Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
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Displaying 253 - 264 of 300
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $1,000
Sold for: $3,500
Including buyer's premium
Manuscript, "Kol Tefillah Kol Kinah VeKol Rinah according to the rites of the Livorno community", psalms, verses and piyyutim recited on fast days while the Torah is removed from the Ark and returned. Livorno, [1851].
Illustrated title page. Black ink on thick, high-quality light-bluish paper. Neat square script in large vocalized lettering. Instructions in small unvocalized script. Wide margins.
Handsome contemporary leather binding, with embossed ornaments. A lace ending in two pompons is attached to the binding for use as a bookmark.
On the title page: "Made by Yehudah Rokach… in the beautiful city of Livorno to beseech the Lord… during the fast-day prayers". Perhaps the writer, "Yehudah Rokach" is R. Yehudah Rokach who was born in Livorno in 1840, and served as teacher in the Rabbinical Seminary in Livorno – son-in-law of R. Eliyahu Benamozegh (d. 1899). If he is indeed the writer, he would have scribed the present manuscript at the age of 11.
Contains: Prayers upon removing the Sefer Torah from the Holy Ark on fast-days, the psalms to be recited on the various fast-days, the piyyut Al Heichali Evkeh recited on Tishah BeAv, another piyyut for Tishah BeAv, and more.
The 22nd of Shevat appears among the fast-days. This was a special day of commemoration for the Livorno community, instituted in memory of the salvation from the 1742 earthquake (Shivchei Todah by R. Malachi HaCohen was printed following this event). The piyyut Eshtachaveh El Heichal Kodshecha written in commemoration of this event appears in this manuscript.
[2], 53 pages. 20.5 cm. Good condition. Thick, high-quality paper. Most leaves are clean, only few pages are stained. Several loose leaves. Lightly penned inscriptions on four pages. Light wear, rubbing and worming to leather binding.
Category
Italian Jewry – Manuscripts and Letters
Catalogue Value
![Manuscript booklet, songs. [Ancona?, Italy, ca. 19th century].
Italian square script, partially vocalized. Comprises two](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale109/254_1.jpg "Manuscript – Songs – Italy, 19th Century")
![Manuscript booklet, songs. [Ancona?, Italy, ca. 19th century].
Italian square script, partially vocalized. Comprises two](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale109/254_2.jpg "Manuscript – Songs – Italy, 19th Century")
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $250
Sold for: $375
Including buyer's premium
Manuscript booklet, songs. [Ancona?, Italy, ca. 19th century].
Italian square script, partially vocalized. Comprises two poems: one bilingual song (alternating between Hebrew and Judeo-Italian) Shalom Lecha Dodi. This poem is not recorded in Davidson's Thesaurus of Mediaeval Hebrew Poetry nor in other sources.
It is attested in a small number of Italian manuscripts, and its author is unknown (one line perhaps hints at an author named Tzion). The second poem is LeEl Olam, a poem on the thirteen principles of faith authored by kabbalist R. Mordechai Dato, traditionally recited in Ancona during Kabbalat Shabbat. The present manuscript says that the poem is "to be recited on Shabbat evening before Maariv".
[8] leaves (and several blank leaves). Approx. 15 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Light worming.
Category
Italian Jewry – Manuscripts and Letters
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $300
Sold for: $475
Including buyer's premium
Two manuscripts, handwritten by R. Moshe Ventura, who served as cantor in Livorno and Florence:
• Manuscript, Order of circumcision, Pidyon HaBen and Zeved HaBat – following the rite of Livorno. 1917. Decorated title page, with red frame, with name of scribe and year (Hebrew and secular): "I wrote this book, Moshe Ventura".
• Manuscript, prayers for the sick. [Early 20th century]. On title page: "Florence – prayers for the sick and order of changing one's name, Ashkavot and Birkat HaGomel".
Two manuscripts written on notebooks, with decorated frames on all pages printed in red ink.
Two manuscripts: [2], 63, [1] pages; [1], 38 pages. Approx. 16 cm. Varying condition. First manuscript in good condition. Stains. Ink smudging in several places. Second manuscript in fair condition. Stains and wear. Fading and smearing of ink on most pages, affecting legibility in some places. New bindings.
Category
Italian Jewry – Manuscripts and Letters
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $250
Sold for: $400
Including buyer's premium
Printed booklet, Hanhagot VeTakanot MehaChevra Kadisha Etz Chaim, Practices and Ordinances of the Etz Chaim Chevra Kadisha, Beit Midrash of the Ashkenazi community. Amsterdam: Proops, [1755]. Hebrew integrated with Yiddish.
The book contains an introduction, 22 ordinances of the Chevra Kadisha, and printed signatures of leaders of the community and Beit Midrash.
On last page, stamp (reproduction of signature): "Avraham Chaim Wagena". R. Avraham Chaim Wagenaar, scholar and bibliographer, author of Toldot Yaavetz, a biography of R. Yaakov Emden (Amsterdam 1868).
5 leaves. 15.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Original paper wrapper, torn and detached.
Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $500
Sold for: $1,375
Including buyer's premium
Volume of booklets of statutes of the Ashkenazic community of Amsterdam (in Yiddish), printed 1759-1787 – personal copy of R. Bendit Wing, leader of the Ashkenazic community at the time.
In 1737, a book of statutes of the Ashkenazic community was printed, comprising 102 sections relevant to community life, synagogue conduct, restrictions on luxuries and more. In the following years, updated booklets were published periodically.
The volume comprises 12 booklets printed between 1759-1787, specially bound for community leader R. Bendit Wing. Original leather binding, with gilt decorations on both sides. Inscription on front binding: "Community leader R. Bendit son of R. Lieme Wing". On both sides of binding, coat of arms of Ashkenazic community in Amsterdam (a Star of David with the initials of Kehillat Ashkenazim Amsterdam), and crown decoration with two angels.
See Hebrew description for a list of booklets included in the volume.
R. Bendit Wing's name is printed in two of the booklets as part of a list of community leaders.
12 booklets: 4 leaves; [3] leaves; 1-5 leaves; 6-9 leaves; 10-16 leaves; [4] leaves; 4 leaves; [8] leaves. 14.5 cm. Most booklets in good condition. Second booklet in fair condition (with several open tears slightly affecting text). Stains. Original leather binding. Minor defects to binding.
Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $250
Sold for: $813
Including buyer's premium
Volume comprising nine booklets and collections of statutes of the Ashkenazic synagogue and community in Amsterdam, printed 1814-1839. Hebrew and Dutch (first booklet printed in Hebrew, the rest in Dutch).
Four booklets printed with title page, the rest (decrees and updates to statutes) are printed without title pages. Three pages in the volume feature the original signature of the community secretary, officially recognizing and confirming the authenticity of the copies.
See Hebrew description for a detailed list of the contents of the volume.
The present booklets collect the foundational documents of the Ashkenazic community in Amsterdam, after the official arrangement of the community's status under King William I in the early 19th century. The Hebrew booklet (1814) focuses on synagogue and related matters, while the Dutch booklets (1815) regulate the administrative aspects of the community. At the end of the general regulations is the historical arrangement between the Ashkenazic and Sephardic-Portuguese communities (1810) on membership of the city's Jews in their respective communities.
The later booklets (1920s-1930s) reveal social changes, amendments, decrees of the Minister of Religion and internal decisions discussed in the governing board.
Personal copy of community leader R. Simon Wolf Josephus-Jitta
(1818-1897), leader of the Ashkenazic community in Amsterdam, businessman, prominent Jewish-Dutch politician and a founder of the Amsterdam Canal Company (Amsterdamsche Kanaal Maatschappij). On front and back of binding, green-colored leather stickers with gilt inscriptions dated 1844 (Hebrew and Dutch): "Community leader R. Simchah son of community leader R. Wolf Jitte / De Wel Edele Heer S. W. Josephus Jitta. Administrateur" (for more information on leaders of this family, see Kedem catalog, Auction 108, Lot 208).
(1818-1897), leader of the Ashkenazic community in Amsterdam, businessman, prominent Jewish-Dutch politician and a founder of the Amsterdam Canal Company (Amsterdamsche Kanaal Maatschappij). On front and back of binding, green-colored leather stickers with gilt inscriptions dated 1844 (Hebrew and Dutch): "Community leader R. Simchah son of community leader R. Wolf Jitte / De Wel Edele Heer S. W. Josephus Jitta. Administrateur" (for more information on leaders of this family, see Kedem catalog, Auction 108, Lot 208).
19 cm. Good condition. Minor stains and defects. Original leather binding, with gilt inscriptions and leather stickers, with light wear; spine detached.
Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $300
Sold for: $400
Including buyer's premium
Printed booklet, "Or Gadol LaYehudim, in the Sephardic community" – description of the ceremony held in honor of stadtholder of the Netherlands William V Prince of Orange and his wife Frederika Sophia Wilhelmina of Prussia, in the Sephardic synagogue in Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Yisrael Mondovy for Gerard Johann Janson, [1768]. Hebrew, Dutch and Portuguese.
Description of the ceremony in Portuguese and Dutch, with text of prayers recited in Hebrew and Dutch. Next to prayers, lengthy blessing by R. Shlomo Shalem, Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Amsterdam.
[4], 6-31 pages. 29 cm. High-quality paper, with especially wide margins. Good condition. Stains. Loose leaves and gatherings. Original cardboard binding, without spine. Stains (including many wax stains) and defects to binding.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $300
Sold for: $500
Including buyer's premium
Printed booklet, Orah VeSimchah LaYehudim – Kol Rinah VeTodah, prayer order held in the Ashkenazic synagogue in Amsterdam, in honor of the visit of Prince William V of Orange and his wife Sophia Frederika Wilhelmina of Prussia, Princess of Orange-Nassau, in Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Yosef, Yaakov and Avraham sons of Shlomo Proops, 1768. Hebrew and Dutch on facing pages.
Another title page, in Dutch: "Vreugde, Lof en Dankbaarheyd gecelebreerd by de Hoogduitsche Jooden".
The center of the Hebrew title page and the Dutch title page features the coat of arms of the House of Orange-Nassau.
The order of prayers comprises an eight-stanza poem, beginning Et HaZamir Higia, followed by the prayer HaNoten Teshuah in honor of the rulers of Holland. This is followed by Tehillim 111 and special prayers in honor of Prince William V and his wife Frederika, and several other psalms.
At the beginning of the volume is added a handwritten leaf, with a prayer and an additional documentation of the visit of the prince and princess. The first page features a special blessing delivered by R. Shaul Rabbi of Amsterdam. The second page details the decorations at the ceremony: the verse 2 Shmuel 7:16 was embroidered in gold on red silk placed on one bench, and Tehillim 1:3 was embroidered in gold on red silk next to an embroidered golden orange tree. The writer signs his name at the foot of the page: "Yochanan son of Gavriel, sofer".
[15] leaves. [1] handwritten leaf at beginning of volume. 19.5 cm. Thick, high-quality paper. Good condition. Stains. Gilt edges. Original silk binding, with color endpaper. Defects and tears to binding.
Hebrew-only edition printed concurrently.
Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $800
Sold for: $6,250
Including buyer's premium
Manuscript volume, ledger of payments and receipts of the Avi Yetomim charitable organization in Amsterdam. [Amsterdam, 1779-1787]. Portuguese and some Dutch.
Binding inscribed: "Livro de recibos pagos pla Irmandade de Aby Jetomim" [Book of receipts paid by the Avi Yetomim society].
The ledger contains hundreds of organized handwritten inscriptions of receipts and payments by the organization, signed by the recipients of the funds, documenting in detail the running expenses of the organization, and constituting an important historical source for the social and economic activities of charitable organizations in the Spanish-Portuguese community in Amsterdam in the first quarter of the 18th century. The receipts include payments to teachers and stipends to students, and payments for goods and services.
The receipts are ordered by years of the organization's activity, bearing the names of the treasurers who served each year.
Five of the receipts are signed (in Hebrew, in Sephardic calligraphic signature) by R. Shlomo Shalem, Rabbi of the Spanish-Portuguese community in Amsterdam, confirming in his handwriting receipt of a salary for his role as head of the institution's yeshiva.
R. Shlomo Shalem (1708-1781), born in Adrianople (present-day Edirne, Turkey) and raised in Salonika (present-day Thessaloniki, Greece). Served as rabbi in various cities in Bulgaria before being appointed Rabbi of Sofia, the capital city. He later traveled to the west for health reasons, serving temporarily as Rabbi of Belgrade, and eventually reaching Amsterdam, where he was appointed rabbi of the Portuguese community and published his Shoneh Halachot, serving there for about twenty years until his passing.
The Avi Yetomim society (Aby Jetomim) was a charitable organization of the Spanish-Portuguese community in Amsterdam, founded in 1648 to provide for the community's orphans and travelers and immigrants. When the orphans reached the age of 13, the society arranged for their integration into society as apprentices and yeshiva students. In exchange for the support they received, the orphans took part in community ceremonies and funerals and recited prayers in memory of the society's members.
134 leaves. 20 cm. Good condition. Stains and minor defects. Original parchment binding, stained and worn.
Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $300
Sold for: Unsold
Zichron Teruah, eulogy for R. Shaul Lowenstam Rabbi of Amsterdam, by R. Yitzchak Eizik Fraadman of the Chevra Kadisha Megadlei Yetomim school. Amsterdam: Yosef and widow and sons of Yaakov Proops, [1791]. Rare, only edition.
On verso of title page, explanation for why no approbation is needed for this book.
[1], 2-11 leaves. 20 cm. Good condition. Stains and wear. Original color paper wrapper.
Provenance: Collection of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
![Handwritten manuscript, mohel ledger. [The Netherlands], 1760-1783.
Illustrated title page on first page, with illustrat](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale109/263_1.jpg "Manuscript, Mohel Ledger – The Netherlands, 1760-1783")
![Handwritten manuscript, mohel ledger. [The Netherlands], 1760-1783.
Illustrated title page on first page, with illustrat](https://files.kedem-auctions.com/files/Sale109/263_2.jpg "Manuscript, Mohel Ledger – The Netherlands, 1760-1783")
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $300
Sold for: $688
Including buyer's premium
Handwritten manuscript, mohel ledger. [The Netherlands], 1760-1783.
Illustrated title page on first page, with illustration of circumcision utensils at bottom, with a record of his first circumcision in the center, dated Wednesday, 9th Nisan 1760.
The next leaves are organized as a numbered chart, recording approx. 150 circumcisions that the mohel performed (several faded or erased over time). The ledger documents Ashkenazic families of the Netherlands (Limburger, Haarlemmer, Bokkie and others). One place (no. 119) mentions the location of circumcision: Harlingen.
[1], 10 pages. Approx. 13.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, including dampstains. New cardboard binding.
Provenance: Collection of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value
Auction 109 Books | Letters and Manuscripts | Megillot and Jewish Ceremonial Art
Sep 1, 2026
Opening: $500
Sold for: $1,063
Including buyer's premium
Sod Hashem, with Sharvit HaZahav, prayers, halachot and customs of circumcision, by R. David of Lida, with additions. Amsterdam: sons of Shlomo Proops, 1745.
After the printed book is a handwritten mohel ledger (on blank leaves originally bound to the book for this purpose), with a handwritten title page dated 1794. At bottom of page, illustration of a hand holding a bucket, inside a cartouche with flowers below and a crown above, captioned "Aquarius".
After title page, one leaf only (three other leaves detached from ledger and lacking), recording five circumcisions the mohel performed, from 1794-1795.
On front endpaper, short documentation of several other circumcisions (these inscriptions are less organized and written in a different hand).
Original elaborate leather binding, with gilt decorations and inscribed owner's name: "Shimon son of the community leader R. Man Segal Rad" (possibly the mohel).
Sod Hashem: 30 leaves. Mohel ledger: [2] leaves. Three leaves after title page of mohel ledger cut off next to inner margins and lacking. 16 cm. Varying condition of leaves, good-fair to fair. Stains, on several leaves dampstains and dark stains. Wear to some leaves. Small tears and open tears, slightly affecting text. Worming. Several leaves and gatherings loose. Original leather binding, with minor defects.
Bookplate of Mozes Heiman Gans.
Category
Dutch Jewry – Communal Regulations and Mohel Ledgers – Manuscripts and Printed Items
Catalogue Value