A Miniature Compendium of Occasional Prayers, Italy: 15th Century

45 leaves (3 3/4 x 2 7/8 in.; 96 x 73 mm). Written in black ink on fine vellum in a square mid-fifteenth century Italianate Hebrew script, showing strong Ashkenazic influence, with nikkud (including rafe signs) ff. 1r-26r, and sporadic nikkud on other pages. 22 lines. Instructions in semi-cursive unvocalized Italianate Hebrew script. Outer margins pricked; ruled in hard point on hair side. Modern foliation in pencil; marginalia on fols. 1-2 in a later Italian hand. Corner f.39 repaired. Modern blind-tooled brown morocco, spine in five compartments over raised bands, title gilt stamped, in matching suede lined box with metal clasp. 

An important collection of supplicatory prayers (bakashot), penitential prayers (selihot), confessions (vidduim), liturgical poetry (piyyutim) and prayers for fast days and for the seriously ill. Some of the texts in the present manuscript have never been printed and are only rarely found in other manuscripts. Some are unknown from any other source.

contents:

Fols. 1r-5r: Tefilah Ahat le-Et Tzarah (a supplication to be recited in times of personal or communal tribulation). 

Fols. 5r-5v: An addition to the previous prayer commemorating the massacres of German Jewry. 

Fols. 5v-10v: Zeh Seder Tefilat Ta'anit Tzibur (prayers for public and private fast days). 

Fols. 10v-11r: Tefilat Ba'al Teshuvah (a prayer for the penitent established by Elazar of Worms who received it from Judah the Pious). 

Fols. 11v-12v: Tefilah le-Holim (a prayer for the ill, to be recited while holding a Torah Scroll). 

Fols. 12v-14r: Berakhah le-Yoshevet al ha-Mashber (a benediction for a woman giving birth by Nehemiah ben Jacob, to be recited while holding a Torah Scroll). 

Fols.16v-18v: A prayer by Mattathias ben Isaac composed during the seige of Bologna in 1403. This prayer, found in several other manuscripts, provides an indication for the earliest possible date for this manuscript.  

Fols. 18v-29r: A series of miscellaneous prayers and supplications by various authors, including Judah ha-Levi, Solomon ibn Gabirol and Judah the Pious. 

Fols. 29r-30r: The section for Thursady from Yah min ha-Keren, the piyyut by Nathaniel of Chinon.  

Fols. 32r-34r: A vidui beginning Elohai, Boshti ve-Gam Nikhlamti la-Amod le-Fanekha le-Vakesh al Avonotai, attributed, uniquely in this manuscript, to Levi ben Gershon (Gersonides). 

Fols. 40r-43r: Tefillat ha-Yihud, by Moses ben Judah [Benjamin].  

Fols. 44r-45r: Another prayer by Moses ben Judah Benjamin, beginning Barukh Ata Adonai Yahid u-Meyuhad, apparently unique to the present manuscript.