Tefilat Nashim (Womens' Prayers) Italy:18th century

45 leaves (5 x 3 1/2 in.; 128 x 90 mm), written in ink on paper; main text in square Hebrew script with nikud; instructions in Italic script; ruled in pencil; eleven lines per page; modern foliation in pencil. Leaves strengthened at gutter; worming at gutter repaired, affecting a few words;  few wormtracks elsewhere; some staining and soiling. Edges gilt; endpapers renewed. Contemporary crimson morocco, panelled in gilt with foliated corner pieces, monogram BV\R\IR (both covers) within a wreath of small floral tools; smooth spine decorated with fleur-de-lis tool and double rolls. Spine defective. Minor losses to corners.

Chava Weissler, Voices of the Matriarchs: Listening to the Prayers of Early Modern Jewish Women (Boston, 1998).

The text of this womens' mnuscript prayer book includes the prayers and blessings to be recited when fulfilling the three commandments most commonly associated with women; Hallah (separating out a small portion of dough while baking bread) Niddah (ritual immersion) and Hadlakah (kindling of Sabbath and festival lights). It also includes various psalms and supplications to be recited at various points before, during and after ritual immersion in a mikveh, and prayers for the several stages of pregnancy.  Women near the end of their terms are encouraged to pray that their child not be born on the Sabbath in order that no one need inadvertently violate the Sabbath on their behalf.  As with many manuscripts created especially for women, this tiny prayerbook is small enough to be placed in a pocket.