Manuscript, pinkas (ledger) of the Hebron community, with many inscriptions and signatures of leading rabbis of the city: R. Eliyahu Mani, R. Rachamim Yosef Franco (Rav Charif), R. Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini author of Sedei Chemed, and others. Hebron, [1884-1915].

At the top of the pinkas is a decorated title page: "This is the pinkas of the Jewish community dwelling in our holy and glorious city of Hebron, for the fund for building the hospital, in the year [1884]".

Apparently, the pinkas was prepared for a fundraiser for establishing the Jewish hospital in Hebron, and later many inscriptions were added relating to income and expenses of the Hebron community, various decisions of their committee, many documentary details relating to the city's emissaries to various countries, and more. Most of the decisions are followed by signatures of the rabbis of the city.

At the beginning of the pinkas is an emissary letter to Georgia, Dagestan and Crimea, for the emissary "R. Shlomo Leib Beharosh" – R. Shlomo Yehudah Leib Eliezerov (Rav Shila), who set out to raise funds for building the hospital in Hebron (see further on his mission below). This letter is signed by the leading rabbis of Hebron: R. Eliyahu Suleiman Mani, R. Rachamim Yosef Franco, R. Refael Yitzchak Ze'evi, R. Yom Tov Meir Farchi, R. Nisim Chaim Kario, R. Mordechai Chason. Each rabbi's signature is followed by his respective stamp.

Afterwards appear two pages with inscriptions from the voyage of R. Eliezerov to the Black Sea region (including a visit to the Krymchak community in Crimea) from 1893, documenting the communities he visited, with the names of donors and sums of contributions. One his visits documented herein was to Karasubazar (Bilohirsk), and he notes two donations he received from the Sedei Chemed, who was serving as Rabbi of the city at the time.

On the following leaves appear protocols of decisions of the Sephardic community in Hebron, from 1899 to 1903 (for example: Rosh Chodesh Elul 1899; 8th Elul "regarding the oven…", 26th Cheshvan 1899 "regarding the doctor Mr. Y. Yermans…", 28th Shevat 1903 "to view the city affairs", and more). These decisions are signed by the leading rabbis of the city: R. Rachamim Yosef Franko – Rav Charif (signed 9 times); R. Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini, the Sedei Chemed (signed 3 times); R. Suleiman Menachem Mani (signed 14 times); R. Meir Shmuel Castel (signed 14 times); R. Nisim Chaim Kario (signed 10 times); R. Yosef Shealtiel (signed 11 times); R. Yitzchak Ze'evi (signed twice); R. Mordechai Chason (signed 9 times); R. Meir Franco (signed once).

Afterwards appear many pages with various inscriptions, accounts, many names of Jews of Hebron, and other details.

Later on appear inscriptions from 1907-1915, including: "List of deeds the kollel owes, Adar 1908"; "Today, 24th Shevat 1909, we met to do the taxes…"; "Copy of the large deed we saw in the government records on 12th Sivan 1915"; "Copy of the document held by R. Yosef Shealtiel" – two copyings, with two confirmations signed by R. Suleiman Menachem Mani, R. Chanoch Chason, R. Meir Shmuel Castel.

On the back of the pinkas (upside down) – additional leaves with reports and inscriptions, including, for example: "Names of people listed who merited to receive from contributions of Sir Moses Montefiore"; "List of debts owed by the kollels of Hebron…"; "Sum of debts we paid…"; "Detailed list of debts owed by the kollels"; "List of funds established in cities of Tunisia…"; "List of funds made by the emissary R. Shalom Mani while in the inner Maghreb"; "Funds of Arabistan"; "Copying of a letter that came from the city of Tripoli…"; "List of time schedules for the emissaries of each region"; "Copying of a document of debt sent by the emissary R. Chaim Bajayo of Erbil (Arabistan region) on receipt of funds"; "List of cities taken by the emissary R. Yosef Bajayo"; "Funds done by the emissary R. Chaim Bajayo in Arabistan"; "Formula of the notes we sent to Chacham Bashi in Constantinople"; and more.

R. Eliyahu Suleiman Mani (1818-1899) was one of the great Torah scholars of Iraq, and the Chief Rabbi of Hebron. Born in Baghdad, he was a close disciple of R. Abdallah Somech. He studied kabbalah from a young age and would fast and mortify himself to rectify the shechinah. He immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1856 in order to join the Beit El kabbalistic yeshiva in Jerusalem. In 1858 he moved to Hebron and was appointed Chief Rabbi of the city in 1864. There he established the Beit Yaakov synagogue which followed the customs of the Beit El kabbalistic yeshiva.

R. Eliyahu was the principal teacher of R. Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, known as the Ben Ish Chai, and instructed him in Torah as well as kabbalah in Baghdad while the Ben Ish Chai was still young. They maintained close correspondence after R. Eliyahu moved to Eretz Israel, and the Ben Ish Chai frequently forwarded questions to him.

R. Rachamim Yosef Franco (Rav Charif; 1835-1901), immigrated from Rhodes to Jerusalem in 1868 and was a member of the Beit Din of R. Yaakov Shaul Elyashar. In 1878, he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Hebron, succeeding R. Eliyahu Mani. Upon his passing in 1901 he was succeeded by the Sedei Chemed. Authored Shaarei Rachamim, Ot LeRachamim, Vayitzbor Yosef and more.

R. Franco cooperated with R. Eliyahu Mani and the other rabbis of Hebron to establish a hospital in Hebron, to neutralize the influence of the missionaries who utilized their medical assistance as an opportunity to convert the patients. An 1883 announcement about the hospital by the rabbis of Hebron, headed by R. Eliyahu Mani and R. Franco, was published in Min HaGenazim, VIII, pp. 215-216. The hospital was eventually established in 1895 (see: Min HaGenazim, XII, pp. 309-310).

R. Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini, author of Sedei Chemed (1833-1905), born in Jerusalem, served as rabbi in Constantinople, Karasubazar (Bilohirsk) and Hebron. He was renowned for his diligence and his proficiency in revealed and hidden Torah knowledge. He corresponded with Torah leaders all over the world. He singlehandedly composed his huge eighteen-part encyclopedic work, the Sedei Chemed, and other books.

R. Suleiman Menachem Mani (1850-1924) was born in Baghdad to the great Torah scholar R. Eliyahu Mani. He was the son-in-law of R. Moshe Ferreira (rabbi of Hebron). From 1869, he served as head of the Hebron Beit Din and close attendant of the Sedei Chemed. After the passing of the Sedei Chemed, he succeeded him as Rabbi of Hebron, headed the Maaseh Nisim yeshiva and led the Hebron community. He left for the Far East ca. 1910 to raise funds for the Hebron community. He succeeded in soliciting large donations from the community of Iraqi Jews in India, and in particular from the Sassoon family, enabling the completion of the building of the Jewish hospital Chesed LeAvraham.

R. Meir Shmuel Castel was born in Hebron in 1860. He was a member of the Sedei Chemed's Beit Din, and served as emissary and head of the local Sephardic community committee. He was murdered in his home in the Hebron massacre of 1929.

The emissary, R. Shlomo Yehudah Leib Eliezerov (Rav Shila; 1863-1952), rabbi and leader of the Chabad and Ashkenazi community in Hebron, and emissary to the Jewish community of Bukhara-Samarkand, founder of the Magen Avot and Torat Emet yeshivas in Hebron. His father was R. Eliezer Shimon Kazarnovsky, grandson of Rebbetzin Menuchah Rachel Slonim, daughter of the Mitteler Rebbe. In 1873, at the age of 10, he immigrated with his parents to Eretz Israel and settled in Hebron. He studied Torah under the rabbis of Hebron – R. Shimon Menashe Chaikin and R. Eliyahu Mani. He traveled to the Caucasus on behalf of the Sephardic community of Hebron, and in 1897 he was appointed Chief Rabbi of Bukhara-Samarkand, where he changed his surname to Eliezerov (after his father). His halachic responsa are printed in She'elat Shlomo (Jerusalem 2002; see the preface for his biography). He became acquainted with the Sedei Chemed even before the latter came to Hebron, during R. Eliezerov's trip to the Sedei Chemed's city – which is recorded in the present pinkas. This visit is also mentioned by the Sedei Chemed (Peat HaSadeh, Klalim, Alef, 16): "My friend… R. Shlomo Leib Beharosh, an emissary from our holy city of Hebron, visited us…". Since that time they became friends and corresponded on halachic issues. The Sedei Chemed mentions him in several places in his book. In one place, he writes: "Now in 1895 I received a letter from my dear friend… R. Shlomo Leib Beharosh, grandson of the Baal HaTanya, an emissary from the holy city of Hebron…" (Klalim, Chet, 92).

Approx. 46 written leaves (and many blank leaves). 28 cm. Fair condition. Stains and wear. Tears and open tears to some leaves, affecting text. Some leaves detached. Decorated leather binding, damaged.