Manuscript, Tiklal siddur for year-round and festivals, with commentaries and laws from the Paamon Zahav siddur by R. Yitzchak (Mahari) Wanneh, commentary to the Passover Haggadah by R. Yichye Bashiri, commentary on Eichah by R. Moshe Albelda, and many other additions. Bir al-Azab [Sanaa, Yemen, ca. 1702-1703]. Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic.
Neat, early Yemenite script, with supralinear and sublinear vocalization. The scribe incorporated commentaries and laws in separate columns or in-text "windows". In the margins, additional glosses with commentaries and laws, by other writers. Calendar of Moladot for 1702-1769.
The present siddur was written by two scribes. The final page features a colophon by the second scribe, R. Shlomo Hamami, who writes that the siddur was begun by R. Shmuel son of R. David Chamitz, and he completed it: "This siddur was completed with beauty and splendor… on Thursday, 20th Tevet 1703, in Bir al-Azab… was written in the name of… Me'oded son of Saadia HaLevi al-Najar… commenced [by] R. Shmuel son of R. David Chamitz, and completed [by] Shlomo son of R. Saadia son of David son of Yonah HaLevi al-Hamami…". The Bir al-Azab neighborhood, adjacent to Qā' al-Yahud (the Jewish quarter), was allotted to the Jews by the king after they returned from the Mawza exile in 1677-1678.
This manuscript was examined and described in detail by Moshe Gavra in Chachamim VeSofrim BeTeiman BaMe'ah HaShemonah Esreh (Bnei Brak, 1996, pp. 142-146); he writes:
"The siddur comprises 215 leaves with supralinear vocalization, as customary in Yemen in those times. The siddur was commissioned by R. Meoded son of Saadia HaLevi al-Najar. The siddur includes the commentary composed by R. Y. Wanneh, yet it isn't consecutive and the commentary bears various headings: 'Hagahah', 'Perush', 'Chiddushin', 'Hasagah' and others. Based on the headings and the layout of the siddur and customs, it appears to me that the scribes copied one of the first editions of R. Y. Wanneh's Siddur Chiddushin, rather than the last edition… the customs mentioned in the siddur are closer to the structure and text that the Maharitz adopted in his siddur Etz Chaim, and they conform with the first editions of the siddur written by R. Y. Wanneh, before the printed siddurim and books of kabbalah influenced R. Y. Wanneh's siddur.
A damaged sale contract dated 1723 appears at the beginning of the manuscript.
On p. [42b], contract recording the sale of the siddur in 1753 to Avraham son of Musa al-Arusi, who purchased it from Musa son of Sa'id al-Aziri, signed by the witnesses, R. "Yichye son of R. David", R. "Salam ibn Abraham" and R. "Suleiman ibn Madmun".
In various places in the manuscript, ownership inscriptions and signatures, and death records of members of the Karavani family, a prominent family of rabbis from al-Tawilah, Yemen.
[209] leaves. 30 cm. Condition varies, most leaves in good-fair condition. Stains, including dark dampstains (wine stains) to some leaves. Marginal wear and tears. Open tears (including large tears) to several leaves, affecting text. Marginal open tears to many leaves. Paper repairs. Worming to a few leaves. Rebound. Early leather binding, with leather loop closures.
Gavra notes that this manuscript comprises [215] leaves. The additional leaves, containing later additions from various periods (Tekufah calendars for 1770-1922, and more), were removed when the manuscript underwent restoration and was rebound.