Esther scroll, housed in a finely decorated silver case. [Ottoman Empire, probably Greece, late 19th or early 20th century].
Ink on parchment; silver, cast, turned and soldered; filigree, granulation.
Esther scroll in miniature format, inscribed in square Sephardi script, with "tagim" (decorative crowns) over designated letters, covering six sheets of parchment with 26 columns of text, 15 rows per column.
The scroll is housed in a cylindrical case made using filigree and granulation techniques and featuring vegetal patterns in a style and technique characteristic of similar items from Greece (Ioannina). Long scrolling rod with crank-shaped handle – another feature typical of the craftsmanship of the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans. Pull bar (sewn onto leading edge of scroll) with delicate, cloverleaf-shaped handle soldered on.
For comparison, see: The Center for Jewish Art (CJA), item nos. 22044 and 40969; The Jewish Museum, New York, no. F 6544.

Height of parchment sheets: 9 cm. Height of case: 17.5 cm; incl. crank-shaped handle: 33.5 cm. Corrections to text in several places. Minor warping and blemishes to filigree.

Volume containing nine Mohel ledgers ("Mohel bichels") from Szeged (Segedin, Hungary), from the years 1806-1859.
Nine handwritten ledgers of Mohalim (circumcisers) from Szeged, bound in one volume. The ledgers document the activity of the city's Mohalim in the first half of the 19th century and contain thousands of names of community members and many biographical and genealogical details. The present item is a valuable documentary source for the history of the Jews of Szeged in the 19th century.
At the beginning of the volume is an inscription (in Hungarian) recording a decision that a circumcision ledger was to be handed over to the Rabbi of Szeged, R. Dr. Leopold Löw. An additional inscription signed by his son and successor, R. Dr. Immanuel Löw, states that the ledgers were bound together in 1880.
At the beginning of the ledgers are added inscriptions (made when the ledgers were assembled), with the names of Mohalim, their numbering in the volume, and more. Stamps of "Szegedi Főrabbisag 1850" [=Chief Rabbi of Szeged, 1850] appear on the leaves of the ledgers (1850 was the beginning of R. Dr. Leopold Löw’s tenure as Rabbi).

Description of ledgers:

· Ledger of Mohel R. Avraham Schweiger – contains 188 inscriptions on circumcisions between 1817-1840 (on R. Avraham Schweiger, an activist of the city involved in the deposition of R. Daniel Pillitz in 1847 for his support of religious reforms, see: R. Yekutiel Yehudah Grünwald, Korot HaTorah VehaEmunah BeHungaria, Budapest 1921, p. 63).

· Ledger of Mohel R. Leib Fischer and his son R. Yehonatan Fischer – contains about 80 inscriptions on circumcisions performed by R. Leib Fischer between 1816-1837 (including the circumcision of his son Yehonatan in 1821). At the end of the ledger is an inscription on the passing of R. Leib, "my beloved, dear disciple R. Leib Fischer", signed "Moshe Gottein" (R. Moshe Goitein was also a Mohel in Szeged, and his ledger is bound in this volume; see below).

At the beginning of the ledger are added about 15 inscriptions on circumcisions performed by the son, R. Yehonatan Fischer, from 1845-1851. Before the first inscription is an opening paragraph (based on the prayer for a Mohel from Sod Hashem, widespread in Mohel ledgers): "…I give thanks and praise to His great name, for graciously granting me the merit to be the means of bringing Jewish children under the wings of the divine presence by circumcising them and removing their foreskins. In this book are the names of children circumcised by me, 1845". Several family inscriptions on the leaves of ledger.

· Ledger of Mohel R. David Ausländer, bound with Sod Hashem by R. David Lida, [Vienna, 1801] (missing title page and leaf 11). On the first leaf is the signature of the Mohel "David Ausländer, 1819". Contains over 470 circumcision inscriptions from 1819-1852. On the wrappers are early inscriptions of some of the circumcisions, which were later copied to the ordered inscriptions on the leaves of the ledger.

· Two ledgers of the Mohel R. Yehudah Pollak – the first ledger is bound with Sod Hashem, Vienna, 1814, with inscriptions on about 90 circumcisions between 1819-1833 (with mounted pieces of paper on circumcisions from 1834 and 1838). In the second ledger are inscriptions on over 200 circumcisions between 1819-1853. Some of the inscriptions overlap in the two ledgers. Between the two ledgers is a leaf with inscriptions on four circumcisions from 1854-1859.

· Ledger of the Mohel R. Moshe Zinner, with inscriptions on 102 circumcisions from 1842-1850. At the beginning of the ledger is an opening section (worded similarly to that of R. Yehonatan Fischer), dated 1842. On the last leaf are inscriptions in Yiddish mentioning names of other Mohalim in Szeged (whose ledgers are included in the present item): R. "Yehudah Pollak", R. "Hirsch Goitein" and R. "David Ausländ".

· Two ledgers of the Mohel R. Moshe Goitein (Gottein) and his son R. Tzvi Ze'ev (Hirsch Wolf) Goitein, bound at the end of Sod Hashem, Vienna, 1837 (an edition unknown bibliographically). Signature on title page: "Belongs to me, Hirsch Wolf Goitein, here, Segedin". The first ledger, of the son R. Hirsch Wolf, contains inscriptions on 159 circumcisions from 1832-1852. At the beginning of the ledger is an opening section (in square script): "I have come to note and record the names of the children that G-d has granted me the merit of being the means of bringing them under the wings of the divine presence, and circumcising and removing their foreskin… Tzvi Ze'ev son of Ella" (above the line is added: "[son] of Moshe"). Afterwards appears the ledger of the father, R. Moshe Goitein, with inscriptions on over 500 circumcisions from 1806-1852. The inscriptions also include family inscriptions. In many places, the Mohel added later to some of the names inscribed in the ledger that "they left the religion", adding curses against them. In 1839 appears the inscription: "Due to being occupied and having suffered misfortunes, as well as forgetfulness which human are wont to have, I did not note in this book the names of the dear children who were circumcised from 8th Av 1839 to 7th Adar II 1840, but they are recorded by the dear R. David Ausländer or by the dear R. Yehudah Pollak or by my dear son R. Hirsch Wolf".
Between the two ledgers and at the end of the second ledger are about 20 pages with various selections: Segulot, cures, sayings and more (in Yiddish and Hebrew). One leaf bears a hashbaa for ayin hara by the rebbe author of Yismach Moshe. Heading the hashbaa: "For ayin hara by R. Moshe Teitelbaum Rabbi of Ohel". 

· Mohel ledger, containing 29 inscriptions on circumcisions from 1834-1846. The beginning of the ledger is labeled "Abony" (Hungary). Two inscriptions are labeled "Kecske" (apparently Kecskemét, near Abony). One inscription is labeled "Körösújfalu". On the last page is an inscription in pencil: "Ledger of R. Yosef Klein, dayan here, Segedin – Abony".

R. Dr. Leopold (Lipót) Löw (1811-1875), a historian and one of the first Neolog rabbis in Hungary. Löw was born in Černá Hora (South Moravia), was educated in several yeshivas and studied linguistics, education and Christian theology. In 1841, he began to serve as Rabbi in Nagykanizsa (Hungary), learned Hungarian and was the first to use this language in synagogue sermons. He served as Chief Rabbi of Szeged from 1850 until his passing. In 1858-1867 he edited a Hebrew periodical called Ben Chananja.

His son, R. Dr. Immanuel (Avraham Chaim) Löw (1854-1944), was a Biblical and Talmudic scholar and a leading researcher of Semitic languages. Successor of his father as Chief Rabbi in Szeged, and a leader of Neolog Judaism in Hungary. He published various works and scientific studies, including "Aramaic Plant Names" (Aramäische Pflanzennamen) and "Flora of the Jews" – a study to which he dedicated most of his life, and which is considered to this day a foundational work in the field.

[130] leaves in manuscript (in addition to leaves of the books of Sod Hashem), and more blank leaves. Approx. 17-18 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and wear. Stamps. Original binding (on its spine is mounted a piece of paper labeled in Hungarian: books of circumcision). Wear and damage to binding.

Manuscript, ledger of income and expenses of the Chevra Kadisha of the "Moriscos community" (Musta'arabi Jews), with signature and additions handwritten by R. Yaakov Shaul Elyashar – the Yisa Berachah, and signatures of Jerusalem rabbis. 1853-1857. Hebrew and Ladino.
Ledger in pocket-size format. Oriental script, by several writers. Replete with hundreds of entries, names and details relating to the Chevra Kadisha's affairs and activities in Jerusalem, in the mid-19th century. The present item is a highly valuable documentary source on the Jews of Jerusalem at the time.
The ledger belonged to a gabbai named "Chaim Dan, called Ya'ish". His name, "Chaim Dan", is inscribed on the spine of the binding, and his name appears many times in the ledger. The entries were written by several writers, including R. Yaakov Shaul Elyashar – the Yisa Berachah (who later served as Rishon LeTzion). The ledger also contains several inscriptions with sums of accounts by other Jerusalem rabbis (listed below), with their signatures.
At the top of the first page: "Account of mitzvot of the Morisco community Chevra Kadisha. We have summed up the account from Rosh Chodesh Adar I 1853… and we have begun a new accounting starting 18th Nisan 1853". Here and in several other places (for example, on p. 19a), the expression "sons of the city" is used, apparently in reference to the Musta'arabi community, who were the early residents of the city.
The ledger contains many entries detailing the Chevra Kadisha's income (pp. 1a-10a; 22b-27a), including many inscriptions on the passing of people in Jerusalem, most of whom are mentioned without a name but only by their origin; for example: "Ashkenazi", "Maghrebi", "of Thessaloniki", "of Istanbul", "of Izmir" (for example, on p. 2b: "an old man of Izmir in the yeshiva of R. Y. HaLevi"), and more.
Sometimes the entry mentions the "courtyard" where they passed away (as in p. 7b: "an Ashkenazi in the courtyard of R. Yisrael Madpis" – R. Yisrael Bak, the famous Jerusalem printer), or that they passed away in a hospital, a Jewish "kosher hospital", a non-Jewish "non-kosher hospital" (see enclosed material), the English Hospital, in the "Hekdesh" or elsewhere. Likewise, the entries mention the burial plots: "Sanbuski", "Burak", "Zechariah", "Chassidim", "Attias".
The income includes inscriptions on donations, sometimes with the name of the donor added (for example: "by R. Bechor Elyashar, from Mr. Refael of Damascus" – p. 22b; "from an Alexandrian guest by R. B. Elyashar" – p. 23b).
On pp. 11a-22a, entries detailing the expenses of the Chevra Kadisha, including expenditures on coffee, sugar, wine and refreshments for various events (candy, drinks and sweets), oil for Lag BaOmer, expenses for the sick and more.
The entries mention the names of various people, including "Rabbi N." (for example, on p. 11b: "Gathering in the home of the crown of our head, Rabbi N.") – the identity of this rabbi is unclear. On p. 14b: "For Mr. Moses Montefiore"; on p. 15a: "Flask for R. N[issim] Navon at a wedding"; "For Moshe Cohen for his service for six months"; on p. 15b: "Coffee for Rabbi Navon for his mourning for his son"; and more. The ledger frequently mentions rabbis and other members of the Parnas family (for example, on p. 15a: "Flask for R. N. Parnas on the Shabbat of his son's betrothal"; "For a son born to Eliyahu Parnas"), the Burla family and other distinguished Sephardi families in Jerusalem (the Parnas family are known to have served as trustees of the Jerusalem cemetery for over 100 years; see Kedem, Auction 61, lot 14, featuring a similar ledger from the same time, but with a different purpose than the present item).
In several places, the ledger contains entries and protocols with sums of accounts up to a certain date, with fine calligraphic signatures of several Jerusalem rabbis who managed the Chevra Kadisha. On p. 4a – "We have summed up accounts on the 8th night of Chanukah… 1854…", signed by R. Moshe Mordechai Refael Meyuchas and R. Yehudah Burla; on p. 6b – entries detailing income written mostly by R. Yaakov Shaul Elyashar (the Yisa Berachah; in one inscription he writes: "Another donation from Mr. Avraham HaKohen… by the writer, Yisa Berachah"), followed by an entry in his handwriting summing up accounts ("today, 5th Elul 1854"), with signatures of R. Moshe Mordechai Refael Meyuchas, R. Refael Avraham Yosef Meyuchas and the Yisa Berachah; on p. 10a – lengthy entry summing up accounts "in the home of R. Bechor Burla, 8th Iyar 1856… to explain that there remain funds totaling… held by R. Chaim Dan called Ya'ish…", signed by R. Yehudah Burla, R. Avraham Chaim Avishai(?) and R. Mordechai Bitran; on p. 26a – entry on summing up of accounts "with R. Chaim Ya'ish… Jerusalem… Nisan 1857…", signed by R. Yosef Seville and R. Mordechai Bitran; on p. 22a – (unsigned) entry handwritten by the Yisa Berachah: "Today, 5th Elul 1854…".

[28] written leaves + many blank leaves. 11 cm. Good condition. A few stains and wear. Original binding, with tears and damage.