Hagadah shel Pesach. Hebrew Manuscript on paper, written in a Yemenite semi-cursive hand on paper.

(HAGADAH)

Yemen

Early 14th-century

Recovered from a binding. Expertly restored, each life with loss of text of several lines.

Early Passover Hagadah, with distinct text in accordance to Maimonides, written in Yemen, early 14th-century. The textual origins of Passover Hagadah can be traced to the Second Temple era. It evolved into a finished state through the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods, however questions exist in regard to accuracy. In his Rabbinic Code, Maimonides included an ancient version of the Hagadah - but not in its complete form, resulting in further debate. Early Maimonides texts composed in Yemen are considered to be the most accurate, since Maimonides is known to have corresponded with the Jews of Yemen, dispatching his writings to them directly. The present early Hagadah manuscript – with its distinct variants to the current standard text - is therefore, well likely to be a far more correct reading of Judaism’s most celebrated liturgical text, the Passover Hagadah. With thanks to Dr. Benjamin Richler, Director (retired) of the Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts, National Library of Israel, Jerusalem, for his assistance.