Miscellaneous Judaica archive, 1762-1892

Pizmon. Manuscript in Hebrew and Spanish. The Song "Elo-him Yisadenu" written in both languages and with dedication to "His Excellency Jacob Rodrigues Pereira."

The letter is four large pages, written in Rashi script, beautiful and orderly, explanations and explications of poems, along with copies of poems by Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, and Rabbi Yosefia Hagar, to Rabbi Gvirol, to Rabbi Yitzchak ben Giat, and one long poem in Arabic to Rabbi Marzuk. This letter was printed in the book Kerem Hemed printed by Rabbi Shmuel Leib Goldenberg [fourth notebook, letter 7].

Rabbi Shmuel David Luzzatto - (1800-1865) known as Shadal, one of the greatest sages of Italy, poet, linguist and commentator, one of the greatest thinkers of his time, biblical commentator and researcher of literature and history.

The recipient of the letter, Rabbi Yishar - Rabbi Yitzchak Shmuel Reggio [Yishar of Gorizia, 1784-1855], rabbi, philosopher, Jewish scholar, biblical commentator and author, was one of the leaders of the Wisdom of Israel movement.

In 1822, when a law was passed by Franz I, Emperor of Austria, which required rabbis to have knowledge of philosophy and science, Yishar worked to establish a rabbinical seminary in Padua, where they also taught these professions. By virtue of their close friendship, and Yishar's influence, Shadal was appointed head of the Beit Midrash.

Ink and gouache on paper (9 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.; 241 x 165 mm). Framed. Small portion of upper-left corner lacking. On the festival of Sukkot, Jews erect a temporary structure known as a sukkah (booth) in which all meals are eaten. In many communities, it is customary to decorate the booth with a variety of ornaments. This extremely rare hand-colored engraving is a remarkable example of an eighteenth-century print intended to be hung on the sukkah wall. Almost no other eighteenth-century examples of this genre are extant, since the plaques' exposure to the elements over the weeklong holiday usually resulted in their deterioration

A biblical verse relating to the holiday of Sukkot—"You shall live in booths seven days" (Lev. 23:42)—is inscribed in the central panel, and the Hebrew date 5557 (1796) is penned in the cartouche at the top. The figures of Moses and Aaron framing the central panel are a common decorative motif found on the title pages of many Hebrew books, as are the winged angels who hold the cartouche with the Hebrew date aloft. A biblical verse relating to the holiday of Sukkot—"You shall live in booths seven days" (Lev. 23:42)—is inscribed in the central panel, and the Hebrew date 5557 (1796) is penned in the cartouche at the top.

The figures of Moses and Aaron framing the central panel are a common decorative motif found on the title pages of many Hebrew books, as are the winged angels who hold the cartouche with the Hebrew date aloft. Two fragmentary plaques with identical frames are extant. The first was discovered in a genizah in Bergheim, Germany, and is inscribed with the text of the berakhah aharonah, a shortened version of the grace after meals. The second, also dated 5557, is inscribed with the words zeh ha-shulhan ("This is the table;" see Ezek. 41:22) and is associated with the Sabbath and festival tables.

An anti-Dreyfusard broadside expressing strong sentiment against Dreyfus as well as against Germans and Protestants. An excellent example of an inflamatory work, the five bands of caricature illustration ridicule the various players involved in securing Dreyfus' reinstatement. Depictions include Emile Zola playing his famous cantata J'accuse! with music by Alfred Bruneau; Dreyfus's chariot driven by Grand Rabbi Kabbosch-d'Ane followed by English, Austrian, Italian and German "Friends of the Traitor"; the anti-Semitic publicists Henri Rochefort, Edouard Drumont and Jules Guérin follow the chariot "Moulin à la Galette." Dreyfusards including Scheurer-Kestner, the Vice-President of the Senate whose efforts won Dreyfus a retrial, George Picquart, Georges Clemenceau, Jean Jaurès and Yves Guyot are also depicted. "Dirge of the Martyr of Devil's Island" sung to the tune of "The Wandering Jew" is printed at the bottom. See: F. Helzel & E. Battat, Witnesses to History: The Jewish Poster 1770-1985 (1989), no. 7 p.30.

Printed form completed in manuscript, documenting the call-up, in accordance with the regulations governing conscription then in force, of "the Jew Faivel Moses," born 1791. The conscript's appearance is minutely described in a list of twelve attributes: height, hair color, eyes, eyebrows, nose shape, mouth shape, beard color, complexion, etc. Then, after all that, his immediate discharge, as surplus (or unsuited) to the requirements of the army, is recorded. Addendum dated 3 August 1817 exempts Faivel Moses from conscription any time in the future.

From the collection of the late Daniel M. Friedenberg, Greenwich, Conn.

The Kethubah states that the ceremony took place "in the eighty-first year of American Independence." The officiating rabbi was Dr. Maurice Mayer who served as minister of Beth Elohim, Charleston's historic synagogue, from 1852 to 1857. See Reznikoff and Engelman, The Jews of Charleston (1950) pp. 90, 148. For an unknown reason, the Kethubah required validation by the Landrabbiner of Hannover, Germany in 1889. The German language validation appears as a codicil to the Kethubah.

About 130 items in Shadal's hand. His signature appears several times in the margins of the pages (SDL). At the top is written "List of holy books ready for sale..."

At the topof the contract is an introductory poem including the names of both families. Decorated and enlarged inital words and clause numbers. Witnesses' signatures.

The groom was a grandson of R. Yosef Fiametta (1655?-1721), who was rabbi of Ancona, a leading Italian rabbi and kabbalist.

Neat Italian script.

Cataloged for Rare Books (Bib ID 16688450)

Alessandro Da Fano was born in Florence on February 20, 1847. He obtained the "Semikha" with the title of "Maskil ve-Navon" in 1869 and that of "Chakham ha-Shalem" in 1874. He was appointed rabbi of Udine in 1879; later he was transferred to Urbino (1880-1881), Reggio Emilia (1882-1888), and Corfu (1888-1892). In 1892, succeeding Rav Prospero (Matzliach) Moise Ariani, he obtained the position of rabbi of Milan, where in the same year he inaugurated the central synagogue in via della Guastalla. In Milan he taught Hebrew to Achille Ratti (later Pius XI), "doctor" of the Ambrosiana Library. He died in Milan on April 15, 1935.

A bound, handwritten document describing the mission of the Nashim Ba'Ohel Society along with the righteous woman who volunteered and supported the Society.

The manuscript includes a handwritten list of close to 70 women who served as loyal members of the society; the names of the men they supported in the parallel men's society; and other interesting lists and information.

Genazym assumes that this manuscript is from Ferrara due to the mention of "Marat Puerita, wife of the honorable scholar Chacham Yehuda Aryeh Reggio" who was the Rabbi of Ferrara, as well as other last names that were popular among Jewish families in Ferrara.

The Nashim Ba'Ohel Society was founded in 1856 with a mission to support the Mishmeret Hashem Society which hosted special days of learning and fasts on every Erev Rosh Chodesh. The latter fell into financial distress, which spurred the formation of a parallel women's society to support its efforts. The present manuscript was drafted in 1863, which was the same year when the two societies Nashim Ba'Ohel and Mishmeret Hashem merged into a single society.

Isaiah Luzzato was a son of Shmuel David Luzzaato, known as Shada"l, and was active in his publishing his father's writings, including publishing Ma'amare Shadal in 1881.