Miscellany of Judeo-Turkish and Hebrew hymns, between 1800 and 1890; קובץ פיוטים, טורקי-עברי ועברית,בין 1800 - 1890

Contributor:

Ashkenazi, Avraham, active 1836 (scribe)

Timespan:

19th century

Date:

1800

Description:

This is a miscellany of Judeo-Turkish, Hebrew, and Judeo-Arabic hymns, with certain pieces from earlier manuscripts. It begins with a section of vocalized hymns in Judeo-Turkish, circa 1820, originating in southern Russia, Anatolia, or possibly Armenia. After these are poems in Hebrew, with stanzas and refrains standard for Hebrew poetry (simanim), written in a vocalized cursive script, aside from a poem for a bride and groom (f. 21r-21v), some Judeo-Turkish poems, and returning to Hebrew poetry at the end of the section (with many of these poems containing Biblical passages from Psalms, Song of Songs, and Lamentations), with a colophon in Turkish signed by Abraham Ashkenazi, 1 Elul 5596 (Sunday, 14 August 1836; f. 78v). The next section is another hymn with a table of contents, possibly North African, circa 1850 (f.79r-80v). This is followed by cabalistic meditations and formulations in a North African square script on unruled paper, circa 1890 (f. 81r-81v), followed by more hymns in Judeo-Arabic (f. 82r-100v). Another section of Yemeni piyutim follow in a large square script, circa 1870 (f. 101r-104v), and a final section of meditation on the names of angels, possibly Yemenite as well, circa 1850 (f.105r-107v). There is a loose note at the beginning of the manuscript (a Biblical sermon, possibly North African, 19th century) and another laid in at the end (cabalistic prayer, possibly Israel, 20th century). Most manuscripts laid out as traditional hymns, with catchwords, stanzas, and acrostic letters accentuated; written mostly in a Turkish style script, with some variation. Bound in a modern cloth binding with a brown spine.

Language:

Turkish

Provenance:

Sold by Kestenbaum & Company, auction 53 (December 8, 2011) lot 300.

Subject:

Jews; History; Jewish hymns -- Texts; Jewish hymns; Jewish religious poetry; Piyutim; Cabala; Jews -- Turkey -- 19th century -- History -- Sources; Jews -- Yemen (Republic) -- 19th century -- History -- Sources; Jews -- Africa, North -- 19th century -- History -- Sources

Resource Type:

Text

Form/Genre:

Sources; Texts; Manuscripts, Turkish; Manuscripts, Hebrew; Hymns; Fragments (object portions); Codices (bound manuscripts); manuscripts (documents)

Physical Description:

1 volume (107 leaves) : paper; 100 x 165 mm + 2 notes

Geographic Subject:

North Africa; Yemen (Republic); Turkey

Rights:

https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

In Judeo-Turkish, Hebrew, and some Judeo-Arabic

Physical Location:

Library at the Katz Center, Rare Book Manuscripts, CAJS Rar Ms 434