Manuscript, order of prayers and piyyutim, year-round and festivals. Thula (Yemen), 1898.

Small-format volume. Neat writing, vocalized, with marginal additions in another hand. Title page decorated with frame (partially deleted), with a dated documentation signed by the scribe attesting that the book was written in Thula for Yichya Dahiri.

The volume comprises: Zohar passages for Shabbat, kiddush, havdalah and songs for the end of Shabbat, bakashot for Rosh Chodesh, Shabbat Rosh Chodesh and piyyut for calling a groom to read from the Torah, Birkat HaMazon for a mourner, Azharot piyyutim for Shavuot, Selichot for Elul, Hoshanot for Sukkot (leaves 76-77 have Hoshanot for the sixth day supplied in a later hand); hakafot for Hoshana Rabba and order of Simchat Torah, blessing on circumcision, Tikun for the Fast of Gedaliah and order of four fast days; piyyutim and kinot for Tishah BeAv and copyings of Midrash Eichah, prayers for Tishah BeAv; Tikun HaTal, Tikun HaGeshem and counting of the Omer (in Aramaic, in accordance with the custom of Yemenite Jewry), hakafot and mourning service, annulling of vows for Erev Rosh Hashanah.

On title page, documentation (partially deleted) with the calligraphic signature of the scribe "Chaim son of R. Yosef Kohen": "This object was written at the desire of… Harun… on Sunday, 29th Shevat, [1929], and its price was 3 and a quart[er] riyal in Thula…". On p. [184b], document of sale (in Judeo-Arabic) by Yichya son of Aharon al-Dahiri, dated Kislev 1929.

Thula, one of the oldest cities of Yemen, located near Shibam (northwest of Sanaa), was a large and important Jewish community until the end of the 17th century, when the king compelled the Jews to give up their religion in the year 1700. When he reached Thula the members of the city fought with him and killed some hundred of the king's soldiers. In the 18th and 19th century the community was reduced to a few dozens of families, and in 1911 there were only nine families. The present document is a record of Jewish life in this community at the turn of the 20th century.

[194] leaves. 17.5 cm. Varying condition, good-fair to fair. Many stains and signs of use. Wear and tears. Worming. Open tears to title page, last leaf and several other leaves, repaired with paper. New binding, with parchment spine.