the piyyut on p. [17b]. The date appears on p. [11b].
On leaf [17] is a piyyut for Yom Kippur by R. Binyamin; on the verso is an addition by the scribe himself, with his name in acrostic.
On p. [10b] is a decorated chart of the gems on the breastplate, with the names of the tribes.

R. Reuven son of R. Avraham Moshe was a Torah scholar in Azerbaijan. He is known to have authored and copied other works and manuscripts in Quba in the second half of the 19th century.
Quba is in northern Azerbaijan, and was the main residence of the Mountain Jews (see Hebrew sidebar).

[20] leaves. Missing several leaves. Some leaves are bound out of order. 20.5 cm. Fair condition. Stains and wear. Marginal tears, affecting text in several places. Many inscriptions. Some of the leaves are disconnected. Without binding.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, AZB.011.003.

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

Manuscript, "Majuma" – anthology of amulets, Segulot, zodiacs, Goralot, dream interpretation and more. Yerevan, Armenia, 1912.

Colophons of the scribe, with his name, city and dates of writing appear in several places in the manuscript (p. 1b, 6a, 32a, 47a), as well as his stamps (leaves 31, 44, 85, 109): R. Avraham son of Pinchas in Yerevan.

[126] leaves. 22 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dampstains and dark stains. Heavy wear, damage and tears, mainly to margins, affecting text. New binding.

The only known Jewish manuscript from Yerevan, Armenia.

Provenance: Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, AR.011.001.

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

Letter to the Mantua community, regarding purchase of lulavim and etrogim for Sukkot for the community, from Bentzion of Norzi. Ferrara, 1580.

Letter sent to the Mantua community leaders. The author writes that he had received a letter from the Mantua community leaders, followed by another one from R. Yehudah Provenzalo, regarding lulavim. He promises to uphold his promise to send lulavim and etrogim to Mantua. The margins of the letter contain the place and date of writing, with his signature.

[1] double leaf (on the exterior – address of recipients in Italian). 31 cm. Good condition. Stains. Folds. Open tears to margins and center of leaf (not affecting text).

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

Printed leaf with a riddle, for the wedding of Yitzchak son of Shabtai Marini with the bride Yehudit daughter of Menachem of Italy, by R. Yeshayahu Bassan. Mantua, [ca. 1724].

At the top of the leaf is an engraving with angels holding a crown, branches and musical instruments, with the (printed) signature of the author.

R. Yeshayahu Bassan (1673-1739), Rabbi in Padua and later in Reggio, close teacher of the Ramchal (R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto).
The groom, R. Yitzchak son of Shabtai Marini, was a close friend of the Ramchal, and was one of the first seven in the Zohar study group founded by the Ramchal. The Ramchal also wrote two poems for his wedding.

[1] leaf. Approx. 46 cm. Fair condition. Stains. Folds. Tears to folds and margins, slightly affecting text. The leaf is mounted on another leaf for reinforcement and preservation.

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