Parchment manuscript, Memorbuch (yizkor book) of the community of Austerlitz, Moravia (today: Slavkov u Brna, Czech Republic). [17th-19th centuries].

Ashkenazic script, square and cursive, on parchment. Some initial words in color and gilt ink. Some decorated.

First part of manuscript written ca. 1610s, based on the king whose name appears in the prayer for the government (see below). Later on are inscriptions going up to at least 1815.

Memorbuchs were common in Ashkenazi communities, used to commemorate the deceased members of the community in the yizkor prayers on Shabbat. They included the text of the prayers recited between the Torah reading and musaf.

The present Memorbuch is an important historical documentation of the Jewish community of Austerlitz, over hundreds of years (possibly even as far back as the origins of the community in the Middle Ages, see below).

The present manuscript includes:

Leaves 1-5 – Al HaKol Yitgadal, Yekum Purkan, Mi Sheberach for the community, Rosh Chodesh blessing, Av HaRachamim; Mi Sheberach for tzedakah donors before Shabbat and festivals, Mi Sheberach for the fast days of Behab, Mi Sheberach for community fast days decreed by the rabbi: "May He Who blessed our forefathers… bless whoever fasts today, whether he completes the fast or fasts for some hours, or fasts by abstaining from meat and wine and hot foods, or sets a time for Torah study, or gives charity to the poor, or considers repentance and regrets his evil deeds…", Mi Sheberach for the sick and childbearing women, and a Mi Sheberach for Jews in prison.

Leaf 6 – A prayer text for the peace of the government, beginning "HaElo-him Asher Bara" (a text which appears in manuscripts of the Eastern Ashkenazic rite). After the words "the Roman emperor", the original names of the emperor and empress are erased, with "Ferdinanus" written in their place, and with a later addition "and his wife Queen Lenearo". Apparently, these refer to Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor from 1619 (as a widower), who married Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua in 1622. The erased emperor's name would then be Matthias, the emperor preceding Ferdinand II, 1612-1619, thus indicating that the first part of the manuscript was written during these years.

Leaves 6b-7 – Mi Sheberach for those who refrain from forbidden wine; Mi Sheberach for those who refrain from speaking in the synagogue, in an early variant text, preceding the one established by the Tosafot Yom Tov following the Chmielnicki massacres; Mi Sheberach for those who donate charity for yizkor (the original writing of this prayer is very faded, and was therefore recopied in the bottom half of the page).

Page 8a – Mi Sheberach for the nobles, in a later hand than the previous leaves. This prayer also has the original names erased, replacing them with "Olivia[?]" and "Maximilian" – apparently Maximilian Ulrich von Kaunitz, whose domain included Austerlitz in the first half of the 18th century (we were unable to identify "Olivia").

Leaves 8b-11 – concise Cherem text, to be announced in the synagogue, for "whoever knows about the matter of so-and-so, or the stolen object of so-and-so, or the testimony and rights of so-and-so… should come and tell so-and-so, or the Beit Din which will adjourn here at such-and-such a time, or the Rabbi, and if he doesn't tell he will bear his sin…", followed by a Mi Sheberach for whoever comes and tells the truth and whoever is clean of the matter; "Cherem of Yehoshua son of Nun" – the above Cherem at great length; "Cherem for those who do dangerous and improper things", and a Mi Sheberach for the same. To the best of our knowledge, these Cherem texts have not been printed.

Leaves 12-27: Yizkor inscriptions for close to 250 rabbis and residents of Austerlitz. Next to each name is written what was donated to the community for mention in yizkor (such as "a large donation to charity", a Torah scroll, a silver roller for the Torah, a silver crown, a silver plate, a silver lamp, a copper lamp, and more), and who donated it. These inscriptions appear to only mention those who donated for a permanent mention in yizkor. The first names in the list may be from the Middle Ages.

Most of the above inscriptions were written at once, by one scribe, in cursive script, followed by inscriptions with names in various hands. The list was next recopied by another scribe, in square and semi-cursive scripts, introducing the names added at the end of the first list. After the second list are added names of the newly deceased in various hands. Near the end of these additions is inscribed (on p. 26b) the name of "our teacher and rabbi R. Yaakov son of R. Shlomo Gleivitz" – R. Yaakov Gleivitz-Klein, Rabbi of Semlin and Austerlitz, author of Ateret Shlomo (Brunn, 1788), d. 1811, eulogized by the Chatam Sofer (see: B.Sh. Hamburger, Zichronot UMasorot Al HaChatam Sofer, pp. 176, 334-335). Thus, names were still being copied into the Memorbuch in 1811.

On pp. 14b and 23a, names of R. Yissachar son of R. Yisrael and Rebbetzin Leah daughter of R. Chaim – apparently R. Yissachar Ber Eilenburg, author of Be'er Sheva, d. 1623 in Austerlitz.

Another known rabbi is mentioned on pp. 16a and 25a: "Rebbetzin Elkel daughter of R. Aharon HaKohen, in the merit of her husband R. Avraham Natan, rabbi and yeshiva dean of here and of Hotzenplotz, who donated a large sum to charity…" – R. Avraham Natan Nata Feitl son of R. Avraham Munk, an exile from Vienna, Rabbi of Austerlitz 1686-1713, later Rabbi of Hotzenplotz (Osoblaha) until his passing in 1724.

On leaf 19, several inscriptions of stipulations made by donors, some dated between 1724-1815. The first, from 1724, is handwritten and signed by "Uri Lipman N[ikol]s[burg], residing here in Austerlitz" – R. Uri Lipman of Nikolsburg, Rabbi of Austerlitz, signed an anti-Sabbatean notice in 1725, see: Arim VeImahot BeYisrael, IV, p. 296.

The Austerlitz community was one of the earliest in Moravia. It was inhabited by Jews beginning no later than the 13th century (see enclosed material). The city was sometimes called Ir Lavan, apparently due to the primary occupation of local Jews being in the starch and limestone businesses.

The present Memorbuch is in the original binding, which apparently dates to the book's creation and the scribing of its first leaves, in the 1610s.

[27] leaves. Approx. 22 cm. Fair condition. Stains, including dark stains. Fading of ink to some leaves. Original leather-bound wooden binding, damaged. Remains of metal clasp.