Collection of monetary legal documents, signed by the rabbis and dayanim of the Sanaa Beit Din in the 19th century, 1829-1896.
Remarkable collection comprising dozens of legal documents, with many dozens of signatures of the dayanim and Beit Din heads in Sanaa in the 19th century. The text of the documents is in Judeo-Arabic; the signatures of the dayanim appear at the foot of each document (calligraphic signatures typical of Yemenite rabbis).
The signatories include: R. Yosef son of R. Shalom Alqareh, R. David son of R. Avraham Tzalach, R. Yichye son of R. Shlomo Abyadh, R. Yosef son of R. David Manzeli, R. Suleiman son of R. Yosef Alqareh, R. Yosef son of R. Yichye Iraqi, R. Avraham son of R. Tzalach, R. Yichye son of R. Shalom HaKohen, and others.
Includes a collection of documents and certificates in Arabic, from the same source (presumably the Sanaa Beit Din).
R. Yosef son of R. Shalom Alqareh (1769-1849), leading Yemenite Torah scholar, close disciple of the Maharitz and his successor. In ca. 1809, he was appointed dayan in the Sanaa Beit Din, and in 1812, he became head of the Beit Din and chief rabbi of Yemen. A leading Torah scholar in his times, exceptionally well versed in the Talmud and halachic literature. He disseminated Torah to the public and edified numerous disciples who later became prominent Yemenite rabbis. He instituted various regulations, and perpetuated the ways of his teacher the Maharitz in his leadership of Yemenite Jewry. His book Zivchei Elohim on the laws of ritual slaughter is well-known; he also recorded responsa and halachic rulings. The following dayanim served under him in the Beit Din, and signed alongside him on these documents: R. David son of R. Avraham Tzalach (1769-1839), grandson of the Maharitz; R. Yichye son of R. Shlomo Abyadh (b. 1766; he disappeared in 1836, some say he left Sanaa due to the famine, and others contend that he never returned from his mission in northern Yemen together with the emissary R. Baruch of Pinsk, in quest of the Ten Lost Tribes). Other signatories: R. Yosef son of R. David Manzeli (1804-1899), an elder Sanaa dayan. He served as dayan for over forty years; his signature appears on many rulings. R. Suleiman (Shlomo) Alqareh (1804-1889), son of the head of the Beit Din R. Yosef Alqareh, and his successor as head of Beit Din and chief rabbi of Yemen. R. Avraham son of R. Tzalach (1825 or 1833-1905) - great-grandson of the Maharitz, a preeminent rabbi in his generation, exceptionally pious. He served as dayan for 38 years and instituted various regulations and practices.
27 legal documents in Judeo-Arabic with signatures of dayanim + 25 documents and certificates in Arabic. Size and condition vary, overall good condition.

Three manuscripts. [Yemen, 19th and 20th centuries].
1. Manuscript, commentary to the laws of shechita (ritual slaughter), in Judeo-Arabic. [Yemen, 1804]. Writer's colophon on the final leaf: "And this book was completed on Monday, 4th Elul 1804… and the writer, most insignificant one… Shlomo son of Shlomo son of Shemarya son of R. Zecharya…". [49] leaves. 20 cm. Poor condition. Stains, significant dampness damage and worming, affecting text. Old leather binding, damaged.
2. Manuscript, laws of shechita and "Taamim" (various selections on the laws of shechita). [Yemen, ca. 19th century]. [102] leaves. 16.5 cm. Fair-poor condition. Stains, dark dampstains, worming and wear. Old binding.
3. Manuscript, laws of Shechita. [Yemen, 1940]. Writer's colophon dated 1940 on the final leaf. [60] leaves. 18.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Marginal wear and tears. Tears to several leaves, affecting text. New binding.

Manuscript from the beit midrash of the rabbis of the Or Shraga family of Yazd - various selections, contract texts, halachot, novellae on the weekly Torah portions, responsa, amulets and more. [Yazd, Persia, 19th century].
Written by the grandson of the Or Shraga - Chacham (Mullah) R. Yitzchak son of R. Moshe son of R. Or Shraga. His signature appears in many places in this manuscript (pp. 32, 39, 49, 66, 124, 128, 138, 140).
In the margin of the first page, stamp and signature of R. Moshe son of Refael Shraga (his stamps and signatures also appear on p. 41 and on the following blank leaf). The first page and pp. 75 and 108 bear various stamps of "Refael son of R. Moshe son of the Maor Shraga". Unidentified calligraphic signature on p. 17. Blurred stamp on p. 26 (of R. Moshe son of the Or Shraga?).
Additional leaves (from the same region and period), bound at the beginning of the manuscript, comprise tales, songs, piyyutim and various selections.
The Or Shraga family of Yazd, descendants of the Kabbalist Mullah Or Shraga, were among the greatest rabbis of Persia. Mullah Or Shraga served as a rabbi for decades and was the force behind the enduring adherence of Yazd Jewry to Torah study and mitzvah observance. He and his descendants led the local community for some two hundred years. Rabbi Or Shraga reputedly came to Yazd two hundred and fifty years ago, from the city of Isfahan, after the king issued a decree ordering the killing of ten great Torah scholars. He was one of three Torah scholars who managed to escape, the other seven died sanctifying G-d’s Name. In Yazd, he facilitated the flourishing of the city’s Jewish population and transformed the city into a Torah center. Yazd Jews were among the first to emigrate from Persia to Jerusalem, establishing there the famous Yazdim community.
Not much is known about the life of the scribe, Chacham (Mullah) R. Yitzchak son of R. Moshe Or Shraga. His name appears on various ketubot between 1839 and 1865 and it is known that he composed a homily on the Torah (Y. Shraga, MiYazd LeEretz HaKodesh, p. 149). His son, R. Moshe son of R. Yitzchak Or Shraga served as rabbi during 1890-1900.
[15] leaves; 157 pages. 17 cm. Bluish paper. Condition varies, good-fair. Stains, wear and tears, affecting text of several leaves. Old damaged binding.

Collection of booklets, textbooks and handwritten students’ notebooks from Teheran, Iran:
• Printed booklet, "Syllabus of Otzar HaTorah - Iran". [Teheran], 1953. Mimeographed typescript.
The booklet contains the weekly schedule for grades 1-6, with a description of the material to be covered by every grade, in each Torah subject, for every week of the school year.
• Collection of printed booklets and textbooks in Persian (in Arabic script) printed in Iran in the first half of the 20th century.
• Collection of students’ notebooks, written in Persian (Arabic script).
• Printed leaf in Persian and a stamped document.
The contents of the items in Persian were not examined.
The Otzar HaTorah Jewish educational network operated in the 1950s in Sephardi countries and communities. In Iran alone, the network comprised some 40 schools, in which many thousands of pupils studied.
5 printed booklets, 5 handwritten notebooks and 2 paper items. Size and condition vary.