Or 17113

Or 17113 (1): Sermon on charity, copied from the old Ḥaye ‘olam / חיי עולם. The epigraph, Genesis 45:7, describes Joseph’s charity towards his brothers. After the opening lemma, from Yalḳut Shim‘oni, middle of section 82, on Abraham’s hospitality in Genesis 18 – ‘Why did our first ancestors merit in this world, in the next world, and for the Messianic Ear? Because they conducted themselves with charity. …’ – the first words form an acrostic of the Tetragrammaton, imbedded in the phrase ‘The matter is known, and the concept is well known’ / ידוע הדבר ומפורסם הענין.

Or 17113 (2): Sermon on Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 10b, ‘They asked Solomon son of David: How great is the power of charity? …'

Or 17113 (3): Sermon on charity, with opening lemma from Mishna, Ethics of the Fathers, chapter 1: On three things does the world stand: on the Torah; on worship [in the Temple]; and on acts of lovingkindness’.

Or 17113 (4): Congratulatory speech by the minister / officer [Hebrew: שר] Karmi / כרמי? (but see alternative name below) to those who come forth on behalf of the needy: ‘The head of the association ‘All of Israel are Friends’ / כל ישראל חברים, minister / officer Ḳarimiko / קרימיכו? arose and spoke to the assembled, saying: O noble women, hear my speech; O honoured men, incline your ears to my speech … Today I came to the assistance of one of the unfortunates …’

Or 17113 (5): Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic. List of 13 charities, and the merit accrued by donating to them: [1] Hospital, which was built by the deceased Meir Eliyahu (whose repose is in Eden), and which requires a total of 200 Lira per month; [2] Talmud Torah, classes in which poor children read Scripture and מאמר(?), and writing(?) – 2500 students and 70 [or 71?] professional teachers, and the daily provision of lunch; [3] Tomekhi Torah / תומכי תורה = ‘Supporters of Torah’, a recently founded organisation to support young men who diligently study Talmud and commentaries, to disseminate Torah amongst Israel … and that they be granted the status of clerics, and be exempt from military duty; [4] Halbashat ‘Arumim / הלבשת ערומים = ‘Clothing the Naked’: each year, in the month of Ḥeshṿan [the beginning of the cold season], clothing and blankets are distributed to the poor; [5] Niśu'in / נשואין = ‘Marriage’: helps poor girls and orphans with marriage [expenses]; [6] Zekhut ha-Rabim / זכות הרבים = ‘Merit of the Public’, purchasing religious articles (tsitsit / ציצית, tefillin / תפלין, mezuzot / מזוזות, etc.) for the poor, and providing manual labourers (peddlers, porters) with tuition in basic religious skills, when they come to read [Scripture] after work; [7] Tomekhi Dalim / תומכי דלים = ‘Supporters of the Indigent’, distributing help to the poor to provide their Sabbath needs; [8] Maktab al-ta'awun / מכתב אל תעאוון = ‘Mutual / Collaborative office’, [school] providing 400 poor children with tuition in reading, writing, Turkish, and French, clothing, and daily lunch [established in 1909; and in the mid-1920s renamed Madrasat Raḥel Shaḥmun / مدرسة راحيل شحمون = the Rachel Shaḥmun School – thus this manuscript should be dated to the period between 1909 and the mid 1920s]; [9] Maktab al- sanayie / מכתב אל צנאייע = ‘Office of trade / professional / industrial [school]’, an organisation to teach children reading and writing for two hours plus a trade / profession, such as carpentry or metalwork, etc., and to provide job placement; [10] Ḳodesh la-kabiri / קודש לכבירי = ‘The Great Sanctuary’ (synagogue), the supporters of which include generations of the Sassoon family ; [11] The Yeshivah of the noble Isaac Gaon, where blind paupers chant Psalms etc.; [12] The Yeshiva of our master Ezra the Scribe, may his merit protect us; [13] The Yeshivah of our master Ezekiel the Prophet, may his merit protect us.

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