A rare siddur from Satanov: how a 1749 manuscript connected Ukraine, Safed, and the ANU Museum in Tel Aviv

In ANU — Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, a rare exhibit has appeared that is difficult to perceive simply as an old book. It is a handwritten siddur with the kavanot of Ari, created in 1749 in Satanov — a city that is now located in Ukraine. The prayer book was handwritten by the scribe Israel ben Raphael Segal and is now presented as part of the museum's permanent exhibition.

For the Israeli audience, this story is especially important. It connects several layers of Jewish memory: Safed and the teachings of Ari, the Jewish communities of Podolia, the manuscript tradition of Eastern Europe, the journey of a family heirloom through the USA, and the return of this book to the public Jewish space already in Tel Aviv.

Not an ordinary prayer book: what is a siddur with the kavanot of Ari

Before the museum visitors is not a standard prayer book for everyday reading. It is a siddur with kavanot, that is, with special mystical intentions that should accompany the prayer. In such a tradition, prayer is understood not only as the recitation of text but also as spiritual work: every word, every combination of names, every internal setting has significance.

The siddur is…

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