Manuscript – Piyyutim – Algeria, 17th/18th Century

Manuscript – Piyyutim – Algeria, 17th/18th Century

Manuscript, piyyutim, scribed by R. Netanel son of R. Tzemach Crescas. [Algeria, ca. second half of 17th century or early 18th century].
Neat Maghrebi semi-cursive script, with headings in square script. One of the pages has a decorative border. Approximately 270 piyyutim for various occasions, by Spanish and North African poets.
The piyyutim are divided into categories. See Hebrew description for more details.
The manuscript opens with an alphabetical index of the piyyutim. Colophon at the end of the index (partially damaged), signed by R. Netanel son of R. Tzemach Crescas.
The scribe included piyyutim he himself composed. Inscription at the beginning of piyyut 259: "Composed by me, Netanel Crescas". This piyyut forms an acrostic of his name, and is followed by several more acrostic piyyutim forming his name. These piyyutim are unknown from any other source.
This anthology of piyyutim includes many by R. Mandil Abi Zimra, a 16th century Torah scholar of Algeria and North Africa. The other piyyutim in the anthology have not been carefully examined, and have not been compared with known piyyutim from North Africa.
The Crescas Family originated in Spain and produced several rabbis bearing this name who were active in Algeria. We are familiar with a R. Netanel Crescas who was active in the 17th century and is considered one of the leading rabbis of Algeria. He is primarily mentioned in R. Shlomo Tzror's responsa, who would request R. Netanel's approval for his rulings and related to him as the leading Torah scholar of the generation (listed by the Chida in Shem HaGedolim). Likewise, we know of a hymnist named R. Netanel son of Yehuda Crescas, who is generally identified with the aforementioned R. Netanel Crescas. A manuscript of an Algerian-rite machzor in the Klagsbald collection (formerly Ms. Sassoon 972; see Ohel David, II, p. 774) with a list of hashkavot (written later than the machzor), mentions, inter alia, "The Kabbalist R. Netanel Crescas" and "The G-dly Kabbalist R. Tzemach Crescas". We do not know the precise identity of R. Netanel son of R. Tzemach Crescas, scribe of this manuscript and composer of some of the piyyutim (his name is not mentioned in Poésie hébraique en Algérie by Ephraim Hazan. Lod, Orot Yahadout Hamaghreb, 2009).
Several compilations in later script were added on the blank leaves at the beginning of the manuscript, including dream interpretations, segulot, and more. More inscriptions after the indices and in several other places in the manuscript.

[140] leaves. Indices complete; lacking first leaf of piyyutim (anthology begins in middle of third piyyut). Lacking one or more leaves at end of manuscript. 17 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, tears and wear. Open tears to some leaves due to ink erosion, affecting text. Detached or loose leaves and gatherings. Old binding, damaged.

Exhibitions:
1. Joden onder de Islam / Jews under Islam. Amsterdam, Jewish Museum, 1993.
2. The Book of Books. Jerusalem, The Bible Lands Museum, 2013.
3. Les Juifs d'Algérie. Paris, Musée d'art et d'histoire du judaïsme, 2012.
Provenance: The Gross Family Collection, Tel Aviv, AL.011.002.