HaDover – First Newspaper in Iraq and Only Hebrew Newspaper Printed in Baghdad – Lithographed – Volume of Issues – ...

HaDover – First Newspaper in Iraq and Only Hebrew Newspaper Printed in Baghdad – Lithographed – Volume of Issues – Baghdad, 1867 and 1870 – From the Sassoon Collection
Volume of issues of the HaDover newspaper (Dover Meisharim), edited and published by Baruch son of Moshe Mizrachi. Baghdad, 1867 and 1870. Lithographed. First newspaper in Iraq and only Hebrew newspaper printed in Baghdad.
Volume containing five issues which were part of the Sassoon collection, based on which Yaari recorded the newspaper in his book HaDfus HaIvri BeArtzot HaMizrach: Year 5, Issue 17 (15th Kislev 1867); Year 1 of HaDover BiReshut, Issue 2 (26th Nissan 1870), Issue 8 (21st Tammuz 1870), Issue 9 (4th Av 1870), Issue 16 (Erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev 1870).
Issues of this newspaper are very rare. The present volume is the largest and most complete collection of issues known to us.
The HaDover, or Dover Meisharim, newspaper was published in Baghdad by the editor Baruch son of Moshe Mizrachi, and it serves as an important historical source on Iraqi Jewry. The newspaper was entirely handwritten, in Hebrew, in semi-cursive Baghdadi script (Rashi script), and reproduced in lithograph. It began appearing in 1863, at first without government license – which caused suspensions of its publication several times. In 1870 it resumed, this time with the license of the ruler of Baghdad and with the added phrase HaDover BiReshut, in a new series (starting anew the count of the years of publication). The newspaper's publication ceased in September 1871.
Baghdadi Jews enjoyed several newspapers in Judeo-Arabic printed in India, in Bombay and Calcutta, by Iraqi Jews who had immigrated to India. HaDover was their only newspaper printed in Baghdad itself, and the only one written entirely in Hebrew. HaDover was actually the very first newspaper to appear in Iraq.
HaDover includes news and information from the Baghdadi community, various world news items, opinion pieces and Torah thoughts, and more. Some examples of the contents of the issues comprising this volume:
The Kislev 1867 issue includes an article describing the magnificent synagogue built by the Sassoon family in Bombay; news item concerning "the British Army gathering to fight with the king of Kush", and other news from Baghdad; Torah novellae; various commercial indexes (food, clothing, currency, commodities, rental); announcements of the Baghdad Beit Din; description of the arrival of a Pasha from Constantinople in Baghdad; special prayer in honor of Moses Montefiore by R. Shlomo Bechor Chutzin, and more.
The Nissan 1870 issue describes, among other things, the sermon of the Ben Ish Chai for Shabbat HaGadol: " On Shabbat HaGadol… the entire community gathered in the Great Synagogue, and there the famous preacher, R. Yosef Chaim son of R. Eliyahu son of R. Moshe Chaim stood and delivered his sermon, using parables throughout…, as well as laws of koshering utensils and destroying Chametz…".
The issue from Erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev 1870 describes the visit of the King of Persia to Baghdad, and the honor accorded to him by the Jewish community: "…even the Torah scrolls were taken out in his honor… the school children also stood in procession, and everyone crowded together in Turkish attire especially prepared for the occasion…".
Other issues contain various announcements about the deaths of public figures, information about the state of the Tigris and Euphrates, news of visits to Baghdad by high-ranking personalities, theft and robberies, wars between different countries, and more.
The newspaper was distributed outside Baghdad as well. It was sold in India and Persia, and even reached other places.
5 issues (2 leaves per issue). Size varies, 1867 issue: 26 cm; other issues: approx. 30 cm. Condition varies, fair-good. Stains, including dampstains and ink stains. Tears, including open tears, affecting text in several places. Some tears repaired with tape. Inscriptions in one issue. Old binding.
Very rare.
Provenance:
1. Sassoon Collection (Yaari, HaDfus HaIvri BeArtzot HaMizrach, list of books printed in Baghdad, no. 1. Yaari recorded the newspaper based on the present issues from the Sassoon collection).
2. Valmadonna Trust Library.