Manuscript - Midrash HaGadol - Darb Al Chanashat, Yemen, 1601 / Perush HaMishnah L'HaRambam - Yemen, 16th/17th ...

Manuscript - Midrash HaGadol - Darb Al Chanashat, Yemen, 1601 / Perush HaMishnah L'HaRambam - Yemen, 16th/17th Century - Ornamentation and Illustrations
Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol on Vayikra. Darb Al Chanashat (Yemen), [1601]. Bound with: manuscript, Perush HaMishnah L'HaRambam - Seder Moed. [Yemen, 16th/17th century].
Thick large volume, opens with Midrash HaGadol on Vayikra (lacking a small part of the beginning), in ancient Yemenite script in two columns. Punctuated "Reshut" Piyyutim introduce each Parsha. Concluding colophon on p. [153a]: "This Midrash was concluded with G-d's kindness and compassion… in the month of Adar 1601 and was written for the cherished synagogue of Darb Al Chanashat… and the writer… Y.S.Z. son of Moshe son of Yitzchak son of the famed Nissim from Aden…" [Darb Al Chanashat - an ancient Yemenite Jewish community destroyed in the 1679 Mawza Exile never to revive - see enclosed material].
At the beginning of the volume is an ancient vellum leaf - last leaf of a Yemenite Chumash [ca. 15th century]. On one side is a text of Parshat Zot HaBeracha (with Targum and superlinear vocalization) and on the verso is a colorful decoration of a "carpet" incorporated with micrographic verses.
The second part of the volume contains a manuscript in ancient Yemenite writing [ca. 16th/17th century], Perush HaMishnayot L'HaRambam, in Judeo-Arabic [original language of the composition], Seder Moed, with several illustrations and illustrative diagrams. Lacking a small section [from Tractate Shabbat until the middle of Tractate Moed Katan]. Homilies and allusions to wisdom gleaned from the letters of the Torah appear on the first two leaves of the composition. Inscriptions on first leaf: "This is… Midrash Vayikra and Seder Moed for the Darb Al Chanashat Synagogue", "Avraham son of David son of Shalom son of Shlomo Al Kalufi".
[253] leaves. 29 cm. Midrash HaGadol lacks several leaves at the beginning. The end of Perush HaMishnah is lacking, from the middle of Tractate Moed Katan in addition to two middle leaves. Condition varies among the leaves, good-fair. Stains. Dampness traces. Worn margins. Various levels of worming. Coarse tears to several leaves, affecting text. Vellum leaf at beginning of the volume is torn and damaged, affecting text. New binding.