Sample Sources
The sources below are those contained in our three curated collections—covering themes of Passover, Gender Roles, and Holocaust Resistance. They represent a fraction of the thousands of sources that will be available when the full site launches in 2024.
Takkanot (Regulations)
Inasmuch as the association of balbirer [artisan barbers] have seen boys break away from their masters and think of themselves as expert physicians, and, on account of which, they have failed in…
Appointment of Samson Wertheimer as Imperial Court Factor in Vienna
We, Leopold, elected Roman Emperor by the grace of God, in the name [of the House of Hapsburg], the name of our heirs and our descendants, with this letter proclaim publicly that we have graciously…
Takkanot (Regulations)
1. When the leaders of the people assembled together, the heads of the holy community of Ludmir (Włodzimierz), in conjunction with all…
Letter to Samuel Isaac Norzi: On Prayer
A halakhic decision written by Netanel Trabotto about singers [accompanying prayer in the synagogue] who repeated the word crown as well as the Name of God, and they…
Letter of Approbation for a Preacher
Lo, here is seed [zera‘] for you (Genesis 47:23), blessed one of the Lord [berakh], his honor the eminent rabbi and great preacher and reprover, in honor of heaven, our teacher and rabbi, Berakh son…
Ketubah for Shavuot
In the Sephardic tradition, a “marriage contract” (ketubah), a symbolic betrothal of God and Israel, is read before the Torah reading on the first day of the holiday of Shavuot
An Impure Occurrence
On the Sabbath a few young girls were [playing] going up and down a ladder in the house of Bella Stella. One of them, Marchigiana, daughter of Aron di Joab, [tripped . . . and] fell; and her virginity…
Letter to His Son
To be given to my dearly beloved and pleasant son-in-law—who fears sin and all whose deeds are worthy—the respected Mr. Falk.
He who delivers this letter, on him be blessing.
From the holy community…
Me’irat ‘enayim (Light of the Eyes)
Lo! I, the insignificant Joshua Falk, son of my Master, my father, the honorable R. Alexander ha-Kohen of blessed memory, was once young and am now aged (Psalms 37:25), and all my life I grew up among…
Pardes rimonim (Garden of Pomegranates)
One who uses the Ineffable Name in this world will have a great punishment, and the reason for this is that he mentions holy letters in impurity, and combines that which is holy with that which is…
Seder tefilot yesharot u-varot (The Order of Upright and Pure Prayers)
Kabbalists prayed using the basic Jewish prayers, but added certain elements according to their own tradition. The prayers are often presented with kavanot (special devotional forms, meanings, and…
Sefer ha-ḥayim (The Book of Life)
As it is written in the Zohar, Shelakh lekha: Women are privileged to merit the joy of the righteous who do the work of the Lord. They establish merit for their portion among the righteous. Men and…