The Rothschild Mahzor is a Jewish prayer book for the Roman rite, handwritten and illuminated in Florence in 1490. The scribe, Abraham Judah ben Yehiel of Camerino, copied the text in Italian (Jewish Languages) semi-cursive script. Its decoration, featuring floral designs, gold leaf, and colorful initials, reflects the artistry of multiple Florentine workshops (ateliers). Manuscript production in Renaissance Florence often involved collaborations among scribes, illuminators, and goldsmiths, blending Jewish liturgical needs with local artistic traditions. 

Rich Jewish families of the Italian Renaissance often imitated their high-status Christian neighbors, commissioning luxury books on fine parchment for their private collections. This was a way of showing their wealth and nobility.

Outstanding on this page, as on others, are the little naked child-angels, called “putti.” Do these images strike you as out of place in a Jewish manuscript? They are actually quite common. Angels were an important part of Jewish tradition, and the second commandment’s prohibition upon such images was observed mostly in the breach. 

This page includes the beginning of the “maggid” section of the Haggadah, which commences with an invitation to those who are needy to join us for the Seder. The emphasis of the opening words of the invitation, “Ha Lachma Anya,” is replicated again and again in Haggadah manuscripts, making it clear how important it is for everyone to have a place to celebrate the Seder.