Printed Aleph-Bet chart, with an abridged Birkat HaMazon and additional blessings, Shema and additional prayer texts. Ferrara: Filoniana, [ca. 1690].

Chart for the instruction of Hebrew to children. The upper part of theleaf shows the letters of the Hebrew alphabet with various vowel points. The alphabet is flanked on the right by the first paragraph of Shema, the blessing recited over washing the hands and foods; and on the left by verses including HaMalach HaGoel and an abridged version of Birkat HaMazon. The chart also features several Psalms, including Psalm 91 (starting with Psalms 90:17 – Viyhi Noam), and an additional text "the small boy will be great".

The center of the leaf is occupied by a fine illustration of a class of students. Several students are seen studying by a table, with a winged figure hovering over them and showering them with treats. Near them is a teacher brandishing a whip, ready to hit a disobedient student.

Charts such as this one were printed in Italy from the mid-17th century until the 19th century. Most of the charts were printed in a similar format, with the Aleph-Bet chart in the center and accompanying texts (with typographic variations). The illustration at the center of this leaf also appears in all other charts, with minor variations in the details (in earlier charts the illustration is a woodcut, while in later ones it is engraved).

Approx. 47X34 cm. Good condition. Stains. Folds and creases. Minute tears and damage, repaired with paper filling. Handwritten inscriptions on the reverse side of the leaf. Matted.
Rare chart. Listed in the Bibliography of the Hebrew Book based on a photocopy and does not appear in the NLI catalogue.

For details about other Aleph-Bet charts printed in Italy, and about the variations between the illustrations, see: Y. Yudlov, Italian Alphabet Charts, Kiryat Sefer, 62, 1988-1989, pp. 930-932 (Hebrew; the present chart is no. 6 in Yudlov's list).