This volume contains a prayerbook according to the rite of Sanaa and Yemen, with instructions written in Judeo-Arabic and some marginal notes. The main text is preceded by a note by Hayyim ben David Al-Abrash (fol. 1r). On fol. 83v is the poem, haddesh sesoni el na (Davidson, letter he”t, 60).

Sotheby’s is grateful to Menahem Schmelzer z”l and Benjamꦜin Richler for cataloguing this manuscript.

Provenance

Solomon Halberstam (shelf no. 380)

Physical Description

83 leaves on paper, 6 ¾ x 4 ½ inches; 172 x 114 mm, in Yemenite script in black ink, fols. 1, 80-83 in different scripts, fols. 1v and 83r being a fragment from a fifteenth-century manuscript of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, Sefer Shofetim, with title written in decorative script, used probably as flyleaves; 13 leaves laminated or silked, minor marginal repairs to about 7 le🌄aves, fol. 75 mounted on guard, text slightly affected, fols. 80-82 guarded, some browning and soiling, scattered worming on first🌳 and final leaves. Modern half morocco over cloth boards.

Literature

Hirschfeld (ms. no. 224)