Bidspirit auction | (INDIA). Seder LeSimchath Torah. Manuscript

(INDIA). Seder LeSimchath Torah. Manuscript in Hebrew written in a square Oriental Hebrew hand, brown ink on paper. Formerly in the Sassoon Collection. Composed for Samuel ben Joseph Meshuhrar by the scribe Levi ben Shem Tov Hallegua of Cochin. ff. 48. Trace wormed, slight browning from ink bleed. Sassoon library marbled boards with large Sassoon bookplate in front and ink stamp in rear. 12mo. Cochin, India 1876. The text comprises the order of the morning and afternoon liturgical services for the festival of Simhat Torah, according to the rites of the Indian Jews of Cochin. Provenance: The collection of the late David Suleiman Sassoon. See D.S. Sassoon, Ohel Dawid: Catalogue of the Sassoon Library (1932) Vol. I pp. 260-1, no. 140. Simchath Torah, the Festival of Rejoicing in the Torah, was a grand affair in old Cochin. (In fact, the very first Hebrew book published in Cochin was the Seder Minchath Simchath Torah, 1876). “On Motza’ei Simchath Torah, the night following the holiday, it is the custom here in Cochin to each sing songs in the synagogue, beginning with the eldest and concluding with the youngest. This goes on until nine hours. Afterwards, the women go out to kiss the Torah scrolls, at which time the Hazzan ascends the Teivah [platform] to bless them, reciting four times ‘Mi she-beirach’ corresponding to the four matriarchs.” There follows a unique “Mi she-beirach Sarah ve-Rivkah Rachel ve-Leah, va-Avigail ve-Esther ha-Malkah bath Avichail (See Sassoon Cat., Vol. I, p. 261, no. 123).