Korban Aharon [Kitzur Ma’avar Yabok].

(LITURGY).

Frauenkirchen, Burgenland (formerly Hungary, today Austria)

1862

Manuscript in Hebrew and Yiddish written on paper in square and cursive hands.

This impressive manuscript of the Kitzur Ma’avar Yabok, an abridgment of the 17th century Italian work on death by Rabbi Aharon Berachia of Modena. It appears to have been transcribed from the 1759 Bruenn edition, as the title page here is an exact copy informing the reader that it was the custom of the Chevra Kadisha of Fuerth to read this text in the presence of a deathly ill person until they expired. The skilled scribe of this manuscript was Wolf Sega’l Wosner of Sardehel (today, Dunajská Streda, Slovakia). Following the main liturgical text is a section of 71 laws and customs of mourning, in a mixture of Hebrew and Yiddish. This appears to be an original work by the scribe, Wosner. On the title page, he names the leadership of the Chevra Kadisha of Frauenkirchen (Freukirchen in Yiddish, Boldogasszony in Hungarian): Meir Shaye, Yeshaye Ungar, and Moshe Deutsch, as the impetus for this manuscript. Frauenkirchen was one of the seven communities (Siebengemeinden) of Jews in Burgenland. Frauenkirchen, like the rest of Burgenland, belonged to Hungary (German-West Hungary. However following World War I, the territory of German-West Hungary was given to Austria by the Treaties of St. Germain and Trianon.