Livro do Hazan David de Iman[uel] da Silva das Observacoens & Costums do K. K. de Amsterdam.

(SEPHARDICA).

Amsterdam

Late 18th-century

Manuscript in Portuguese, with much use of Hebrew, written in brown ink on paper. Each page within ruled border. From the library of the late Rabbi David da Sola Pool (with his related notes laid in).

“The Book of Hazan David de Imanuel da Silva regarding the Observances and Customs of the Holy Congregation of Amsterdam.” This volume comprises a complete list of the proper order of prayer, including special insertions for all of the holidays and fast days of the year. It is written in a fine hand very likely by the Hazan himself. The book is predominantly in Portuguese (still the internal language of the Western Sephardim into the 18th century) with copious amounts of Hebrew (also in a fine hand). It is noted here that da Silva was the successor of Hazan Joseph Sarfatim and was selected from among seven candidates. His election was celebrated in a poem by M.A. Gavilán published as a broadside in 1772 (now in the collection of JTSA (B. NS. PP122).