A Prayer-Book for weekday and Sabbath services. According to Italian (Roman) rite.

(LITURGY).

circa

Italy

1400

Hebrew Manuscript on Vellum. Neat Italian semi-cursive script. Scribe unknown.

Quite evidently, this Siddur was devoutedly used and prayed from for a great many generations, as the leaves including those prayers recited most often - such as the daily morning service - are worn and the writing partially obliterated on a few pages from very regular use. This clearly indicates that Hebrew manuscripts, even when written by expert scribes who took care to produce handsome, often expensive texts, were not kept as show-pieces, but were in constant use by their Jewish owners. Thus, it is not surprising that comparatively few medieval Hebrew codices have survived, as so many were actively handled until they disintegrated and were subsequently placed in genizahs for final burial. The present manuscript includes the morning benedictions, evening service, prayers at bedtime, prayer to offset bad dreams, evening and morning services for the Sabbath, prayers recited on Chanukah, order of prayers and Torah readings for the Four Parshiyoth including the Yotzeroth. With thanks to Dr. Benjamin Richler, Director (retired) of the Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts, National Library of Israel, Jerusalem for his assistance in researching this manuscript.