Medieval Jewish Prayer Book Sold for $8.3 Million At Auction

An ancient medieval Jewish prayer book fetched the highest ever price for a Hebrew manuscript at the Sotheby’s auction house on Tuesday.

Sold for $8.3 Million, the Luzzatto High Holiday Mahzor is named after its former owner, a 19th-century scholar, theologian, poet, and book collector Samuel David Luzzatto. It originated in Germany’s Bavaria region in the late 13th or early 14th century. Over the years, the prayer book traveled to Italy and France.

Source: Times of Israel (Screen grab/Sotheby’s)

In 1870, it was purchased by the Alliance Israelite Universelle, a Jewish cultural institution in France. Despite concerns that it would go to private hands, the institute said the move was necessary, citing financial debt. Written by a scribe by the name of Abraham, the book includes several ancient versions of prayers that have since disappeared from Ashkenazi tradition. Its lavish illustrations and embellishments showcase the community’s wealth.

Given that the winning bid reportedly went to an anonymous American buyer, local Israeli media asked why Israel’s National Library did not purchase the ancient text, to which a spokesperson said, “The National Library regularly examines existing sales in Israel and overseas and weighs each case individually. The price for acquiring the Mahzor is very high and would require the enlistment of the state and donors to assist in such an acquisition.”