Yemin Yisrael [laws of ritual slaughter]

MALIVANO, ISRAEL.

Italy

1849

Manuscript in Hebrew, written in semi-cursive Italian hand on paper. Pen-and-ink text illustrations .

A neatly composed manuscript comprising three works relating to Shechita. The first being Yemin Yisrael, one of the most popular compositions used by ritual slaughterers. It includes all the laws relating to Shechitah (ritual slaughtering) and Bedikah (checking for tereifoth) and was authored by R. Israel Malivano. The second composition contains the laws of tereifoth (disqualified animals). Of anonymous authorship, clearly the composer was a talented scholar both in Torah law as well as in zootomy (animal anatomy). The author translates many terms into Italian and also includes several exquisite diagrams for added explanatory purposes. He cites several Italian Rabbis including R. Yechiel Treves, R. Shlomo Yona of Torino and the Chida. The third composition are laws found in section Yoreh De’ah of the Codes. They include laws of tereifoth, kashruth, Niddah and many more, albeit very abridged. These latter two compositions, possibly autograph, are heretofore unknown texts .