Manuscript, Three Volumes: English-Yemenite-Jewish Dictionary. Aden, 19th Century. Not printed

Manuscript, Three Volumes: English-Yemenite-Jewish Dictionary. Aden, 19th Century. Not printed

Manuscript of a English-Judeo-Yemenite dictionary. Each page has three columns: The word as written in English, how to read it in English in Hebrew letters, and the translation into Judeo-Yemenite. The author's signature appears in Hebrew, English and Arabic. "Shiloh Yosef Yeshua Adeni, " one of the prominent members of the Yemenite community in Jerusalem. Three volumes. Aden, [late 19th century]. To the best of our examination, this manuscript has never been printed.

Extremely original item - precious to researchers of Judaic languages, especially for scholars of Oriental Jews in general! Apparently the first dictionary to depict the unique dialect of Judeo-Arabic spoken by Yemenite Jews, which, after the emigration of Yemenite Jews, has almost completely disappeared. Only about a hundred years later (!) did Rabbi Yosef Kapach write the sefer Halichot Teiman (Israel, 2002) with a Judeo-Arabic dictionary included.

History: Yitzchak Gluska posits that at first, after their exile from the Land of Israel and their arrival in Hejaz and North Yemen, Yemenite Jewry used EretzYisrali Aramaic. Later on, over the generations, this was exchanged for Judeo-Arabic influenced by Yemenite Arabs. Gluska points out the major usage, even after the change to Judeo-Arabic, to speaking Arabic, with words and Aramaic linguistic forms in the language. The language developed, inter alia, as a "secret language" that distinguished Jews in Yemen from their Muslim compatriots, and was used by them when they wanted to say things that would not be understood around them. There was broad use of the secret language in the cities, when there was a greater need to hide information In the villages, where co-existence between Jews and Arabs was broader, the secret language was primarily used for humor. While most Yemenite Jews ascended to Israel in the framework of Operation Magic Carpet and later operations, Yemenite Jews changed from Judeo-Arabic to Hebrew as their mother tongue and day-to-day language.

The author of the dictionary is Rabbi Shilo Yosef Adani, and his signature is displayed at the beginnings of the volumes. This is likely Rabbi Shilo Ben Yosef m' Yeshuah of Aden, who ascended to the Land of Israel and was one of the most prominent personalities of the Yemenite community in the Mandate era. In 1907, he printed Sefer Nachalat Yosef by his brother, Kabbalist Rabbi Shmuel Yosef Yeshuah Adani, one of the most important sefarim written by Yemenite Jewry [refer to the photocopy]. This was the sefer vehemently attacked by Rabbi Yichyeh Kapach, head of the Dorde'ah sect in Sefer Milchamot Hashem. Rabbi Kapach compares Sefer Nachalat Yosef there to the most important Kabbalistic works, as follows: "He, in his innocence, does not stir from the words of the Zohar and Mikdash Melech ... and [כס"א] and [הרש"ב] and Yosher Levav, and Sefer HaBrit and the Ar"i and Rabbi Chaim Vital in Etz Chayim and Nachalat Yosef.

Volume 1: Approximately [200] pp, of which approximately [110] pp are written. 21x13 cm. Semi-leather binding from the period it was written.

Volume II:  Approximately [44] pp, of which approximately [23] pp are written. 18x11 cm. Jacket cover.

Volume III: Approximately [80] pp, of which approximately [42] pp are written. 17x11 cm. Not bound.

Overall fine condition. Aging stains.