The Mourners for Zion in Yemen

One must give a tithe ... to the Scholars... and to the orthodox men of the times – namely the mourners for Zion and the mourners for Jerusalem. These [men] refrain from eating meat and from drinking wine: they wear only black garments. They dwell in caves or in derelict houses. They practice fasting all their lives – excepting on Sabbaths and Festivals. They entreat The Holy-One Blessed be He for His mercies, on account of Israel’s exile, that He have mercy on them, for the sake of His Holy Name.

The Mourners for Zion in Ashkenaz

Now all the Jewish people are dispersed in each and every land. Any individual who impedes the ingathering of Israel will have no prosperity nor will he be resurrected with the rest of Jewry.
At the time when the Lord will remember his People in our exile, and ‘raise up the honor [lit: horn] of His Messiah’, every single individual will say: ‘I shall show the Jews the way, and I shall gather them!’
Now these provinces have many Scholars abiding in them, as well as Communities... and whenever a wayfarer comes to them to lodge, they are pleased with him.... and they are accustomed to say: ‘Our brothers, Rejoice, for the Salvation of the Lord will come, fast as the twinkling of an eye!’

Were we to have any doubt [lit: fear, anxiety] of the imminent arrival of the ’End of Days’, we would take the initiative and get ourselves gathered. But we simply are unable to do so, until that ‘moment when the nightingale arrives’, with ‘the sound of the turtle-dove’ – a time when there come, those who proclaim and declare: ‘The Lord be Aggrandized’.
These who eagerly anticipate the Redemption are accustomed to send letters to each other, with the message: ‘Be firm in observing the religion of Moses!’
So the Mourners for Zion and the Mourners for Jerusalem should continue to beg the Almighty for His mercy; and those who wear black garments should entreat God on their behalf.
And likewise, all those above-mentioned provinces in the Land Alimney.

Source: Excerpt taken from Hebrew edition of: A.Z. Eshcolli “The Messianic Movements in Israel”, Bialik Institute.