Selichot for the Entire Year, Communal Copy with Handwritten Additions. Vienna, 1796.

Selichot for the Entire Year, Communal Copy with Handwritten Additions. Vienna, 1796.

A book of Selichot for the entire year as per the custom of communities of Poland, Moravia (Mahren), Hungary, and Schlesien. It was apparently used by one of the Jewish communities associated with the pogroms of the 18th and 19th Century (possibly Namirov or Lublin?) and later in the Neve Shalom community in Vienna.

Towards the end of the book, are four full pages written in beautiful script. They include Selichot to be recited on the 20th of Sivan.

The 20th of Sivan is a public fast that was first instituted in several Polish and Lithuanian communities, following a blood libel in Blois in 1171.

Rabbeinu Tam declared the following: "This fast will be greater than the fast of Gedaliah ben Achikam."

The fast was forgotten over the years and was renewed by the “Committee of the four countries” in memory of the pogroms of the 18th and 19th century, especially in the memory of the Jews of Namirov who were murdered on that day. Many selichot and lamentations were written over the years about various tragic events.

In these pages, the author penned in exceptionally beautiful handwriting, the prayer “Keil Maleh Rachamim”, which includes the names of prominent community figures and Rabbis including: Rabbi Yechiel Michel son of Rabbi Eliezer Manmirov - author of 'Shivrei Luchot', the Rabbi of Lublin, Rabbi Chaim, Rabbi Shlomo and Rabbi Eliezer - the geonim who were killed in Tolchin, as well as Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli who was killed in Polonne.

Vienna [1796]. Antoine Schmidt.

Otzar Hasefer Computerized Database, No. 40081.