Collection of fragments of handwritten compositions, on parchment and on paper, from a "bindings genizah". [Ca. 15th and 16th centuries].
• Fragment of a manuscript Ramban on the Torah (Parashat Vayera). Semi-cursive Sephardic script. • Two fragments of Pirkei Avot. Neat, vocalized Italian script. • Fragments of parchment from a manuscript of Sefer HaShorashim by the Radak. Semi-cursive Ashkenazic script. • Fragments of a medical composition. Semi-cursive Sephardic script. • Fragments of a manuscript Mishneh Torah by the Rambam. Semi-cursive Sephardic script. • Fragments of unidentified compositions and of letters.
Approx. 30 leaf fragments. Size and condition vary.

Parchment manuscript, prayer book for the synagogue. [Central Europe, 19th century].
Calligraphic square script, vocalized.
Book for the cantor and gabbai, including prayers customarily recited at the bimah (platform in the synagogue where the Torah is read): Yehi Ratzon prayers recited following the Torah reading on Mondays and Thursdays; Birkat HaGomel; Kabbalat Shabbat; Mi Sheberach - prayer for the person called up to the Torah reading, for a mother who just gave birth and for an ill person (including service for changing a sick person's name); blessings for the Haftara; Yekum Purkan and blessing for the monarch; blessing of the new month; Hazkarat Neshamot (memorial service); Haftara for a public fast (not included in the Aftarta book which served for the Shabbat readings year round, see: Minhagim DeKehillat Vermaisa, I, p. 18 - note 4 there); blessings for the Megillah reading on Purim; order of Eruvei Chatzerot; shofar blowing service; Hoshanot; verses of Ata Hareita and of the Hakafot for Simchat Torah; Yetziv Pitgam piyyut for the second day of Shavuot.
The prayers follow the eastern Ashkenazi rite (Polish rite). On the endpaper, dedication from 1897: "Gift from HeChaver R. Tzvi son of R. Avraham Graupe…". The manuscript appears to have been written earlier, presumably ca. early 19th century.
[9] leaves (18 written pages). Approx. 30 cm. Good condition. Stains and light wear. Binding torn and detached.

Handwritten leaf, table of halachic times "for Berlin, Hanover and Amsterdam", written and decorated by Yaakov de Pinto. [Amsterdam?], "Thursday, 19th day of the Omer, 1829".
Neat, calligraphic script, with a decorative border. The leaf contains tables for the (Gregorian) months, featuring the halachic times of day break, sunrise, sunset and nightfall. The writer signed his name at the foot of the leaf: "Yaakov de Pinto".
[1] leaf. 24 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains, dampstains. Folding marks.

Three handwritten booklets of poetry, by Moses Mathias Levin. Lautenburg (Lidzbark), Inowrocław and Hamburg, 1838.
Neat calligraphic writing, in cursive and square Ashkenazic script. Headings in ornamented square script, some in color. Several fine decorations and illustrations.
The booklets contain a collection of poems and compositions, some from Hebrew sources, and others translated from German poetry and literature (Schiller, Lessing, Kleist, and others).
Two of the booklets contain many compositions in both Hebrew and Yiddish, on facing pages; the third booklet is in Hebrew only. The writer's name in German, Moses Mathias Levin, appears on the title page of each of the three booklets. Levin wrote these books during the course of 1838, in several Prussian cities. On each title page, the writer mentions his birthplace - Warsaw (the word Warschau is enlarged on the title pages); two of them state that he is a rabbinical student and all three indicate the month, year and place of writing.
The three booklets are:
1. "Duda'im or Likutei Shirim". Lautenburg (present day: Lidzbark, Poland), April 1838.
2. "A Guide Book to Religion and Morals in Hebrew and German Devoted to the Israelite Youth". Inowrocław (present day: Poland), July 1838.
3. "Fragments of Poetry - Including Pleasing and Precious Poems and Epigrams… - Partly Translations, and Partly my Own Ideas". Hamburg, August 1838.
At the beginning of the first booklet, a dedication leaf in German to R. Shlomo Hirshel, rabbi of London. The second booklet is an adaptation of Herz Homburg's book - Imrei Shefer, Vienna 1808.
3 booklets. Booklet 1: [15] leaves. Booklet 2: [28] leaves. Booklet 3: [40] leaves (and several additional blank leaves). Condition varies: Good-fair. Stains and wear. Tears to several leaves. Worming in several places. Dedication leaf to R. Shlomo Hirschel detached, with tears and wear. Original bindings, detached and damaged. Booklet 1 missing back cover.

Manuscript, Masechet Shikorim - humorous composition imitating the style of the Talmud and its commentaries. [Europe, ca. 19th century].
Cursive Ashkenazi script on bluish paper.
The composition Masechet Shikorim or Masechet Purim (sometimes called Masechet Purim of the Shikorim Talmud) is a satiric composition for Purim, written in imitation of the Talmud, with the text of the "Talmud" in the center, flanked by the Rashi and Tosafot commentaries. The tractate contains four chapters related to Purim. This composition was reprinted several times.
Inscription on card cover: "This Gemilla Megara (intentional mispronunciation of Gemara Megilla) belongs to me, Moshe Jastrow", and other inscriptions.
[12] pages. 20 cm. Fair condition. Stains, tears and wear. Bound with the original paper cover, worn and damaged. New binding.