Ma’ariv / Arvit [weekday evening prayers]

(LITURGY).

Germany

15th/16th century

Manuscript in Hebrew, in a square Aschkenazic hand with complete nikud (vowel points) written on on vellum. With larger initial letters.

Four leaves from a large cantor’s prayer-book. Includes the beginning of the Evening Prayer and two leaves of the Shemona Esrei (from the blessing of “repha’einu.”) It is interesting to note that although this is a portion from an Aschkenazic prayer book as reflected from the rite of the text, nonetheless the prayer begins with Shir HaMa’aloth followed by kaddish which accords to Sephardic rite. Furthermore, the version of the blessing “V’lamalshinim” is different than the standard version and similar to the custom later propounded by the Vilna Gaon.