CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. VOLUME I. CELC1 i Xii,,uama 4cLt: r I~hlo ICC I UU, C W MEN~U t'LBQ SL CLLL'Z LCUCeLLL ClrL.L.1 - CZM LGLLCd UImcL Lt,CL~ CLCL. ilrs.L M tC~L CL44 UGL~C UL?~4t ar (,cLccL tnqt4 Neat) YOU a- UL. CIPQ Nag finish a word on the line, he puts its last letter or two in the margin, but at a certain distance from the word to which it belongs (e.g. D tn)., The MS. has vowel-points and accents, and the sign of,D'I on nlqg~] when liquid. It also has a scanty supply of the n'1n in its lesser form, which in most cases does not go beyond the noting down of the'll' &c. The following peculiarities of this MS. are worth noticing: (1) - The n9lti2l of the feasts and fasts do not stand by themselves but are incorporated among those of the weekly nl]ID. Thus between those for It and:)'13/ the five for Passover are inserted; between those for'1'2t2 and NV] the two for Pentecost, and again between those for nt'12q and prnnm1 the two for 8X: nlrvn and the other fasts are given. From the piece left on leaf 183a, which is for'i1rln rnnwi, we see that the same system must have been observed respecting those for New Year, the Day of Atonement and Tabernacles. (2) This rule is, however, not observed with respect to the 1~1t21,~ for No. 18.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 29 the Sabbaths of - rinl, which are indeed neither given in the course of those for Genesis, nor even alluded to anywhere else throughout the MS. (3) The ntMl for the four nelwt, that for the Sabbath and New Moon, and that for the Sabbath which is the eve of a New Moon, are given at the end. (4) The MlItUi for f11n con commences (leaf 162a) at Amos ix. 6. (5) The arrangement of the 1n~11 is remarkable. They follow in the order of the yearly reading, only reversed, Pentecost, Passover, Purim, Tabernacles and 9 Ab; commencing with Ruth it would seem for the very purpose of closing with Lamentations (see Excurs. I.). The leaves wanting are: 3 (Gen. iii. 17 to v. 16); 6 (Gen. ix. 9 to xi. 7); 142 (Deut. xxxiv. 11 to the end); 175-182 (Is. 1. 4, in the,IM for f43p1, to Josh. i. 1, in the,nt'1, for rfln nnn1]V). At the foot of Leaf La, is written: * *....D *'j-1 j tnl VJ Anne Another hand has noted the defect in the 1ne,Z1 and has supplied the missing matter in Genesis on two leaves of paper (numbered 3* and 6*) in an oriental Rabbinic character. At the end of the book another hand has written the following note: i":;1W'n 1"': " PZ ir~ W, non ann, z ri $ibirn ~nri nY rl~ans 1n31~;3'1 arm nnm:$ a l nl~ nrn:m im wsn) rin$ ri3t The third abbreviation is an allusion to 1 Sam. xxv. 29, and the last stands either for W i',l ]'1' J11W or'1 nIr=,M'1 ate (Ps. xxiv. 5). The word i'i'Wp was first written tU"'5np, but the writer has inserted a pointed I over the D. [Library-mark, Add. 469; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 19. Parchment, 7sin. x 61 in.; 152 leaves', 4-sheet quires, 19 lines; square character, Sephardic handwriting of the xIixIIIth century. The PENTATEUCH with the Aramaic paraphrase of %P~nN; defective. Leaf 1 of the first remaining quire and all that preceded, wanting; 2", Numbers vi. 14; 94b, Deuteronomy. 1 Only 19 quires remain out of the whole volume, and the numbering of the leaves only relates to these quires. 30 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS [No. 19. To judge from the only instance in our hands, the interval between the various books was determined by the designs the scribe wished to place there. Before Deuteronomy is a 6-line space exhibiting various animals, &c., all in ink. A small embellishment is also found on leaf 132", for the /D' (the weekly,1VY1. of,IP'1). To fill up the vacant spaces of the line the scribe uses chiefly a letter, or letters, from the first word on the next line, and now and then also a to (see Excurs. I.), as on leaf 48b, &c. The text has vowel-points and accents. The various readings, which are not a few, do not elevate themselves beyond what is commonly to be found in other MSS. of this class. The =1r]nl, however, which follows the text verse by verse, and to which also the vowel-points and accents extend, is of great importance, as, in the considerable variants it exhibits, there are many which are superior to the ordinary readings in the printed editions. The sacerdotal benediction (Num. vi. 25-27) is without W'l1q (see No. 17 of this Catalogue). There are emendations both of the text and of the -'1nnl, either in square character or in Rabbinic, partly by the original copyist and partly by an owner. They are easily to be distinguished from one another. Numerous leaves are stained, soiled, and torn; and the following are almost or entirely lost: leaf 1 of the first remaining quire and all that preceded it, that is all before,1l'Il) (Num. vi. 14 in the V111nJ); 17 (x. 36 text to xi. nl'lJ); 24 (xiii. 30 n'1rl to xiv. 7 MYrnI); 33 (xvi. 11 text to xvi. 23 text); 40 (xviii. 22 text to xviii. 32 w'rn); 146-151 (Deut. xvi. 12 text to xix. 10 lann), and all after 152b, which breaks off: 1=Q2 lIN1',11V, E (xx. 1 text). On leaf 501, occurs the name of ~lt: slbl; on 104b that of 93tq'17; and on 94k, the names of i,'ll: and 712)2 can be traced. This MS. is not noticed by Kennicott; but a full account of the various readings, both in text and q'.Vn, will be found in the MS. notice of it preserved in the Library. [Library-mark, Dd. 11. 26; added to the collection between 1657 and 1752.] No. 20. Parchment, 15 in. x 12 in.; 121 and 72 leaves, mostly 4-sheet quires, 2 columns', 28 —31 lines; square character, French Ashkenazic handwriting of the xII-xIIIth century. The PROPHETS and HAGIOGRAPHA; defective in the middle. 1 The exceptions are, Frag. I., leaves 21b-22a (Song of Deborah), and 74375a (Song of David), both of which are in mrx &c. No. 20.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 31 FRAGMENT I. The first 16 quires of the original volume. Leaf 1a, blank; lb, Joshua; 18b, Judges; 35%a Samuel (57b, 2 Samuel); 76b, Kings (100a 2 Kings); 121b, Jeremiah, breaking off with ~d Ip v, ) i. 9, as the end of the last remaining quire of this portion is wanting. FRAGMENT II. The last 9 quires of the original volume. Leaves 1 —4 of the first remaining quire of this portion are wanting; 5a, Ezra ii. 1 (12a Nehemiah); 23b, Chronicles (44", 2 Chronicles); 71-72, probably blank, wanting. From the fact that the Latter Prophets commence with Jeremiah, and that the Hagiographa end with Chronicles, it is clear that this MS. was written in conformity with the order recorded in the Talmud Babli, lner 2s2, 14b. There is an interval of 3 (almost 4) lines after Joshua, and of 4 lines after Judges, Samuel and Kings. After Ezra (Nehemiah) there are 13 lines left to the foot of the page, so as to allow Chronicles to commence on the reverse of the leaf. The mode of commencing the books is worth notice. Joshua begins, as in a Sephardic MS. of the period, without any distinctive initial; while in all the other books the first word is made to occupy the centre of a line, but is in the ordinary character. The MS. thus affords an example of the gradual development from the simplicity of the Sephardic school to the large ornamental initials of the later Ashkenazic MSS. The vacant spaces at the end of lines are filled up with part of the word on the next line, and occasionally by a I (see Excurs. I.). The MS. has vowelpoints and accents. The letters ne11n when liquid have the sign of;I, and the evln ranD (except in bD) is always represented by a'3lD ILnO. So far goes the work of the original copyist, whose name appears to have been flj', and who is probably the ancestor of the Nathan who writes at the end of the volume: ~3P3'1 W Duk:,~ ~, Wl b D nl l1 N;1,"D $t 1DID. This abbreviation stands for nI~Zn P"'q lt (Prov. x. 7). It may be mentioned that Kennicott's Cod. 50 was written in the year t? (1327) by one Jacob b. Nathan of Evreux (Wq~NDK), who was probably a descendant of the above. The 1n1n (which is here confined to the Dip and similar notes) as well, as also a good many corrections, are due to another owner, Sarah the daughter of PIW"2. This woman was probably then unmarried, as she has made the following note immediately underneath the above-mentioned entry: The running titles on the upper margin, the superscription at the commencement of some books, the pagination and the numbering of the Christian chapters, are due to another owner:..* 1D1'111: (leaves 112b, 113-, &c.), between whom and the two previous owners several centuries must have elapsed. In the xvIIi-xixth century this MS. was owned by R. Moses Hirsch, Itr at Jassy (in Moldavia), whose son iln$V is mentioned (Frag. I., leaf 50a). This R. Moses, in the course of his travelling to the Holy Land, presented 32 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 20. it to a young man, Isaac, son of the physician Samuel Hallevi Ashkenazi (Frag. II., leaf 40b)1. The latter, although of Ashkenazic extraction, as his name indicates, was probably an Arabic-speaking Sephardic Jew, as will be seen from Frag. I., leaf 50". What we have of the MS. is in good condition. [Library-mark, Add. 467; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 21. Parchment, 12 in. x 10 in.; 196 leaves, 3-sheet quires, 2 columns2, 19 lines; square character, fine Sephardic handwriting of the xIII-xIVth century. The FORMER PROPHETS. Leaf la, blank; Ib, Joshua; 29b, Judges; 57b, Samuel (93b, 2 Samuel); 124a, Kings (161b, 2 Kings); the last column blank. There is an interval of 4 lines after Joshua, and of 3 after Judges and Samuel. No majuscule letters occur in this copy. To fill up the vacant spaces the scribe inserts one r or more; most commonly, however, two, such being the'upper part of a V (see Excurs. I.). They are found not merely at the end but also in the middle of a line. The MS. has vowel-points and accents. The sign of,;1V is written over the letters 1n:1= when liquid, and over i at the end of a syllable, to mark the legitimate absence of the pInV (the Tetragrammaton naturally excepted). The same sign is also found over X when quiescent. The ep) and Ulse, the an1 and'ns) are noted; but of the InIn in the usual acceptation of the term there are only slight traces3. The codex.i%$ is referred to five times4. The first three chapters of the book of 1 The note on the outer margin of leaf 40b is as follows: yrp rwin ninnv r nn;n'r'Z)IVPI 8b 5;18 1in-nw, own -pryl ('=1 = 1) nln -ltU bin-In io':) panr I57 iD- ~VX *'nlan tR1nTr (, 3: ny9' 1n L)n-in~nertrD) I'v:nlrwpri7 Y'Ix,'iL U VK' (nrorp rn;TpT)' p"pq E rTn a o,,ag,nv/. The year is not given. 2 The only exceptions are leaves 34b —36a (Jud. iv. 18-v. 31, the song being n:a),:v b)t rrn, &c.) and leaves 120a —121b (2 Sam. xxi. 15-xxii. 51, the song being merely arranged in poetical stichoi). 3 See leaves 23b and 103b, where the only instances of the larger and the lesser nrvi are found, and leaf 100., where the Kxirnc are quoted. 4 Leaves 102 (Joshua viii. 22, where l5 stands for =ni and between the No. 21.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 33 Samuel have a superscription, on the upper margin, in an old Sephardic hand; 1 and 2 Sam. and 1 and 2 Kings have English titles, and the chapters are regularly marked throughout in pencil, probably by Kennicott, who collated the MS. It is Cod. 90 in his list. He attributes it to the end of the xIvth century. Notes, in Sephardic handwriting, probably of ownership, occur on the first and last pages, but they have been carefully erased, with the exception of the signature 1N]v:I~ pns, which occurs several times on leaf aP. This is either the celebrated Don Yitzchaq Abarbanel, or his grandson mentioned by the author of the s V'I-N 1'~; more probably, however, the former. The volume was subsequently in possession of the Leyden orientalist, Erpenius, whose collection of oriental MSS. was purchased after his death by George Villiers, Duke of Buckipgham, who was then Chancellor of the University. After his assassination they were presented to the University by his widow. [Library-mark, Ee. 5. 8; presented in 1632 by Catherine, Duchess of Buckinghamm] No. 22. Parchment, 12 in. x 10 in.; 196 leaves, 3-sheet quires, 2 columns, 21 lines; same handwriting as the preceding MS. THE LATTER PROPHETS. Leaf P1, blank; lb, Isaiah; 46b, Jeremiah; 106', Ezekiel; 1563, Hosea; 162a, Joel; 164b, Amos; 170T, Obadiah; 170b, Jonah; 172b, ilicah; 176b, Nahumrn; 178', Habakkuk; 179b, Zep]haniah; 182%, Haggai; 183b, Zechariah; 192', Mialachi; 194b col. 2, 195, 196 blank. There is an interval of 3 lines between each of the larger, and of 2 (or almost 2) between each of the Minor Prophets, these last being looked upon as one book. It must be understood that, in all points not specially mentioned here, this MS. agrees with No. 21, as they are unquestionably the work of the same copyist. There are, however, a few things in which the uniformity is not complete. (1) The vacant spaces are filled up by t or i, never more. columns is,5bnr: l:); 50b (Jud. xvi. 23, where n,:1n~x stands for n:x*,x, and on the outer margin is 1:l:,N n~n=z:,*=n: am; on,nrn see No. 13 of this Catalogue); 93b (1 Sam. xxxi. 12, where in reference to inpl' we read on the outer margin INw,~'55n*); 103a (2 Sam. x. 3, where on n*n,5i the outer margin has'5;n:',~nin); and 143b (1 Kings xii. 2, where on j',n riunv between the columns is 5'~r= 1). 1 See leaf 9a in the Mantua edition of 1574, where he says: p"p,wp... IYn'r I m rxin 5m nn 1 u' n.2 5 n 1K":2 K z5Yw 7pcr pmy: K1 NK Nan' Inn A1rnn. 3 84 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 22. (2) The sign of V1~ is frequently omitted over the quiescent N. (3) The n7100 is considerably more developed here, and even the Aramaic mnemonic ('Cnr'Win'D:1) is found, although but rarely (see leaf 6b &c. and No. 13 of this Catalogue). In Isaiah i-xxxix. there are running titles, giving the book and (Christian) chapter in the same Sephardic Rabbinic hand which occurs in Samuel in the preceding volume. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel and Amos have the Latin names prefixed in a xvith century hand; and Kennicott has frequently added the English names of the books at beginning and end. This MS. is Cod. 91 in Kennicott's list. It was collated by him for his edition, and is assigned by him to the xivth century. The only traces of ownership are entries on the last leaf (in Hebrew) and on the first (apparently in Spanish or Italian); but they are now entirely illegible. There is a high probability that as the preceding volume this also belonged to Abarbanel, as it did subsequently to Erpenius. [Library-mark, Ee. 5. 10; presented in 1632 by Catherine, Duchess of Buckingham.] No. 23. Parchment, 5~ in. x 73 in.; I leaf, wanting top and bottom, 2 columns, originally 21 lines; square character, French Ashkenazic handwriting of the xIII —xvth century. [IIwtt SAMUEL; a fragment. This fragment contains only 2 Samuel xxii. 5-31 (n'1' bWtWn), and even in this a line is wanting at the head and another at the foot. Being part of the Song of David, it is written in In~l, &c. (see Excurs. I.) There are vowel-points and accents; and the mark of ntl over rn1=2: when liquid. The''p, &c. is the only trace of 1n71, this MS. possesses. [Library-mark, Add. 849. 3; bought in 1871.] No. 24. Parchment, 8- in. x 3~ in.; the outer half of 1 leaf, originally 28 lines; square character, French Ashkenazic handwriting of XII-XIIIth century. No. 24.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 35 JEREMIAH; a fragment. This fragment contains only xxiv. 4 —xxv. 10 (I2NS AfN lli;lh to ~~..$ip;rq1Dw )lj), and even in this two lines are wanting at the foot. It has vowel-points and accents, and the mark of BM1 over n21=N1 when liquid. The MS. as a whole seems to have had no rnMD beyond the t1p, &c. The contents are marked on the fragment in the handwriting, apparently, of Dr. Steinschneider, of Berlin. [Library-mark, Add. 849. 47 bought in 1871.] No. 25, Vellum, 12 in. x 83 in.; 555 leaves, 6-sheet quires, 2 columns', 22 lines; square character, fine German Ashkenazic handwriting, dated Friday 21 Tebeth 51072. tIoI VlV r)TI VY01i)1: nun vi mimn an rtm ntlnv THE HAGIOGRAPHA (without the Five Rolls) with the t:Vna and the commentaries of RASHI, RAMBAN, and an anonymous German author; in three parts. I. PSALMS and PROVERBS with 1rl1n and RASHI. Leaf la, Psalms; 174a, Proverbs. II. JOB with lWlqn and RAMBAN. Leaf 232a, Job; 306b, blank; 307, probably blank, wanting. III. DANIEL and EZRA (-NEEIEMIAH) with RASHI; CHRONICLES with a11nn and Pseudo-RAsnaI. Leaf 308%, Daniel; 329", Ezra (343b, Nehemiah); 364V, Chronicles (446b, 2. Chronicles); 555b subscriptions by the scribe. The books (Nehemiah and 2 Chronicles of course excepted) commence on fresh pages with large initial words on illuminated ground with various designs, that prefixed to Job representing Job and his wife and Satan (see chap. ii. 7-10). The Psalms are distinguished by 2-line initial words; lxx. and lxxi. here forming one Psalm. There are also large initial words to Ps. lxxviii. 28 (the centre of the book), and to cxv. 12, and cxvi. 12, where those Psalms are divided for liturgical purposes. Further there are large initial letters to each of the twenty-two portions of Ps. cxix. The first four verses of Ps. cxviii form the conclusion of the preceding one (as in No. 13). To fill up the vacant spaces, one or two letters are inserted at the end of The exceptions are leaves 160%, 160b, 173b, 231b, 306b, 363b, and 554-555b. 2 This is, however, according to Jahn's Tables, Thursday, January 4, 1347. 3- 2 36 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 25. the line, mostly part of the next word, but occasionally also a Rabbinic il or part of one, indicating the name of the scribe (see Excurs. I.). The MS. has vowel-points and accents and the mark of,r'I over 1nn1=1 when liquid. The running titles of the respective books are written on the lower outer margin of the recto pages, but are now mostly cut away by the binder. Although 3 lines are left on the upper and 4 lines on the lower margin, evidently for the addition of the nrlrDn, there is none to be found there. In the Psalms certainly we find at lxxviii. 38, i;n; in,ij]3 (lxxx. 16) a minuscule (instead of a majuscule) n; and at the end of books 2, 3 and 4 the remarks T MD M',nnr...'- m W; but in other respects even the first points of n17CM, as the 1iJD &c., are very rarely noticed. In the books which are provided with 111in the verse of the text is succeeded by that of the Aramaic paraphrase, which is pointed, accentuated &c., in the same manner as the text (Chronicles excepted, where of the accents the pMOD q1D alone is noticed). The CXlrIn conforms on the whole to that found in the printed editions. The Commentaries, occupying the outer margins and serving mainly purposes of ornamentation, are far from being complete. They are, in most cases, considerably shorter than those to be met with in the printed editions, although occasionally also somewhat fuller. There is, enough, however, of the matter here, to identify them. The authorship of those on Job, Daniel, Ezra (-Nehemiah) and Chronicles will be fully discussed in Excurs. II. At the end of Chronicles (leaf 555b) is the following subscription by the original scribe, in square character: pVl s:'Dni bnrn prnn lr pIMn; and between the lines he has added in Rabbinic character: fln1V, qnD~" nMI= saw: 6i1v nKnnS yawl Xrln WDS5n nvnt w mv= ni~nnn a nla w:n l VI= 1: = ~ n:11. He was clearly a German; for on the margin of leaf 551P, in reference to 2 Chron. xxxv. 16, he has: Utn'S1' Vlul (Wahrlich das ist hiibsch), while on the margin of the last page of Ezra (-Nehemiah), where he found the arranging of the text, so as to produce a particular design, rather tedious, the words'1] W% ~11 (Wie lange noch) occur opposite the centre, and n.D$SW DT (mich schlaefert's) at the end of the foot. See also leaves 367b, 437a, and 462b. That the MS. has been in the hands of a Sephardi may be gathered from the fact, that marginal numbers have been put to the Psalms in a Sephardic hand of the xIv-xvth century. They differ somewhat from the ordinary numbering, though at the end they amount to the usual 150. The same hand has marked t"p, in the margin against the date in the subscription of the scribe on leaf 555b. The following names of ownership occur on the fly-leaf (556b) at the end of the volume: (1) rnM'lt ni'i,; (2) I-1n3r2 ~Nlnw, and (3),'WI lT 1 %IY N (all of which are Sephardim). Subsequently the MS. came into possession of Erpenius, apparently in 1 Besides the subscription and the allusions at the end of the lines, as mentioned above, the scribe has clearly indicated his name on leaf 208a by a little ornament placed against the word n,,r5 (Prov. xix. 23), which occurs at the beginning of a line; see also leaves 177a, 179b, 188a, and 462b. No. 25.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 37 company with the Abarbanel copy of the Prophets (Nos 21 and 22 above), and it appears in the printed list of his MSS. (Amst. 1625, 4to.). A few calculations in Erpenius' hand occur on leaves 156` and 556b. In 1715 the nrl~1 to Chronicles (otherwise only known from an imperfect copy at Erfurt) was edited from this copy by Wilkinsl. The whole MS. was collated by Kennicott for his edition and he has written the English names of the books at the beginning and end of each. It is marked Cod. 91 in his list. [Library-mark, Ee. 5. 9; presented in 1632 by Catherine, Duchess of Buckingham.] No. 26. Parchment, 7~ in. x 5a in.; 30 leaves, 5-sheet quires, 27 lines; the text in square character and the commentary in Rabbinic, fine Sephardic handwriting of the XIv-xvth century. [retw tn iK=q'b Writ j: COWS PROVERBS, with the commentary of R.'Immanuel b. Shelomoh; defective. Begins (leaf la introduction): tjll~,=ln adz nnVIy, V1 V bNrn new -nI 4 -t n~5w W l i-rnz g CUR JIo~V nrrz -nma Il-n mevw Sawn N-3mm,1;n andh amp, n mans aun Breaks off (leaf 30' commentary on v. 1): - 3m: 11 jz1n in * i: UMt7 te Dn s.. After the introduction, the text and commentary are written alternately, a passage of the one followed by the corresponding passage of the other. The text is provided with vowel-points and accents, and has in most cases the sign of n'o over the letters of rn1=1X when liquid. It reaches from i. 1 to v. 6. The commentary is found in the edition of the =nlnll printed at Naples about 1486; but the author's name in the introduction is there given fPt'' 1:1 %N]2B, and the whole is printed from a very inferior MS. The scriptural text in this copy, being only secondary to the commentary, cannot be expected to have much critical value. It is, however, on the whole, fairly correct, and, as it proceeds, it is even rhythmically arranged. The commentary is free from most of the worst mistakes which 1...n Paraphrasis Chaldaica in librum priorem et posteriorem Chronicorum...e MSto. Cantabrigiensi descripta ac cum Versione Latina in lucem missa a Davide Wilkins. Amstelaedami, 1715. 4~. 38 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 26. appear in the printed edition. The corrections on the margin by the original copyist, whose name appears to have been 1V2fnlW (see leaf 7b), are partly words or sentences occasionally omitted by him, but partly also various readings either suggested by himself or found in MSS. of considerable value. Two notes are given (leaves 16b and 23b) by an Ashkenazic owner, whose -name does not appear. Another by an Italian (also anonymous) owner of the xvith century (leaf 24b), runs as follows:']~nt,~ neDol In'nDCn ItN' 11'n4$l 1p: VI1n It 1W)0 i nr I ID= 71' 12W. This note shows that the present fragment was employed by him to complete the copy described below, No. 27. [Library-mark, Add. 383. 2; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschfitz.] No. 27. Paper, in quarto, 71 in. x 5I in.; 166 leaves, 3-sheet quires, 35 lines; Rabbinic character, French Ashkenazic handwriting of the xIv-xvth century. PROVERBS, with the commentary of R.'Immanuel b. Shelomoh; defective. Begins (leaf 25a, in the commentary iii. 28): Ends (leaf 163b): 61va rll Nal rl-IM -)T The text, which is written alternately with the commentary, as in No. 26, is in somewhat large Rabbinic character, without vowel-points and accents. It is fairly correct. The commentary is greatly superior to that found in the Naples edition. The subscription consists of a verse of Isaiah (viii. 10), applied to the author of the commentary, and an acrostic containing the scribe's name W$lN,, and, between the: and the 1, the words'pIN &c. inserted. Besides the defect caused by the loss of leaves 1-24 and 37-48, the scribe has left 157-a-160e blank in consequence of a defect in his copy. The last has been supplied by a later hand (see below). No. 27.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 39 Leaf 164 contains two theologico-philosophical notes, anonymous, but probably by the author of the commentary. The first begins: (T. B. Berakhoth, 34b) 1nW'PM2 ts 1ww = ~ 1*MP wDF ls ts.... (Wln w ) rnr n 2z r11 -v'~ a,'nlr. See MS. Add. 539, p. 150b. The second begins:., N pr n nMn ~t2~ -,m: 1 mrr;,nN 12 nintpi nvrlD. See MS. Add. 539, p. 151b. The earliest trace of ownership is found in the supply of the defect at leaves 157 —160a. An Italian scribe of the xvth century has copied on a 5-sheet quire of paper (leaves 157*-166* as now numbered, 35 lines, Rabbinic character) the corresponding passages; but he has supplied more than was necessary. He begins with the text of xxx. 24 and continues to the commentary xxxi. 16 (n wl' p,-: 2t I711,,:1 N =rnl) below which he adds the following: N$v srn cows pehnny jiwKmn pmnn at t:r,'1 lb Aid w3wr l, NS Ii$K m t This clearly shows that the scribe of the supply was not the owner, but somebody employed by him to copy the missing portion from a MS. in some distant library. The same copyist has added overleaf an explanation of 2 Kings ii. 9. It begins: 1='9b VIIf n,1~$ 4$VYtl nI-$ neo iIn Inv Inv rN Atnnn braw at Kn N;'an *....4 ir tsa: rn D: An It is not quite finished. This also is probably by the author of the commentary, as it is written in his style. Leaf 164b contains two censors' entries: (1) Fra luigi... and (2) Dominico Gerosolimitano, found in so many Italian books. On leaf 165b we have the following marks of ownership: I1 presente $N=V3 sopra'AESl "w/,V OWP 6 di Sanson Sacerdote D. Modonel; and below it: One rawn rl-lv$ (=:nl) are 81nnn In: tsrmw'11n I'm mnrn rit (Zeph. iii. 9). The pointed word gives the initials of the owner's name. This MS. came subsequently into the possession of his biographer, Samuele Vita della Volta2 (see'nn a1n, ii. p. 114), who inherited it from his father. Later again it came into the hands of R. Marco Mortara', Chief Rabbi of Mantua. [Library-mark, Add. 383. 3; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] 1 R. Sanson D. Modone was one of the Rabbis of Mantua, and secretary of the congregation in the xvII-xvIIIth century. He is author of several valuable works. He was born 1679, and died 1727, aged 48. 2 Samuele Vita della Volta was a physician and an author of some note at Mantua. He was born 1772, and died 1853. See Steinschneider, Cat. Lib. Heb. in Bib. Bod., No. 7353. 3 The name is Mortara and not Mortera, as Steinschneider (Bod. Cat. p. 1759, No. 6409) writes it. 40 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 28. No. 28. Parchment, 147 in. x 10- in.; 22 leaves, the text 25-30, square character, and the commentary 58 —73 lines, mixed (square and Rabbinic) character; fine French Ashkenazic handwriting of the xIII-xIvth century. JOB, with the commentary of an anonymous French Rabbi. The text is written in alternately indented lines, without, however, being metrically arranged. The vacant spaces of a line are filled up with one letter or more of the next line, and occasionally also with the upper part of a D (see Excurs. I.). It is provided with vowel-points and accents, and has the sign of MD:' over nt'n1l when liquid. As a production of the school to which it belongs it is remarkably correct, The commentary occupies the three outer margins. It begins (leaf 1a):.nstn r1u' 1 N"S? a in M w no zYn n"?n DW1 Ed.... sVn:~ nW eea',,sn Pn is,a an:,nwnn n(l e afnns:2p2i) Ends (leaf 22a) As a literary production it is, certainly, the best explanation of Job that ever fell into our hands. The author seems to have been contemporary with both Ibn'Ezra and Qimchi, both of whom he quotes (the former almost on every page and the latter on leaves 14b and 18b). Besides these he quotes the following authorities: (1) esumt'21 (leaf 7b). (2) I=:n (leaf lO). (3) W'V1L (leaves 10, 16a and 19b). (4) 1nes,:Z, (leaves 8b and 17a), (5) l'VT'l1 n1M=? "I (leaf 19a). (6) R"I' (Rabbenu Shelomoh? the quotation is certainly to be found in Rashi; leaf 12b). (7) MnM tlt (also arn and Ibn VM, and who is also meant by lWS7 jItV p1?21; leaves 2", 3`, 4", and 17a). (8) nMi ln. (leaf 17a). (9) litrrnn $=, also tlerI J=; (leaves 7b and 13a). No. 28.] THE HOLY SCRIP TURES. 4 (10) %N1tW'"' (leaves I, 3a, 3b, and 11S). (11) 7e)r'~1' (leaves lb, 4a, 8b, 10a, 1a1, 12b and 16a). (12) NK1p t:V'- (leaves 8' and 15b). (13) nlnZ1, 7:I, also simply r1:en, (leaves 3" and 15b). (14) WpCID11Dt;l, also pV1qpID, Drn; (leaves 2b and 17a). (15) 1-1O' p'P1jt- (leaf 10"). (16) ~?2'~ (leaves 21, 2b and 15a). (17) N:rn lt'IN?'1" (of Beaugency, repeatedly and mostly with approval; leaves 1b and 2a). (18) 311P5N'- (probably the same as the foregoing; leaves 3b, 4a, 4b, 7a, 7b, s8 10I, 12b, 13b, 18b and 19b). (19)'ht$Ptvh 3nt'P'- (probably the same; leaf 14L). (20) 5t:lD'I~TZ'e" (probably the same; leaf 15a). (21) %1*1.1 on:l (leaves 18s and 18b). (22) 5VMlW tlnnr Ag,:,:1- tp 1l1',:1' (leaf 7b). (23) $"VT Gu (leaves 6b 7b I1b, and 15b). (24) lit::'' i11 (leaf Sb). It is singular that the author of a commentary of such excellence should have remained unknown. The frequent recurrence of the phrases rn'w and I"'V will enable any one to identify it, if existing elsewhere. The r"vi:, which amount to twenty-one, are French. A glossary on the Bible, with French interpretations, now in the University Library at Leipzig, MS. 102, is apparently drawn from a commentary on the whole Bible by the author of the present one on Job. See Delitzsch, Jesurun (Grimmae, 1838, 8vo.), p. 241, Zunz, Gesch. und Lit., p. 82, and Excurs. II., where later communications from Professor Delitzsch will be found, as well as further details concerning this commentary. This MS. was bound up formerly with the Bj:-:l of the first edition of the Rabbinical Bible (Venice, Bombergi, 1518), and in that state formed part of the collection of ~':sN (Q? nM 1:l) pnnr, which was imported from Italy in 1647 by George Thomason, the London bookseller. The volume occurs on p. 47, among the Libri Hebraici in folio, in his catalogue (Lond. 1647,4to.). The collection was bought by the House of Commons, and presented to the University. The present MS. and the printed W=Il:rn were not bound together until they came into the possession of Prn End, when the leaves were numbered throughout in ink, 1-183 (3flIfl), 184205 (Job). This fact is further confirmed by the circumstance that the three censors' marks (dated 1595, 1597, and 1618) are found, not at the end of Job, but at the end of the blrind which precede it. The condition of the MS. is, on the whole, good, except that it has suffered somewhat from damp, and it has been reduced to single leaves by the binder's knife. The damp, however, has brought out a fact which we should not otherwise have known; for the first and last pages contain im 42 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 29. pressions of ink from the pages which formerly stood next them. There is not sufficient to show what preceded; but it is clear that the Job was followed by a copy of the n16nn on Ruth, written in three columns, in somewhat smaller square character by the same scribe as this Job, and with a larger initial ilo1 for the beginning of the text. [Library-mark, Dd. 8. 53; presented in 1647 by the House of Commons.] No. 29. Paper, in quarto, 8~-A in. x 5- in.; 118 leaves, 5-sheet quires, 19 lines; the text in square character, and the paraphrase in Rabbinic, Italian handwriting of the xvth century. The FIVE ROLLS with the ARAMAIC PARAPHRASE; defective. Leaf 1, probably blank, wanting; 2", Ruth (4 and 7 wanting); 13b, Canticles; 36b, Ecclesiastes; 70b, Lamentations; 85b, Esther (108 wanting); 116 blank; 117-118, probably blank, wanting. The first word of each verse in the text is in large Ashkenazic character, and the rest in Sephardic; while the dunyn is in smaller Italian Rabbinic. Every book begins with a fresh page, except Esther; probably from the wish to avoid closing even a page with the end of Lamentations (see Excurs. I.). The vacant spaces on the lines are mostly filled up with one or more letters of the first word on the next line; occasionally, however, with,a $I (see Excurs. I.). The text is fairly correct and is accompanied by the primitive nrlD, marking (mostly on the outer margin) the B"ll, ant,'IR, pnj, the centre-mark, the number of verses, &c. The mln'n, which follows every verse of the text, is of considerable value, and far superior to the printed editions, both in what it gives and in what it omits, e.g. Esther ix. 25 (see Excurs. I.). It has occasionally also readings on the margins, which are worth examination. Both text and paraphrase are now and then found pointed, accentuated, and provided with the mark of 1ldl over nB111 when liquid. At the close of the nlYInR the scribe has added'" I1~, a formula constantly to be found in Italian, and occasionally also in French MSS., and probably adopted by the scribes from their Catholic contemporaries. Below the end of the paraphrase (leaf 115") occur the entries of the Censors, with the usual Revisto per me: (1) Pietro Martire, and (2) Antonio Fran' Enriqnez...1687. On leaf 116b are the following marks of ownership: (1) Io uitell uiterbo, and (2) Io Giuachino Scialom abitante di Vrbino. The MS. has suffered both from fire and water; yet not so as to injure the writing. [Library-mark, Add. 436; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] No, 30.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 43 No. 30. Parchment and paper, in quarto, 7~ in. x 5- in.; 60 leaves, 5-sheet quires, 28-29 lines; Rabbinic character, Italian handwriting of the xvth century. CANTICLES, with the Commentary of R.'Immanuel b. Shelomoh; defective. Begins (leaf 2a): ItVI''s nr111 ronK VM yt tlVt t$. Nlnv $S1y nts;r1v5 "ItI nnwi at BriDi lnI= KNI I -"t: non ip ntn mmD, enDK lIlV ilD InmD 5p (,l~=ln) Ends (leaf 60b, with the commentary): -fan ip 7$ 91 66sfin ts$%ri n S i4 =nn nn$ innnnnri I inns rv ma -. The text, which is written alternately with the commentary, is distinguished by being in somewhat larger Rabbinic character. It is provided with vowel-points, accents, and the sign of MV'i over the letters of n'~ when liquid. It is not of much value, particularly with respect to the vowel-points, which are rather carelessly applied. The commentary, however, which has never been published, is of great value. It is, like all the Biblical commentaries of this gifted author, of philosophical tenour, but rather diffuse, as was the fashion of his time. To him this book is Holy of Holies, not in the sense used both by Jews and Christians, who treat it as a symbol of God and the congregation of Israel, but because it is a symbol of the separate intellect and the human soul. In this view he had been preceded by R. Mosheh Ibn Tibbon, who had explained this book so before, only without entering into such minute detail. He composed this commentary at the request of the sages of Rome, as may be gathered from the following passage in the introduction: rnsnmil sni$ in9 t (nnn n)ty banm nin nn n mtn s=rn n1w-n Those.... who=: w:i de nn h e es binai wil sc prerSl Those who will differ from him'in the process of symbolisation will scarcely help agreeing with him in the division of the book, in which he succeeded better than any one before or after him, owing, probably, to his poetical' spirit (see Excurs. II.). On leaf 2a the letters'D'X, which seem to be library-marks, identify this MS. together.with the other two MSS. bound with it, as having been in: 44 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 31. the possession of the father of Samuele Vita della Volta, the physician, after having previously belonged to R. Sanson Modone (see description of No. 27 of this Catalogue). On the same page is the signature r1E A'OR, H. Lipschiitz. The label on the back,' $W2V1 VW NW " y ni WN 1n (1 n pn: INK Inn), is in the writing of R. Marco Mortara. Leaves 1 (blank) and 10 are wanting, and leaf 2 is only to be read with difficulty; otherwise the MS. is in good condition. [Library-mark, Add. 383. 1; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 31. Paper, in quarto, 8 in x 6 in.; 60 leaves, 4-sheet quires, the introduction, preface, and analytical index 30 and the body of the work 32 lines; the text in Sephardic square character, and the rest in mixed (Rabbinic and cursive), Italian handwriting of the xvIth century. CANTICLES with the commentary of R. David b. Abraham Provenzale. The introduction, after leaf 1 (blank), begins (leaf 2a): =41Ibmstln mma tnl An t: n1 n vnvw En (tpN nrsz l nvrp'm nvn) wsnn *'-'m:Dn PY' En s1oSi wnn'nt sen iDO Urn NV4w KninSn 1by r7in$ tlw The preface begins (leaf 14a): tII=nrsi; ntn nny ri t z-l nN s v ca 3en'6t'm nvvro NoN bn tSn rN-: i, mn....n w non,nn ngTwn1 = n In=,nni3 pn h rs i+ l nn n$ S The commentary itself begins (leaf 17a): -Hilln nrtm nm4amrn nlptvn Is nlr'n-1 5n ant inn;r11oNK Sn~nN MN....wVar3 na~t taps i $n 3 v rinlzm rI bynn w I3n3 Ends (leaf 60a): S 4In n-I nv n nnrm nmrm prnnin bt 41 nnr (nn, nt 6) s"T'b....,o) Vwnn 641r$ Oen: tswJ n nrine tml asl DD! nnaw In= n Im Js~ n 6iny$ n~lnz swnpi nn nitriz v4 nN v;pn n ct4 en wi jn'I rrr (o=V0 *:'"~D~ The text is now and then provided with vowel-points and accents. It is followed by a commentary well worthy of consideration. The author mentions his own name, David, on leaf 8b (see Excurs. II.). He divides this sealed book into 5 WMann and 19 r)pSn of 6, 4, 3, 3, and 3 respectively, and explains it both literally and mystically (1nnMl,ln) in a way which reminds us strongly of Don Abraham b. Yitzchaq Hallevi's commentary, only No. 32.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 45 that this is the more valuable because the more natural of the two. Under;1,: this book is treated as alln idyll, and under'nJ11 as representing God afid the congregation of Israel (see description of MS. Add. 378. 2, below, and Excurs. II.). It is a compromise between the philosophical and poetical schools on the one hand, and the mystical and believing schools on the other hand —a task for which our author was well fitted, as he united in himself, in a singular degree, these apparently contradictory qualities. He was a contemporary of the celebrated author of the W~2V't11S, by whom both he and his brother Mosheh were much respected for their learning and piety (see Excurs. II.). While the body of the work was copied by somebody else, the introduction, preface, &c., are apparently an autograph, as are also the numerous notes with which the margins of the work itself are filled. On leaf 60b is the Revista of the censor, Dominico Gerosolimitano. On leaf 2a is written 2"VX X., probably the number of the volume in the library of the father of Samuele Vita della Volta. The label on the back,;0e D'rnq1 NOW'h, is in the writing of R. Marco Mortara. The MS. is, on the whole, in good condition. [Library-mark, Add. 636; bought in 1870 from S. Schonblum.] No. 32. Paper, in folio, 11- in. x 7- in.; 14 leaves, one 7-sheet quire; the text Sephardic square character, and the rest in 34-38 lines mixed (Rabbinic and cursive), Italian handwriting of the xvIth century. CANTICLES with the commentary of an anonymous Italian Rabbi. The introduction begins (leaf 1"a) 111T: nnnnN11 n111i r'IN nVn-IT nbts nbtvi sen 4= lmr ntnpn 11*DES11T A nt 1 Do::1n'AVO En -I, -IO pn manly i luT KsMr Eo nvv, nv =...1. 1NnSO nnnt 1lr n t]rl Nn The commentary itself begins (leaf 2a): 4's:A13 mnK 13:W lnpi3 Onus~~ ID: trsi~n noun 46, CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 33. Ends (leaf 13b):'pn (qtv p:3v~)pro"w'rpe'l, ~,lm v m'J~'1 la:Sa r'S2:3 Sn Hi....l The text is without vowel-points and accents. It is surrounded on the outer and lower margin by the commentary, which is not without merit. The author explains this book as treating of the human soul, somewhat in the style of R. Mosheh Ibn Tibbon and R.'Immanuel b. Shelomoh, to whose high conceptions, however, he cannot elevate himself. Otherwise, he seems to have been a man of great Talmudic learning, well read in the poets of our nation, acquainted with those who wrote in Italian, and quite fit for the style of'V1il in which he explains this book. The authorities and books he names are: (1) l" W; (2) 3rlq'S; (3) i12"D'; (4) Y5rti, (Yeda'yah Penini Bedarshi); (5) WV'pt rlll)V (R.Meir Ibn MU:); (6) VW~'l W)'j1 (R. Yoseph,l=?D); (7) Mn trlqa (R. Mosheh Almosnino); (8) ~P~] (R. Elisha'); (9) 1D1;]; "T1'1 (Leo Hebraeus, i. e. Don Yehudah b. Yitzchaq Abarbanel) whose Dialoghi di Amore he mentions several times. For specimens of explanation, see Excursus II. The MS., although somewhat injured, particularly on the lower margin, is in fair condition. [Library-mark, Add. 860; bought in 1872 from Fischl Hirsch of Halberstadt.] No. 33. Parchment and paper in quarto, 8- in. x 5- in.; 130 leaves, mostly 10-sheet quires (the outer and inner sheets parchment, the rest paper), 21 —22 lines; mixed (square and Rabbinic) character, inelegant and careless Greek Sephardic handwriting dated 22 Adar 5170'. 1pll 11writV 1 a d ll4WO p aint W= *i:: nvltn ESTHER, with a CRITICAL COMMENTARY by R. Shemaryah of Crete; defective. COMMENTARY on Talmud Babli MEGILLAH, section 1, by R. Shemaryahu the elder, of Crete (b. Eiiyyah lHapparnas of Rome). A MIDRASH on ESTHER. 1 According to Jahn's Tables, 22 Adar 5170 corresponds to 26 Febr. 1410. No. 33.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 47 A quire or more is wanting before leaf 1; ia, Esther, with subscription by the scribe; 8b, commentary on T. B. Jtegillah with subscription by the scribe; ll"b, medical recipe; 112a, midrashic commentary on Esther; 127b —128b, blank; 129-130, probably blank, wanting. 1. ESTHER, with a CRITIcAL COMMENTARY. Begins (in the text, vi. 4): min3- Ws Ws iNv I$ 1rnm..wVN pyn Iv A'na nN nl n$ 5nS mtsS *:~3'nn~ ilbY,W3) irD: n liNlS larval wisvr;t.nn Ends (in the commentary, last verse):.r~t 1DW ~m t, ir i 3ti uim~ mrr t.' b.... 1nMN Cnen 1n11= 11 Mnsvp: T=a nsnnn~ Il pli nv n MMK 4 3>snl~S bpy l: r1N:1 11 snsn n. N$ I=y wnvl II ~5 D n rm 1=n' Bantn 11 s11n.1'' s nt in tw1$sri t? 1n.,: tx rMN -xIT1P1 11n ilvli DI The apparent confusion in the colophon arises from Ps. lxxiii. 24, 25, having been put in as an after-thought. The abbreviation,Mn'nF is an allusion to 1 Sam. xxv. 29. The text is without vowel-points and accents, and is not distinguished from the commentary even by having exclusively the ordinary verse-mark. The commentary, which follows the text paragraph by paragraph, reminds one of the style of the great Ibn'Ezra, of whom it is quite worthy. One would indeed unhesitatingly have ascribed it to him, as a third commentary on this book, were it not for the fact that quotations from this very commentary occur in the %,j15 nled of R. Shelomoh rylji`, where it is dis. tinctly attributed to R. Shemaryah of Crete (see Excurs. II.). The phrases in definition mostly employed by the author are: -...-X and MiVgpD (refers to, governs, &c.). 2. COMMENTARY on (the agadic part of) the first section of MEGILLAIH, by R. SHEMARYAHU the elder. Begins (leaf 8b; Talmud, leaf 2b): Ends rI l:s tn y n rnl r911 nwl=Sm n(lenaS nTtn lea 1 Ends (leaf llb; Talmud, leaf 17') NpW) VKW IW m'1n ly nI~ %nw;ltvo$n npps Jw W'Mlnl -p i j n111111lK)w'1Nn J'.N MIp t= n n $,= l Pes nnn* nws onssw em $p.le~b InnS t:l J*PTN Kn1p -rap. Inw J~tt 48 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 33. torDt 11 r111a1 n~s Spt 11wrn I-nn rnlw nWist InDN niS~n Anonan Int.s1 nn rrnri -rnpnyn 1nsl.17ig fin nnlm an:: bSpnvt virn, -innw h=In $n nr sync mann6 ivniept mn~n -6im n nvrt cinsn Upto= n-n $N$ n This commentary (on a part of the Talmud which is replete with interest for critics, as it treats on the origin of the Septuagint version of the Pentateuch and other points of importance) is a testimony to the author's great learning and critical tact and acumen. (On his identity with R. Shemaryah of Negroponte, see Geiger, yrln11, ii. pp. 25 and 158, and -n?1 mIns, ii. p. 94.) In the course of this essay he mentions the following authorities: (1) H"O (whom he generally calls W1"'); (2) 1nDlnI1 plp:; (3) D,1:q1'" (Ibn'Ezra); (4) t",'l1 (Maimonides); (5) 12"?YVn, and none later, although he wrote it as late as 1309 (see Excurs. TII.). The following works of his own are also mentioned therein: (1)' Commentary on the Pentateuch and on other parts of the Bible, and (2) on (the agadic part of) the treatises of the Talmud, Shabbath, Synhedrin, &c. (see Excurs. III.). One would be inclined to think that what is given by the scribe as a subscription was in reality an erroneous superscription to the next work, but for a superstitious medical recipe (beginning: 21InnMrrl~ 4n En arlnw nw r Nniq: nn ri ep ls1t?) standing between this and the next work. It is, however, quite possible that the foregoing commentary on Talmud Megillah, treating naturally on various passages of the book Megillah, was viewed by this not very learned copyist as a commentary on Esther itself. 3. A MIDRASH on ESTHER. Begins (leaf 112a): Ends (leaf 127a): WVrpn11) npil I I'pn ls twnn nwn INSVlI Mew 1$vNIT= =D Inn tnD1K We.... b$ Va n=Vnnn $ipip rmmrpn pin n IS= N11 rii n mln InnVan (sonI II-n:1;Innt newt." nunsMV$ 1:::r nwv (on-1:6 -1ro1 Pens p4 ) nn-n t $I nwv ChnH7 s 11 n: _tP)Pt Hnil V111It n1inv $=wMjl Apingl 511 -1 in 1n 1mnn Ksas Mn$w -leave M lm nv.1,Ib6 =,,nn vnn-il sivv n,"1 $Nlnv -r n This Midrash, copied apparently from an inexact MS, corresponds in the beginning with the,l,n $11V2N S:] nl13 (see Jellinek, 11t2,1 lJe, II. pp. 84, 85) and from leaf 113b to the end with the 11~11 Gus VITOn (Ibid. I. 1 b"51 is not equivalent to b'"piy as Luzzatto ( P1rvi,lax, Prag, 1841, 8vo. p. 17, Note 4) and Zunz (Gesch. u. Lit. p. 456) think. See Index of Abbreviations at the end of this Catalogue. No. 33.] THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 49 pp. 2-18), and is more or less taken from the tbl151n, but particularly from the second vrin or Jerusalem paraphrase of the book. On leaf 77' occurs the following note by the copyist: There are no traces at all left by former owners, except, on leaf 127b, the following entry, W1t.1fl, n,In P, i,')._ NV3? (Exod. ii. 3 and i. 19), in Greek Sephardic Rabbinic handwriting of the xvth century.'The book afterwards belonged to Erpenius. The colidition of the MS., but for the defects, is excellent. [Library-mark, Mm. 6. 26. 2; presented in 1632 by Catherine, Duchess of Buckingham.] 50 II. COMIMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE, WITHOUT THE TEXT. No. 34. Parchment, 10~ in. x 8 in.; 178 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 2 columns, 33-35 lines; mixed (square and Rabbinic) character, Italian and Greek Sephardic handwriting of the xII —xivth century. COMMENTARY on the Pentateuch by R. Shelomoh b. Yitzchaq of Troyes (Rashi). Leaf l, blank; ib, Genesis; 48,a Exodus; 948, Leiviticus; 121, Numbers; 150, Deuteronomy; 176b, blank; 177 and 178, probably blank, wanting. The weekly ]tq1i2 have at the beginning a large initial word, and at the end....lt 711DM (those of flJ and'1is are treated as one). The various books have at the end a rhyme probably belonging to the scribe, whose name must have been Abraham, as whenever the word nl'l: occurs, he has placed a little ornament against it. This MS. is, if not one of the oldest, certainly one of the most correct copies of this work, and surpasses, both in what it has and in what it omits, the printed editions. It is to be regretted that DI)r. A. Berliner, the latest editor of Rashi on the Pentateuch (Berlin, 1866, 8vo.), whose labours are very meritorious, knew nothing of this MS., which would, while confirming him in most of his views, have checked him in a few things which he has advanced without sufficient grounds (see Excurs. II.). Later hands, Sephardic as well as Italian and Ashkenazic owners, have left their mark on this MS., partly by corrections and partly by questionable ornaments. The former are mostly to be found on the outer margins, and the latter chiefly at the commencements of the various books. Now and then these are also to be met with in other places, where they serve the purpose of illustrating various passages. No names, however, are given. On leaf 1a is the name of Isaac Angiolo, and on the outer margin of leaf 130b No. 34.] COMMENTARI3ES ON THE BIBLE. 51 (which has been cut) we read: (2N,, nrl t'),n6" 2m,~t~ bn25 t1"' whilst on one of the fly-leaves at the commencement 1"s l ltCNIV']WT i51W "'11n Ml01 occurs. See Catalogue de la Bibliotheque... redige par son fils Joseph (Padoue, 1868, 8vo.), p. 10, No. 94. To this distinguished scholar is due the re-touching of the MS. towards the end. Leaves 1-2, 7-8, 12, 14, 16, 21, 24, 33-34, 36-37, 44, 54, 60-61, 71, 98, 103, 119, 155, 163 —176 are slightly injured, yet so as to affect the writing in two places only, so that the MS. is on the whole in a good state of preservation. [Library-mark, Add. 626; bought in 1870 from S. Schonblum.] No. 35. Paper, in quarto, 85 in. x 5, in.; 122 leaves, 6-sheet quires, 26 lines; Rabbinic character, Greek Sephardic handwriting of the xrvth century.:s8:l1 11)1n 1 y V,'INWt r"vw vW1rt ig v*niv Superco-mmentaries on Rashi and Ibn'Ezra on the PENTATEUCH, together with various other matters; defective. 1. tnlivin 11VW 1dea-) Sy S"t.11.7 Y,'l nnn11 =nn rvriv nwllzw, 1M STRICTURES on RASHI'S COMMENTARY on the PENTATUCHO by R. ABRAIHAM B. DAVID. The copyist's admonition runs thus:'t1n 1=011WD' siW N$ rl n-itin InD;ol,;W s1 5>: Dsbt *zX Introduction begins (after leaf 1" blank, Ib):....v) (,wrl nlit-l ]"t tnrn rtWiL n~lbn npnn bl ln'l T~I.**.(nlM1=1 111=inD Inn 7 nil trlyj= minn JllD p'b ninlima irlinn tizln 1-1n Work begins: 9N-v;Nr1:W 4=m Nin ImNKr 1 vnm Nil-IV K1nW nrt1n1n nnIN vnVWWS: — D 11sN,115Da rniKt r1m1:; In rN$ K W mvwv,rnvWK;n1nn:1nr nS-r * * - ( 1 N$) wnvD1 5"i 1s::: P''DWNW $ tnVW,Nn:,NU $:K IIt12 1S. D. Luzzatto was born at Trieste, Aug. 22 (not 25, as Steinschneider, Cat. Lib. Heb. in Bib. Bod. p. 1633, No. 6193, writes), 1800, and died as Professor in the Collegio Rabbinico, at Padua, Sept. 29 (not 30, as Stern, Liber Responsionumr... indobone, 1870, 8vo., in a note to Luzzatto's letter, has), 1865, 4- 42 52 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 35. Ends (leaf 11a): wNvl~ rin iwim nl w lpin nn t =IR ID:1 mviW I nN E3 n nnn nns N NLsP M1S)Y1N ('nw)'S sip M y 1Vv V S tr:nr plans mo! Wm nas ) n amir on ny wnw i lt n~qnr (l 0D11)9n 1n i' t1 (Bilbao) 1"-:6 ppMrnn' l (And )"'~ w:n l;t This book of strictures is of the greatest importance both on account of the literature: it contains, which is apparently unique and is certainly of the highest order of merit, as also on account of the freedom, bordering on disrespect, with which the author speaks of the otherwise universally venerated Rashi, whom he once (leaf 9a) calls ~"~P2. (See Excurs. II.) Our author, as will be seen, partly from his calling Rashi TnVIT, but more so from his style, must have been himself an Arabic-speaking Sephardi. He must have lived between 1204 and 1411 (probably in the xIIIth century), as he mentions Maimonides with the term t"t and is in his turn so spoken of by the copyist, although it is certainly possible that this last 5' refers to hisfather only. Respecting the author's identity we can only negatively say, that he is neither the R. Abraham Hallevi b. David (l1NI) who wrote the n:ip,- lin, and who suffered martyrdom in 1180, nor the Abraham b. David who wrote the ni=2, on the inrn iv2n of Maimonides. The former, apart from the improbability of his quoting the,i1tm, would not have spoken so disrespectfully of Rashi (of whom, perhaps, he had never heard, as he does not mention him in the,;:2pl t ID, although he mentions Rabbenu Tam his grandson with respect). The latter, on the other hand, would not have so idolized Maimonides as our author emphatically does. Should Jellinek's theory (Beitraege, i. p. 75 and V111,i nl: III., Anhang, p. XLIII. Note 16, based on R. Mosheh Cordovero's nVY) D~1'D xII. and Dukes''1sp $; p. 3), that R. Yoseph'1I1S, is the author of the commentary on the,:T'IDD~ commonly ascribed to 1:Z'", turn out to be incorrect; and should, after all, that commentary belong to a R. Abraham b. David; then we should feel inclined to identify this our author with the commentator of the,MT mm:, as he is unquestionably a solid cabbalist as well as a deep thinker (see Excurs. VI.). Most of the more disrespectful phrases have been crossed through and replaced by such as are somewhat more respectful towards Rashi. They are the work of later hands (Ibn Tarshish a Greek Sephardi and Shelomoh a Greek Ashkenazi; see later). 2. [e3g1 WV)i$] COLLECTANEA VARIA. Begin (leaf llb):.,V _nnn JSNv _ nIN.,Ktv. 4..t..t.. No. 35.1 COMMENTARIES ON T-HE BIBLE. 53 End (leaf 16'): authors (and on various matters. They may, however, ben reduced to the 1following chief points:t j y) -:v' -n1 rv rn a. Sayings of the Rabbis; b. Calculations in the style of Notaricon (]p`I2fl); c. Difficulties, questions and answers; d. Symbolical interpretations of certain customs; e. Ordinary explanations of certain customs; f. Explanations of biblical passages, (in one of which R. Shemuel,'ITV~ is mentioned); g. thalakhic quotations from Rabbenu Yonah (b. Abraham of Gerona), and R. Asher (b. Yechiel) the well-known W",'; h. Extracts from the Babylonian Talmud. SUPERCOMMENTARY on RAs1I on the PENTATEoUCH by R. YESHA'YAH HAKKOHEN (b.'Immanuel?); defective. 1 6b Genesis; 26b, Exodus; 43s, Leviticus; 48a, Numbers; 52b, Deuteronomy. Begins (leaf 16b) Ends (leaf 55) ): The following points, resulting from a careful investigation of this MS., are worth noticing: (1) The author mostly calls Rashi, even as he is called by both R. R. Yesha'yah of Trani (grandfather and grandson) by the name of n'1l1nY (occasionally';, and once,i1 Vl'l), which is against the theory of Azulai (who restricted it to R. Yesha'yah i.) and his annotator Isaac Benjacob (who in extending it to R. Yesha'yah i., restricted it to tlhecs 54 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 35 two). This theory was adopted by the great Munk, who, on the strength of this appellation, vindicated to R. Yesha'yah I. a work in the Paris collection (No. 366 in the new Catalogue). This work, however, belongs to him, although for other reasons. Zunz, Zeitschrift fiir die W'issenschaft des Judenthums (Berlin, 1823, 8vo.), pp. 367-368, has shown that even the nl=1n1 called him sometimes so; and indeed this "Prince of commentators" has been called by many others also MIMM, i.e. the teacher Kar' E'oxtjv. (2) Yesha'yah of Trani, the elder, is here quoted as n2"31f and also somewhat fuller $"It'2"3 K':PW-'Z' (leaf 31a); and, perhaps, the "'1t? V"t may be the same. (3) Our author, although called in the superscription by a later hand (see below)'WM, KIVtVW'1, cannot have been a grandson of the foregoing, and much less the well-known R. Yesha'yah b. Eliyyah. (See MS. Add. 169.) (4) The commentary is full of R'fl~sWl, halakhic discussions, and agadic sayings, which prove the author to have been a Talmudist of no mean capacity. Each of the numerous difficulties raised either by the author himself, or by his teacher, concludes, if remaining without a solution, with _KlzV. (See No. 36 below, p. 64, Note 2 (1)). Now and then the author supplies us with corrected readings of the Rashi-text. (5) The author quotes his teacher continually by the phrases'In2,VqN'11, or A1' M 1p,Nl, F ll, r+? or A1'7l rtnl, and (1] 1,nI)'",il q S"1', without giving his name (in one place, leaf 26b, he certainly says ilN'"l M", n r'n1; see, however, 12, below). This teacher, as well as he himself, possessed the Midrash =:MW'. See Zunz, Gottesdienstl. Vortraege (Berlin, 1832, 8vo.), p. 281, and Excurs. III. of this Catalogue. (6) The author must have lived in the xIII-xIvth century as he quotes pn'"I (perhaps R. Yitzchaq of Russia); R. Yehudah (b. Shemuel)'1vnr, who died 1216, (see description of MS. Add. 669. 2 below), and R. Mosheh YVIp1N (of Coucy?). Besides these he quotes 1n"o (ln 1:, i. e. R. Ya'aqob b. Meir), R. Ya'aqob of Orleans, Rabbenu Tobiyyah, Ibn'Ezra, Rabbenu Chayyim, a Rabbenu?"Zt n"n (leaf 35a), a nq1$ I=b (39'), his contemporary t1$11 i'lliM, "1 T1 (perhaps the same as the foregoing), tTnW::nil (leaf 49, margin), Rabbenu Shemuel and Rabbenu Mosheh of Coucy (IV1pt). 4. Mn Sw DnD'ha. EXPLANATION of the it of R. EL'AZAi HAQQALIR. Begins (leaf 55b)::nlwlnr nnrnn0 -:l on Iw-1pr norl Z1 nzn n 121:t Mnwp m) n (sra w ) nn 1= $D mw n cmp tep tivhn mnM IndR tto*,:ns nit..i n It l~ npo emn bPtone 1a n3V: Ends (on flM':... in the last poem but one; leaf 63b): tnnmN He Inns prm-: $Ip -Ir news ntA =W mvWt nopw Browl....:Sw6m nn -ri~.; tI$ M n' lvp'i: aN$ =Sw rW (vsn~n) mnl,n!M *TDIDn song Dw$ nzwS On$ v s an:wld chop K~'19 nNw No. 35.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 55 There can be very little doubt that this explanation belongs to the school of Rashi, if not to that celebrated teacher himself, as it is quite in the style of his time and school. (See MSS. Add. 394. 1 and 2; and Add. 561, marginal literature.) The poem given above belongs only partly to R. Shabbethai (anagrammatically 1=11), the chief copyist. See'lllD tlpIn M'tV? by R. Shelomoh b. Yehudah Ibn %1l'1 (in the collection T1=:`11~, Riva di Trento, 1562, 4to.) at the end. In a highly valuable MS. which among other matters contains also this work of 91121, and which belongs to Fischl Hirsch of Halberstadt, the poem here imitated, is to be found at the commencement of the just-named work. 5. [W1'W fW]. Two POEMS, occupying leaves 63b —64a. The first is the famous piece, in 23 lines, all ending in l) or W, by R. Abraham Ibn'Ezra, beginning: and ending: 1erWM WV 821182 C' I 11VN, 111= M wrK'1 See Biscioni, Bibl. Hebr. Flor. Cat. (8vo. ed.), pp. 325, 459. The second is a poem, apparently addressed to Maimonides, in 16 lines, all ending in t'. It begins:...2~' L~s'Il]~2~D 213~ qb and ends: nn n nl n,1 WMIli =n n3n95!,K S Y nuN ynV Inw nvPI 6. D= Jn t mM -6 -'I,nn i.v Nytv 12N nrl l VI-in] SUPERCOMMENTARY on R. ABRAHAM B. MEIR IBN'EZRA on the PENTATEUCE, by R. YoSEPH B. ABBAMARI B. YOSEPI B. YA'AQOB IBN KASPI of Argentibrel. Begins (leaf 64b): nWivit *11t vt 3 N* N-1v n1 nit: - bnn ltr 93V ono 1:~) $v nRll:'Ivtn....Wnvann V3N "'*n1 1MV Pn"6S N51YS nn6. p rrlmriv ns=1jp Ends (leaf 87a): nthre rnn Iot an f w, anno n thr o n the heosopincl or1 rnat h 1no op gico n pnlvw) vN Nr1 nychn, God 6-1; iee ihDo,N.,~'W ~vty nfur a.W KM., 1 w: p =1j 1_1$ In;1nns s:n Zen nnn In (14, e).. on9 ttt)V$ pos~l 6$1V.1r),ny* evil -InN IV-it D=I rao Iv N$'lnrVl As is supposed, R. Yoseph Ibn Kaspi wrote three supercommentaries on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch, one on the simply difficult passages, of which there are not a few, and another on the theosophical or rather theologicophilosophical (in rare cases also on the astronomical and mathematical) 1 tptnl'M3n, Miinchen, Cod. 61; see Kirchheim,.i. = *n4uv (Frankfurt a. M., 1848, 8vo.), p. I. Note 1. 56 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 35. passages, which are doubly difficult, apnd are mostly spoken of by Ibn'Ezra himself as nlrni.. The present commentary is to be identified with the latter; see MS. Add. 510. 2. leaves 69a-96". (On the third see Steinschneider, in Ersch and Gruber's Encyklopaedie, Sect. 2, Theil 31, pp. 68 and 69; Geiger, Jild. Zeitschr. vi. p. 124; MS. Add. 857. 2, and Excurs. II. of this Catalogue; and for the introduction and the supercommentary on Num. and Deut. see later.) 7. v11'1N Nn'~ nivwv. QUESTIONS and ANSWERS on VARIOUS MATTERS. Begin (leaf 87a):.... is- n in on, I nS 1 tA$i,1D siK v Inv-: rnin i13..311..1 These halakhic difficulties and answers extend over certain points of the first. two sections of the law to be observed on-the Day of Atonement (i'ln lw M, book W]=, Hilekhoth I1VIV nnrriV). Although it says, on leaf 90W, 1M' nI'IDIn2 ('r p-l) 2"n Vwnl, such is not the case, as it treats to the very end of the article on the laws concerning a person being sick and the permission to take food in such a case. In the course of this short article we read:... V'. (-'19) Ens) $I", iv"1 $"t xn~ 1 nruin'n n. b. On the laws concerning the sounding of the Shophar on a New Year's Day. Begins (leaf 91b): Endn asrn: Now vn'A rs tn = r Kelp ((lea 911) nl. e.... nyl~n (ew2 Ends (leaf 91")' Thn14 S nYIv N5 nn$ mr It re prn. Irv:st Isnnl.... No. 35.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 57 This occupies one point only in the first section of these laws (tl11n,IWD,= Book M=T, Hilekhoth'1lW, &c.). 9. (wnBMN wnl~:rl) nriNM nrlwlp. OTHER DIFFICULT QUESTIONS and VARIovS OTHER MATTERS, occupying leaves 91b —94". a. On the formula 2:11 nr~= ~P, beginning:.... nns J Y i3) 1:8 ni":: ip tln 8: Di b. On Ibn'Ezra's explanation of Gen. iii. 18, beginning: rilm nsvwia inb rmm 1'4= fm t (PNnT Ilt.) rt'N 1n11r'v nn * e. i 61 -1lV p nsrn N - - c. On Ps. xci. 11 &c., beginning:....MnK 14nti msnt1:11:1 mvri wJn This is not identical with No. 134. F. in Ghirondi's Library, catalogued by Steinschneider (Berlin, 1872, 8vo.). d. On Job xxviii. 12, explained in the style of Wl=n2 and beginning: e. On six points, four of which explain sayings of the Rabbis, while two refer to medical matters. They are introduced by the catechetical phrase lVnr; for example:')Ns /'PnTPE W'tt11=1:In nn vin$ B Vnnrt isn 111*ND $tnT M6 vinn f. On the difference made by Maimonides, between the number of the leaves required in the myrtle and the willow of the brook (used on the Feast of Tabernacles). It begins:. I.=. t 4)=)n i$'i$Nt wn$Nn-1 $Y nrr; w n rn -i -vn,nntim1 rtit At the end we read: ll" V'B e mn 11n"11=1lnn S11 j1V$t^1 111 w nva IMn n n n nnnprlb pns il T See tsP?3t:)t3 (Frankf. a. M. 1854, 8vo.), pp. M'Y and 75, and / ltnr (K1nigsberg, 1856, 8vo.), pp. 5 and xxxiv. This MS. has $: instead of -".; but there is little doubt that $= is the right reading. 10. [n1TV,'"W]. VARIOJUS POEMS, occupying leaves 94 -95a. a. svn$ Tln,'l (the principal copyist, whose anagram this is), beginning:.... 1/n2~w. s')~ 1~:1~, n b. 144M iM ntn 1:01, beginning:... rlmrilr rnzw' lt: See Assemani, Bib. Apost. Vat. Codd. MSS. Cat. (Romae, 1756, Folio), Tom. I. No. 303. 3, p. 290. c. 11lWDlr n:1n 11 beginning: See Assemani, ibid. d. Copyist's thanksgiving, beginning: 11. [WP,1il nIl]. ON THE PRAYER'l', &c.,occupying leaves 95 — 97k 58 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 35. a. Explanation of this prayer by R. Shelomoh of Paris, beginning: *-enil1iN 3MM jn> Dn B V S 1 t' nD'Ann 11 -l DM n sS-r JN KN1 See Assemani, ibid. 16 (p. 292). b. Reason for the recitation of this prayer, beginning:...nn 1111*v, ns ili); tNjlw raprn Pn Namn. Hill nr* VnK D.... 7 r vlz:rn 3JW t11 12. [(?iSvv1232 t:) 1-1-7 Urrt sr' n 3twnlm] EXPLANATION of the DOMESTIC' SERVICE on the FIRST Two PASSOVER EVENINGS, by R. YESIIA'YAH HAKKOHEN (b.'Immanuel?). Begins (leaf 98'):.. nn vi ow=i nw$ w5 nno In~ $ 1 nnnti wnwnv (6$wnrz )DW9w='1=1 Ends (leaf 104b): In -n mNI nm nrwrn nmsv q,=~n5 1,5, 1 n= 55n n$=m w nm.... trIrn 51-7x,, n t12-7 6.; twn iVl tjwn t-10 N-11 vn,:1r Ji ^,>t -$"VT KWSrtv 14211 The author of this is unquestionably identical with the author of the supercommentary on Rashi on the Pentateuch (see 3 above), and must, therefore, not be confounded with either of the RR. Yesha'yah of Trani. In the course of this explanation the author mentions his teacher (~... 5'1D...1 *.~ *D FnINPw), although not by name. He further mentions a certain R. Yitzchaq (of Russia? or is this his teacher, as he says, leaf 100a, " IM pn'::l::'1nn 1D W1D?), besides R. Qalonymos (1D1'5 Wril Mrn) and R. Yesha'yah, whose WljMD he speaks of (R. Yesha'yah of Trani I.). 13. [nll=N 1'1 /' f nW1Mn]. EXTRACTS from the TALMUD, and NOVELL2E, on MOURNING AFFAIRS, &C., occupying leaves 104b-105b. a. W'11n beginning: I*Mn 14n r mrn lcnn: (NnT tp pwn t1: vw 1: nnwn b. =Dl=D' beginning: c. 2S1Vnl beginning:.mnlpn c(n,)I n,= tM1 nw nyWV 1 u1= bs 1=nu 11w,mSlm:n= Snlv 14. [ It'DqD`6/N " b] -X21W 1qq'IqD. RULES for PENITENCE, by R. EL'AZAR B. YEHUDAH B. QALONYMOS, commonly called R. EL'AZAR OF WORMS. Begins (leaf 105b)::1n Rensbr n g) pnil 1n1ny,y,=n 5:n1p'nrll nillmnn',:1D 1: KN1 ZN (Regensburg) P:8D11t-D i1 1~nm'AanD 9zp -NW nrnnl'n 11 ntr1$SN No. 35.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 59 1:1 NNNDxRn Iptpt OlDlnsn'. tx np s -IVN iSNlW Indi Isa nn=lrU nnnn nnni Imn jwi nn n l ina-:nr il tp' N'tn nn Il pmnr IzN=m'....- vs Vn Iw r iin Vi,ns,,$-fall t:N:1n 1wn IV Ends (leaf 116a): V1;1'l1 bl:1:n -7 nir rrr v nnr lst) n nmnn rizim ~ lps5) bn 11NKNlm "'NT 1 (Worms) 1Wsmi='Vt4 -vi Imml -1.1n nalas Dr l? pvSrt Ipn 21 11,1 1n, V"t (Regensburg) 17112=110 i nn1n 1:M'-1 1N:n sj) -I1p 111,11 Inn lm) lng nnm'1 n (=rN ) 12 n= (I= r 1'n v nn' 1- (-i-1nWb) u o3N11-1snnn~ (=mn [~nmn:nn mine) 1 n=~'n ~ -I (:nn) I n rnv) nIm (mnl prneln V1t1l VIMH NM in tills Ns-Nntt nt~U $tF1t LsKN= (INz9n 1n tnl) KNvtc ip1 InnyI D nwil *Nt 71? P1NM 711? NMI Tnn rv ng ND'1 $nnn: NV-t 1InN =1X n w nl~vln wn-12 nin- nN-7 lipn " 61v These rules, which are to be found in the author's nM11 (Cremona, 1557, Folio), leaves 6b_9b, at the end of the Responsa of R. Meir b. Barukh of Rothenburg (Prag, 1608, Folio), and elsewhere, differ considerably from the printed editions (see later). 15. [,'rplP n1r1D]. CABBALISTIC MATTERS, occupying leaves 116b119'. a. On the Most Holy Name, beginning:. -,in N-p: 11 nn=: -n1:1 n9 i, tn VI - l. il) W$n,t 1 nt03 See Ibn'Ezra on Exod. xxxiii. 23, and the supercommentators in,q12 nJqVn~ (Amsterdam, 1721, Folio), leaves 50b and 84b-85a. Towards the end this article is somewhat cabbalistically treated. b. On the name 6Wyn, beginning:..;..Wiii SUin 6iWs1 MDb1 sN 3.n'IDn nnfinal 6SWvi11D -);4Sm rto;-t} See Assemani, No. 103. 6, p. 72. c. Calculation in connexion both with the Most Holy Name and the spelling of alm, beginning:...t N1 Vnw nbn np' uNnw Vssnn nwNVNK tUntM11na= jliwnn -it) ilm d. On the Most Holy Name, beginning:....simnn1 $ni ~Irr lt) n w nr $n wJ n VI= NW DI in? *N" 1n 3 e.- On humility, &c., beginning: and ending: Inliv) nn NK1 -INV vsm 5y hnn tn1n I/Crjns w Kspw w WI Inv3t'1..N Leaf 119b is blank. 16. [nnvwn t)i]. A NOTE, occupying leaf 120". It begins: IDINOV nl'1 VI(nD15 W~n) -"'1 N-Im (nrb1D0'=1 1''tW;rit 1:=nnN loptl1...,1Vn nN DnexD 1n1VtvD (1nD1 *1:1XN) Inv 1-W, 60 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 35. This reference is wrong; it ought to be NZ instead of WN1I; see leaf 281 at the bottom. Leaves 120b -122b are blank. So far goes the work of the principal one of the two original copyists and first owner, whose name, as we have repeatedly seen, is Shabbethai Bilbao'; He is, apparently, a descendant of R. Yesha'yah Hakkohen. His fellowcopyist, who was a peninsular Sephardi, wrote but little in this volume; all that belongs to him is found on leaf 56". But two later hands, whose work is of no small value, have left their mark on this MS.: I. The first of these is Ibn Tarshish, a Greek Sephardi. To him are due: (i) The crossing through of all the disrespectful terms in which Rashi is spoken of by R. Abraham b. David, and the substitution, in some places, of other and more respectful terms. (ii) The erasures of the names of the principal original copyist and his immediate ancestors, against whom Ibn Tarshish seems to have had a spite. (Is it because he considered R. Shabbethai Bilbao dishonest in claiming for himself and his parentage.titles and literature which were not theirs?) Thus he carefully erased the superscription of 3 and, leaving only the two words of the rhymes.. tl-', he puts the following instead: wnPV)Vrn linn:S Ntnnni rrivs 1-ns S an rniN r mvn:: Km= NnNDtsz ~~"..... vl":2"~"Y' we, sae2 Z 1:n +1, vv- i" %niv nn ala, whilst, inconsistently enough, he puts at the end of this commentary VIPTn 1n2nW,~iI"M2n I2n NVV'la 1n Mn. See also this description (15. e.) on his bringing out, by an ingenious erasure, the damaging phrase "2li/ 2 R nn ",N &c. (iii) The marginal additions as follows: (1) 16b —18b. Explanations of sundry passages in the Parshiyyoth fnl'4 l to. 1~. They are superscribed I'oMIZ Lt2st, and are by'"i' tns' or Y"N, i. e. R. Abraham b. Meir Ibn'Ezra and by Polyp VtV%$'";,t,, R. El'azar, a relative of the scribe, but chiefly by'".1, or wa".n, i. e. R. Yoseph'1EW ~]nZ. (2) 21a. Explanation of Gen. xxv. 6, which is ascribed to rl',N m"orn (3) 25b and 26b. Explanation of Gen. xlvii. 28, Ex. ii. 23, and iii. 19, which are ascribed to R. Yoseph Kj'. (4) 27a. Explanation of Ex. ii. 4, ascribed to W"' il, i.e. R. Asher b. Yechiel, and of Ex. iv. 10, ascribed to the foregoing R. Yoseph. (5) 28a. Explanation of Ex. x. 14 by an anonymous writer. 1 "Sabbathai fils d'Isaie Kohen de Saint Jean d'Acre," who copied No. 698 in the Paris Collection is, no doubt, the same. Assemani (No. 105. 11, p. 76), mentions a R. Mikhael (,xn) b. Shabbethai Kohen':a5=' (which he erroneously writes Belibo), who is probably a son of our scribe. No. 35.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 61 (6) 33b, 34%, and 43a. Additions to R. Yesha'yah's commentary. (7) 50a. Remarks (superscribed fly:) on Num. xiii. 1 and 16, in which last place we read.... ~'lrn tb ~ nw1. (8) 50b. Remarks (superscribed P11u) on Num. xiii. 3, and 23, in which last place..-.. MnW'ln'ad occurs, and on the same passage with reference to Ex. xiii. 16, in which R. Yehudah Hakkohen $"tI"' is mentioned. (9) 51i. Remarks (superscribed ]11V) on Num. xvii. 18, in which'I'Mi CrOD'fli ~1 occurs. (10) 120b. Extract from the T. B. Synhedrin 56b on the commandments given by God to the first man. (11) 122a. Entry of the birth of Mikhael Bilbao (?), running thus:.Ijn nlni om n a 1ni n vsn lmtg wen nwt wv im, io arp nr)ninn tent (According to Jahn's Tables, 2 Nisan 5171 corresponds to 27 March 1411.) This is possibly R. Shabbethai's own son, only that the entry was made for him by Ibn Tarshish. See the foregoing Foot-note. II. The second of these is a Greek Ashkenazi, named Shelomoh (see below), of the latter part of the xvth century. To him are due even more importan(t additions: (i) Various Rabbinical sayings on leaf la which are a continuation from what at one time preceded this volume in a former binding (see MS. Add. 377. 2). (ii) Part of the phrases in replacement of those crossed through by Ibn Tarshish in R. Abraham b. David's Strictures on Rashi. (iii) Marginal additions as follows: (1) 12T. An extract from Qimchi. (2) 48- and 55b. Emendations on the commentary of R. Yesha'yah Hakkohen and on that of the it of R. El'azar Haqqalir. (3) 63b. An extract from the rnlI:N mm: of R. Se'adyah Gaon referring to matter on leaf 64b in Ibn Kaspi's supercommentary. (4) 64b —70b. Additions to Ibn Kaspi's supercommentary on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch, consisting of the preface to the whole, and the supercommentaries on Numbers and Deuteronomy. The preface begins IDOD i Drn Wa nl~, and not b(W),D Wt:, as the first four MSS. cited by Steinschneider read. Deuteronomy ends: nDnni w n(see MS. Add. 510. 2, ln$=eaf 96in) l t) nLnM, Iw' 1il bun Inv $ nloum Ini van Its ban It'.'-mDnl. S Jt w t:K btnKn -I`W-1 T=p ant 2nnt)w n,11V mINIV in.61 pa q- n jnl: Inla "0(,1nw 71D'1 (see MS. Add. 510, 2, leaf 96b):n4:'j nrt~ nj-ll0D tn);lt ijnsn -ns 62 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 35. -in Nn -Ito Jim I'm qlln ilnnn i11 I-1:1mn m f'bnol On snn rr;1 11DI M19:O;s1.(t)W ISV) Vwg bwnv (5) 87a. A reference to Ibn Kaspi's supercommentary' on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch. (6) 92a. A note on the orthography of the name'Z!sj with traditions from R. Shemuel fp'IBl=D and R. Yitzchaq r'IW1IKn1 V'1T'11N. See R. Yitzchaq b. Mosheh of Vienna's Vlt'1S1 (Zitomir, 1862, Folio), p. 5. (7) 92b. Explanations of Mishnah Sotah, III. 4, beginning:.... rnll~O 13p,nw; (';I ol p':l nnlnn (nnlmo: )'D1:~ Ir'nNP7 Nr (8) 105b-1069. The,=wnN t'110 of R. El'azar of Worms, beginning: J-jISN tJns b-gt NvvlmD -vp9N:n nnm -ntm mlwn n -1i Snr V'*V See 1'. 5, Siman 67, to which this is, although shorter towards the end, greatly superior. The abbreviation f"MlV 1"IMN is,)WlItM,nMq Ns:P: 1rnX1 n,11r KK 3, Ps. cxviii. 25. (9) 106b. An extract from R. Yonah's 6lV rnM (towards the end), commencing:...n MnS w'n.IV 7nn. (10) 106b-108a. A'11]D by Rabbenu Ephraim in p"'n11 with the acrostic WI'W. It commences:.. 11.: D11un t* "11ngnnt1 V=D: pytn and ends: -5"t nsnwS'Sr -t:W rit -1mi 6=W:'1 bnn -:::y i.: ^st s (11) 107g. An index of the 29 paragraphs of the nt1n1'1 1D, the numbers being placed in accordance with this index at the side of each paragraph (107a —115b). (12) 109. Another reading of the text. (13) 109". A consultation or response by R. Meir b. Barukh on the penitence required by a woman, who killed her own child accidentally by lying on it while asleep. See 6p='VD, in 1:1 V T' (Amsterdam, 1727, folio), leaf 50o, ~ xxxiv. (14) 110- and 111b. Extracts from the nb l1t, on taking an oath and other matters. (15) 114". On warming oneself on a Sabbath in the nursery. It commences:...., n rl n nMr~ 5 P rfl,nnMsl $, and in the course of the note we read: (onIv 1ntn) i"tl (Dulren) NllI11 VNr1*'Y:1 pr Y''nin 1: sll=lSN 11111,1n 5:s 1nd'1D nttnn'"IM:M6 nrln 8D1wm 49 pnmv'r-In S-1 1n NN rny^w...... 15YK b>WtYs nsll c srn n;N.1 rm imn -1 nv~ 3'1 nry12 (16) 114b. The 1''1l extracted from the 1n~n 1 *'n of R. Shelomoh ~q~: ] tJl lDpI.' It commences:... * * 1?lq' 1n1WN, and ends with the words: i1'Mn 1l' t. (17) 115a. A l1~t extracted from n112:i nrlln1 of R. nl b. Yoseph No. 35.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 63 Ibn nq'lM. It commences: V'1T'S:,q; V), and ends with the words: (18) 116". Explanations of the calculation of the numerical value of the Most Holy Name. (19) 117b. A iM npyV on rtrl being spelled without the i, which. the copyist had heard from the mouth of R. Abraham b. Shemuel. (20) 120b —121b. A table of the contents of the whole volume as formerly bound (MS. Add. 377), now consisting again of eight separate volumes; from which we see that at that time it consisted of at least 700 pages, of which now a good many are unfortunately lost; see MS. Add. 377. 1. Begins: toi1nn WICpn a a ril l snl 111=l1n1 nrrim rp'1 nt ta6 1v/Wp J/D/ Ends:.,,:1 1VY NTCp pn: -I t (iv) The titles of the various works and essays, which are to be found in the corner of the upper margins, and the pagination (where the pages and not the leaves are counted) which is to be found in the corner of the lower margin of the recto pages. A still later owner, a German Ashkenazi, Abraham b. Eli'ezer Hallevi of quite modern date (see leaf 1161, where (tLp U'Y1) p"6 WjprJI, i.e. 1816, occurs), has written the following on leaf 119": *.n N a..... (Jl, ) tw'b Z Inv nt t9 1:1 ninnbt outgo And,L N S This owner seems to have dealt in lottery shares, as the numbers there given apparently indicate. As for the state of the MS., leaves 1-18, 22, 28 have suffered from damp, 29 and 67 are wanting, 30 —33 are partly destroyed, 34-36 are only a little damaged. [Library-mark, Add. 377. 3; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 36. Paper, in quarto, 67 in. x 5~ in.; 120 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 27 lines; Rabbinic character, fine German Ashkenazic handwriting of the xIvth century. Supercommentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH by an anonymous German Rabbi; defective. 64 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 36. Leaf i, Genesis (1-16, 32, wanting); 52a, Exodus; 82b, Leviticus; 93a N2umbers; 106', Deuteronomy. Begins (leaf 17a, on Gen. xx. 51): 6,% SW N Y btte In ti K,5nn pcn 7 a w~ KW'bit,~ N ed: I.... ~.... ]/~ sent he Ends (leaf 120b, on Deut. xxxiv. 10): r atho mksi, jy mme tg o h manr Our author makes Rashi, by commenting on him, his chief means of commenting on the Pentateuch. While mostly approving of what Rashi says, the difficulties he raises against him are raised in order the more clearly to bring out his author's meaning. But although Rashi is our author's chief authority, and although nl]uW~,, and such like, are his favourites, he is by no means uncritical as a commentator, nor contemptible as a grammarian. In pursuance of his critical aim, he brings not merely his own difficulties to bear upon Rashi, but also those of others, and chiefly those of R. Chizqiyyah b. Manoach, which, as in the original, he cites by-the phrase p"TrN2. The chief importance of this commentary, however, consists (1) in the valuable readings of the Rashi-text (see for instance leaf 88b, which has a piece not to be found anywhere else, leaf 104b, &c.); (2) in the curious anti-christian passages it contains (see leaves 20b, 48b, 49', 66b, 74", 89a, and 114); and (3) in the illustrations, due originally to the author himself, of the text (see leaves 32b, 77a, 78b). Our author (who composed also a commentary on Aboth, see leaf 98%, and of whom more will be found in the description of MS. Add. 669. 2, which is full of most interesting matter) was a German of the xIIIth century, as may be inferred from the German wordss found in this commen1 It is only by the forgetfulness either of the author himself or of one or the other of the scribes that Gen. xx. 5 is lplaced here; a few lines later the earlier verses of xix. 26, &c. are explained. See for somewhat similar instances on leaves 62b, 64', 66a, and 94b, where, however, the emendations are preceded by the phrase...,nr~.. 2 I. Chizqiyyah b. Manoach prefixes the phrase p"'n, whenever he has a diffi. oulty against Rashi such as either he cannot solve at all, or only unsatisfactorily, or after a great deal of trouble. In such a case he uses it for the following threefold reason: (1) it being in a certain sense the same as eniO (a term current for such difficulties in the xiiIth century; see No. 35. 3. (4) of this Cata. logue) (2) it being part of his own name nr,,tn; and (3) it being the abbreviation of eIwrp rin (which solution alone explains the... "'rn b occasionally following it). The statement of Zunz (Gesch. u. Lit. p. 92), Seine eigenen Bemerkungen bezeichnet die Chiffer pTT, is therefore incomplete. 3 These amount to 57, and are to be found on leaves 27a, 36b, 50b, 85b, 86a, 901', 96b, and 109b. There are also five French words to be met with. The two on leaf 61O are Rashi's, the one on leaf 112b is taken from the nuV, while the one No. 36.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 65 tary on the one hand, and the authorities quoted therein on the other hand. The following are the authorities whom he quotes: (1) ~"VT "IM tNK: (leaves 18", 19b, 22%, 34a, 52a, and 65b). (2) His contemporary'VPl= pP'"q s;Dn rir2?V (leaf 18a). (3) 1Dn-1 1,,1 "1 t'I 2N -1D,) also simply'1rnq, (23b, 53b, and 98b). (4) W'I,'1 z rW=I2n (leaf 23b). (5),1MD (leaves 23b, 87b, 94b, and 95%). (6) W'I'W~' iMnY'I " INPn (leaf 35 ). (7) l"Tn (leaves 39b, 40b, 45a, 59a, 6 1, 70', and AplnM distinctly, leaf 40'). (8) His contemporary n1 =':11~ "I 1 1r=V (leaf 402). (9) iNW -': pnr (leaf43a). (10) i,=li 1=1 (leaf 43'. (11) q1:1n (leaves 43a and 72a). (12) His contemporary, PMi',,~'~, rny" rgW (leaf 43b). (13) Anonymous but contemporary authors 1nyD1Zt,,'Wn ~- (leaf44b).. (14) R"9'1~ (leaf 46a, also R"'nI and N"'n6, leaves 59b, 60a, and 92b). (15) (NtM) "1T1 n:1Vn (leaf 51a) (16)'V r'11n, also'1_W T'1nZ qtDl'1"rn and':W'11 ='" (leaves 51', 599b, 60a 78b, and 106b). (17) n"~'I (R. Yehudah Chasid? leaves 55b and 78b). (18) His contemporary't2*1 1"IM 1D Inq YDV (leaf 56b). (19) n1iD %7 ('nD nzn)'ws WI=D "'I (leaf 57'). (20) His teacher kWCnJpn 071D 1?"ni- AnnD'n~IpV Inn (leaf 57b). (21) IV'I-r" M2'" (leaf 65b). (22) tU"Win WV17-P (leaf 71b). (23) a']'] I10r~ W"',, also 9P:"1O13 t""1 (leaves 72b and 90b). (24) V"1 and qD1'"1 DW "I. (leaves 74b, 792, and 80'). (25) nl"' (leaves 76b and 97'). (26) Y"?2V in answer to nl"/' (leaf 76b). (27)'i,* I''1 (leaves 83' and 85a). (28) (? jl lj) 1"" ~2. See Neubauer, in Geiger's Jiid. Zeitschrift, ix. on leaf 63 and the other on leaf 115b, although not traced as yet, were probably taken by our author from some other French commentator. 1 wvan, when belonging to an Ashkenazi, and particularly when either preceded or followed by,nix, is equivalent to Phoebus and not to Vivas, as Zunz (Gesch. u. Lit. p. 104) thinks. 2 The current opinion is that it is called 1",n, from being a commentary on the Pentateuch, which consists of fifty-three (l1") weekly Parshiyyoth. See Zunz, Gesch. u. Lit. p. 78, and Neubauer, in Frankel's Monatsschrift, xxI. p. 182. CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. LNo. 36. p. 230; but the MS. there described seems to contain a work later than the genuine (leaf 848). (29) ~"~23 (leaf 89b). (30) ";tt2I'i (not Rashi; leaf 91b). (31) Mlm "by (twice leaf 92'). (32) NMIp qt1:';1 (leaves 95b, 112', and 119b). (33) iMn o1', (leaf 95b). (34) jn11tl 1=19, the grandson of R. Yehudah ~,n; (leaf 98b). (35) n1"n (not ]1]tn; leaf llb). (36), - I'l (leaf 103b). (37) b -'1DW (leaf 112'). (38) i1l1i, (leaf 1128). (39)'?t 211 (not Ibn'Ezra, unless the interpretation be forced; leaf 119b). (40) W'1 (leaf 120b). (41) Dn;n (leaves 6gb, 678, 718, 101, and 116'). But, besides the literature to be found in the ordinary place, that to be met with on the margins must not be neglected, as it contains matters of importance which have escaped the otherwise very exact scholars, the late S. D. Luzzatto, who, as its last owner2, described this MS. in the ~nn Mnn (vII. pp. 68-69), and the venerable Zunz, who adopted the results of this description in his Gesch. und Lit. (pp. 103-104). The margins, then, contain, besides the emendations and additions on leaves 21a, 23b, 62b, 68a, 69b (this last is superscribed nfDl:n), 70b, 75b, 78b, 80b) 8P, 935a 94", 95a, 95b, 965, 101b, 107a, and 1138, by the original scribe himself, also literature by others, viz.: (1) By a German Ashkenazic hand of the early part of the xIvth century. This hand wrote on leaves 22b, 36b, 548, 558, 598, 62a, 62b (in which ql2s21='I is quoted), 63a, 678, 69b, 708 (in which this R. Abigedor is surnamed n~Sl), 71a, 71b, 79b, 82b, 84`, 86", 86", 88b (in which r" l"',in2 is quoted; this is, no doubt, R. Asher b. Yechiel, who died October 253, 1327, and who, as ]" is equivalent to 11Vt 1'; n72, must have been then alive), 898, 89s, 90a, 90", 918 (in which the Itd nlp is quoted), 928, 948 96, 978 (in which:1''vt, and again'"" P"2'K;11, are quoted), 97", 98a, 101, 101b, 102a and 1058. (2) By another German Ashkenazic hand, also of the xivth century, though later, which wrote on leaf 76b. 1 Thus so important a name as that of R. Asher b. Yechiel, which is twice to be found, is not mentioned by him, whilst R. Eli'ezer of Forchheim, not to be found here at all (see MS. Add. 669. 2, leaf 54b), is said to be mentioned here. 2 This MS. is described by his son Joseph, in his Catalogue de la Bibliotheque de litterature hebraique et orientale de fen Mr. Samuel David Luzzatto de Trieste.... Padoue, &c. p. 9, No. 87, as containing 53) l'V1V bits.... I1C,nN1I qTlN:21'P n2 1 nn n,1, which statement is entirely incorrect. a Zunz, Monatstage... (Berlin, 1872, 8vo.) p. 58. No. 36.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 67 (3) By a third German Ashkenazic hand of the xvth century, which wrote on leaves 80", 84, 84b and 86b. (4) By an Italian hand of the xv-xvIth century, which wrote on leaves 67 —71a and 72a —72b. It is this owner, probably, who wrote also the Arabic numbers on the lower margin of the verso-page, and who had the MS. mounted and bound. The label on the back ":'inn'1,'i! WV1D'W is apparently in the writing of the last owner, S. D. Luzzatto, who acquired the volume at Trieste in the summer of 1841; see'rnrl1 vii, pp. 55 and 68. The condition of the MS. is not very satisfactory, every leaf having been so badly cut as to require being mounted; nevertheless very little, comparatively speaking, of the literature has been lost, and the paper is very stout. [Library-mark, Add. 669. 1; bought in 1869 from S. Seh6nblum,] No. 37. Paper, in quarto, 8~ in. x 6 in.; 29 leaves, 30 lines; Rabbinic character, Greek Sephardic handwriting of the xvth century. [I lTtN'zin':1v 1=rit W.I.nn iv vvw "WI- 19 wR I Supercominentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH by an anonymous Greek Rabbi; defective. Leaf la, Genesis (16 wanting); 17, Exodus; 26b Leviticus; 28b Ntum. bers; 29 and all leaves afterwards wanting. Begins (leaf 1a): bann's 6t1Vi vnwpr. nnn nnS rivi nn.6n. rn KNt WvnsD nstR~ Breaks off (leaf 28b; on Num. xvi. 1-4):.Vnn 83 NK InwIN In l Nnis >us NSs nl st;N sn i6 notK DiW Suin n Peon ena iD writen int syl nofnthen "Dothrch 1abD is This Supercominentary is written in the style of the North French Rabbis, as exhibited in the nY11=1 on the Talmud Babli as also in their Addit~. menta to Rashi on the Pentateuch. Every paragraph commences here more orless with f1"N, to which a ~"~'1 is given. The literature is often also the 68 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 37. very same in substance if not in wording; see mi3jet P1)q (Livorno, 1783, Folio), passim. It is, however, very short, and it strikes one as if it were a mere extract from a larger work; observe for instance that between the Parashah of 3'1tni (in Lev.) and that of nnp (in Num.) nothing is to be found. Our author must have been a Greek, as we see from leaf 12b, where he says,;:N'D 1l Ijlv$ 7'15)2 V Kw'v, and leaf 27a, where he says Y"p; K._1n: pl' 1t:5 nMw,. The only authorities he quotes besides Rashi, whom he mostly calls "'I only (see No. 33 above), a phrase to which later, particularly French, writers have a great objection, are: Rabbenu ~Kn (leaf 14b), V21'lt _ (ib.), (Coucy?) s Pltt3 wl,2 (leaf 24b), and lnn'1 NK2VVI= (leaf 25b). See Excurs. II. A later, very inelegant, trembling, and apparently old hand, has occasionally put a remark on the margin (see 15b, 22a, &c.), mostly emenda, tions or summaries. There are no other traces of ownership. The MS. afterwards belonged to Erpenius. The condition of the MS. is very bad, half of leaves 1-4 having been cut off, whilst what we have is much soiled and stained, making the writing illegible in various places, It is also somewhat worm-eaten, and has suffered both from fire and water. [Library-mark, Mm. 6, 26. 1; presented in 1632 by Catherine Duchess of Buckingham.] No. 38. Paper, in quarto, 8-3 in. x 53 in.; 104 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 34 lines; Rabbinic character, Italian handwriting.; dated Friday, 13 Sivan, 20 June, 5296 (1536). Supercommentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH, by R.'Obadyah of Bertinoro, the elder. Leaf 1, Genesis; 28a, Exodus; 565, Leviticus; 76a, Numbers; 91P, Deuteronomy; 103a, subscription by the scribe; 103b —104b, blank. Begins: N.... p ne-t n Nnan: Imnn No. 38.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 69 Elds: "-f l$vn'mn,D'Give nn'n J wvn,'n 1-rv'1n1 w'1,'9' (WFrm1..... The abbreviation v "w is Ps. cxxi.'l, and trhat of ", is Isaiah liii. 10, -~~'~2 see Excurs. VIII. This commentary was first printed (Pisa, 1810, 4to.), under the title of.n'l2, from a copy I lmad e sthe present MS.y It has been s ince reprinted (Czernowitz, 1857, 8vo.), but this reprint nM is fl of W't inaccuracies. The title of the edition n ) i s neither on e given by the a uthor himself, who seems not to have named the book at all, ermonor that given by the copyist, who calls itW i n both MSS. s"? ~Tt' % a'; but it310 171K nS n i = I 11nn vNly 1', 3t$n The abbreviation give is Ps. anagrammatxi. 2 and that of aaTS is Isaiah liyi. 10, with lInN added; for the 3631M (6SO) ~In as well as for 361D= Imon and 1'$]'1W1 see phxcurs. VIII. This commentary was first printed (Pisa, 1810, 4to.), under the title of Nj7M'In, from a copy made by the scribe who wrote the present MS. It has been since reprinted (Czernowitz, 1857, 8vo.), but this reprint is full of inaccuracies. l'he title of the edition (NIp%'1,3) is neither one given by the oncerning the author himself w not to aved onlythe book at all, nor that given by the co pyist, who calls it in both MSS. $ t liWt Ir awnn mm:; but is a fancy-title bestowed by the first editor R. Ya'aqob Nufiez Vais, who wished in e'sN to givof the ithis again in initials only, Tudela, L n a1n1 e21 r, and who united with it the phrase, Dan. vii. 9, as he considered this work to be clear and pure. Concerning the author himself we need only observe that this is the celebrated comnmentator of the;M=C>n- See Zanz, on geographical literature of the Jews, No. 66 (in Asher's edition of the Itinerary of R. Benjamin of Tudela, London and Berlin, 1841, 8vo. II- pp. 267-268); Neubacuzer, who has published two most interesting letters which our author sent from Palestine to his father and brother in Italy (in the third volume of the Jahrbuch,f. d. Gesch. d. Jud. und d. Judentih. pap. 192-270); and Excurs. Il. to this Catalogue where the relations of the book both to the written work and oral communications of his teacher will be discussed. The copyist, whose name we know to have been M'17Nr, has placed a small 1 R. Ya'aqob b. Yitzchaq Nuiiez Vais was Rabbi of Leghorn; see Ghirondi, 5b.w' j5 i nv' rin (Trieste, 1853, 8vo.) p. 132, Nos. 9 and 10. 70 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 38. ornament against that name wherever it occurs throughout the MS. besides the mention thereof in the subscription as given above. The fly-leaves at the commencement contain interesting notes in which R.'Obadyah Sforno's, R. Yitzchaq Kohen's and an anonymous owner's own calculations of coins, weights and measures mentioned in the Talmud (and some also of those in the Bible) are given. Leaf 104b, also by an anonymous owner, has a few sayings of the Rabbis; and occasionally with explanations. On leaf Pa on the upper margin is to be found the following entry:,qn1,1p (Tivoli) ItD1 i", t;1 l"1,'l13i N:Il 1t1P3: nK jp:K pMn ~2S Ev l 71TI 3t1tN t1: nmildty =V'1il 1KN'Ml VI9 (Ancona) jM1j1-%K.n "us nnmn, b:;qD hit On leaf 104b occurs, probably, another owner's name: *(-Os1:1 n1YY IlDW' 1'S' (Modigliana)'1-11'V) bs::n Irrnvlr nn The former note is in Italian current and the latter in Sephardic Rabbinic character. The label on the back, n'a~ vn"' w. i'v n (;.l lnq al "r t-9n vWn) MS. 1533 (mistaken for 1536) is apparently in R. Marco Mortara's handwriting. The MS. is, the fly-leaves excepted, which are somewhat worm-eaten, in excellent condition. [Library-mark, Add. 395; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 39. Paper, in quarto, 84 in. x 61 in.; 108 leaves, mostly 6-sheet quires, part, 25 lines, mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Italian handwriting, and part, 27 lines, Rabbinic character, Sephardic handwriting; both contemporary and of the xvIth century. Supercommentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH, with reference to Nachmanides' strictures, by R. Ya'aqob Cafiizal; incomplete. Leaf 3", Genesis; 50b, Exodu-s;... Begins: -nnnn rnnin nius af-t Hi as antv -' s Nt nWin nsmi't "t n3 nrnN3ilo tnN1 $- Tet "T n-n n1tp1 r 1vp 1,-lne Sv InWnn, SVtar nrn 1'11 I= l r ln No. 39.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 71 t:KI~'n 11= lSIIN1 I1l~5D: I=n Nin nrin lt ni a n nK penv nWIV rOn bili ns jn) n'DK V $g $t j'anl neon,nwpw Sw n D1.......ptn only p~'It'i Breaks off (leaf 100b, Exod. xxi. 36): NP K$ P4W Nt I prhs nnn nP,, nn1z (nNiw rin'a)w V"'-$n' * - * 5nnsw pontt nnr w ri b1wv -int1n3r, ):)nn1 1rmy 1;I'1,in Printed with three other commentaries, perhaps at Constantinople, 15251. See De-Rossi's Annales flebrceo- Typographici, ab An. MD1 ad MDXL (Parmae, 1799, 4to.), Part ii. No. 13, p. 45. Steinschneider, Bod. Cat. No. 5515, and Zedner, Cat. of the Heb. Books in the British Museum, p. 677. On comparing this copy with the printed edition, we find that not only is the latter a mere short extract from the author's work as exhibited in this copy, but that a good many of the explanations given here and found there, are there wrongly attributed to one or the other of the three other commentators, and particularly to R. Shemuel Almosnino. The author was a Spanish Sephardi (probably of Cafiizal), living in the latter part of the xvth century. See leaf 16b, where on Gen. xviii. 21 he says: none 144 n 111 DnpWV nchw Nowa I$ nrwvplilD.nm iV rinpsYnw',:D'ID: menu 1i1nn imin mvpNn;inD Mwiv mrin nv nwr (w n 6) Lt6 InvpIn 1n 1 p tIY JIV$2, &c. See also leaf 99b, where on Ex. xxi. 20 he says:.6.ly nlv:i by: (rwinnw Nw inn sI$n nN mnnlw...... -v r.n The t:l13V n, was composed in 1467; see the description of MS. Oo. 1. 35. 6 below. The De-Rossi MS. 355, which seems to contain the present work also, was copied in 1508. These facts are enough to settle the author's country and date within narrow limits. Although copied by two different anonymous copyists, the whole MS. was executed contemporaneously, as may be seen passim on strict examination. At first sight one would certainly take leaves 3a and 26b, which are in mixed Italian character, to have been written as a supplement. The Italian copyist, who was, no doubt, the first owner of this MS, has on some of the margins and on portions of leaves 46a, 103a —104b, and 108a, some additional notes, consisting partly of corrections and partly of supplements. Another anonymous Italian, who was probably the next owner, has enriched many of the margins with very learned and most interesting notes which he always introduces by fT1n, Al1. And a still later, also anonymous Italian owner, has also several notes, in one of which (leaf 34b), 1 According to Carmoly, La Fainille A linosnino (extrait du Journal l'Univers Israelite, Num6ros de Janvier, Fevrier et Mars, 1850), p. 6, these Commentaries were probably printed at Salonika towards the middle of the xvith century, 72 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 39. he mentions his teacher 1'Y" n"N'19 (1R. Meir Katzenellenbogen, of Padua?). The two latter owners have also left us their explanations of, and extracts from, the Talmud Babli, the Midrashim, the'Arukh, and the works of R. David Qimchi and R. ind: b. Asher on various passages of the Bible, &c., and which are to be found on the leaves left blank by the original scribes. The following leaves were left blank by the original scribes: 1-2, 7 (the weekly Parashah of n11:,'1: is here incomplete), 45b (part) —46b (which reads on nevertheless), 85a and b (which reads on), 100b (part) —108b. Leaf Ia has-the following little poem in a Rabbinic Sepllardic hand (not that of one of the original scribes): "12 Mi,nnim 6= n, arm In s sp Js q mn 1111nv NZ 1,n1a Cn 1rwV twoV4 Kenn ant: KiN Corresponding with these lines we read in an Italian current hand: Ptibn t)1 ln 1'nVD I Wlrt'v12;;n IMI OBOnI. p D1usw, 4n4~1 I$N -'n D *T"r4nW (Malltusa) j111UD19 This is, no doubt, the signature of Leon2 Modena, the abbreviation being ("11' I'nW,) l'11 li1=r', 14''l i'D, lr,1,; see MS. Dd. 10. 14. 7. The' volume afterwards belonged to Yitzchaq (b. Menachenm?) 1S~N1-. The condition of the MS., as far as it goes, is excellent. [Library-mark, Dd. 10. 14.2; presented in 1647 by the House of Commons.] No. 40. Paper, in quarto, 8- in. x 6 in.; 196 leaves, 8-sheet quires, 34-40 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Italian handwriting of the xvIth century. Supercornmentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH, together with various other matters by various authors; defective. 1. owsn Ia - m1-7 In:wr n 1 nMM=,nnnrn $yv 4'/V W1rD byv VIn1 For Yehoshua' b. Yehudah Shernmuel Perugia, see Steinschneider, Cat. p. 8019, No. 3029. 2 This famous man is commonly, but by mistake, called either Leo di, or da, or de, Modena. His signature in Italian is to be found in the Bodleian (MS. Arch. Seld. A. 47), No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE.'. 73 SUPERCOMMENTARY on RASHI on the PENTATEUCi by R. MENACHEM B. DANIYYEL B. DAVID B. MOSHEHI OF MODENA. Leaves 1, 2, blank; leaf 3, probably blank, wanting; 4, blank; 5%, Genesis; 28a, Exodus; 51b, Leviticus; 65a, Numbers; 76, blank; 77a, Deuteronomy. Preface begins (leaf 5a): (Ps. cxix. 99) S,iT,ny T sninn 1nW)b1 (Ibid. 111),n1,qT:1~ 9tW,: Dn. "rl nrl:v,nMnj (Ibid. 57) M"12- -1Dw$ 1n - 1 p (Ibid. 103:) 1c WV-1'ni ] n6:ri t n-1, tlW 111 1",=1 $t V,It'9'n V14t nt111 W 1'11D3 1"sV,D'111)1n b wn'1Int/ r t9 Yj ulvn O1p KSlpnw ninB n ulp;1t1n Nr, rit nIt mrstD Introduction begins (leaf 6a):,~nvnnl;g6vY Ns )nlWw ntw Ip1liMPi F WM= 9 4V64"11 111M N//1'131:1 V1"/n.... ~vin.9- irrim i5 -1l'41nlK'm ri Work begins (ibid.): xp1eW,' ln./'"t "V'1 ~nnns /'nsv r,nm, pnx, ","VY lnn N11 nVM,'"n nK';1,,I5i9 Imr V nv= 4n'nWvl'"IT (in$ 490 T" 1 NnCK -IN rl9n!':: $ rn9 n I nn 91 =L, nr n, nmnnr2,xbN 5v vS nmin $,'nn Ends ('eaf 85b on xxxiii. 25):.. ptn mr n i y //5m D- l nRnY: I$ v n, s1 n 145n, MII rl (1$ -IN) i"N Ini...,,, n'm rl~i yvni wnDni znn n-ninm - s $w anpr)= wnso:c4 1I tNKn;1-,11n n3 9 Un:"'vr1 q"%1:;mpn,rni -s z m n n rtn: n wr nn'nt3 n' id In explaining Rashli, our author is particularly desirous to point out the necessity which broiught that great teacher to use such and such a word, or to come to such and such a conclusion. In this endeavour he is mostly successful; not so, however, when he explains the Scriptural word independently, which he generally does by means of rnsmN4r3, or nrmln wS/, and nEln Vfl1:, and the like. In such a case he rarely gives anything new worth having, although, judging from what he reproduces, he must have been an enormous reader. The work before us is the result of weekly lectures given to his disciples, as may be seen from leaf 28&, &c., and the MS. as such is an autograph, as the numerous alterations, enmendations and additions, to be found on every page, sufficiently shew. The author is an Italian, and lived in the xvwth century (see later). 74 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. The following notes by the author are to be found on leaves originally left blank by him. A. At the commencement: (1) On the fly-leaf. Various short sentences, both halakhic and agadic, taken from the Bible, Talmud Babli, the Midrashim, the sayings of BenSira and the Philosophers of the middle ages. These are introduced by 1nN,rr:ft nn?). (2) Leaf P. An extract from T. B.'Abodah Zarah, 20b, commencing:: n en3 sl: tonnes:m (Xn1N? ) n Pat Ae V wand (j*N In MVwn) N-1A:1 (3) Leaf lb. Various matters of cabbalistical and philosophical import, commencing: (4) Leaf 2'. Logico-grammatical observations, some rMN2VD, and a VWhln on the connexion between the names of the Patriarchs and the Tetra-.grammaton, which the writer had heard front the mouth of a Rabbi from the Holy Land. The first commence plp r~DI'1:11, and are signed H'Ih Cb TD31D'I, C12jlun; the second commence: and the third commences:....n lI pr;I nrm wnnisk ivnpin yrn= nMN In Ara nynvn woan Compare R. Ya'aqob b. Asher on Ex. iii. 14. (5) Leaf 2b. Various agadic and halakhic extracts from T. B. Baba Metzi'a and Baba Qama, commencing: frnl neo1ns -fltr btnN Sons 6i1. 111111-1W 1 I= 111:Tlttl'D Nsvy= N11= (6) Leaf 4a (leaf 3 wanting; see above). Scriptural explanations extracted from the commentary of R. David Qimchi, commencing: tnnp)r En.... s1K t 1yN.t I p Tl: *K3Dn, rDr D ame 3 n:n tAll.... n:l:~ n~,b nnlnnw (7) Leaf 4b. An extract from the Yalqut in explanation of 1 Chronicles i. 54, commencing.... rt'l rllFK Ap flSt12 "' n n2r1 t'n~, two talmudical sayings, an explanation of Ps. vii., a mnemotechnical sign for the time of the exile of the Jews from the Spanish peninsula, a grammatical piece, and a few Rabbinical sayings. B. At the end: (1) Leaf 85b. A remark made by the Emperor Octavianus, when about to be crowned, and a remark made by Ibn'Ezra (?) on the human brain and its three chambers; commencing:.....:2t/OIDKW DSD'Vl' 1~ Minl and. - V — VK W ":1,'11K2'"I MK respectively. (See 12. e. below.) (2) Leaf 86:. On the order of the Haphtaroth, and an extract from the No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 75 Midrash on the value of peace; the former commencing: l4plnW mn11- n1n=,.. nt27,' swa, and the latter'i'lln Lt /2 Vw.'nn1n rnts.... (3) Leaves 86b_87b. Explanation of various passages in the Five Megilloth, with special reference to Rashi, and done mostly in the style of MSPDtS; commencing: Ap 1 )li lrrPo $ K in jw E rin On nn S-rin tom..prs nnrsn newt.... )S1 (7V2n (4) Leaves 87b-88b. On the Mishnah Aboth, particularly on Peraqim 3, 4, and 5. In the last-named Pereq additions are to be found to the printed matter in Rashi's commentary; commencing: (5) Leaf 88b. An extract from Don Yitzchaq Abarbanel's nML: ninm, commencing:...*. n n-,n nlnn Nir nnwnl nn....wnnny- 1,nn bN This differs somewhat from the printed edition. 2. [n8Mn npln naN]. MATTERS IN CONNEXION WITH PASSOVER, partly halakhic and partly agadie, occupying leaves 89a-110b. A. Halakhic matter, occupying leaves 89a —108b. (1) [pnX? fin n_~$bn:$ v":~znn b9 tWVnn]. Novellse on the laws concerning leavened and unleavened food, as expounded in Maimonides',inmn rl,, Book =Dt. They explain sundry passages in all the eight Peraqim of these Halakhoth, and are, probably, by the before-mentioned R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 89a): n=rd /a Vt Mnna b:-+-n1 n tvi ag nvt tnn: 1n1n 1 yen nrn$,n Iann Inn rlK$k $mnnn6 tI I:n: n n$ nn InN$r,'An In=l Vw6n.S tm1;rw....nlu Y1n;na nw 1m 7 y End (leaf 91b): I$ $"a1r nn$1$ t/:'12 1$n nn w$:n~ nY VIN1K; n3n np:$ hDlnl W.....(Reogio) 1$WSNI 1i fanWL1 yals PI'63$ WITIY 111T6 The author conscientiously gives his authority whenever he owes an idea to anybody. Thus 90b, in giving an explanation of a certain passage, he has n1IK; "tT'l1n O VrIiM MTr; a little later again he has,'NKY']; leaf 91b,:a:l b1w "''P:an::,1 pt1 ln). As will have been seen, at the end is attached a letter (by R. David of Imola.) which treats on kindred matter. (2) [neit r~rn rni, l:Y::rn i wVrn]. Novelle on the same laws 76 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. as expounded in' R. Mosheh b. Ya'aqobl of Coucy's 111nil'b2. They explain sundry expressions in the 76th chapter of the negative commandments, and are, probably, also by the before-mentioned R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 92a): 11'1 V2'1 r1n n1Ki n1NK'v 1"pD' 1 J1nN;m ~ i"nD2 n1s111 ryn:l W~1174n End (leaf 93'): InNI 7:9 Y19nlr tln 131N 61rs 4$iwn -71=:'v1$ $ 11Wr IDN: VNs ~~~. (3) [Yn/n rnn n$fl, w"vDr 7 21Jw1m]. Novellee, by R. Eliyyahu, on the same laws as expounded by the Semag, and illustrated by R. Yoseph Qolon b. Shelomoh. Tlhese Novellee, although here distinctly ascribed to R. Yoseph Qolon, belong to him only in part, aid are only so far entirely his, as on his views, R. Eliyyahu, an Italian Rabbi of the xv-xvith century, who is the collector of the whole, founded most of his own observations to which he strung those of other authors. They consist of eight giroups, occupying leaves 93b —108, as follows: a. Explanation of chapter 76 of the Semag (negative comlilandmnents) by R. Eliyyahu, beginning: $1InNP IICK 1 rivo'l rYnrnnlnri n y rlsyt p$v nnnv ^ nwwn... nnTlil' /,:s.!'i9"1 "W? //X'rDM't9:,1 B nrnon.1"4 nrz rmn. ( eai~ s 93b-99b) In the course of this explanation we read (leaf 94a): tnn b~1l~:131 nnssD:Sl'mn =tr nN bt'),,Allen DIT 111:2S =:Wns.. and again (leaf 95a):.... ~ rivin-1 W Ir$N 1l'si-l $51I... To these Novellee is attached a Responsum by R. Yisrael Isserlein (nrlll jtV',1, No. 121). b. R. Yoseph Qolon's own wording in explanation of the passages in the Semag, ch. 77 and 78 (negative commandmenlts), commencing: mn: nwbw trD1Z: i"Y 1'tt p"YI P"'n9;ID`I' n3 nn9 pry1n vva5, mt wnD p...."a1 t11 nInW. (Leaves 100a-100b.) Ya'aqob, and not Yitzchaq, as Krafft and Deutsch (Catalogus Codicum Manuscriptormon, Bib. Palat. Vinldobonensis, iI. p. 58) write. 2 This rninn -v is commonly called (5nn mrn ~mv) %"nv, in contradistinction to the n5rz,qnny or (p K jp n~P n v) p"nv by R. Yoseph b. Yitzchaq of Corbeil. No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE 77 c. Views of R. Chayyim ~l1, on the phrase of the Semag (ch. 77 and 78, negative commandments): W.... Rfnl ~W,17::l W ".. conveyed in a letter to R. Eliyyahu (?) commencing: napl 1WK. iVN $vt rnnmn wlym nn-r -1i wvK:nnm znnvw,n J$ KN-r J'nSv= mnn UP nmn: iw IssV s IwnD r/?in 1 rv no nn I$ IM1NZ wnn -IVN1W $InnN n~n nm-l n WD "IINZI VNK tn noy9s 53n IN 1" w= tUV vpr....: /'n~n nY';i$nn -InNI'~$='n:na NsI nn n'731l1 BS'i~$ fil In the course of this letter R. Chayyim mentions his: father: MtM'Tt'll,. WI N' " g,"t// ~nrWY, without, however, giving his name. (Leaves 100b — 102.) d. R. Eliyyahu's own views on the same phrase of the Semag, and the one just preceding the above-mentioned one, commencing: 5V,$g,in,nim w p -ma $1 ^nin nlDoSwi -i Tnt rn:n s ms n... ~n,~:l m~''In'w.n K1'~nn n w) MnrrV;. (Leaves 102 —103".) e. The same phrase explained by an anonymous author, commencing: rlln'Si' t i,- n-nM $w nrn1r N lnwn t"16l nnK ny H'KNO..*9.w 39 nwZ, M r)n: $Z Vp1n. (Leaf 103a.) f. On successive paragraphs of the same chapters of the Semag, commencing respectively: (1)''13f:s^; (2) nTINDw MnU; (3) Mn$n'1= trI; (4) J*IV= $2M, and to the end of chap. 79, which is the end of the Halakhoth, In the course of this treatise we meet (leaf 105b) with the phrase tri'M'/rni, without giving the name of this teacher, and (leaf 107-),nl~,J: 1Vit:r 1'nr...(Piedmont) ltZ:a, without saying of what book (the Semag or R. Yoseph Qolon's work?). (Leaves 103b —107.). g. Explanation by R. Shimshon of Chinoan of a Talmudic passage (Yerushalmi Terumoth xi. 4); thle whole ending:;1Bn1tI) RYnV nsp vuln 1IV$M $"V1 1 -$ */ZV (Chinon) J1I;3 O lW n12an.. (in $N$ i$rnn) rln $ntN8S, $V r n=l $1/Y? IVIIID inarn n l~n:#6 s= (Leaf ]07 —107b.) h. Explanation of chap. 39 of the Semag (affirmative commandments), commencing: %Dl ns: so. ynpV nl$ nUV t-$ I1 f3.. (UN nn, nnna b,r n:,nna —... n$tv,ntt:nDUK i 1 1K The rl"3 ought to be n"$, and the nl"i ought to be "I, i. e. prInM 1'1, and not Zplr:n1. To this short commentary are added a few customs with respect to Passover mentioned in various books, and, among others, some found on the margin of a Semag, &c. These notes probably belong to R. Menachem, as they are worded in his style. (Leaves 107b —108b.) C78 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. B. Aagadic matter, occupying leaves 108b-110b. (1) [,nMN3 a rlS]w. Questions to be put by the children to their parents on Passover night during the domestic service. Begin (leaf 10b):'N11t-1 snn tat rShwn In:Xp tori:bos 455: SswS nNwnp in nIs: nlwlr son,9nn nibsn'Ingp) rrt' siI nns wn nN nni~nm.... nr r n nn ym n iw, in t nw End (leaf 109'): That children should put questions respecting matters in connexion with the redemption of Israel has a foundation in Ex. xii. 26 and xiii. 14, although it is, certainly, there spoken of conditionally only. See T. L. Kingsbury, Spiritual Sacrifice (London and Cambridge, 1868, 8vo.), Note F. The present questions are very short, which is, however, not their only merit, as there are some interesting points touched upon. They are pieces from various authors, the collector of which is, no doubt, our R. Menachem. The following piece deserves to be specially pointed out; it is to be found on leaf 109a:,MttV WIV PnK n i: of nr1n1ly: S wn I-lnIKNI -N11 iN tr1lrl nMD Smna (2) [nMDD Sc~2"2 Jslli]. More difficult questions in connexion with the ceremonies of Passover. Begin (leaf 109b): Snt11l SnI nNr1pr r 1nss lw wS -I -Inn:am nlDI: no - nn* 51.... nn'n -vSVz$n ne Np 1101'1i lnntlp End (leaf 1101):.-tln 111 X nI E P"D Ann, Sm: are KD311 WL$n'ii1n9 SD1tU51 Being designed for riper scholars, it is unavoidable that occasionally some halakhic matters should be mixed up with the agadic, the latter alone being the tendency of the questions. These questions, although they also are short, are somewhat longer than the foregoing, and belong to various authors, among whom are R. Yoseph Qolon and others. At the end is attached an explanation of T. B. Synhedrin, 12', given by R. Yehudah of Montereale, apparently, to R. Mordekhai of Modena. It begins: S= ISt,-l3D7T p"VID NnSKN Ki1 9'~ i"Str IIS-Iumn1nD'f11;- -7"1,w D3 jtKXlw....,ib)Tnm,IV).n'f11,$'I'I and ends: 11rD10n Atn":ISV " 1O* tU11%1T Ilsra';l T11 et)W bSnn,6 -WvKK A,.S. This R. Mordekhai is, no doubt, the grandfather of the celebrated Leon Modena. His tVD$1 in manuscript are often quoted by Azulai (AD1 a'rm, Livorno, 1774), whose copy of them is probably that now in possession of S. No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 79 Schonblum, of Lemberg. See Catalogue d'une Collection Anconienne.... Leopol. (1872?), pp. 5 and 6, No. 32. 3. [Inn n:t]. MATTERS IN CONNEXION WITH PURIM, partly agadic and partly halakhic, occupying leaves 110b-113b. A. Agadic matter, occupying leaves 110b —111 lb. (1) [;fi13 nKM'0'1]. On various agadic passages in the Talmud Babli Megillah. These explain only a few sundry pieces of that treatise,-and belong probably to R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 110b): End (111"): ti p';: fin FIK trll m Nnl t K'n,1W ym n,K tn'wts'znm r n -,:nMS Ann In illustration of T. B. Megillah, 13b and Esther iii. 8, a most interesting story is told respecting the relation of R. Yechiel (b. Yoseph) of Paris to the King of France, of his time (Louis IX.), which, although mixed up with much fabulous matter, contains, no doubt, more than one historical fact. The same story is somewhat differently worded in Mi1npn ],in1 (Amsterdam, 1697, 8vo.), leaf 44b. (2) [,'lnt, rn n6:mV 1) N fll nl'l'lrlV ]. Abridgment of the Sermon of R. Yehoshua' Ibn Sho'eib for the Sabbath preceding the Festival of Purim. Begins (leaf II"l): Ends (leaf 11lb): tz::N WW vv mX i rt nt nt om u-t rnt torwnv rrin t rrlb tn There is nothing original in this abridgment, which merely consists of short extracts from the Talmudim, Midrashim, and other Rabbinical writers. Compare the Constantinople edition' of Ibn Sho'eib's Derashoth, leaves 21' -22b. The merit of re-extracting them belongs, no doubt, to R. Menachem. B. Halakhic matter, occupying leaves lllb 113b. (1) [,n~ lnCIn:a11 M"'1n2 at,1'p w'~vr]. Novelli on the laws concerning the reading of the book of Esther on, and other laws pertaining to, Purim, as expounded in Maimonides',M1~ll;,'W, Book epont. They ex1 Printed Friday, 12 Adar 1523. There is a blur in the last figure of the printed date; but 1523 is, according to Jahn's Tables, the only year in the decade in which 12 Adar fell on a Friday. 80 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. plain sundry passages in both Peraqim, and are, probably, by R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 11 lb) End (leaf 112b):' tmlt 59D rr umn irJn tg i'p~: As is in the nature of this subject, some agadic matter is mixed up therewith. (2) [ n%?Z lqlg,'-12 Y"D",1 9 D'P1Ilrn]. Novellm on the same laws, as expounded by R. Mosheh b. Ya'aqob of Coucy. They explain sundry expressions in the lMneitl'I-D, Appendix iv., and are, though founded on R.:Yoseph Qolon's views, probably by R. Eiiyyahu; see 2. A. (3) above. Begin (leaf 112b):'71,1~9f:9,1 nrn 41$ ignmW iD, w-'ltm'91"n3 nV:111 1,n1= MM Y"b=1 br'"n 12 V 1U11iV 46 Injp: $5Drt llnan nnmml rin Inip vn mn....!~oC~r End (leaf 113b) rnn jP4'"r1V 41wn 1UN 139 n'rinri wiltz qnVWn tnrW inn Ni1. Although it says, leaf 113",,rI, such is only the case with respect to a single phrase; but the article is treated on to the very end of leaf 113b. As in the preceding number the subject is unavoidably connected with agadic matter even in its halakhic part. 4. [MM-tr1 nssn n=z. MATTERS IN CONNEXION WITH THE FESTIVAL OF THE R'E-DEDIcATION OF THE TEMPLE IN THE TIME OF THE HASMONEANS, OCCupying leaf 114" —114b (1) [l rDirnn nl/'l:l 1" w2Pl'lVt1n]. Novellae on the laws concerning the lights of the festival of Chanukkah, as expounded in Maimonides' 1r11n 1Pt, book D:=tI. They explain sundry phrases in both Peraqim, and are, probably, by R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 114a): ltn r": ~-1.uVI nn$ n'nvnrnn nrllv lp'nv:on/1n.1 1y nmlzn nln~rin...- rltt13w nri$ rlnW' -tI End (ibid.):':pYIl Vlrn n~lnt mn, M Ins lan ]v.... The text of the Rambam is here irregularly commented on, earlier things being taken later, and later things earlier. The author had also, apparently, other readings in the Rambam-text before him. No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 81 (2) [NTrll nl:S, Y'tnZn i)'VTnl]. Novellae on the same laws as expounded by R. Mosheh b. Ya'aqob of Coucy. They explain sundry phrases in the n1SWT'ID, Appendix v., and are, though founded on R. Yoseph Qolon's views, apparently by R. Eliyyahu. Begin (leaf 114a):.... In v tnY. Y 1 3 111w rNs p h n p Ns wr N ii1 End (leaf 114b): l The story of Rabbi (Rabbenu Haqqadosh, the editor of the Mishnah) and Antoninus', introduced here in explanation of nIV'Dln, &c., is corruptly given. 5. [WDpb0l n'l 131n iV]. MIATTERS IN CONNEXION WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF THE HOLY TEMPLE, occupying leaves 114b —-115a. (1) [:: nyn nnin n V'1'nr t nw'Vln1]. Novellke on the laws concerning the 9th of Ab, and other fast-days, as expounded in Maimonides',1l1 i1W1, book ~Dst. They explain sundry expressions in the last Pereq (v) of the Hilekhoth Jn~1ln, and are, probably, by R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 114b): 1tn $wlt $.W rnt nv w 1 n l:nrr n`:Srn, 1"3 1 1"11V1 YU 1 n n3$inn....,211)11 np, VVNII twt: Dv' V ws n5n ninnm 1w inn TD nVW End (leaf 115a): I"Vynwv ssr.1 wnts t/mynin P1 wip:;r n?"op CN1- jsn N'D....,. ninnn 5sw,:n nn v-Iwnma (2) [:IS;NWn nnr 5~ rVn:a y l 5$ W'tl1n]. Novelle on the same laws as expounded by R. Mosheh b. Ya'aqob of Coucy. They explain sundry phrases in the 2nlgr'1DV, Appendix iii., and are, though founded on R. Yoseph Qolon's views, apparently by R. Eliyyahu.. Begin (leaf 115): VIVID risrin SW' n6n Sw nl:mv 11V rclyw m-11:111U Ill= n Y' m non D.... n1Kn:s rv wyw tv, y nr u' n t sn E rnd (ibid.):: 3n: bsn, nptn IVI V/:WI'sm 17 3 in.'m -ID;1t 1 According to Rapoport, 1,en Irv (Prag, 1852,4to.), p. 123, this is Marcus Aurelius; see also Bodek, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus... (Leipzig, 1868, 8vo.), passim. 6 82; CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40.. Attached to these Novellse are the following pieces: (1) R. Aharon Hallevi, on nlpDbD,1 T111D; (2) R. Shelomoh b. Abraham Ibn lT'IS, on"' the week in which the 9th of Ab falls; (3) R. Meir b. Barukh, of Rothenburg, on the commencement of the month of Ab; (4) A;r1Ml, from the book'18A, on l4P2vzn w in the n1pDD1r= sn'1D; and (5) an anonymous writer (probably R. Menachem himself), on the kindred passage in T. B. Betzah 15b (Mishnah ii. 1). MATTERS IN CONNEXION WITH THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, occupying leaves 115b —116b. (1) [w'nni tn, n'ril n"/2nV1 V W",'IM]. Novellae on the laws concerning the Day of Atonement, as expounded in Maimonides',Mwn 1lqn, book =Wtl. They explain certain phrases in all the three Peraqim of the Hilekhoth 1= nnfl2tW. These are apparently by R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 115b): KzS -rnew nnnw,// nlIAnS6 Kenip nl:wilp;11 n1,= WI nnr3W n'1 End (leaf 116'):,,n'1:n1I Ksn K p'11 is'", 1",.... As is the author's wont, he mixes a little Agadah with the Halakhah, which alone is here his chief aim. (The fI'lI'12 %I1rD'at,' to be found here, is only quoted from the nl fDln of T. B. Berakhoth 8b 1bn:.) (2) [s'~D)D,1 W rn$lD1,':1'", 11$Y i YlIlrn]. Novelle on the same laws as expounded by R. Mosheh b. Ya'aqob of Coucy. These explain sundry phrases in the R 11'1,; nM, chapter 69 (not 61) of the negative commandments, and are apparently by R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 116a): nsin In~vl me1 ninnl 14wn 1'' wi o zilStnW * (D//D) Sl t1r1 D! Y"DDn'In mn$ r m nn nuL r... 14nl)V j'n1 vi9 $ 1nits sew nn l n nV M = -4-v n= tW n.6 End (leaf 116b):,,,Wv:n 1N a.b:: nt::,Z n1bn nnts I:s:... The piece of Piyyut1 quoted by the Semag is thus explained: rvr' llW$I'vnn ya lV'nn''D ln6 $12 rrlds 112 D n14:1V I~Ven 1 It belongs to R. Shelomoh b. Yehudah Habbabli. See Zunz, Literatur. geschichte d. synag. Poesie (Berlin, 1865, 8vo.), p. 234, Note 2, where to the reference " Tos. Sabbat 114b' is to be added'Krzm. No. 40,. COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLF. 83 7. [713MiW1 VIAM]. MATTERS IN CONNEXION WITH THE 1ST, 2ND, AND 15TH —22ND DAYS OF THE MONTH OF TISHRI. (1) [:511 n-, l~w nlnS' v=n 1":1 ~y rammni]. Novelle on the laws concerning the sounding of the Shophar, the sitting in the Sukkah, and the handling the "four plants," as expounded in Maimonides' Mi'n1,nee, book Wt13. These extend to.all the Peraqim of the Hilekhoth 2191 r:D ~v,. and are, apparently, by R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 116b) thaw taut: n1~ nwp.l.' /:r nn1 m r' nir nirwI''l.n'1n End (leaf 120a):: nlKW 1I~N Ac mvn Uta1=n =i1tl'D 1lttPt IVD n=D2 n 1 ^W1trD n 10 The following few remarks are indispensably necessary: (1) Although distinctly stated to be R. Yoseph Qolon's, there is little doubt that in their present state these Novelle are only founded on his views, but are worked up by R. Menachem; (2) the paragraph on 21, on leaf 117' in the middle of the Hilekhoth 2:'1, is only by mistake there; and (3), that in the Hilekhoth,I:o there are a number of?" p~ (which are, of course, Italian). The following few lines (from leaf 117) especially deserve to be quoted: (Pereq i.) IIn r"DDnorl 61tl N/:=n11 ISWIP IrNl lvDlnv 1-v -11nv nV- 7 i.b ~ * *" YOD: Wl',]t:qW ~ p rl= V n; and(Pereqii.) ~']',V1 W -1 -i-:l'lrn:l IprInn I-nIrnn 1 II.112m Jing lpln At,; Ever In ltDnril name 1, lW NtvW rit *61P' I*ta K "1 Air. On D 1'1:s we read (leaf l17b): $,1;.... (2) [n5C51 nl='IDw n::$= "n i ~ n. Novellke by R. Menachem on the same laws, as expounded by R. Mosheh b. Ya'aqob of Coucy. These explain sundry phrases in the nltD2'ODD, chapters 42-44 (affirmative commandments), and are, although founded on the views of several authors, apparently, worked up by It. Menachem. They consist of eight groups, occupying leaves 120a-133", as follows: a. Explanation of chap. 42, by an anonymous writer, beginning: ans, nw-IV N is an,'lnn I DK IMVN:I zero I "nst) Y0 vDIV' sas Nn9 n, I:5,1nnn $hnn rrnnmn =1,nw: tvn3 bent,nnW I$ 1:11 den rN - l nmv mn nne woa'Ini J-n mt -11=n'"X tom D;": In ~gI/F, the name of the author is probably hidden, although there is no indication to mark it as an abbreviation. This " explanation" is, perhaps, the first recension by R. Shemuel Chizqiyyah l'~t13. See d. below. (Leaf 120 —120b.) 6-2 84 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40.. b. Explanation of the same chapter, according to R. Yoseph Qolon, by R. Eliyyahu, beginning: PNpM IyVn= VNI1 $9:nn I.VN-n RfI )prin rinprl nR'aIpnl p-N-rilnnnD - *.../pn rwp iJ1rlp nR Bo;lPin a -ivD iNRn InWn INN j)I rivrnni That this cannot be 1R. Yoseph Qolon's own explanation will be seen, in spite of the superscription, from the following: P" ",nD','r "1)'"~1...... J'Dn 6'1 (leaf 121a), p"'n'lt3'pN (leaf 121b) and chiefly from the next paragraph. But, apart from all this, the language is identical with that of the before-mentioned R. Eliyyahu. (Leaves 120' —122>.) c. Explanation of the same chapter by R. Yoseph Qolon, in his own language, beginning: I mnt i n!-ir n/n by pln w fpi litn -v1 lpnfn mn- 5V,nwp nrun ~.... n In:n n~:vn n, The author continually quotes his father (R. Shelomoh), I"? N"1 (leaf 122b), N"L PjFn In (leaf 123"), Sl'Vr:I N:~1 ~"tNR (leaf 125a; compare also leaves 126', 127a, and 127b). That this is R. Yoseph Qolon's own explanation will be best seen from the following phrase which is much in his usual style. After a goodly number of difficulties raised by him against his author, he says (leaf 123'):'Ip'n $Dj:n, I lrr' in i,' -ln tlnmi'~~ TJn nraitvepn evil p47y tnEt N1 itn 196n D-Ia In! nw Nn rn/D1n N12. 1 In~nn,... n;lj tr1 nRntts'tiN'?mn. (Leaves 122 -127b.) d. Explanation of the same chapter by R. Shemuel Chizqiyyah "5*1' (conveyed in a letter to R. Menachem?), beginning: IyVw l:n.,Vr $ r 1s n nin ptaN -rmrinnn iNjMrl psmirln N $ Nnmw in IS KN tlvS r$ s:nnui - Inwi: w'1v:5' i /n Yrn /ipvl /pnnn rmpn'iw'l mpb1 s V41'm13v$ 1,nn nrn pnm'rsn;l: n- nIn n:hnl r1D 1r.... nsfn rl]wD,'l'n)~ and ending: 5"g?''On1. One R. Shemuel'$1n died Oct. 13, 5336 (1576); see,WIk nlInD in,n'll, MlVI9 (Venezia, 1589; 4to.), leaf 156', and Zunz, Monatstage.... (Berlin, 1872, 8vo.), p. 57. (Leaves 127b-129I.) e. Explanation of the same by an anonymous disciple of R. Yoseph Qolon, beginning: 1'1 n-no'n1pr, p"Npl p" wp i $n iD p,,.lp,DNop "n nK'n) lJp'nn and ending: The latest authority he quotes is his teacher p"'tnT1,. (Leaf 125' —129n.) No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 85 f. Responsum on the necessary and right condition of the Shophar, &c., addressed by R. Shelomoh 21XtV 1, to R. Levi, father-in-law of R. Yoseph Qolon, the writer's son; beginning: ng. Explanation nof the foregoing by I. Yoseph Qolon, as reported o, and by,. Benedetto Achseldara, and t he latter's difficulties against that explana ion; begi nn n ning'n 1a 1 K In the course ofn th i s essay we read:' r The above essay is. as far as i s reported in his name, in reaity by.. Yoseph Qolon himself as the style amply testifi s. (Leav es l30~-L3e.) i29b-130.) h. Explanation of the foregoing by R. Yoseph QolonSe, as reported to, and by, R. Benedet;to Acllseldara2, and the latter's difficulties against that explaath Qoion; beginninning: - D'D1 (D. t is'no doubt th e F rench Tr6vou, and the e resent aive eithe course of the German rehfusis essay we read: common among MS"I~n:vis nn: r tninr, -le'1: p"smmnn nw- Sn in lvt: l n~ t1:W r in The above essay isto as far as is reported in his naem, in commoreality by R. Yosepli Qolon himself, as the style amply testifies. (Leaves 130aw-131".) h. herxpl Snatioh-Gn of the fTrrther phrase in the spectivmag chapely 42 by rench. It is known tha not only was. Yoseph Qoon, begin'nning father surnamed 2 q- b ut that man y others bearing 1t3he faml y name oft =Dq' were additionall y called N, e.g. R.'Azriel (seeI 19 below;' MS. his name (beame,) is no doubrmably to the French Trovout, ald the representrati Ae either isf the German Drehfuss, or Dreifus ( nme common German name Aong South-Geradan Jewhich in its turnday, andJewish proper noununce bybothe for, in comon with all other South-Germans, Trehvuss and lreivuss resPectively-, or of the French town Trdvoux (Ain). It is known that not only was R. Yoseph Qolon's fand ather srnamed is c but that e any others bearifng the fAlexmily name of U11Dt were additionally called InIsVI-V, e.g. R.'Azriel (see 19 below; MS. -Add. 405, leaf la &G.). Settling in Italy, where the Jews read it t&2'10 this name be the cotime fomably to the Great, very commovernacular, Trbott eand Trabotti. This will reeove Steinschneider's difficulty (Bod. Cat. p. 1501 in No. 5944). For V41ilV see the geographical index at the end of this Catalogue. 2 Achseldara is only the Italian form of the common Gerrman lname Achsel. rad (79tr3x), which in its turn, as a Jewish proper noun both for an individual and a family, is chiefly adopted because it is confounded with Alexander (nnztbas*), a name, since the time of Alexander the Great, vtery common among the Jews,,See MS. Add. 405. 2. 86 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. and ending: ~.YNs "`'nMl V21p -1"Z nV'V'1pD2 KN$. (Leaf 131 —131b.) (3) [D=1 nrln,~- Y nDi; B'VlT?.nl Novellae on the laws concerning the Festival-Tabernacle. These explain sundry phrases in the Semag, chap. 43 (affirmative commandments), and belong to R. Yoseph Qolon. Begin (leaf 131b):.... nn n inrs;n$ 4 Y'i nP o limit) p 13V nlD End (leaf 132'):,nn,an M VInR Mnnn lnbWn 1,;1 -v is, Attached to these Novellae are the following pieces: (1) A notaricon, commencing: tn2l n$bt % l'nbtn; (2) the views of R. Ya'aqob h. Yaqar, on the benediction V1MilW with respect to the =f1%, commencing:'T18::s, *.... *.pn S' f15$ pri np't 1,:- p; (3) on t'1S,'0_, commencing:.... ~n: nn sninnn -w r nrlJ m l n, 5is I nr IN nn': 1n'n; and (4) on the lawful size of a,1~, commencing:'nN pnv:1Y n::'S2W:an I'n....'V11' N1~,1:1:X. These are extracts from the Talmud, Rab Alphes, Rabbenu Nissim, the Tosaphoth, and Rabbenu Yesha'yah the latter (b. Eliyyah of Trani). (Leaf 132 —132".) (4) [:I$ n:n:::":~n bVy Innnl. Novelloe on the laws concerning the "four plants" on the Festival of Tabernacles. These explain sundry phrases in the Semag, chap. 44 (affirmative commandments), and belong, no doubt, though founded on R. Yoseph Qolon's views, to R. Menachem. Begin (leaf 132"): Ini n1 -wn $n$ draft):nmn 3N., n l n V00 Y n ="1D i:58 niv=3.... n~16 ~m:n /'nns;' n,%n n//nann nn p'mnnn'nwa End (leaf 133a):,,,, an,,tIK M-w $n t $N 1,nv wri1v ~.. Attached to these few Novellke are the following pieces: (1) An explanation of nUW DOnn, commencing: t':1ln 1'4tW'$ nS'p n? riI rnn....:n K~5W; (2) explanation of T. B. Sukkah, 33b, extracted from Rabbenu Nissim; (3) on the Eighth Day of solemn Assembly being an independent Festival (and not a part of that of Tabernacles), with the mnemosyna:Ip ~tZ explained, extracted from the Abudrahim; (4) the,1T1n, by Rabbenu Tam (R. Ya'aqob b. Meir, Rashi's grandson), on the 1n1pa1, or quarter of a log of the Scriptures, (equivalent to the space of an egg:and a half) commencing: rl7:l9: nmn DW nmn $V on 1,n niWv Trlnn.... M, M ln,',,s3:n, with explanation; (5) explanation of the same with regard to the religious bath (Mn1pn); and (6) cabbalistic transmutations (:1PV) &c. of Jn1, and hints as to their testifying to the eternity of God; see 12. f. below. (Leaf 133 — 133b.) No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE.:87 8. [n~21Wn nsWM^]. PRACTICAL DECISIONS and RESPONSA on religious matters, collected by R. MENACHEM. Begin (leaf 134a): -.. n 11no:n on noa $w1 t11 —lNre m's 1 nsn ns: INs:W 1;1i KN 1Wt12V End (leaf 135b)':In: VinIt,8l rnla 1n3 1D n wV IDn11: IMN bK rm nnw,P sKrna.... These Ma'asiyyoth contain the records of the following decisions: (1) commencing ~..'*,1 SN: MtWV (at Montpellier), in which the great men of Lunel decided against R. Asher b. Meshullam, who took the more lenient side; (2) commencing:...'TPr MI= Ws nS; (3) commencing: " s'7 K1 Nt~n ~.... wnn' nrlq'~D, in which it says:.... -,'I,n lq,s N-I =nq; (4) commencing: NMt2I... - Inv= 1 n1 ]L= 1=:7W121'I 1t,,i,nW I... n piL'Y "n tr, in which R. Abraham declared the fish unfit for food, whilst R. David b. R. Reuben differed from him: (5) commencing: *'... 2 n nswI7M nqlfn'qtID lq' V'r1s MVw; (6) commencing: *.... ins:n 11In, sln:1 J ~', V,,T; (7) commencing: [q l,MX....;"N, -1Z'W' TW' I" 1:l s' $, in which occurs:'1?n,'sln,~ l m.... (7'~,?:nn iV5 n,~l; (8) commencing:,~VWf,ln:: 1WV$ tIs tcrW3D ~... nS nn w'1,n1 nir1, in which occurs:....' i n ni' n nnn nnnil; (9) commencing:;'nnII nN rP ir'n's~nr1iW'-rIN Itnh'1MNs nt21'y n.... e'lW; (10) commencing: n:n'n r1naln n',,, nWD... rnnl, in which the sn*1' rDn are mentioned, and at the end: 1.... ln'~n'}n nDlW'-1 V1,nil1 (Montpeliier)n9W'n1D'Sr an N:ln an1 1". Attached to this last are two philosophico-agadic pieces, commencing... 1P3?ln nV and'11MIK''I I'1pnp 11w respectively. (2) [nMaM1n]. Responsa. These Responsa are mere extracts from larger works, and particularly from R. Yoseph Qolon's: (1) commencing:.*...-.i.nn (Shoresh 179); (2) commencing:....:. -: ni npin Vr (Shoresh 184); and (3) commencing: InII t's::1' sr1 ns n:nV 11',n)'::ll n n1 TIMM 1n wsZV111$ 1nn nnn: -7I 4y l1Yr p $ KN9 Dnninn bp nvx sn~n nlSw.... l~l'rlDn w2'l Wq' The author is a R. Yesha'yah, who signs the letter as before stated. 9. [inns kn Ssb nS n n, snn5 b rn\ls='n''- pot]. DECISION of R. DAVID OF IM OLA, allowing MEAT to be ROASTED WITH FIRE without SALTING. 88 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. Begins (leaf 136a): Y'IKDI;IriD'tn 2 Ace no)N SJnN Y:S ro:2'i A rEns ice npinl.... (Bologna) N:I1121,1'1n1 Ends (leaf 137a): 1":1"1,11'1'Nl11,1 In' tn a ~1n'11'11 A,: n'T', n; ~"n 1321/' 1N.... > J'== =?ri 1t nPl'X (Jud. v. 24 In 5nlr = W=l) il"n =(Pomona?) This'Decision' is of moment, not merely on account of the great learning and liberality of the author displayed therein, but also and chiefly for the following reasons: (1) We meet here with a woman, not only of great piety, ut Talmudic learning too, as to her this learned epistle is addressed, and (2) we learn from this that this was the mother of our R. Menachem. See next paragraph. 10. [lnneDm5:, In i nn'1,' nl e, ~D1W n ne, t n, nrpntnil. EXTRACTS from various sources, made by R. MENACHEM and other members of his family. (1) [l'D11 nitn]. Register of births anddeaths. Begins (leaf 137b): jamb i-tr: tn*',l (1508) j16i: "V'V N$ pIntDl K"NNZ: "rl'I, v"'y Ends (leaf 138a) "" * v"W'ends.Y''sM l t n"',I V,, tDuW l" i n"tD 1'1'2"Dn 1'12 n t i,1.......(April 23, 1551). a. The births contain the following names: (1) Menacheml Manuel ($NKtn) b. Daniyyel b. David, born Sabbath, Shebat 8, Dec. 30, 5269 (1508); (2) Abraham2 b. Daniyyel, born at Reggio, Tammuz 16, 5271 (1511); (3) the Twins, Rosa (named after her paternal grandmother) and Ya'aqob (after his maternal grandfather), born at Reggio, Thursday, Nisan 6, March 11, 5278 (1518), the children of Daniyyel of Modena; (5) Yitzchaq, son of Daniyyel b. 1 This is the author of the first and other pieces in, and the copyist of the greater part of, this volume. 2 This is a poet of some talent, and the author of Cod. Bisliches, 72, now in the Bodleian. See Zunz, t0,%n, (Berlin, 1850) p. 25, and Literaturgesch d. synag. Poesie, p. 535. Zunz seems to identify nne with Arezzo, whilst we identify it with Reggio. See p. 75 above, 2. A. (1). No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 89 David, born at Reggio, Ab 15, July 30, 5280 (1520); (6) the first-born David Bentzion b. Abraham b.. Daniyyel, born at Reggio, Elul 7, August 30, 5301 (1541), and redeemed at Forli ('~11t); (7) David, son of Menachem Laterinaro (l'W:qKt2[) and of Rosa bath Daniyyel, born at Modena, Friday, Sivan 12, May 26, 5302 (1542); (8) Nechamah (nnn,), daughter of Mordekhai Chazaq, born Ab 15, July 13, 5287 (1527); and (9) Leah, the daughter of Chayyim Trabotti, born Sabbath, Elul 11, August 22, 5294 (1534). These last two were successively the wives either of R. Menachem or of Ya'aqob of Modena; and Leah was clearly divorced. b. The deaths contain the following names: (1) Yitzchaq b. Daniyyel b. David, died July, 5303 (1543); (2) Mordekhai Chazaq, d. Marcheshvan 16, 5307 (1546); (3) Nechamah, his daughter, d. Shebat 18, January 25, 5311 (1551); (4) Chayyim Trabotti, d. Thursday, Iyyar 17, April 23, 5311 (1551). (2) [nPV1l nln,n1:p,nn'l]. Agadic and cabbalistic sentences with their explanation, and enigmas and their solution; occupying leaves 138bW 139%. These are anonymously given, and contain: (1) commencing:.~.. nl,nnn 1ti..., nlt,W'v n nn pnl,'n; (2) commencing.:'1D.... nMl!lI nIn:no;I; (3) commencing::.. nY. n M lY= n nns 7 p *... n ilnn'U lD1n1'g ipN3 W1n; (4) commencing: nbi,rn ln1nn wn; (5) commencing:- * - W K:,1* Mi 1 1:0* fo11; (6) commencing: p-.Vn;:'l... nl,'?ID,; (7) commencing:....* ~ *, t 1o n.n nMnI; (8) commencing:....~ rn':: n',~,n';l,nw'InK'D:l,Wr~; (9) commencing: Rnlt2n *-.... $n nwmn n,n nm.... n, nn fn:~l p?~; and (10) commencing.: 11. [t)rn 5$:mn t: npr': n lr], TRAVELS of R. YA'AQOB B. NETHANEEL HAKKOHEN in the HOLY LAND.Begin (leaf 139"): ~aInw, FNsx,:o,~:n~2 nn, ~,nnnma,n:Snw ~nm n' ynpp,:M.. ~ n~ts pnslF~'535~~3,8 nl tp Fijia End (leaf 140a): nlrnl nv wl$ rintn: Tnist: 1nd$::t NW..ts ) ltn;-irinf1 rW... ~5,~~, l Kn:,n' e, nrlean 5=i o $nn Iln p. nnn ln~wa wn Although these, as all similar travels, must be used with great caution, there is a great deal of true and interesting information to be found therein; compare our description of MS. Add. 431, D52in,onrl (ed. Filipowski, London and Edinburgh, 1857, 8vo.), p. 228, and Zunz, on geog. lit. of the Jews, No. 47 (in Asher's Benjamin of Tudela, ii. p. 258). 12. [ YnARA' c laVpl]. COLLnECTANEA VARIA, occupying leaves 140b-157b. 90 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. ][No. 40. These Collectanea are by various authors, and on various subjects, but may be reduced to the following nine chief points: a. Extracts from the Babylonian Talmud. These are mostly without the smallest commentary; but generally the name of the volume, and the leaf where they occur, are given. Towards the end a small index for finding the,I-'i,1 Bel is given. (Leaves 140b-142a.) b. Extracts from various Rabbinical authorities, such as the Tur, Rabbenu Nissim, and R. Yoseph Qolon. (Leaves 142b-143a.) c. Extracts from Cabbalistic authorities. These are mostly anonymously given. The subjects treated on belong to the range of practical Cabbalah. (Leaves 143b-144a.) d. Cabbalistical essays by R. Yoseph b. Abraham Ibn,IStqP'] on the Rabbinical saying: Inu2i''n nB=n'1'1~ a:w nn rlns me1ar n (T. B. Synhedrin 107a), and other Rabbinical sayings. (Leaves 144b —146b.) e. A piece headed: It consists of two extracts from Ibn'Ezra's shorter commentary on Exodus, followed in each case by extracts from Ibn Kaspi's supercommentary on the nl'it0t of Ibn'Ezra. The first is on Exod. xxxi. 3 (ed. Reggio, Prag, 1840, 8vo. p. 96), and begins: Wpml 1$ daV* nnon nw v:: bit y-? I wln ItKe Mnl=n11 11nn'r1 it!: Irit Gs'1 The extract which follows, beginning:,WV' vwn / P":,'l:,1~S'ad.......1t1n is generally supposed to be a piece of Ibn'Ezra's lost commentary on the Proverbs', but it is in reality only Ibn Kaspi as above, as may be seen from the fact that i"? n'12''I t (Maimonides) is here quoted, though no doubt it gives the substance of what Ibn Kaspi found in Ibn'Ezra's lost commentary. The second is on Exod. xxxii. 5 (ed. Reggio, p. 99), and begins: It is followed by an extract from Ibn Kaspi's supercommentary, beginning with the words: #' T$1 119' wnDs N:s~ 1m t1nD,:,,Any. See MSS. Add. 377. 3, leaf 83a; Add. 510. 2, leaf 86a; Add. 433, leaf 137b; Add. 518, leaf 76a, and p. 74 of this Catalogue. Compare also 1 It may be as well to remind the reader that the commentary attributed in the printed edition to Ibn'Ezra belongs not to him, but to R. Mosheh Qimchi. See Reifmann, 71'1, I. p. 76. This fact was unknown to Wolf (I. p. 894), Uri (No. 157), and De-Rossi (No. 694. 3). No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 91 MS. Add. 510. 1, leaf 70b, 9 lines from below, tnr'1 N$ nt,3 3 atl'1s... r in E I=t bv =1nn: tntsrD'wn IODD ~; vWr1l. In the printed edition, leaf 81a, it runs somewhat differently. (Leaf 147a.) f. Extract from the cabbalistical essays of R. Yoseph Ibn:Nna:; a continuation of d. above. See- 7. (4) above, at the very end. (Leaves 147b —148a.) g. Biblical verses containing the various Names of God, to which are added the names of the Angels, corresponding with each of the Ten Sephiroth, &c. They are one hundred in all. Selected by the foregoing Cabbalist, who is here called,it'It ho1'I. (Leaves 148b —150a.) h. Biblical, Talmudical, and Rabbinical sayings, philosophico-cabbalistically explained. They include explanations of (1) the wording of a passage in the Prayer-Book, commencing:,.r1 InII = 1n1; (2) the Biblical passage, 1 Sam. ii. 8; (3) the Mishnah Aboth.....'1 trl n S; (4) the Talmudic passage on 1t=V1 qInIrDM1 It' (see the description of No. 27, above); (5) the work of the Tabernacle in the wilderness; and (6) the Biblical passages, Ex. xxxiii. 22, and Job xi. 15. They treat further on (7) the altar of incense (see the description of No. 27, above); (8)'l~2tn, the M,ae'w; and (9) the duty of every Israelite to have a right conception of God (directed against the evils springing from anthropomorphism). They explain (10) the words /ltl~,,*0' 1:1 and M12 tib; (11) the difficult words occurring in 2 Kings xvii. 30 and Isaiah iii. 18-23, &c. (a large number of these being also translated into Italian); (12) the Biblical passages, Prov. iii. 6 (extracted from t.'Immanuel b. Shelomoh's commentary), Deut. xxxiii., Judg. v., the Midrashic and Talmudical passage, Synhedrin 91b, &c. They contain also (1.3) a few other short Rabbinical sayings, without commentary; (14) an extract from the introduction to the book Yetzirah, and the commentary, ascribed to R. Abraham b. David (see Excurs. VI.); and (15) the Alphabets belonging thereto. (Leaves 150b-155a.) i. Poems and Explanations: A. Poems. (1) A Hymn called nttn Ad, on the thirteen articles of the Jewish religion. It is an imitation of the well-known n, and consists of 14 lines all ending in fIn. It commences: ~W 12%p1 glad, and ends': Bn]I1n And:v nilnm a1. (2) A poem in 4 lines, inviting the learned to cling to this'Tree of life'. It commences: yv2.v 2)12] Intw.... brn. (3) An enigma on the author's name, commencing: t'lli nWi... 1. All three are by Matithyah'. B. Explanations. (1) Remarks on T. B. Pesachim, 49b; (2) on the genealogy of Eldad and Medad; (3) on the creation of the first man; (4) on the ass on which Abraham rode when about to sacrifice Isaac; 92 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. (5) an extract from the Minchath Yehudah (by R. Yehudah b. Eli'ezer) on Gen. xxxi. 33, with reference to the Midrash Rabbah thereon; (6) explanation of Gen. xiv. 18, and Exod. xvi. 4, by R. Aharon (a contemporary of the collector). Attached to these is the famous poem by R. Yehudah b. Shemuel Hallevi, said to have been addressed to Ibn'Ezra in a dream, in which the former invites him to'sing' in the better world, and Ibn'Ezra's answer thereto. It is here superscribed::... * " 1i1 ilI,'D a'mp1n. (Leaves 155b —157b.) 13. ['1S, nt T anst "i'D;'1W1n lV1'"2, n n]. The RIDDLE of R. ABRAHAM B. MEIR IBN'EZRA on the LITTERSE QUIESCENTES, and the explanation thereof, by It. YITZCHIAQ B. MOSHEH HALLEVI, commonly called PROPHIAT DURAN. Begins (leaf 1581): =rinli Anon nnnn,nil not Yeat 53 nws,n11nn njrt1....1 mit rt nT 51-rn nnnm virn m syK rss1ns,N ='t r'w j an nls nolne ir alitVIIMNII Ends (leaf 159b):.'l"? 3tit:pm: M In ln,~:m rI nt i:::~,T n nnn ma't n.... This famous Chidah, which precedes in the printed editions Ibn'Ezra's preface to his commentary on the Pentateuch, and the solution of which has been for a considerable time a matter of controversy, is here explained by one who was not merely best qualified to explain it on account of his intimate knowledge of the philosophy and grammar peculiar to its author,,but also on account of his thorough acquaintance with, and experience in explaining, Ibn'Ezra's Biblical commentaries and other works; (see the description of MS. Add. 433 below). This explanation is not identical with that of the " Quiescentia" to be found in the IMn nt, as Friedlaender and Kohn (q7a,MIVP., Wien, 1865, 8vo. p. 11, v.) think; but is identical with Cod. Flor. xlii. x (p. 310), and Cod. De-Rossi, 835, 3~. (On the name Prophiat I)Duran and its equivalent C', see our remarks in A descriptive Catalogue of the Arabic, Persian and Turkish Manuscripts in the.Library of Trinity College, Cambridge... Cambridge, 1870, 8vo., Appendix, p. 220, Note 1, and the description of MS. Add. 391. 4). Attached to this are the following pieces: a. (1) Short sayings of the philosophers, commencing: n11= n ~n n.... ~r Vn V1n; (2) a few Rabbinical sayings, commencing::.VVWV [ND..l... strew w 1t w'i fa; (3) a few lexicographical statements commencing: -.....nV nli'3 V"N. These are in their turn succeeded (4) by other remarks within the province of grammar, philosophy, and theology, No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 93 which end with an extract from the MnIrF n nr by Don Yitzchaq Abarbanel, and another extract from the ]P-) n61v mm: b. A poem on the thirteen Articles of Religion, in imitation of A, and consisting of 16 lines, of which the first two are, however, introductory, and the sixteenth has a concluding character; so that, strictly speaking, it treats, as in the original, on the subject in thirteen lines. It has the acrostic of,NDO, and is here ascribed to R. Mosheh de' Rossi of Cecina or Cesena (;sDVY). It is introduced by'Y'VI,1I1N lID MV10'"' nn n1j10t:"1? inp 1Y? I, rvDvs (1m Z1n v'1D arn), and commences....* *, mn,Irqdn is % rn. Zunz, Literaturgesch. d. synag. Poesie (Berlin, 1866, 8vo.), p. 510, ascribes it to the author of the book'~nlr~, (Mosheh b. Yequthiel of Rome). In any case the author is not the father of the celebrated author of the WrB ~'81. (Leaves 159b-160a.) 14. [4il t1 4r$ nmrnvW n:=n $V V=11NK:~U,91-rar nvpJ1]. COLLEOTANEA from VARIOUS EARLY RABBINICAL AUTHORITIES on the TALMUDICAL TREATISE SaEBU'OTH, by R. YOSEPH HALLEVI Begin (leaf 160b) tpnnnion I'D moot7:K1s *3l * Kn:1 $"-1n... InN "MR 1 1nVw2 DDn= m10n1I End (leaf 165a): V"I1;1 3$W1n 1wK bean go, DN banniv: ttIr ann Nv1 muV PjsnDwn.. The latest authority quoted is the W2I, lWR,]1A. The author's name occurs three times (leaves 160b [twice] and 164b); the last time it says, respecting a remark on i1n nqJ1Vp by R. Asher b. Yechiel: ~nlrw2 IDtnnq, 01] Aft VnIMu "n?1I At 1?,s. Perhaps this is the R. Yoseph Hallevi, who put the questions concerning the Sephiroth to R. Meir Ibn is: (see 16 below). It must be remarked that the very learned S. Sachs (DI,Vt p. 53, Note) doubts the existence of such a personage, &c. altogether. Attached to these are extracts (1) from the Y"'D (see above, p. 76, Note 2); (2) the Tosaphoth; (3) the Talmud Babli; and (4) from the,1q'V ane, on Ex. xiv. 15, xv. 21, and xvi. 1. (Leaves 165a —167b.) 15. [P*:lW W'n~ lD-n:1~1 yll1W nWl2 l nn Dint]. SYMBOLICAL INTERPRETATIONS of VARIOUS LAWS of SCRIPTURE, RABBINICAL SAYINGS and CABBALISTIC MATTERS. Begin (leaf 168'): End (leaf (171b): S vn 1ne 111VV C) n S= brow V: t ~w.. 94 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40. The matters contained here are: (1) on the Red Heiferl; (2) on the same subject, extracted from the'1t1w pawn, a philosophical commentary on the Kuzari2; (3) on the superiority of the law of circumcision to that of the Sabbath, extracted from the same; (4) on vacuity, extracted from the same; (5) on the Agadah T. B. Berakhoth 3a3; (6) on the Agadah T. B. Pesachim, 54a; (7) on the five meanings of'before,' extracted from the before-mentioned commentary; (8) on the representation of God in man, extracted from the same commentary; (9) explanation of two phrases in the Kuzari respecting Christianity and Mahommedanism, and (10) explanation of the Ten Sephiroth, and the introduction to the Sepher Yetzirah. Attached to these are a few cabbalistical remarks by a contemporary of the copyist, R. Pinechas Eliyya of Mele4 (5 Do WI'K; see 18 below); commencing:.... D pk t 211] n1fnl nolnels nin n-1. Among other sayings, the witty saying: It= 1 tT i;,/,It Fond M ll,, s1'l r2t,yl, an'lv1,, is stated by a later optimistic scribe thus to have come down to him: I=tS ll N: S,IS)... mn 16. [nllb'3 bo COMMENTARIES on the TEN SEPHIROTR, occupying leaves 172 —176b. a. [%5ntr "'i ni1~W nrmlwn]. Questions and answers by R.'Azriel of Gerona, beginning: 61.6S wow =NmI6 leningp Sn INlWn 5KW -Str"%l milr:l nlnivn mist un.... C Nrp rvno mnvIm nWN sinn nman.-,n:n The greater part of this is printed under the title of 1n1Vw. ~/W3'I Vn, (Berlin, 1850, 8vo.); but from the commentary,~tM: q1Sl (re-printed from the Padua ed. of 1567) as well as also from MSS. Add. 400. 10, and 406. 2, it is easily seen that this MS. contains in the additional matter nothing but literature systematically and legitimately belonging thereto. (Leaves 172 —— 175b.) l This is identical with the matter given by Neubauer (Bod. Catal. of Heb. MSS., No. 221. 10, col. 39) as belonging to p,'xm'Immanuel. 2 Puttick and Simpson, Cat. for Dec. 13, 1869, p. 15, No. 258, have on this, work the following remarks, the author of which is probably Steinschneider: Salomo Ben Jehuda, called Salmon Vivas de Lunel.... The author was a pupil of Menachem ben Salomo (Frai Maimon), and only 13 years of age when he wrote this work. According to Zunz (5,b~rn, in the description of Cod. Bisliches 18, p. 13), however, Frat (not Frai) Maimon was called R. Shelomoh b. Menachem compare also Mortara in erznm i iil. p. 210, Note, and the description of MS. Add. 666, in the present catalogue. 3 Instead of R. ~rn, the commentator read R. blKtvw. 4 Mele, and neither Mile, as Zunz (Gesch. ut. Lit. p. 260), nor Melli, as Luzzatto (tnjr imns ii. p. 12), write. One R. Pinechas Eliyya b. Tzemach Eliyya flourished about 1573 at Mantua. See Lampronti,pnm, ram, letters 5n, leaf 24a. No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 95 b. [1"211,11 WM1)]. Explanation of the ten Sephiroth, by R. Mosheh b. Nachman (?), beginning: 6.v: wrnl Im$ 1 tpnnnr nl iZS,lrs:~ N11nw IZ nwsvv.nl-mlwn ~wnvl in mnnm mr, tz N FNhl w Ni -int o 1wS$ ss nl5vm n$v -1j% wril ~nn....vonn l"p WnK~nrl We read here towards the end the following:'SDS NK;D,NWrY Wvn^,nn 8"1 a"l IlWtv,ZN nri3 vvv:SNT'ISpR 1KND... n.1q. See Cat. de la Bibl... Luzzatto... par son fils Joseph, p. 13, No. 113, xIi. 17. [E-7vinn Ke1 Inmrr isD n n1v1]. RESPoNSUM (?) on the TEPHILLIN, and the duty of putting them on on. the Middle Holidays, by an anonymous ITALIAN RABBI. Begins (leaf 177a): I..ninn na natl ve inIT p3nw:nwv, it -nM it J-1-v Itrninn.ts~n 1srS Ends (leaf 177b):.Un: nn mi, i nrunD tW13J..i. In the course of this Responsum (?) we read: nLeaf 1278 nniMI S s blnn ank. mv K". 1"Mn 113viv i nz trani n nlwst mnntn nnnn inn3 INV-nw rn mn wr-ImnnnD nMCOLLT ANA CBBLv' SI CA, &e. by R.n PINECI As EL A (Bn.w TZEaI nn?) Begins (leafnnn 17812 r):n t1) $: nn sI nn vl -n =SSn nVIP $w I mln 9 n m RnlyW - -Imn b nn= =rn Nvn:, n...- n "IVII Insln 11 T1 $.vzW IwtN Ism InnK 5.v I1mvw robnn nn nt =n1n 5'V nnnn NIV nrru N5N mo3ral WV1nn N51,11MTI Leaf 178" is blank. 18. [p6sn (?nty In) NS9N oDMin-;'+:ap':SlDj]. COLLECTANrA CABBALISTICA, &c. by R. PINEICHAs ELIYYA (B. TZEMACH?) of'MELE. Begins (leaf 178b): *'1:1 tNI 8ItpDN jl1SN p' 1a Nn~li Inn o(r;ln t= I-bb /0 1 "DN 1"-11,: 96 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 40.: Breaks off (leaf 180b): ~.... n, Ip ni 1n: NM nmv, nNI r Nnv Nmr.... These collectanea contain, besides a number of extracts from the Zohar and other cabbalistic works, also some tVt1, &c. See 15 (10) above. Leaves 181-183, of which the latter two may have been blank, are wanting; leaf 184 is blank. 19. [Intly U19111 (?Harrns in) iS~wtV'45 vtpnw wnw wD'1:': 118 b1:1t'. BRIEF HISTORY of the SABURAIM, GEONIM and other DEcIDERs, by R.'AZRIEL (b. Yechiel?) tU'1~2, the Frenchman. Begins (leaf 185'): Ends (leaf 185b): n= KYD3 sS nnsD mm: RIsW nrltwn nn:S, pa nnnm nnn N m n.... * M" v V1111D n1 wnn /Any g, =nW One R. Yechiel b.'Azriel UI'1TD flourished in the year 1573 at Pesaro (1'1)m). At that time his father, who is probably the author of this Seder, was dead. See Lampronti, pMn'MnD, letters %n, leaf 25a, and below in the paragraph on owners. Attached to this is a kindred-piece, commencing: ~~~"1 W, IW P 1~pt v r"W9 and ending::MDzwn Wnn1I 12 tIwI':1 KNI'fM1 (Leaf 186"); and another piece containing Talmudical explanations of various verses in Holy Writ, but particularly of Haggai (Pesachim, T.B. Pereq 1, leaves 16b- 17,: &c.), as also other extracts, both halakhic and agadic, beginning: and ending: Vt11111;Ilo'11t: 1.1 1WVW t)Vbi1 ht 192n N$ Irn (Leaves186b-b187b.) 20. [r?''l'v,p-']. The TALMUDIOAL TREATISE on GooD MANNERS: Begins (leaf 188):....End~ sI s5 nn (lan s,8 8.bY):'~ nSn Ends (leaf 188b) *.. r-IN J11 *V Hl'nN V'1 2 11,31111 il"=W WV Vp=, n1 flt.#. No. 40.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 97 These Peraqim correspond on the whole, although there are many different readings in the text, with Peraqim v-IX in the NUlt 1r'IN N1' nD*, which is to be found in the nl3t=D nlnDnb attached to the Talmud Babli. Leaves 189a —193b are blank, and leaves 194-196, probably blank, are wanting. Of the owners, who, down to about 1560, and perhaps for almost a century later, were members of the author's and principal scribe's family, we know after that time nothing with absolute certainty. Between 1642 and 1685, however, this MS. must have come into the hands of R. Abraham Yoseph Shelomoh b. Mordekhai Graziano, chief Rabbi of Modena, who acquired it from the heirs of his predecessor in office, R. Nethaneel b. Binyamin Trabot', as a Note, to be found on leaf 5%, shows. It runs thus: It is he wh o wrote the double, though imperfect, index on,leaf land 1, and are to be found in this truly remarkable literary repository, with superscriptions. These, although far from being e xhau stive, bear testimony to this:stand his difficulties. His signature is found numerous times in this volume, Ns$,s-On nl-M n ls411N 1s ats 111V IfC 111,11nn Y,;r vvtmm6,;1'1 -Dn T'Iv nrs3jsz ns'Dnn::En Vviln l vuirp$'Dmlt n: wsl v t (Vignola) n1W1 (Modena) NV811 nD M t T annll 0111'Prll nsf ntln Amp1 - W:V nrl').WIPI InVI CHW nr;1 (InN;r'sr 13n1:151 $Tn61) X ASSl -1)"6 (no year is given) It is he who wrote the double, though imperfect, index on leaf it and lbs and provided most of the treatises and other separable parts of literature which are to be found in this truly remarkable literary repository, with superscriptions. These, although far from being exhaustive, bear testimony to this owner's gisreat learning and only one who ha clealogued this MS. can undertand his difficu an entlties. His siginatimes in this inolume, chiefly at the commencement or end of a new treatise. It runs mostly nepi (t:, D5 BM in Ghirondi's "1:'"", p. 5) to have been N1. Graziano' uncle, R. Nethaneel b. Binyamin Trabot (arl), and thus callstive of the family of France. Upon this Zunz tran Azula t es this, which is use amonglive, at all events, in the year 1642, as there is a esponsum of his, bea oing threl dai e, to be found (Lampronti, Itty% CrTt, letters tn, leaf 228a). According to Ghirondi between l p. 34, No. 81) R. Graziano was a descessor and successt of R. Nethaneel Trabot; a statement which is adopted by the great Zunz (Monatstage, p. 60); but this is impossible, as the above note clearly shows, in which G. speaks of R. Ttabot as of an entire stranger. The mistake originated, no doubt, in the following way: Ghirondi confounde R. Nethaneel egrB. Baba, who is said by Nepi (n:)-nl o-p-y -it in Ghirondi's "z"n, p. 5) to have been R. Graziano's uncle, with R. Nethaneel Trabot, and thus calls Graziano l:^m: 1le:;7 Lu lain &..Comp arein Upon this ZunzA. translates this iy, which is used among the Italian Jews not merely for grandson but also for nephew, by " ein Enhel von Natanel Trabot," whilst, as -must have been seen, the only relation subsisting between RR. Trabot and Graziano is that of predecessor and successor. (The word WT=: is found in the' sense of nephew even among the French Jews of the XI-xIIth century; see Pseudo-Rashi, i. e. a"=Zug on T. B. Baba Bathra 109a, %)W1n1 &e. Compare in the English A. V. Gen. xxi. 23, with Isa. xiv. 22 and Job xviii. 19. ) 7 98 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 41. (Ps. xxii. 7); sometimes it is less full. After his death1 this volume came into the hands of one of his family, a son, or a nephew, and subsequently into those of R. Chayyim Graziano (his grandson or grandnephew), who possessed it in the years 1735-44, as a loose leaf, to be found in this MS., bearing those dates, and on which two miracles wrought by God for R. Chayyim are recorded, will testify. From that day to the day when it came into the possession of the University, its history is a blank. The state of the MS. is, on the whole, good. [Library-mark, Add. 539; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 41. Paper, 8 in. x 6 in.; 137 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 54-60 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, German Ashkenazic handwriting of the xvI-xvIIth century. Supercommentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Lowe b. Betzaleel, chief Rabbi, successively, of Posen, Cracow, and Prague; defective. Leaf 1, Genesis; 49b, blank; 50b, Exodus; 95h, Leviticus; 126b, Numbers;... Begins (leaf 1"; on Gen. vii. 12): tit,1 ir anon 7nJrifnI -an: (In no n-t ID= nsnnn lsI = wn1 Asp.... Breaks off finally (leaf 137'b on Num. xxix. 6): PV11nl n1111 n= s1 a:rnn n k,= iV how rVNK wnni:zt lnn t6 ai:o n.... Del~2rn.Wa SB Twice printed (Prag, 1578, Folio; Warszawa, 1862-1863, Folio). The author was at what may be called in some respects a Jewish Classical period (we remind the reader only of Yoseph Caro, Shelomoh Alqabetz, Mosheh Cordovero, Mosheh Isserls, Shelomoh Loria, Mordekhai Yapheh, the great'Azaryah de' Rossi and others who lived at that time), one of the foremost men. He was celebrated as Talmudist, Grammarian, Philosopher and Cabbalist, and justly so. He is known in literature as the MKR1=2 ~"',~, whilst he is commonly called the "high Rabbi LSb". As such he is on account of his practical Qabbalah, the hero of the nursery to this day; and 1 1. Graziano died, according to the statement of R. Chananeel Nepi (~'"WT in Ghirondi's bend )1rn fro5Tn, p. 5), on Sabbath n.iv,,n 5445 (Nov. 4, 1685); see also Zunz, Monatstage..., as above. No. 42.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 99 stories are still told of him, which fill the youthful mind with awe and delight at the same time. A valuable contribution to the history of his descendants, many of whom have attained great eminence in Jewish literature, will be found in the dedication of the Mn=1l 1t (Wien, 1815, Folio) to the spirits of his parents by the highly-gifted author, R. Moses Kunizer (as in the Lithograph prefixed to rl~,V II. Prag, 1857, 4to., and not Konitz or Kuniz as Steinschneider and Zedner write it), who, according to an extract from the Register of the " Holy Brotherhood" (1 WN VII n2), died at Pest, 27 Shebat 5597 (Feb. 2, 1837), as Rabbi of Buda. R. Kunizer was both by his father and his mother a descendant of our author. This MS. is, apart from its defects, inferior in many ways, copied as it is by an ignorant or thoughtless copyist, on very bad paper, and having some of the margins badly cut. On the other hand, it seems to have been copied from a better copy, probably a second revision, as it has some readings which are superior to those in the printed editions. The following are the defects besides those mentioned as existing at the beginning and end: (1) leaves 21, 33-34,102, 109, 117-118, and (2) several quires between the leaves now paged 124, 126. It is interesting to know that this MS. was carried to the Black Jews of Cochin, from whom Dr Buchanan obtained it in 1806, as is stated. on the printed label which is attached to this as well as to all the Buchanan MSS. [Library-mark, Oo. 1. 19; presented in 1809 by Dr Buchanan.] No. 42. Paper, 8 in. x 57 in.; 30 leaves, mostly 4-sheet quires, 30 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Sephardic handwriting of the xvII-xvIIIth century. Supercommentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Lowe b. Betzaleel; incomplete. Begins (leaf 2a): 1Im: INVW VIVNVW KNt1 flows:: 1:3;ns;t Nt $ o I pas nsv nM`I1 Eany;11 nvw Ens in ) a~t antsy: Nnwnrn Ju$y niNn jnlys nNns v riwmn1 t.... N11111 llv$ w. K 1 sin trin;nw nv in nl1n,11 It= $.V V6N $mn 13rN rn'ln 1 This inir is on the Continent an independent corporation, with privileges and duties of its own, whilst in England, where the Hebrew congregations are comparatively of recent growth, the duties of attending to the sick, dying and dead, belong to the congregation itself. 7- 2 100 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 43.' Ends (leaf 30b): "~ n"nl'J'g, ]a2 n''ls,r 1 1few ~ h)S~~ 9t, ~3 (812p~ ~3) rr2.... Leaf 1" has an ornamental design, representing Aaron and Moses, two Angels holding the two tables of the covenant, &c.; within has been left a vacant space, evidently to place the title of the book, which is, however, left blank. With leaf 2a begins the text, the first word of which is in larger character, within a small ornamental border. This MS., although exhibiting no outward traces of connexion with No. 41, was, probably, copied when that MS. had become defective. The copyist, however, proceeded no further than the first weekly Parashah (nrlM2:), perhaps, because at that time the defect of the other had not spread farther. It is, on the whole, well copied, the only mistakes occurring in it being German words, which the copyist, naturally, did not understand. Like the foregoing MS. it differs sometimes, for the better, from the printed editions, which leads one to believe that this also was copied from a revision made after 1578. This copy was probably executed in Cochin whence Dr Buchanan obtained it in 1806, as the label states. The label on the back has in an inelegant Sephardic hand (not that of the copyist) nV2:1Z MIf. [Library-mark, Oo. 1. 35. 1; presented in 1809 by Dr Buchanan.] No. 43. Paper in quarto, 7 in. x 5A in..; 132 leaves, 6-sheet quires, variable number of lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Italian handwriting of the xvIth century. [' n=iN i1 ]3 li 1n7;^1i1t 1r*1 i; a rwvi Wr i: WVvlv Supercommentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCHI by an anonymous Italian Rabbi; defective. Leaf 1, blank; 2, Genesis (2-20 wanting); 47b, Exodus; 78b, Leviticus; 100l, Numbers; 1158, Deuteronomy; 121-136, the greater part probably blank, wanting. Begins (leaf 218; on Gen. xviii. 1):..n. uz n CO MI, np. nl1n1 n, 01n~ annav:,Imn nnn~......... -s,:1ar tinT IN= No. 43.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 101 Breaks off (leaf 120b; on Deut. xxxii. 30):.... anona $n nD ri= en ann vN3r -nIb IInl nnr:1 Inn. Although the greater portion of this work consists of disconnected collectanea, and these again-of ni1n WpWI, nnln Imp, j1')Dt2,mwl'ta: and such like, it is nevertheless of considerable value for the following reasons. In the first place, it comments on the really difficult passages of Rashi. Then, very many of the explanations by the earlier Rabbis and many of the 1n1lttn it gives are not to be found in the Minchath Yehudah and " Ba'al Hatturim " (the ordinary repositories for similar literature). Then again, we become, by this work, acquainted with names, which if otherwise not entirely unknown, are certainly not named in connexion with literature of this kind. And, finally, we find here readings of Rashi, not ordinarily to be found (e.g. leaf 106a, &c.). The economy of this work is as follows. After having given the ordinary l" M, or M)/1], to which the well-known ~"s1 succeeds, the author gives the 1n1lt],= &c., and finishes up with a nli, "1N:1, in which the difficult phrases of Rashi are explained by means of Targum, Midrash and Talmud in general, the technical terms being given?"lpi, i.e. in the Italian vernacular (of which we have here several hundreds). The Decalogue of Exodus has a rln,; r1:)N (63 ), and occasionally the author gives an additional remark under the name of,Mil (59b) and KIDOIl (75a), &c. An antichristian passage of some interest is also to be found here (45a); comp. Berliner, Pletath Soferim (Breslau, 1872, 8vo.), p. 35. The Parshiyyoth Mnn1Sl,:11V,,WS and:rAl I are not commented on (see, however, later). In addition to the Tanna debe Eliyyahu, Rabbenu Se'adyah, Rab Hai Gaon, Rabbenu Chananeel (37a), the'Arukh, Ibn'Ezra, Rashbam, R. Yoseph M'p, Rabbenu Tam, Maimonides (87'), R. Elyaqim, R. Chizqiyyah b. Manoach, R. Yehudah b. Shemuel ('lbnl), R. Yehudah (simply, 53b), R. Mosheh of Coucy, R. Abraham of Coucy (74b), Nachmanides and R. Shemaryah of Crete (PWt'V1=; see p. 48 of this Catalogue), our author quotes also: (1) His teacher, whom he does not further specify. (2) p"',q1Tl (R. Yoseph Qolon b. Shelomoh tUI't:, 70b; see p. 85 of this Catalogue). (3).nf )tD K~ 2l": U'lf,:, nfl (44b and 66a; who is probably the father of R. Eliyyah Chalphan, fl. 1550). (4) irns SqMVD, whom he does not further describe. (5) The.W" (,'Ms 1, i.e, R. Lowe b. Betzaleel? 39b; see Numbers 41 and 42 of this Catalogue). (6)'RMin no (63c). (7) R. tsn (which of the many of this name?.). 102 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 43. (8) %m9: Drn,t1v (65b). (9) The Ba'ale Haqqabbalah (72b). This MS. seems to be an autograph. A second hand gives, on the numerous pages left blank by the first scribe, additional literature much in the style of the original author. This matter is given sometimes under the name of,1,~, or RnDrln, and sometimes under the name of extracts. The second author's or collector's name is R. Yehudah (40b; see next Number of this Catalogue). He is, like the original author and scribe, an Italian, as may be seen from his hand and the t"y93, which latter are, though not as numerous as his predecessor's, still plentiful enough to confirm this fact. This scribe has also provided the MS., the original portion of which he has re-inked in various places, with Arabic numerals, to insure the correctness of the 1n 1t3a, both those given by his predecessor as well as those by himself. The half-brackets to mark the separate passages of the original MS., and the hand to draw the reader's attention to a valuable passage, are also his work. But the chief interest attaching to this scribe's work is to be found in the antichristiana it contdins, and which, though sometimes identical with those given in the before-named Pletath Soferim, are here more correctly given'. The following are the authorities and works quoted by the author, in addition to such as are identical with those that had been named by the original author: (1) The Zohar (a portion of the extracts from which is given in Hebrew); (2) R. David Qimchi; (3) Rabbenu Yesha'yah (see p. 53 of this Catalogue); (4) The Tzaphenath Pa'neach; (5) The Gan; (6) R. Yaa'qob b. Asher b. Yechiel (from whose t:ail'D, or ~t2* n1Dt1=r1, he borrows various passages for the last three out of the four2 Parshiyyoth in Deuteronomy which had been left without a commentary by the original author); (7) R. nn1 b. Asher; (8) The Chinnukh; 1 E. g. the unintelligible rmwn, which Berliner (p. 34, )) emends into n;,,r, and which must be as unsatisfactory afterwards as it was before, is simply nv'u, i.e. sxiwu~ as is here (leaf 1158) distinctly given. The mistake in the MS. before Berliner, originated no doubt in the - being elongated into a 1 and the stroke after the i being left out. (Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas!) According to this MS. this antichristian passage is to be found in the books mny nr and pln. 2 There is a heading on leaf 116a, which shows that this scribe intended also to give'for Innm extracts from the Ba'al Hatturim; a promise, however, which was never fulfilled. No. 44.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 103 (9) The'Aqedath Yitzchaq; (10) The Tzeror Hammor; (11) The Mizrachi (as he believes, ana1 an); (12) R. Yonah C6pDI (46-); (13) R. Yoseph Hakkohen; (14) R. Simchah b. Shelomoh of Ashkenaz (32; see next Number of this Catalogue); (15) R. Abigeder; (16) R. Asher Ashkenazi (51b, upper margin; this last word is crossed through and replaced by Tzarephathi). These last three were contemporaries of the author. The following pages are yet entirely blank (not to speak of most of those that are so partly only): lb (la having now an entry, that July 15, 1525, the locust visited Monte 1281:N and the road of MirsMD~ [Sinigaglia], besides various medical recipes for headache and intermittent fever, of the efficacy of which the writer is so convinced, that he says: N'~11:a'1~2 naItD ins), 22-, 29b, 43a, 54a, 585, 76", 77 a 84b, 98b, 99b" 101a, 108b, 114b, 115", 116%, and 117a. Leaf 45a has an erased antichristian passage, re-written by a third hand; no doubt, an owner, who must have been an Italian of the middle of the xvIIth century. Leaf 21a has l1"rP V"IE2 W1I e W1% V V by an Italian hand, also of the xviIth century, though somewhat later than the foregoing. The same page has the Library-mark, N'$'2, which identifies this MS. as having belonged to the father of the physician Samuele della Volta of Mantua (see p. 39 of this Catalogue), whilst the i": l"Y "W t sw oIrin, on the label on the back, belongs to that Samuele himself. The above Library-mark also occurs on leaf 1b. The censor's entry on leaf 21P (lower margin) shows that this MS. was in 1634 already defective; this entry is partly in Italian and partly in Latin, and runs thus: Rivisto il di 31 Agosto 1634, presente me Za (Fra?) Mori Avelio de mandato Rmi Inqe". The before-specified defects excepted, this MS. is in good condition. [Library-mark, Add. 404; bought in 1867 from HI. Lipschiltz.] No. 44. Paper, in quarto, 7s in. x 5- in.; 298 leaves, mostly 4-sheet quires, 30 lines; Rabbinic character, Italian handwriting of the xVIth century. Intv 11 b!+ 3anvnv nin rI: v D~n3 104 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 44. Commentaries on the PENTATEUCH and other matters by various authors. i. [WsIvW Wnnnnn 1ninnn winunsp ion nwKn: FRt by nDnlpi] COLLECTANEA ON THE PERICOPE ns'VM,' AND SOME OTHER VERSES OF THE PENTATEUCH, TAKEN FROM VARIOUS AUTHORS. These occupy leaves aP-12b and contain the following pieces: (1) DEWS:: Envwl W1)V-] Explanation of the word n,11S, beginning: - nsn11S;llv3n,8 DM $D: loinsl ITat K$K nouns IINlS ISN ndism:1 and ending:.../l $1w ~ w$1.1t6 1=;m1 In,~ IsN 1i,~ Ad This explanation is similar to, if not identical with, one to be found in a MS. in the possession of Carmoly, and which is described by Kirchheim in Frankel's Monatsschrift, IV. p. 108. Comp. also Auerbach in Geiger's Jiid. Zeitschrift, Iv. p. 299, Note, and Steinschneider, ibid. VI. p. 126. (Leaf 1.) (2) [nw/~ n~/n] Essay on the prominent acts of the creation. Begins (leaf la): CnKN nex tnn:I nK ill nin nn N111 mnD nn:3tit'.'In;6tt triz HAWK: rivnapanyl |:w~n~t: n. 61$nvz mnan: Ends (leaf 8a)::alv5~rv m1nv9y nVlr NIWx nnt4: NiS rti n IY ninn r3I vir;l "lt n.. This essay contains nothing, which in its isolated ideas and links could not be traced to the Talmudim, Midrashim, the Zohar (which is here given both in the original and in Hebrew), the Tiqqunim, the,l~p, &c.; as a whole, however, it is new and of considerable interest. It imitates successfully the language of the ancient Rabbis, and the interpretation reaches from Gen. i. 1 —7. It is, probably, the work of an Italian Rabbi, and belongs, perhaps, to the very author of 2, 4, &c. below. Attached to this is a (n'o)01n, beginning (leaf 8a): and ending: nnN anNn wan imw tow r, Inn ln,... (3) [nVW'Is nWns iV sawn bVp B] Collectanea on Rashi on the pericope 1n1SV:. These contain sundry remarks on Rashi's explanation of Gen. iv. 5 and 15, (Leaf8.) No. 44.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 105 (4) [n W'-1 ni n VnIn] nniN KnMDI Another mode of explaining the word 1n1TM), beginning: n11tN1 not nni ltNIW tisM r,nlnn ninn rn$ $r~NIw Vs nvwln, and ending: tnMO NS *nri nl rnitE,ntn Dinm: ne1at,'tnn=V iNSIvt nr~ —^ This explanation certainly excels in ingenuity all others regarding the transposition of the letters of this word, although it occasionally re-produces matter which we know from the "B3a'al IHatturim". The author having given, among others, several cabbalistic explanations without feeling any compunction at doing so, one is rather surprised to find that, on explaining that Pnw:L' is equivalent to fns' =', he should proceed: * *'1 I nD 1 InDr nv l X1 n1b 1t N~tll -ID lit Comp. 4, below. (Leaves 8b —9.) (5) [Evr4t'1~prl iOW VI-it] Explanation of the Most Holy Names, beginning: tn nin w yew n -ItnlinmiD n $ i: v:1n $/1/ Fll*nn 1ann: nuns and ending: This explanation establishes, in a mathematico-cabbalistic way, the meaning of MMlN, the Tetragrammaton, n ~, Nn &c., and the reason of their being called so. The author does this, partly in the style of Ibn'Ezra in his Excursus to Exodus, and partly in the style of R. Yoseph Ibn N$D1UP in his Ginnath Egoz, Sha'are Orah, Sha'are Tzedeq, &c., none of which, however, he mentions here. (Leaves 9b —10%.) (6) [n1=n tW01 nsln WSNl I n11W1 1] Explanations by means of comparing the numerical value of words and developing, from the initials or finals of a word, a new word. In this way are here explained Ex. xxxii. 19, and 23; Num. xi. 27; Isa. xix. 1; Ex. xix. and xvii. 11;' Ps. clxvii. 18, cvii. 20, and xcvi. 11; Ex. iv. 14, and iii. 13; Esther v. 4; Deut. xxx. 12. (Leaf 10t.) (7) [Vr"~alnl n=-~n 7l) n1Pal 1Nt] Explanation of part of Ibn'Ezra's mathematical Excursus in his commentary on Exodus. Begins (leaf lOb): nn- 71nnmn WK sD * Nal n WN an INKn nnK t3nnnl P" porN an: li* t )DD1;" W9an nt~v 191p1I 1tili nngi 106 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 44. Ends (ibid.): ~:w1 6: 15pa. rn~l n nn n1 Z 3 n1N r nm na nyn n l. ~ This explanation follows the. text closely and is absolutely mathematical. (8) [CNVI 5n nVwntm2 VitzNnIr 5r -11tc] Explanation of Ibn'Ezra's commentary on the pericope NMWn, beginning: nXV11n1 nsy, tv N'11 n:: N-1p 1'~W: lJIndia nJi::, 1 lWmn,1n V111:Ma n*N.. J1'~'~ 4W W,"1 ~'J18. "T1321'I;"1 and ending: tiltj lio Wn nt nzi1 /9p It D 1DW $v Inv n113n I= lS in~ S- nwNil- -.W'lTDP;t n =. v =v~w nM1D The explanation found in this anonymous piece is essentially identical with that given by R. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish the younger (MSS. Add. 400. 12, leaf 37a, and Add. 510. 2, leaf 38'). The writer, however, does not acknowledge the source of his information, but in this he is not singular; see further under No. 47 of this Catalogue. (Leaves 11a-12a.) (9) N ln n "I nn n 1 nn1w v1 ts i'+ sT ] The view of 5':1 on Gen. ii. 8-15, explained by an anonymous author. Begins (leaf 12a): W~ In poD 121 IsN1,1, t}21 nIDN KN,' 1]~SDW ND 5D ~D F1 b /"21 l~n'1SM!?=nn KY, =:seSi8 n]':w,= n 5 =... rmmn x:v $%wn'~==,='~= r Ends (ibid.): The mystical passage here explained has been preserved by Ibn'Ezra in his commentary on the Pentateuch. See the fragment of the iPMWK1 tMW on Genesis, published by Mortara in Otzar Nechmad, TI. p. 218, and comp.' also Steinschneider in Pletath Soferim, p. 45. The explanation given here is one more contribution to the many (see, for instance, MS. Dd. 4. 2), which profess to illustrate the famous passage; and a most interesting and sensible one it is. 2. [?4i-n tnliw 1i M-il-W'19 Mn1nn $V ht"wV WnV 53V Vl-] SUPERCOMMENTARY ON RASHI ON THE PENTATEUCH, BY R. YEHUDAH B. SHALOM HALLEVI (L). 13', Genesis; 42', Exodwus; 52b, Leviticus; 69b, Numbers; 81', Deusteronomy. No. 44.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 107 Begins (leaf 13'): tam~in mtr31 nrrip prV rwn m ~. n 1VVN. chs:1 rnavs N1INl 1,"m Ew oy 112V. N Vw IDDT -'17m~. VN$: Ends (leaf 96b): cvno =1-6 tne, nl ni11:1: =14 son rmn v norm Amps 1t319- ~~~ The author seems originally to have intended to give only short explanations of the difficult words (nlnt n1Vl) and phrases of Rashi (,qlI'bil 17b), in which the t"1:l, in Italian, played a prominent part. He made afterwards, under the name of (nD)'1ln and 1n;1iM, considerable additions, which fact alone accounts for the many irregularities in this commentary, where later things are earlier and earlier things later commented upon. These additions, which contain sometimes also direct explanations on the Pentateuch, are made, partly by applying the literature of the Targumim (in which our author is particularly well versed), Talmudim, Midrashim and later Rabbinical writers, and partly by applying exegetical matter belonging to himself. In this latter he digresses sometimes into a regular Derashah, in the so-called Melitzah-style (comnp. leaves 18a —23b, 34, 37', &c.). Taken as a whole this commentary is very good, and the numerous Le'azim are of the highest merit. The author, apparently a physician (26b), was an Italian of the xvith century (91b), and his name was probably R. Yehudah b. Shalom Hallevi (6ib). Like the second author and scribe of the preceding number (MS. Add. 404), his name is Yehudah, like him he mentions R. Simchah b. Shelomoh Ashkenazi as his contemporary (84a), like him he is very fond of Qabbalahl (24a, 76b, 94b, &c.), and like him he uses constantly 2sn2= and ilp'q9~ for purposes of explanation. Yet not only does the literature in both MSS. considerably differ, but even the style thereof is far from identical; in consequence of which facts one hesitates in declaring both authors to have been one and the same person. However, great as the neglect may be into which the author has fallen, so that his very name cannot now be fixed with certainty, there must have been a time when both he and his work were well known and looked upon as of considerable authority, as' may be seen from the fact of our anonymous'copyist continually referring to W"1 and ITnT snMl]. The authorities quoted in this work contain, with the exception of one, or perhaps two persons, no name not well known. The exceptions are the iR. Simchah mentioned before and R. Mosheh of Matha-Mechasya, in whose 1 He sees the effects of Qabbalah, where ordinary people would perhaps not see them; thus he says of -nnn: m:-nr5 wa'u (24a, quoted by Rashi from the Gemara, T. B. Baba Metzi'a, leaf 861), that it is a 1zk,1t plW n!i '108 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 44. name he gives an explanation of Deut. xv. 19, and who, perhaps, was his contemporary. 3. axsns 1:1 -IWV l Ag 1::%y Nolanm up n nnsni] PARPERAOTH on the PENTATEUCH, by R. YA'AQOB B. ASHER B. YECEOIEL. 97a, Genesis; 119b, Exodus, 142, Leviticus; 150%, Numbers; 157a,'Deuteronomy. Begins (leaf 97a): 01W$ K"mii l 1D!=1 $wV n~lr =11).l nl)Bennnn nnIm nn Vtnya rwr $nVt tnwS(1 Kil sn avo m$ q5X: Kso nags nna Floa w Cn vu wtP nudis Ends (leaf 165b): Ilnr tNs N il Msn on rivn v ntni nN was Amp Niw ads men All. t. VI live S1 1-N In InN -I'VI 61.6 li e 11 1:11 Inv son: wi$ nrw D61V This work has been printed numerous times, both with and without the sacred text. On comparing this MS. with the matter to be found under the name of tns'1Vt~ $V in the Warsaw Bible edition of 1860 (the Lemberg and Hanover editions are not in the Library), we find that the renmark lnr pnyIZI (leaf 122a) is not justified, as nothing worth mentioning is there missing. On the other hand, however, this like the Warsaw edition, can scarcely be the whole work (1'In tU"MVZ), despite the assertion to be found on the label on the back of this MS. (see later). 4. [J ilin V = l61] COLLECTANEA on the PENTATEUCH. 166', Genesis; 181b, Exodus; 203b, Leviticus; 213a, Numbers; 226b, Deuteronomy. Begin (leaf 166a): 5KI'I,q" rll^w -q;'ln ID'S nnnil (rp''lt.q nID'Is il ()-". lrlly n1q snswct nly )3>nl~n stel i'ti (?) newesm 9in rtiN nm)vw1 M n *i inmin ~i. r,19,;1 S K End (leaf 233a): p11-n;1 iW nrlStvnil Ni t: t191 Iae anusM P4 1^ n)noIN 71t),-11 aem * mia; So N: riK 6=w n W en.nnwm These Collectanea consist chiefly of ltlitbD U / rltq"lm and other matter kindred to that of the "Ba'al Hatturim", but are by no means confined thereto. There are t6 be found, in addition, a piece of nrl (17Sb), the No. 44.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. I09 explanation of various pieces of Rashi, extracts from, and explanations of, Ibn'Ezra, Nachmanides and sundry cabbalistic matters, some of which agree, nay, are almost identical, with the matter to be found in 1 above. The author, or rather collector, is apparently identical with that of 1 and 2 (see leaves 172a-177b, 187a-198b, &c., where the same kind of Derashah in the same kind of Melitzah-style is to be found), and perhaps also with 5 below (where the same kind of literature is to be met with, and the same cabbalistical predilections manifest themselves). He is, in any case, a man who combined great familiarity with profane as well as sacred lore. The following authorities and works, some of which are but little known, are quoted by him: (1) 1119' and his worlt ]1~:~W1S'7 (214b, Cicero, de Divinatione). (2) NK T'1 t (215a, the matter is to be found in the Siphre before us). (3)'Arukh (passim). (4) R. Yesha'yah (167b; see this Catalogue, p. 53). (5) The Moreh (Maimonides, passim). (6) j1"M', n:rni (172', meaning Nachmanides as cabbalist; and t1' V, simply, passim). (7) Franco (206a, one of Ibn'Ezra's commentators, and called Ibn "OW:, by R. Shemtob b. Yehudah Ibn Mayor, see MS. Add. 433, passim, and Steinschneider in Geiger's Jiid. Zeitschr. vi. p. 122). (8) Don Yoseph Ibn'I1N (232b, see Steinschneider in Ersch and Gruber's Encyklopaedie, Sect. 2, Theil 31, p. 100). (9) R. Yitzchaq I72N2s (189b, the author of the'Aqedath Yitzchaq). (10) R. Yehudah ~2* of Recanati (169;, see MS. Add. 512). (11) The author's ow1n D tCil'ID (also D1WY''i 204%, 20G5a 233" &c.). (1'2) His teachers (lfle1, without however specifying them by name, passim). It must also be remarked, that numerous explanations on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch, given anonymously, are by Shelomoh b. Ya'ish the younger (see MSS. Add. 400. 12 and 510. 2). 5. [nnMS P:D'1p] OTHER COLLECTANEA. These occupy leaves 233"-257b, and contain the most heterogeneous matter, as follows: (1) A disquisition on the sin in connexion with the golden calf, as recapitulated in Deut. ix. 7, &c. It begins: 110 CATALOGUE QOF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 44. In the course of this disquisition, R.'Obadyah Sforno, who died after 1550, is here mentioned with the addition of s", i.e. as already dead. (Leaves 233b —234%.) (2) A calculation of the dimensions of the Tabernacle, beginning:.. 15' (100 x 50) 3 P (multiply) 1,DDW1'f3 ir'P Ar 1Dwn This is purely mathematical, and for the better understanding of the reader, Arabic numerals are used in many points of the process. (Leaves 234b 235a,) (3) A piece of the,1TV,pVD (wherein the whole of nature is said to sing God's, the Creator's, praises in appropriate biblical verses). Here we have only the verses said to be recited by the heavens, the earth, leviathan, the fishes, streams and wells. (Leaf 235b.) (4) Notice of a Roll of the Pentateuch said to be found at Avignon and to be written on skins, and concerning which there is a tradition (?) that it was executed by Ezra himself. It begins (leaf 235b): (5) Reconciliation of the apparently contradictory Solomonic verses in Prov. xviii. 22 and Eccl. vii. 26. It begins (leaf 235b): tiN KY1Dl:91S S1U nng Klp=1E D iN a n."V inn > iW..., R, n no1 m n (6) Explanations of Ex. ii. 2, beginning (leaf 235b): (7) Testimony of the collector (or scribe) that the Rabbis of Mantua allowed prayers to be recited on a Sabbath for a person dangerously ill. (ibid.). (8) Disquisition on, and explanation of, biblical verses. a. Deut. xviii. 9, beginning: nfislln BEND at...::..n ti H aw nwt: b. Deut. vii. 9, beginning:... m'IcD nobDr1. no1... r1n),1. tirs1rl zn'l c. Dent. iv. 19, beginning:... pn nws unwnt n::... pin n These three pieces are anonymously given, but are extracts from Nachmanides' commentary. (Leaves 236a —237a.) No. 44.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 11 d. Deut. iii. 25, &c., beginning: N11 n1 1 nnnS Sh t 1iS:Up'1 11n1, C.. KV::TSN K t1nnsI nPIV: This is, no doubt, an extract from the commentary on the Pentateuch by the celehrated poet'Immanuel b. Shelomoh, a MS. of the whole of which is to be found in the De-Rossi collection at Parmal' (Leaves 237b-238b.) (9) Explanation of the difficult talmnudical passage (Babli, Chullin 60b) on Gen. i. 16. It begins: n~s~nwiv vR ws$rorlU n1rom P w nN v9rl N t1o4ln itsp IInrn 3 3 slm This, as is natural, is an allegorical explanation, and by no means to be rejected. From the conclusion it would seem that it formed the epilogue of a lecture. (Leaves 238b —239a.) (10) Midrashic explanation of Ps. lxxviii. 38, beginning (leaf 239b): *..y $ n 1wn nl,n7w I 1$ w 11 V... ~nne mm (11) Reconciliation between Ex. xx. 13 (bDeut. v. 17), and Jer. xlviii. 10, beginning (ibid.); NWM3 N1,1V,it'13 IP1 p:8D In 1l K (1) 1D=K bmnn tlnln hh N$ I:ns *.. n W pt,nsY (12) Two matters in connexion with the services in the synagogue, beginning respectively (ibid.): and m.., itualw n p ns tnis. T'h're e e'w ( 3) Questions and answers, mostly on ritual points. Three excepted, they commence all with. * -l, e.g. n*5VM n3D DI =nE nvn -=n$ 1 nn1 They are different from those mentioned in this Catalogue, p. 57. (Leaves 239b —240a.) (14) / Midrashic explanations of the following biblical verses: a. Ps. clxix. 5, beginning: 1 See "Commento sopra il Pentateuco ( /nnrn,') del Rab. Emmanuele figlio di Salomone, secondo il cod. Derossiano 404, inedito ed unico, publicato da Pietro Perreau" in Merx' Archiv fur wissensch. Erforsch. d. A. T., Erster Band, 1867-1869, pp. 363-384. Although Abbate Perreau says there "continua" there is nothing further to be found down to this day (Band Ix. Heft II. 1872). 112 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 44. b. Ruth i. 2, 4, 14, 12, 13 (in this order), ii. 2, beginning (leaf 240b): (15) Disquisition on the parallel passages of 2 Kings xvii. 37-xix. 7, and Isa. xxxvi. 22 —xxxvii. 7, beginning: nr$>tw nSun amprbal sr Us n~n. iy'I..vY tv ewel' -m:: I:N 3ImtD! and ending: nose: wpl== nn5nnn w-I nn ILns11IN Sl'0 l1 Vlnlsvvaz mn1 l JSINJ m 1$...-16MM 9N:>n n:n, nnrn npn It will be seen, from Don Yitzchaq Abarbanel being called "Abarbanelo," that the author of this must have been an Italian; and indeed, this little disquisition has other Italian terms also, e.g. Z1VT 9'11S" (Majordomo), 1'NS"t2n'1p) (Secretario), &c. (Leaves 242_ —243b; 241 being blank.) (16) [ Mwi l na nny n1lts ] Essay in praise of Truth and depreciation of Untruth, beginning: V=lDIID,8 CAS0K TOVI olsv DS 1O 1D: rID I. pWin iN n1ice nnwi is mvw and ending: ItnM nvl sp4.6;1m- Inp S vl n3 t nlnv )Y nnn UV=: 6w rr ten -K This essay, resting on the argument that n*N consists of the first, middle and last letters of the alphabet (see MS. Dd. 14. 10. 2, leaf l1), develops this and other kindred matters, as'1=1, &c. most ingeniously, with the purpose of shewing the praiseworthiness of Truth and the blameworthiness of Untruth. It is written in the'before-mentioned Melitzahstyle, and seems to have been a lecture, or the latter part of one.- It belongs, if we may judge from the style, to the collector himself; in any case it is most interesting. (Leaves 244 —-247b.) (17) Explanations: a. Of Prov. xxviii. 16, beginning: J~y Iun:unvbtl, xITp,ntn plbnr. nr n mA no:: (so)': nr"i Hew In n: nWbWn.Dn non*VeK an~tlr l 1i pSn pan:. T: %8zp! HIN Wet b. of the words pS 1, o'1 and their derivatives IpaS and VtV, beginning: nr= -1p1ts En, (U~pUOnpl, n p-n 7 pry * pUS The author quotes the Ethics of Aristotle (probably the Hebrew version). He appears to have been acquainted with Latin. (Leaves 24S — 249a.) No. 44.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 113 (18) Four anecdotes about Diogenes, beginning:... avln ]n ne por r It4 rl]v]~n t]s nwl n1 t. These anecdotes are very interesting, but, except a few deviations, are known. (Leaves 249a-250".) (19) Essay on the sojourn of Israel in the wilderness, beginning: asrnigs In pn1 1t neYIw Owvine n'lsnan 61TOM nn I 1VN nW M ns n ten This essay attempts to prove the superiority of the material and moral advantages of Israel's life in the wilderness over those of their life in the promised land. It is written in the Melitzah-style, and is not without merit. (Leaves 250b-252a.) (20) Explanation of Ps. xlv. 17, beginning: inS Us tow sol nlny, 11n: nr, pIan, V i trm rwnnb, i:n 1...n b nrn...in 155$= nln';n1n,'lrgs, in lin In this explanation, also written in the Melitzah-style, the commentary of R.'Immanuel (b. Shelomoh) on the Psalms is mentioned. (Leaves 252b — 253a.) (21) Comparison between the spider and the merchant, beginning:... p1 SAn nA V= Cmpy 1 las 1n nnD This comparison is made in the Melitzah-style, and is both well conceived and executed. (Leaf 253a —253b.) Leaf 254a has a heading identical with 238b; but the scribe, having found out that the matter had been given before, omitted to proceed further; and the leaves down to 257b, inclusive,. are blank. 6. [nnN s't1 art I s n~] On the PROPER FORMS of the HEBREW ALPHABET. Begins (leaf 258a): W11:1111 93 Wh1*;l1- T D;1 sil Nnag Nnwimn ninstin n nri $t KtAl:1;l1 I=m nriv)m tmrw np* Xilling * tlvl1* 1 1- p ttli m n ws NS wlt'Pbt... IW Ends (leaf (260a)::*n c., njLwyn i: (.. wn.~. This so-called book is the result of a combination of Midrash, Halakhah and Qabbalah, as will be best seen from the following authorities quoted therein: (1):spi3'1 sW gnusa N6N (in letters 1 and D). (2)'W1 (in letter n). (3) n"'l (in letters,;, n and ta). (4),nnVw;1' (in letters:, T, $ and 72). 8 114 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 44.'(5)'L1e (R. Yehudah, in letters K, n, D, i, q, V and p). (6) DIN'l, also R. Eli'ezer of Metz, (in letters X, t and D). (7p) l' (in letter!). (8) Y'=D (in letters`a and V). (9) t":Dl (in letter 1). (10) SV1)t -1M (in letter n). (11) ni=DnD r11`1M] (in letters,1, n and Ut). (12) W"'1 (in letters 1 and 1). (13)'1]l1 (in letters ~ and 1n). (14) Jil"i1nD (in letters l and ~). (15) nlZMV'1rD,':,qi or ~rlW.. iN1 (in letters i, Z, A, p and rl). (16) 1~ -112nl -1 rl n Vp:l (in letter a). 7. [ MVDin nrwp Jn95 Amp] DIFFICULT TALMIUDICAL WORDS AND PHRASES EXPLAINED. Begin (leaf 260a):... * 1'Dn Pr tll?y trn?"N w. (TnZR ) nrl) ntV 1 1"1f:1: End (leaf 294b): Jn *Mnrn (nnnnw) mnD9w vv /pm.11n - isnin rri w n. nn~nn.t. This little book is of great value. Difficult words and phrases of Talmud (and Midrash, and occasionally also rare words of the Bible) are therein briefly explained. Sometimes there is also the Italian added to such explanations. The author makes judicious use of the Targumim, Rashi (passim, and to whom any French word, to be found here, belongs), the'Arukh (in letters t, Ut, 7 and p, and from which the 11t 11Vw on leaf 275a, is probably taken), and Maimonides (to whose Mishnah-commentary the VW' 11Vb on leaf 270b can be traced). There is, unfortunately, a little disorder in the arrangement observable, particularly in the letters 1 and.; and now and then one and the same thing is given twice, or even thrice. Numerous pages are also either entirely or partly blank. DIFFICULT ARAMAIC WORDS AND PHRASES IN THE BIBLE EXPLAINED. Begin (leaf 295b):.n. d:an ten n-in -IN bwrnDn m n nleta End (leaf 298a): No. 44.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 115 These explanations comprise the books Daniel and Ezra, and are identical with the greater part of the Appendix (,tt':18X) of R. David Qimchi's Shorashim, but with the occasional addition of the t"3)l, in Italian, thereto. 9. [nsnDp js5135] SHORT COLLECTANEA. These occupy leaf 298b, beginning: -.. rnl:n (pw1] ny:~' rllw and ending: These Collectanea consist of two groups: (1) containing a number of technical terms of philosophy, theology, astronomy, &c. in Hebrew and Italian; and (2) the various names in Hebrew for heaven, soul, lot, lion, together with the explanation of the word Pizmon. The last leaf (298b) has the name of the well-known Italian censor Dominico Gerosolomitano. The following marks of ownership are to be found in this MS.: (1) 5s", )n~ l a'~1 1'0 3 nrW - t1jp,lt (Leaf la). The words M'TV n~lRS~ 7''?=: have been inked out, and the last word is consequently uncertain. (2) (Perugia) 1'1 it MMS I'd:: iN12 W;1 r;1r n'l' 1 n?t (Leaf 1). This whole entry has been crossed through, but is yet legible. This is not the Yehudah Shemuel of Perugia mentioned before in this Catalogue (p. 72, Note 1), although they were probably related to one another. (3) The Library-mark T'n'Mt'I1, which identifies this MS. as one of the books which at one time belonged to the father of the Physician Samuele della Volta. It occurs on leaf 1', and on the fly-leaf at the beginning. It is this owner, probably, who has added the word'~W, after ~,1 in the heading on leaf 295b. (4) The i"' n"l"n nWsVV, on the label on the back, is in the hand-'writing of R. Marco Mortara (see p. 39 of this Catalogue). This title was afterwards incorrectly amplified by the seller into: W11nin by: town mwrI Sly) nunsr (W=N1asn n~j wb Sw amaIV V: aft (://s 1111 n'tn Onl 2a1 U -let)p -1p1nln J n rlm nmw 81n1 The MS. is in very good condition. [Library-mark, Add. 396; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] 8-2 116 CATALOGUE OF -HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 45. N!o. 45. Paper, in octavo, 5{ in. x 41 in.; 32 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 23 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Sephardic handwriting of the xvIIIth century. Supercommentary on Rashi on the PENTATEUCH by an anonymous Sephardic Rabbi; incomplete. Begins (leaf la): laV1= Vn=n: newsnt nin W:'n nvDs,g a vn:*.. snpln IsN.. newinl beJnn n rrmv nn nwns,owa,:=D ann ni5 n oD: n,,n n nnn..nasnnN n ovenn r=,onDn finzin: rnrnrin nvwms my w 1 nYz Breaks off (leaf 27"a) V:wnln n,n,~ n;6 nnpmn n: mm: n=n wantn aS nmbl n"m.... wrens =Dt ns vn, b6 sit abe. =n = nv1 v (<55n=) ),en:= ~:,na nN Vlnn il Dl iS mIT nult by )=DDY llnl nD mrn n~* Ip ny nin tlslwn K$K Although this commentary is neither old nor original (see later), it is.much to be regretted that we have scarcely a fifth part of what it probably was in its entirety (see leaf 18b, where it refers to this commentary on Num.). The author possesses great familiarity with the literature of the Bible, tlhe Talmudim and Midrashim, and the writers thereon, together with a thorough knowledge and appreciation of Hebrew grammar, as well. as also considerable critical acumen, so that, in spite of his predilection for midrashic matter, he does not lose himself therein. He is fully aware of the importance of good editions, and the various readings to be found therein; and occasionally he tells us what readings in the Targum and Rashi he had before him and where he found them. See leaves 13", 17b, 18", 18b, 19", 19b (DItt"1 "OIfDD l'N'D tIn NVID.'WIP: 1'), 22b, &C.. We may, by the way, throw light on a curious passage in Rashi and his commentators, which has given Berliner, his latest editor, and many others before him, some trouble. The passage is on Gen. xix. 36; and it is the reading of mn-y with a'r instead of the nonsensical 7nirY with a 1'. The phrase is then... r'=-;n'xn, which is emended by Berliner into,'nr, it being his impression No. 45.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 117 The following authorities (besides, of course, Rashi) are quoted by hllim: (1) Jlnn1 11-1 (13 Fa 22b). (2) The n1oVy-i 3: (13', 17b). (3) n"n/w, (3b, 6). (4) R]:'V1XtD,n 1 1 (R. Ya'aclob of Orleans, lb).' He is so surnamed to distinguish him from Rashi's grandson, R. Ya'aqob b. Meir of Rameru. R. Ya'aqob of Orleans was killed at London on the coronationday of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, 1189. (5) nlD]Jlnt (11b). (6) p"en, with or without the addition V.lK. 2: (2b, 20., 21b). (7) V"=:l? (6, 11, 13t, 21b twice, 24b, 26a; the;i2,V a frl 2n, 24", means the same; and the V":1:, 20b, is, no doubt, a mistake for the same). (8) pmn11 (13a, 19, twice, 19b, twice). (9) "W" (18b). (10),'$r.. - (2 ). (11)'t'lD (10-, 16b, 18i, 20a, 21b). Q 2) P3 tV ~Y.(23b). (13) ClanI ma1 (23, 26 ). (14) 1IVID (R. Abraham Farissol) on Job (lb). (15) II'IV tn'V (16b). Thus it will be seen that our author could not have written before the xvIth century. But we have reason to believe that he belonged to an even later period, that his name was R. Yoseph b. Mosheh Zakkai, that he was Rabbi of the congregation of Cochin, in India, and author of various other compilations of Halakhic import. (See, for instance, MS. Oo. 1. 33. 3.) The copyist of this MS. is, apparently, identical with that of MS. Oo. 1. 35. 6, &c., whose name is there distinctly given as Levi b. Mosheh ls%. A later Sephardic hand, which wrote a piece of the Rashi-text on Gen. xxxii. 5, is to be found on leaf 25b. This MS. having been obtained by Dr Buchanan from the Jews of Cochin, who, because they had no practical use for it, had placed it in their " Record Chest," it will surprise no one that it is in a rather precarious condition. Thus leaf 1 is much injured, whilst the other leaves are much soiled and stained. Leaves 28-29, no doubt blank, are wanting; leaves 27b 30 —32 are blank. [Library-nlark, Oo. 6. 71. 1; presented in 1809 by Dr Buchanan.] that I'nr ought to be solved into;:m n~wn=z, when and where, however, the reference would be wrong. But the matter is very simple. i'nr is the abbreviation of rninwn (the i between the n and the i having been in a mistake changed by a scribe into a stroke, while the stroke at the end fell out entirely). The reading therefore is: Ann rbinn n% 5 (nw))nln - nx-i nlwy ]wub nTb InmVTy.. a.'nd nyv. Compare leaf 19b of this MS. 118 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 46. No. 46. Paper, in quarto, 81 in. x 53 in.; 392 leaves, 6-sheet quires, 19- 28 (the later portions mostly 24) lines; Rabbinic character, partly oriental Sephardic, partly Greek Sephardic and partly Italo-Greek, handwriting, ranging from the middle of the xIvth to the middle of the xvth century. Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Abraham b. Meir Ibn'Ezra (Y",VKi') of Toledo; defective. Leaves 1-13, wanting; leaf 145, Genesis; 75b Exodus (97, 108, 189, wanting; 194, blank); 252b, Leviticus; 301", Numbers (310-313, wanting); 345a, Deuteronomy; 392a, the author's concluding poem, preceded by the scribe's, or the editor's, rhyme; 392b, record, by the editor, of the author's day of death, succeeded by a mnemosynon of the latter. Begins (leaf 14", on Gen. iv. 22): ~..?t n: we nie 1 1,n~1r1 nnlnO q Ends (leaf 392X): ~A';1'4- 35 D. bloc1k M SM n l... tNV n$1 W ln /a NW1tv JtZ y"MsNi, i.e. HArab Rabbi Abraham Ben'Ezra; see this Catalogue, pp. 51, 61, 105, 106, &c. He is also called y"a, i.e. either Abraham Ben'Ezra, or IBn'Ezra; more probably the latter (ibid. p. 55). He is also spoken of as y"a (ibid. p. 90), and finally also as yr" (ibid. p. 57, &c.). Yet, it must be confessed, that ordinarily he is spoken of as " Aben Ezra," and that all these abbreviations are but rarely used, even by the learned. This is owing, besides to other causes, chiefly to two. In the first place, Ibn'Ezra has never been a very popular author (such as Rashi, Redaq and others), and in the second place, the pronunciation of the abbreviation has too little certainty (Harabe', Haraba', Harave, Harava, &c.) to be commonly used. This fact will somewhat qualify, although it will not entirely do away with, C. Taylor's censure of Friedliinder, for having neglected to mention in the introduction to his translation of Ibn'Ezra's commentary on Isaiah, the abbreviation y"N-i (Academy, 1 Dec. 1873, p. 451). No. 46.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 119 ()tljv n:18 i1nirrl,,:w= tsny@w p-1 S ri ( trn I Wrip) h; In 1N.&I11lt W D: IV, tN7r1),br lvWll 1n: snDint &IM) It tr.N)i trIN 11 nil =Mnnn i Da 8 learned world, both Jewish and Christian; and his commentary on the Pentateuch, in particular, has been printed numerous times2. Nevertheless, or, perhaps, because of these facts, we feel persuaded that the student of Ilebrew literature will read with considerable interest the following description of a MS., lately acquired by the University, containing as it does that Pentateuch-commentary, with, however, many noteworthy additions and peculiarities. Not that we think that this MS. is necessarily a unique one; on the contrary, we have reason to suspect, that MSS. of the Vatican (xxxix. and ccxrlx. 3; see Footnote 1 below), of the Paris Library (New Catalogue, No. 177, p. 19) and of the Court-Library of Vienna (No. 39; 1 This subscription, although not entirely free from mistakes, makes good sense; and is, on the whole, more correct than either the subscriptions to be found in the Vatican MSS. (Assemani, pp. 29 and 209), or that of the MS. preserved in the Court-Library of Vienna (Krafft and Deutsch, xxxi. p. 34). For further information see Excursus II. 2 Without the biblical text it has been printed, at least, three times (Napoli, 1488, Folio; Qostandinah, i.e. Constantinople, 1514, Folio; Amsterdam, 1721, Folio); with the Bible-text, however, times too numerous to be specified here. The so-called Brief conmmentary on Exodus, the greatest part of which is embodied in this MS. (see our description a little later on), has been printed only once; comp. this Catalogue, p. 90. 120 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 46. see Footnote 1, as before), contain something kindred. But, as those MSS. have either never been properly examined, or, at all events, have not been fully described, we will give the results of a careful investigation of the volume before us; and these they are: A. INTERNAL MATTERS IN CONNEXION WITHI THIS MS. a. The deviations from the text as extant in the printed editions amount to several hundreds, and consist partly of mere substitutions (sometimes of a phrase, a word, or even a letter only), partly of omissions and partly of additions. 1. Even the mere substitutions are of great importance, inasmuch as they often throw light on certain passages otherwise unintelligiblel 2. The omissions are owing partly to accident, i.e. either to the forgetfulness of the immediate scribe, or to the fact of the copy before him being incomplete; and partly to design, i.e. either because the matter omitted was deemed altogether spurious, or because, although allowed to have originally belonged to Ibn'Ezra, it was known to have been suppressed by him in the final recension2. In the former two cases the 1 For instance, on Num. xiv. 2, the printed editions accessible to us have: rDw brV!35 nm,~ w n 5tymn: 51,~ which, as one will see, gives no proper sense. The fact is, that the last two words belong to verse 3, and instead of L5y5 must be read 5)5*, which will be easily understood. We may on this occasion make one general statement that in this MS. crii, urp,'rn, pnyn, &c. occur, and only very rarely (58b, 119b, 200b, 307%, 308b, 321a, 324a, 332a) the term'rnn:i, which is so frequently to be found in the printed editions. That the former are the only authentic readings is vouched for both by the attacks on Ibn'Ezra on account of these expressions, and by the reasons pleaded in defence of them by his commentators. Whether the substitutions of R. Yehudah for 3R. Yonah (65a), Daniyyel instead of Raziel (130b), Rab Mebasser Hallevi instead of Haggaon Hallevi (272a), Rabbenu %"n= instead of Rabbenu Hai (387a) and others, are really of value (although they are probably so), must be further investigated. 2 To the last of these causes may be ascribed the omission of the rhymes before the majority of the weekly Parshiyyoth in Exodus, which are to be found in the printed editions. By the way we wish to correct a mistake into which Friedliunder (commentary of Ibn'Ezra on Isaiah, &c., London, 1873, 8vo., p. xvi.) fell with respect to the meaning of one of these rhymes. He hints in a romantic conjecture that (the aged, feeble, and poverty-stricken) Ibn'Ezra, was alluding by ):a5,~n (in the rhyme before Inn,) to his wife. Friedlinder mistakes Ibn'Ezra either for Virgil of old or Lenau of our own time. Now, of all the matter-of-fact Jews (who, although they are allowed by common consent to No. 46.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 121 successive and learned owners have supplemented the omission (see later), and in the latter two cases we are yet without a supplement. 3. But it is the additions which are of the greatest. possible importance. These are of a twofold nature, viz. such as belong to Ibn'Ezra himself and such as belong to others. (1) As regards Ibn'Ezra's own, they generally bear the mark of genuineness on the surface, and are of the most varied kind, comprising lexicographyl, grammar2, bibliography3, theology4, liturgy (leaf 64b), astronomy5, ethnography6, &c. Although these additions are most numemake the best of husbands, are known never to indulge in such romantic talk, fit only for silly boys and girls) Ibn'Ezra was the most unromantic. When he says that the expression man comprises woman also, adding the remark en DTXKI mll Irnxi wXi (on Ex. i. 1), he announces a higher principle, a religious truth, and not a piece of romantic nonsense. The -n1 Can %'n is, undoubtedly, an allusion to his illness, caused not only by hard study, but also, and chiefly, by want. It is only another poetical description of what he wittily calls (in his dedication to R. Mosheh b. Meir of his grammatical commentary on the Pentateuch) his rt), i ~rl vnnr no (Otzar Nechmad, II., p. 223), which was no love-sickness but unromantic-poverty! The latter part of the first line of this beautiful verse is evidently an allusion to Job xxx. 11 and the,ely is, no doubt, a misprint for'n3r, which, in its turn was a copyist's mistake for )Vy. The correct reading of the whole would be thus:.1Ti flY fln n tK.;Ipn MM'b Dnte 0 eNM.1can 7rnn:;1;1ml 1=5 un Aid m,7y 1 On the lexicographical additions we have to remark that they comprise three languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. The additions in the firstnamed language are too largely represented in this MS. to require a single example; for one in Aramaic see an interesting instance on leaf 29a (on lir2v, Gen. xiv. 23), and for one in Arabic see leaf 78b (on D,1, Ex. i. 13). 2 Grammar is, as is known, our author's forte. Ibn'Ezra declares of himself in his introductory rhymes to be bound by the ties thereof (nn'rN......v. f.,u pi-pri n1nnl:p,,ruIn). The additions, on this head, are too numerous to be recounted. 3 To give only one example, see 23b, where his Iv, is here called p)p);,r al;v, but there are also numerous other instances. 4 See particularly the antichristiana, leaves 32b, 46a, &c. 5 See leaves 339b —340a, on Num. xxviii. 15. That something similar to this explanation, which in a marvellous way reconciles the Rabbis (T. B. Chullin, 60b) with the astronomers (on the relation of the moon to the sun), was to be found in the nlrn rI V, is testified to by Ibn tlun (MSS. Add. 1015. 2, leaf 71b, and Add. 518, leaf 64a). 6 See leaf 360a, where on Deut. iv. 1, he says..... n:l'i:n 1'K 1p), and leaf 369a, where on Deut. xxii. 22, he says: mr2'5Kiw';-,b Pn't;% uo~wn (comp. the so-called Margalioth Tobah, leaf 145a, and the commentators ibidem). 1221 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 46. rous on Exodus, where from i. 13 to xxiii. 13 (and possibly xxxii. 1) a considerable part of the 9Y~l,... U1: (ed. by Reggio; see above) is very skilfully interwoven with the ordinary commentary, they extend over all the five books, having even on Exodus whole passages the original existence of which cannot be traced to the so-called Short Commentary. Over and above these must be mentioned as also belonging to our author, the first two out of three treatises, or essays, which are to be found between the rhyme after the last weekly Parashah of Exodus (X1lp) and the end rhyme for the whole of that book L. a. The former of these essays commences (leaf 242 ):... - n ~ t' n,I l:11 Inn $ wri r19Wnnn 1:111 nice tvin. we and ends (leaf 244a): K1K 1 9 p 1= Ul t2t i-lj 1142;vrl3p:1 mInnn3 n rn 4lp 1i$ rl, Ki N's 1. =Mn11 (2nnlono == 4nAnv:E) Nnnm. nnN Bn114:1T i: En 1nvS n~nr En 1, nVI prowvt esnds En The authenticity of this essay on Lev. xxiii. 11, although it is given here abruptly and without the smallest advertisement that it belonged to Ibn'Ezra, is secured by the following facts. In the first place we read in the course thereof (leaf 243") * M 4n n'nln C 2 N..... and in the next place we have the testimony of one of the earliest commentators of Ibn'Ezra to that effect. RI. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish the younger, to whom this essay owes its preservation (see MS. 210. 2, leaves 49b —5a)2 makes the assertion (ibid. leaf 51a), that he copied it from Ibn'Ezra's own handwriting (2n1Z7 and not 21innD2 as here). As for ourselves we recognize in its every expression the diction of our far-fanled author, and believe it besides to be the only true interpretation of the verse'. g. The latter of these essays commences (leaf 2441):..:6 anon n-in nlzw2 = w, n1ns En y:,,=1 mmn.nn VI 714 For the author of these rhymes, which commence with the weekly Parashah ntwn (leaf 203b), and which are of no great value in themselves, see A, a, 3 (2) 3. 2 In MS. Add. 400. 12, leaves W45a-46b, this whole passage is very corruptly given.:3 We may remark by the way that the difference in the interpreting this verse is not only the watchword of Rabbanites and Qaraites now, but was also one of the Pharisees and Sadducees of old, and was only second to the other one of immortality or resurrection; see T. B. Menachoth -65; Matthew xxii. 23-32, Mark xii. 18-27 and Luke xx. 27-38. On the mistakes made on this point by Dean Alford with regard to the tradition of the Jews (in his New Testament for English Readers, Vol. I. p. 153), see Excursus III. No. 46.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 123 and ends (leaf 245"): eWil Dnrive 11VKn,1z: n nVw PN11- KN-p n1 zr= wr KlvW-DW, in... This short essay is an explanation of 2 Chron. xxix. 11-13, which three verses have been used by many others, besides Ibn'Ezra, as a convenient thread to string thereon cabbalistic doctrines. With our author they and their explanations formed the introduction either to his Excursus on the W'11DBV tC in Ex. iii. 15 or to that on the same subject in xxxiii. 23; more probably, however, the latter. The only evidence that this essay belongs to Ibn'Ezra is that it is written in the style of his well-authenticated writings. (2) As regards the additions by others, they may be conveniently classified, under three heads, viz. either such as are to be found within the text and are supposed to belong to an anonymous disciple of our author; or such as are anonymously inserted after the last Parashah in Exodus, and at the end of certain other Parshiyyoth and books, whose author, however, can be traced either with certainty, or at least with high probability; and finally such as are to be found on the margins. As the marginal literature will be treated on below, in the paragraph on scribes and owners, we have to speak here only of the former two. a. The first who made the remark that the so-called Long Commentary on Exodus did not belong to Ibn'Ezra himself, but was the work of a disciple of his', was one of his most distinguished supercommentators, R. Yoseph b. Eli'ezer Hassephardi, the author of the n:IV n1lfu (see MS. Add. 510. 1, leaves 45 —46a). This Rabbi brought forward thirteen proofs in support of his view, the strongest of which is the ninth, in which he reminds the reader that in two places in Exodus (in the Excursus on iii. 15 and in the explanation of xii. 9) the writer must have been another than Ibn'Ezra. Now this is quite true: not only the latter passage, which is also to be found in the printed editions, but the former passage also, for which the reader will look in vain there, is to be found in this MS.2 (see leaf 88b and leaf 118b). Nevertheless, we must maintain that we cannot go the full length of this distinguished scholar, to deprive Ibn'Ezra of the direct authorship of the'1V tnil 1VID on Exodus. This commentary is certainly in Ibn'Ezra's own language, a language so peculiar that not even a disciple of his, and were he even of many years' standing (which none of his disciples 1 Friedlinder, in his otherwise instructive introduction (see above, p. 120, Note 2), p. xxv, forgets to state that this fact was already mentioned by our R. Yoseph. See,rnt n',xLn, leaf 40b in the preface of the author of the Ohel Yoseph (under which name an extract from our R. Yoseph's work is given there)., and comp. also Number 51 of this Catalogue below. 2 For an inference of some interest to be made from this fact, see the paragraph on the use made of this MS. towards the end of this description. 124 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 46. ever were, or in fact, ever could be, owing to his continual peregrinations) could absolutely imitate. The utmost that can be admitted we will allow, viz. that these two and a few other phrases, are remnants of explanatory remarks made earlier or later, on the margins by teachers of, and commentators on, Ibn-'Ezra-literature, which have crept into the text afterwards1; an accident very often to be met with in Hebrew works, and one which is not unfrequent even in non-Hebrew works. fi. As stated before, there are to be found between the rhyme of the last Parashah of Exodus and the end-rhyme for the whole of that book three essays or short treatises, the first two of which only can be ascribed to Ibn'Ezra, while the last belongs to somebody else. This last essay commences (leaf 245a)::n Ki Id tSn wnr-l i: 1s5 ng ~nr t I=n an nta- n 1wD'Nil s St11 and ends (leaf 252a): -rbN n~lv,rls ft1 n11 n1s= n-1 nnn n. This is an explanation of the famous Excursus by Ibn'Ezra on Ex. iii. 15 (on the Tetragrammaton; see above)2. It is here anonymously given, but belongs to R. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish the younger, from whose supercommentary on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch it is an extract (see MSS. Add. 400. 12, leaves 22b —29a, and Add. 510. 2, leaves 20b —25a). To this explanation is attached an arithmetical Table (of the Hebrew Alphabet) in illustration of the foregoing. In the just-mentioned two MSS. such a Table is not to be found; nevertheless there can be little doubt that it belongs to our R. Shelomoh, even as the verses, or rather rhymes, at certain Parshiyyoth and books belong to him. (On theinfluence of this R. Shelomoh on the work as contained in this MS. see above p. 122 and below p. 125.) b. Summing up all matters in connexion with the internal economy of this MS. the following are our impressions (we call them impressions only as, in part, they cannot be elevated into absolutely scientific convictions, because they cannot be mathematically demonstrated; they are however moral convictions). 1 See for instance 34a, where in the text a 4"D occurs, and 343b, where in the text a long passage superscribed 1si occurs, and which is signed ="M. For other arguments see Reggio in Kerem Chemed, Iv. pp. 97-110. That Reggio did not entirely remove all the difficulties that beset this question, was owing simply to the fact of his not knowing the whole extent of them. 2 This Excursus is also known under the name of inmri nDv or -nrm nnn, or'~nn simply (MSS. Add. 510. 2, leaf 20b, and 30a; Add. 400. 12, leaf 22b), and ~t;n fm (MS. Add. 510. 1, leaf 45b), &c. No. 46.] COMMENTARIES ON TIlE BIBLE. 125 (1) The whole MS., although ranging over a hundred years, was executed after one and the same model. (2) That model, as far as the commentary is concerned, was either a direct, or, only by one or two links, indirect, copy made from the commentary as copied by Ibn'Ezra's disciple and collated with Ibn'Ezra's own handwriting. (3) That MS. of Ibn'Ezra's own hand contained the final, and consequently only authentic, recension. (4) The almost direct copy so obtained was provided with a few marginal, and several other more extensive, notes, containing literature which either originally belonged to Ibn'Ezra or to his annotators. (5) The chief of these annotators was no less a personage than R. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish the younger, a teacher of, and a commentator on, Ibn-'Ezra-literature. (6) The explanations of the difficult passages of Exodus (iii. 15 and xii. 9) in which a stranger's language and hand are traced, are partly the immediate disciple's and copyist's, and partly this R. Shelomoh's. (7) And finally, these, the long explanations on the mathematical Excursus, &c. were the nucleus of this R. Shelomoh's supercommentary. B. EXTERNAL MATTERS IN CONNEXION WITH THIS MS. a. The MS. as it now stands (excluding annotators, of whom we shall speak later under owners, &c.) is the work of five scribes, three of which were contemporary, one preceding and one succeeding them, so that the MS. is the product of three different ages. (1) The oldest, or original scribe, was an oriental Sephardi writing his part of the present MS., at the latest, towards the middle of the xIvth century. Although we possess now only leaves 14-36, 38-47, 49-120, of his hand, there is little doubt that he originally copied the whole work. Anyhow we possess absolute evidence that he must have written more than we have now in our hands of him, as the ends both of leaf 120 and leaf 140 clearly show. This scribe has a hand bold and full of character, and the part written by him is of surpassing correctness. Owing to this exactness and legibility, the MS. probably served as a standard copy from which fresh copies were continually made. While this fact accounts by itself for the uniformity of the present MS. in spite of the many supplements of which it consists, it accounts also, in conjunction with another fact (that of the paper not having been even originally strong; see leaves 15b, 362, &c.), for the original MS. becoming defective so early. 126 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 46. (2) When the original MS. had, towards the close of the xIvth century, become defective, first at leaf 140 and then again at leaf 120, the defect was supplemented by three contemporary Greek Sephardic scribes, first from leaf 141, and, shortly afterwards, from leaf 121. It is peculiar to the firstl of the three contemporary scribes, to whom a good deal of the supplement, including the very last leaf, is due, generally to represent the Most Holy Name by leW, whilst the original scribe gives it by z, and the other scribes write it either in the same way, or is, which last mode is sufficiently current in our own days2. The second of these hands will be best identified on leaf 227a, while the third' will be most easily identified on leaf 377b. Leaf 194 has been left blank by accident; as leaves 193 and 195 read on. (3) The MS. having within the first half of the xvth century become defective between leaves 233 and 306, a hand supplemented this defect. This hand is of Italo-Greek training; it is very legible, and the literature copied by it, being also on the latest manufactured paper, has the best appearance in the whole MS. b. The influence of the scribes has not been the only one on this MS.; that of the various owners has also been great. 1) A Greek Sephardic owner of the xIvth century, probably a Rabbanite, has some important corrections on the margins, &c. of the oldest part of the MS. He is best identified on leaf 47.a 2) A Greek Sephardic owner of the second half of the xvth century, whose hand we might almost describe as the sixth of scribes, has rendered considerable services to this MS. (1) by supplementing leaves 37 and 48; (2) by supplementing, chiefly on the margins, but occasionally also in the body of the MS., portions of the Ibn-'Ezra-literature, which had been accidentally forgotten by the various scribes; and (3) by giving remarks of his own, but in connexion with the literature before him; these remarks are not without value. From the way the supplements are executed we see that he must have had an Ibn-'Ezra-copy uniform with that of the scribe's; and from his own remarks again, that he knew Arabic (238b), and must have been not only a Rabbanite (260a), but also a Cabbalist (154b). 1 This scribe executed also a MS. of Rashi on the Pentateuch; see MS. Add. 1014. 2, which was attached to the inside of the binding of the present copy. 2 For an explanation of all these modes of representing the Tetragramma. ton, see Excursus VI. of this Catalogue. 3 This scribe has sometimes literature of his own under the name of -ai1ri wlrn; comp. leaf 331b, &c. No. 46.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 127 3) The MS. came at the end of the xvth, or at the commencement of the xvIth century, into the hands of a RI. Shelomoh b. Shemuel. See next paragraph. 4) In 1505 (,n~)V M"DI,) the just-named R. Shelomoh sold it to It. Shelomoh b. Daniyyel. See leaf 392b. Both these successive owners were, apparently, Qaraites; they have left no literary marks on the MS. 5) Within the last years of the xvIth century the MS. must have been in possession of R. Ya'aqob b. Shlemaryah Hakkohen, a Qaraite of Crimean training, and who, if we may judge from his spelling Hakkohen 1t,51i (see leaf 392b), was of no literary capacity. 6) In the year 1625 (,1"DY,) the congregation of'5~' were the owners of this MS., having received it on, or after, the death of the before-named R. Ya'aqob, from his son It. Chanokh, who presented it to them for holy purposes, i.e. for study (1''IP lp ~,1 W J *,*... W~D19 Vl). The man who wrote this notice and who was probably the Chakham or minister of the congregation, also provided the MS. with notes of a double nature, i.e. supplements of omissions and remarks of his own. If the latter are not of great, they are of some, value. The only thing we must guard against is his remark on leaf 309b:'I *12Y'n turn; in reality, there are fouer leaves wanting. His remark on 265a was at one time true; now the transposition he mentions there, is rectified. (The last three lines to be found on leaf 392b, which contain a sentence not entirely finished, seem to have been intended only as a repetition of the foregoing; they are probably no distinct mark of an owner.) 7) A seventh owner has left his mark of ownership on this MS. in a somewhat ludicrous way. About the xvII-xviIrth century an anonymous Qaraite pasted over the names of the previous owners, and wrote, on the paper covering them, a note purporting to give the names of the seven days of the week, as called by the Christians in Latin. Here is a specimen of this note: *..n'/ W1: (Dies Solis) D 1,l:~ tlN ~ (, no' (Dies Lunae, he not being able to distinguish the I, which he mistook for a &c.). He placed this note, probably, in explanation of leaf 138b (Ex. xvi. 1). c. As regards the use of this MS. it will be convenient to divide our statement concerning it into two paragraphs, i.e. regarding it in connexion with the past and in connexion with the future. 1) In connexion with the past the following will be of interest. (1) There is a great probability that this MS. (of course in its original state, when all or most was in the hand in which leaves 14-120 are now) was in the hands of R. Yoseph b. Eli'ezer Hassephardi, and that it was fromn this very MS. that he took his proofs against the authenticity of the 128 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 46. so-called Long Commentary on Exodus. For these are his words in the ninth proof alluded to before (A, a, (3), (2), a): ni Inns*:;n13 -lnI N ail mriv 13 ml nIvris NSwr nrn n nt lwnrnn... Irnl t: 7S Irnn~ 7ws lzlw~ nnun ntl 1Wanra Mn En'nn;lwb znDD Now, although it is not impossible, that other copies contained the same (and indeed, copies either copied from ours or the one ours was copied from, must have contained it), ordinarily this phrase was not found in the so-called Long Commentary. We remind the reader only of two facts, in the first place that it is not to be found in the printed editions, and in the next place, that, had it been common, R. Yoseph would not have laid such stress upon it (m21 nl]); and moreover the matter would have been noticed before him. As we know from the Oxford MS. containing Ibn Ya'ish the younger's supercommentary, which was copied by this R. Yoseph in 1375 (see Numbers 47 and 51 of this Catalogue), that the latter lived for some time at Canea (Khania) in Crete (Candia), and as what he quotes is actually to be found in our MS., whilst it is not known to be found in any other, we have a moral conviction that it is this very MS. he made use of in writing the mentioned preface. It is probable that our MS. in its later parts was also executed in Canea. (2) But another R. Yoseph, a man of the xvIIIth, or perhaps our own century, and a learned Qaraite (of the Crimean peninsula, if we may judge from his handwriting), made use of this MS. He left his mark on it, not by writing on the margins, or some such thing, but by leaving a little strip of paper inside of it, on which the following poem which gives the acrostic ~q1: is written: nrivnn ~O: it a:s:8P:9 XmD 5n'1t MnIM19nn t1nln IMn$$ nr 1$:n sn in(noun: =y 1 nprl I= nimnun nun nln mm1= This R. Yoseph is possibly the commentator of the mn'1 whose name in full was Yoseph Shelomoh Yeruishalmi, and who probably used this MS. while he was composing his supercommentary (see the description of MS. Add. 861 below, and especially note 2 there). 2) Having spoken of the use this MS. has been probably made of, we will urge on the learned the duty of using it (and this the sooner the better) for a critical edition of our great author's greatest work, the commentary on the Pentateuch. It is the peculiar gift of, and therefore, no doubt, the duty incumbent upon, our generation critically to reproduce the works of ancient authors. After a critical edition of Rashi on the Pentateuch has been attempted by Berliner (and this with considerable success; see No. 34 of No. 47.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 129 this Catalogue), it is unquestionably Ibn'Ezra's turn to be reproduced in a more careful way than has been done hitherto. And we feel it the more our duty to urge the use of this MS. in such a case at once, because of its material condition. d. This condition is indeed far from satisfactory. Besides the defects enumerated before, leaves 14-16 and 390-392 are seriously damaged, and more or less all the outer margins of the MS. are in process of decay. In various other places also the damp has done serious injury to this otherwise remarkable copy. [Library-mark, Add. 1014. 1; bought in 1873 from Fischl Hirsch.] No. 47. Paper, in' quarto, 8in. x 5b in.; 97 leaves, 8-sheet quires, 23 lines; Rabbinic character, Sephardic handwriting of the xivth century. Supercommentaries on Ibn'Ezra on the PENTATEUCH, &C.; defective. 1. [Len1n wave tr nnr1w: 1n1nn by PIN1Kmn w18D -I$ VItg] SUPERCOMMENTARY ON IBN'EZRA ON THE PENTATEUCH, BY R. SHELOMOH IBN YA'ISH THE YOUNGER; defective. i, blank; lb, Genesis; 20, Exodus; 41, Leviticus; 53;, Numbers; 63', Deuteronomy (65 wanting); 68', blank. Begins (leaf ib): (3'E) s Dnas:: Ins In by wo lto NVI K mt nI n an* fad nwst 1em jt~= SgK n,'one nws: n-nx at t-l ti.. n n::nrn wn nW-:I rnb Ends (leaf 68a): (imnnK m: na vS r iz n anon7 logo) b AS n Ntl "PI6V bN$ 1 For this phrase see Biscioni (8vo ed.), p. 226, and the ed. print. of Ramban on the Pentateuch (at the end of Exodus), where however it is given, not as an abbreviation, as it is here, but in full. 9 130 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 47. From whatever point of view we look upon this copy, whether as a book, or as a MS. as such, it claims the greatest attention. As a systematic exposition of Ibn'Ezra, it is in age the second or third, whilst in power and perspicuity it is second to none. This superiority is enhanced by the fact of the author's possessing Ibn'Ezra's autograph copy; see leaf 51M, lines 8 and 9 and Number 46 of this Catalogue, pp. 122, 125. That a very favourable opinion was long entertained of this work, will be seen from the fact, that, for hundreds of years, the explanations, given here, have been substantially, if not literally, reproduced, both by anonymous authors (see this Catalogue, pp. 104, 106), and by others whose names are known, e.g. Ibn ltUlD (MSS. Add. 1015. 2 and Add. 518), R. Yoseph b. Eli'ezerl (MS. Add. 510. 1), Ibn Mayor (MS. Add. 433), and Ibn Zarza (the Cr'n p11M2), passim. (With respect to the plagiarisms of this last, see Auerbach in Geiger, Jiid. Zeitschr. IV. p. 297 and Steinschneider, ibid. vI. p. 129, although neither of these scholars suspected that his chief source was our author.) As a MS. it is as old as any known, the Bodleian copy (Uri 106, Neubauer 232) being of the year 1375, whilst this copy is at all events at least as old, if we may judge from both paper and handwriting. It certainly lacks the commentary on Ibn'Ezra's preface, which is to be found in the Bodleian copy; but when we compare the style of that alleged exposition of the preface with that of the whole supercommentary we cannot but entertain grave doubts as to its genuineness2. As there is but little known concerning the Author3 of this important work (see Steinschneider Hebr. Bibliogr. [V:Y191] vI. p. 115, Note), the following list of his authorities, and some of the peculiarities which he exhibits, will be welcome to the student of Hebrew literature. We will only add, that although he may have been born at Guadalaxara (Uri 106), he certainly lived for some time in Provence, where he probably studied (see p. 131, Note 1); and he perhaps immigrated into Greece also. 1. Authorities: (1) Vn=q (416b; Hieronymus); (2) imn (55b); (3) Se'adyah Gaon; independently of Ibn'Ezra, 45b); That this R. Yoseph copied the Bodleian copy we have mentioned before (p. 128 of this Catalogue). 2 See, however, Biscioni (Svo. ed.), p. 335. 8 We have, as we believe, clearly shown in the preceding Number of this Catalogue, that our author was not merely a commentator on, and practical teacher of, Ibn'Ezra-literature, but that he exercised also some influence on the present shape of that writer's commentary on the Pentateuch. This gives him an even greater importance than he would have had in virtue of his own literature. No. 47.] COMMENTARIlES ON THE BIBLE. 131 (4);Dpnp", also WVW'1l, R. Yonah and also Ibn niA (4', 14b, 43b 44b, 49b); (5) Rashi, also Rash (206, 45b, 47b, 486, 48", 586, 616, 61", 62a and 67b); (6) Yeshu'ah (206); (7) Sepher'Itlil (41b); (8) Rambam (8b, 19a, 576, 61b); (9) R. Shemuel Ibn Tibbon (63"); (10) I R. Mosheh Ibn Tibbon (6b, 34'); (11).... 1,"fKl',q (i.e. R. Abraham b. David of Posquibres, 61b); (12) R. David Qimchi (158, 426, 45b); (13) Rab Nissim (40'); (14)...*:nln q iY t (without further specifying them, 316); (15) *... "t "7"1'i: "'1 sI K, also without'IN and again with 5:2 [i. e. ne't oIbe pnVsy in allusion to Ps. ixxxii. 7] after the name (136, 28b, 35, 386, 60'); (16) 1tJ 1" eA, also:. n np n, and *V11:'IK At (36b, 376, 39b and 52b); (17) 1.. t'j ~' 1w 1nnnalp II' en- n (52b); (18) t=] N t]l5 (30b; the matter is to be found in the supercommentary of R. Shemtob b. Yehudah Ibn Mayor, who cannot, however, have been the original author, as this MS. was, no doubt, executed before he was born; see MS. Add. 433, Number 52 of this Catalogue). 2. Peculiarities: (1) A"S and lD1~7 are standing phrases with him; (2) Although he professes to comment on Ibn'Ezra, he often contradicts him (see passim, but particularly 636, where he indignantly rejects Ibn'Ezra's well-known view, that there are thirty-three verses in the Pentateuch not written by Moses himself). (3) For the ordinary =ts1 (Ct3O) 1nt1Y &c. he has (leaf 25b): 2.V11I.n9.Wn It1N nl9pw V-115 I=3 nl$W nnnl V-1n Itn: 1 Don Comprad of Arles. The name Comprad occurs in Provence (Avignon) a hundred years later also; see Zunz, Literaturgesch. d. synag. Poesie, p. 525, under Jacob b. Chajim. 2 It is on the strength of these verses, or rather rhymes, that we ascribe to him the rhymes to be found in the MS. described in the preceding Number; which rhymes commence with the pericope a'tmu and go on, with very little interruption, to the end of the Pentateuch. 9- 2 132 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 47. (4) On the much-discussed tIVD (Ibn'Ezra on Ex. i. 13; Steinschneider in Geiger's Jud. Zeitsch. vI. p. 124) he has the following:.I$ Inon: ON:n nnnN: rmw1 110=n 1 l npntLn 1,vN Inn nitD,n vDn... iltl mn' b DKI -1*1$ 1D8 K"D *Ymps't*9ra wnnn nrli W) 1v ImnI nv r iM V~pVn iD nn mb nnmt D* nm mumna -low vsvi 111 In bin n InN ti ip $Pin 1:DD tYvm N$: n~n nn1r1a * n- nnvt$:K bn D I -In iZ Kbt$,)ln "`I I: 11 ~:IN llnz3ln t:n 1 11, ms.~niv rTvit I* l l N1 $ K ~'1~1'2 (5) The explanation of the mathematico-theological Excursus in Exodus, occupying eight leaves (20b —28a), precedes that of the ordinary commentary on that book. It is, no doubt, the author and not the scribe, to whom originally belongs the notice'I);,1 ni'nt2:lnn -I:, which is to be found where this Excursus and its explanation would ordinarily stand. (6) This commentary extends over all the Parshiyyoth of the Pentateuch, except rlnM, with respect to which the author says (leaf 36'):.. ~.. V 1 n36lY $ mrn f lwlq2:2. For additional information on this work see the description of MS. Add. 400. 12, and for additional information on this MS. see-below, and the description of MS. Add. 510. 1. 2. ['tDn jIN D01'* nnnnn "1$ St trs nptA wno r SUPERCOMMENTARY ON IBN'EZRA ON THE PENTATErICH, BY R. YOSEPH IBN KASPI. Leaf 69', Supercommentator's preface; 69b, Explanation of omsnentator's preface; 70b, Genesis; 77", Exodus; 86", Leviticus; 89', Numbers; 91Da Deuteronomy. Begins (leaf 69'): 3bb ai.Kt6 9 t:S t;1m:R ItIN NWK nm C1DU - t' W-16 rinnb 6i1v 5tA tWv -. ~:l*l* ",',Y,:: Dt:l n = q m n i, Ends (leaf 96'):'110 mnNV N11n1 nt'l 1'eni$ wvNi ISNI l-lt nDn 1lnntn nvWt so -lnn _I n..S nEnD:,~ lr3DO9 1*$: N$ nm iKN;n$n nrlDn m1Snw 6vW:1 n $rin.(lnK In.) IIN As far as the literature, on the whole, is concerned, this supercommentary is identical with MS. Add. 377. 3. 6 (No. 35. 6 in this Catalogue). As there, the following pericopes, because without the so-called Sodoth, are here also without a commentary: rl1'in, 2v1a', l'tD, V~1 and Tinl in Genesis; N IN, fS: l,,1,, " lp'l and sl:P~ in Exodus; 1Y, ]'3!, VnM, V-1m, mI* and'Vil in Leviticus;'flZn=, lnrwn, $ n# r nMrp, ,No. 47.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 133 npn, nt=2 and Ts in Numbers; tDW 1, N:1 en, =Y and n2n'l n1tl in Deuteronomy. As a MS. however, this copy is greatly superior. For more information concerning the rank which this commentary occupies in Ibn Kaspi's writings, see MS. Add. 857. 2 and Excursus II. 3. pwDn tnN 51t' D:n83rZ;5 liD] REASONS FOR THE SCALE OF VALUATION AS DETERIMINED IN THE TWENTYSEVENTH CHAPTER OF LEVITICUS, BY R. YOSEPH IBN KASPI; defective. Begins (leaf 96b): Breaks off (leaf 97b): iin: n, 1 *WV= nvlsy) Von,;t1V 1,zlSl 1~r -lp NO: nnsn1,1;t... This essay is, unquestionably, one, and probably the first, of the so-called Sodoth by Ibn Kaspi mentioned by R. Shelomoh, the owner of MS. Add. 377, in his Postscript (leaf 70b, outer margin); see this Catalogue, pp. 61, 62. As, unfortunately, this MS. breaks off with the third page, it is impossible to say of what extent this essay was, much less, of what extent the other essays were; and with respect to these latter, beyond the mere titles, what they contained. To judge, however, from this fragment, all had somewhat cabbalistic tendencies, despite the author's distinct assertion elsewhere2, that he was no depository of cabbalistic lore, as he had "received nothing". The scribe's name was probably Se'adyah, as that name is once distinguished by points (leaf 50a). He must have been a superior man alike in intelligence and conscientiousness, as the remarks in his hand on the margins amply show. He either lived in Africa, or was an African either by birth or education; probably both. The same kind of paper on which this MS. is written was to be had at Mostaganem about the middle of- the xIvth century (see MSS. Dd. 5. 38 and Dd. 11. 22). 1 The mqni=r- n~ is, apparently, different from, the matter which is to be found here on leaves 78b —80%, since R. Shelomoh, the index-writer of MS. Add. 377, would have noticed their identity on leaves 74a —76~ there and would not have re-copied the matter at the end of the Maamar Haskel; see MS. Add. 377. 3, leaf 70b, outer margin. 2 In the second Maphteach of the Menorath Keseph (on the m2:v-1 nmr) he says: InnMR. 5i XvinV nDnn -1Z1;1*5= nx JR'51M'DI W D1zV nnmnl n..nnw.,1 Y-.....,'D'DO Kr Nb~ 1, See 5,IS. Adc.. 857. 3, leaf 1a. 134 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 47. The following traces of ownership are to be found: (1) An Ashkenazic hand of the xIv-xvth century has numbered the leaves on the lower margin (the only traces of which numbering are to be found on leaves 40-43, 45 —47 and 49). This scribe has written scientific and Tal mudico-Rabbinical notes, &c. on leaves lb, 7', 21a, 21b and 45a. From leaf 60b we see that it is this hand which has supplied the designs in red, occasionally to be found, chiefly at the commencement of the weekly Parshiyyoth, but now and then also at fresh sentences. Another Ashkenazic hand of the xv-xvIth century has written the names of some of the Parshiyyoth and has re-numbered the leaves on the lower margin, and the greater portion of this numbering exists to this day. There are some learned notes on the margins of leaves 15a, 15b, 27a and 28' by the same hand. Another owner was R. Yoseph Shelomoh Graziano (see No. 40 of this Catalogue), who has written, in Italian Rabbinic, on leaf Ib, NWl) K",l V",rln m/: w"'t. ~ rill'l w"ir In -12: (lnN'ri; and on leaf 69', except that instead of NK",: is,l"l and that the last three words are left out altogether, the same phrase is to be found again. He did not know to whom either of the two commentaries belonged (see MS. Add. 510. 1, Flyleaf). (2) A still later owner was R. Yeudah Zerachyah Azulai of Jerusalem, a grandson(?) of the great Bibliographerl, who has written on leaf 1' (=lt m11D) U"C) sK9'6t tnemt m-russy vpvi n8nlr nrni snn rin ram rit; and again a second time the name and the above abbreviation only. These are in Rabbinic Sephardic writing. To him, probably, belongs also the entry, n3aYn band pens nt Nsr T In n-18rn:1fi l:nr11 1Inn 7 1K1M1 ageZ NK=1, which is to be found on the same page, but which is in square Sephardic. This owner also did not know to whom either of the two commentaries belonged (see as above). Besides the defects enumerated, the first leaf is a little torn, and the whole MS. is slightly stained. Part of it is also somewhat damp, and leaves 66-94 are bored through in one place, probably by the authorities of the Quarantine (in Italy?). The paper, however, is stout; and the MS. is not in bad condition. [Library-mark, Add. 510. 2; bought in 18G9 from H. Lipschiitz.] 1 According to a testimonial by RR. Yoseph b. Rephael and Betzaleel b. Yisrael Mosheh Hakkohen, the Rabbis of Wilna (1-=1n~, x. No. 5, p. 40), our R. Yeudah Zerachyah was a grandson (t=) of R. Chayyim Yoseph David Azulai, the author of the Shem Haggedolim, &c. He is there asserted to have owned, besides other valuable MS. works, the Yerushalmi of Seder Zera'im and Massekheth Sheqalim with the commentary of B. Shelrlooh i'w~m-v. (0n this last-named R;abbi see our description of MS. Oo. 1. 24. 2.) No. 48.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 135 No. 48. Paper, in quarto, 8 in. x 6 in.; 64 leaves, mostly' 6-sheet quires, 24 lines; current character, German Ashkenazic handwriting of the xv-xvith century. Bst. Gus h vir'8I;111, ir "g:rwn wt)l i; Writ] Supercomrnmentary on Ibn'Ezra on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish the younger; incomplete. Leaf la, Genesis; 22b, Exodus; 39b" Leviticus; 47b, Numbers; 56', Deuteronomy; 62a —64b, blank. Begins (leaf 1l): aft nVNImn nnsn1g n"Wsm:...nn > ken ~Swl Nvl n emn sol... nudism:1 I= tinn n ewsy nvm us nnw'em tnwi nnnnnS Breaks off (leaf 61b; in Ibn'Ezra on Deut. xxxiii. 6): I IN (Allnn MSNV w nv1 DM'1m * The way in which this MS. of a most valuable work (it is identical with part 1 of the preceding number) breaks off here, is a fair sample of the mode of the execution of the whole. It must have been transcribed from a copy full of mistakes and lacunas. Thus the greater portion of the most interestfing passage on Paradise (by Ibn $18V; see No. 44 of this Catalogue) is missing, as are also the important passages on the omniscience of God (11b) and the creation of the world out of nothing (47a). The explanation of the Parashath PITrn is promised to come after M21fJl nurt; but part follows this promise immediately, while the other part is not given at all. The Parashath'nlPrlZ in Leviticus is to be found between the first and second Parshiyyoth of Numbers (48b). In Parashath S:~ the passage on the Nazir is almost entirely missing; as are also, in various places of the MS., the most important names and most instructive passages. Yet this MS. is far from being utterly without value. In the first place this MS. is not defective where the other copy is, and secondly it represents a:wholly independent text. We find, on leaf 57b, a quotation, not to be found in the other copy, which is there (leaf 65) defective, from an earlier Sepher Yochasin (a halakhic treatise on inheritance, &c.) than the one so well known. We learn also, that when the author in one place calls R. Meir b. Daxvid'g, he does so out of mere veneration for his teacher', and not The exception is the last quire, which has 8 sheets. 2 2 Kings ii. 12 ald iii. 21. 136 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. LNo. 49. because he was really his father, seeing that he gives the same title, according to this copy (38a), to his other teacher R. Levi Hakkohen (. ~ ~. The scribe's name was Ya'aqob (see 6b, 14b, &c., where this word is distinguished by points). This Ya'aqob is also the copyist of other parts of MS. Add. 400. The leaves of MS. Add. 400 having been twice numbered (in the upper margin), once in Hebrew and once in Arabic; this work occupies leaves 362% —425b in the former and 781a —845b in the latter numbering. For owners see the description of MSS. Add. 400. 1 and 2 below. The material condition of the MS,, except that it has been pierced quite through in two places, probably by the authorities of the Quarantine (in Italy?), is excellent. L[ibrary-mark, Add. 400. 12; bought in 1868 from H. Lipschiitz]. No. 49. Paper, in folio, 10 8 in., x 8 in.;. 92 leaves, 5-sheet quires, 29 lines; Rabbinic character, fine Sephardic handwriting of the XIVth century. ['Wr'Inll I v i Nrxt Writ i: WritS Nr1v] w-lnn n(7= Supercommentary on Ibn'Ezra on the PENTATEUCH by R. Shemuel b. Se'adyah Ibn tt2; defective. 1 i.e.,=e,enf. 2 From this copy (leaf 1b), MS. Add. 518 (leaf 1f, see next number of this Catalogue), and the copy preserved in the Court-Library of Vienna (see Goldenthal, Die neuerworb. handschriftl. hebr. Werke... Wien, 1851, 4to, p. 6), but particularly from the acrostic with which commences the author's rn-,nc nnwin *(see the decription of MS. Add. 1015. 1, below), and which gives Shemuel ben Se'adyah Ibn tin~ (... yi ny7l:ara jlut...; see the Bodl. copy, Mich. 545, olim 138, leaf 131a), it will be seen that the transliteration Motot, as most give it, is, to say the least, as yet insufficiently certain. This was, no doubt, instinctively felt by the exact Wolf (Bibl. Hebr. III., p. 1113); who, however, wavers between Mothoth and Mittoth (!). No. 49.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 137 Leaf la, blank; 1b, Supercommentator's preface; 2", Explanation of commentator's preface; 5a, Genesis; 26a, Exoduzs (30 wanting); 50b, Leviticus; 64", Numbers; 75~a Deuteronomy; 92b, blank, Begins (leaf lb): 1...,,p: Inu N I1 nl112`g vln Ni,,n 1 En pnoi Ends (leaf 92a): m111111V n, TO InnS i: Dn n nwlnn an yv D: nit'AInnn WSWI 1jn1... I1"1$Ia,,n$l v Nn1$ naw,, w / n 6= nn I' dy srvp en-;vrivw -TV n7: 1rN,,'vw1 1-5=1 (Ps. lxXXi. 53 1*x,1 InN'1v) srlnz) Although this supercommentary has been printed twice (Venezia, 1553, 4to; Amsterdam, 1721, Folio), something more concerning it, its author, his other works and the authorities he quotes in this work, will not be deemied out of place. If Steinschneider (Bodl. Catal. p. 2457) states, and his statement is correct enough, that the Amsterdam edition (of the so-called;1alt2 nlWnD*) contains only an abridgment of the Venice edition, it must be added, that the latter in its turn seems to be another (and earlier?) recension, and but a poor representative, of the work as it lies before us in the present MS.; a fact which may be ascertained by a cursory collation of most passages. This MS., as well as also MS. Add. 518, and finally also that belonging to the Court-Library of Vienna (see above, p. 136, Footnote 2), are a (later?), fuller and considerably better recension2; and of these three again this copy is, whatever its shortcomings may be as a manuscript, the more valuable one when viewed as a work. L This is probably an abbreviation of lnpt T8:a inpmK, which is the latter part of Ps. lxxi. 16, slightly tran'sposed. It is possible that it is, at the same time, a contraction of the scribe's name, which would explain the transposition. That it cannot be a simple contraction of the scribe's name, however, is clear from Add. 1015. 1, at the end of which it also occurs, but with this difference, that it is there placed before the formula "x'b:a. 2 There are only a few passages which are more fully worded in the printed edition than here, e. g. the mathematico-astronomical Excursus in the pericope urin ID, where we here miss the quotations from Ibn Ezra's nw1n/i nrn (see MS. Add. 475), and which is to be found in the Venice edition, leaf 35a (i.e. 33a as the pagination there is wrong), col. 2; and the pericope ~np'i which has no commentary and concerning which it says (leaf 49b) r11n: i-Vr5 ~ nn rntv,: l'N (see MS. Add. 518, leaf 47a where the same words are to be read), whilst the Venice edition (34a) has one on the so-called Other Recension, i. e. the ordinary, or Long Commentary (see later). In most cases, however, the matter of the passages apparently fuller in the printed editions, is not missing, but is to be found in other places. 138 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 49. The author was an Arabic-speaking' Rabbi of the xIvth century and lived at Guadalajara (Guadalaxara2), of which place he probably was a native. He was a man of great eminence in Talmud, Qabbalah, Philosophy, &c. In Philosophy (particularly in Astronomy and Astrology, both of which formed at that time part of it) he was a zealous follower of Ibn'Ezra (see passim, but particularly leaf 15a, where he says: Thny:I.... ~.,n'I i l 1i:=l nlrnn n 7nl 71,n ni11o*o, and leaf 60a, where he says: 11nlVN nt1X,nlrn n(l~m)o nnz ot: n',n:-1 nyn-I.). In Talmud and Qabbalah, on the other hand, he was a zealous follower of Nachmanides (see passim, but particularly in the pericope 1I', leaf 87b, where he says: V"'N3't t~' i:'~ O'DD fv1 %,flrlntnln V'; %l n ~ ~,... "; compare also leaf 73"). And although he defends Ibn'Ezra against the charges, brought against him by Nachmanides and many others, that he thought and spoke lightly of the Rabbis, he does so, apparently, to guard himself, as his commentator, against similar reproaches (see preface, after the word WYIX%6, leaf 1l, which portion is not to be found in the printed editions). But he has a small opinion indeed both of Ibn Ezra's orthodoxy and of his knowledge of Talmud and Qabbalah. He repeatedly charges him with having unlawfully dislocated well-connected verses (see, for instance, leaf 87b, where he says: Dnl... I21%n as;1: n] 11=, In;-I,'W Vlt WVl) and with not having penetrated deeply enough into the cabbalistic spirit of the rabbinical sayings (see leaves 27a, 35b, 36a, 48b, 56 ). Of his other works the author mentions here only the R1l')MV KID2. a direct cabbalistic commentary on the whole Pentateuch (although now there are only fragments of it known) and the rnl:in1;l:I2, a cabbalistic tripartite compendium, the middle part of which is a commentary on the,i11T'1= (see the description of MS. Add. 1015. 1 below). The Megalleh'Amuqoth he mentions on almost every page and sometimes twice or even thrice, whilst the Meshobeb Nethiboth is only occasionally mentioned byhim. R. Abraham b.David Hallevi's work (,.4ji ia-il) he seems not to have translated when he wrote the present work, as he mentions that work by its Arabic name (see later). Neither had he, at 1 That our author was an Arabic-speaking Rabbi will be seen not merely from the Ibn prefixed to the surname, but also from the numerous technical terms in Arabic occurring in this, and another, work of his (MS. Add. 1015. 1). He was, moreover, the translator of R. Abraham b. David Hallevi's rm,pty rr*y5K (see later) into Hebrew (Steinschneider as above). 2 See MS. Add. 1015. 1, in the last line but one of which it says:...on.n ri,'qKmb n, - in-glm St NMel ax m rUm:. n That our author lived in 1370 was known to Zunz more than thirty years ago (see Eine merkwiirdige Medaille in Jost's Annalen, II. p. 156, col. 2); but both he (in 1840) and-Steinschneider (in 1862) were apparently ignorant of the place where this author wrote. No. 49.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 139 that time, written his other two (?) works, on ern:l (if he ever did so at all) and the'iS nilFinl (discovered by Steinschneider; see Bodl. Catal. as before); at least, he makes no mention of these. Of the authorities, and works by others, which he quotes in this supercommentary, we need give references only to the productions of Ibn'Ezra and such as belong to periods after him, stating only in a general way, that our author mentions repeatedly the works of Aristotle and their Arabic commentators (see also p. 141 below, Note 1); and that of Jewish authorities before Ibn'Ezra he mentions the'll1 (40b); but not the li'lt, although he knew of it; see description of MS. Add. 1015. 1 below), Se'adyah Gaon, R. Yonah, Ibn ~1'1, R. Yoseph Ibn 1n''1n2, Rashi and others. 1. Of Ibn'Ezra's works he quotes the following: a. Commentaries on the Bible. (1) The so-called Other Recension to Genesis, by which is meant the commentary, of which a fragment is to be found in Otzar Nechmad, 11. p. 218. It extended unquestionably over the whole of that book (and not as Mortara thinks); see leaf 22b, where a reference to it as late as on nriVl (Gen. xxxii. 20) is givenl. He quotes this commentary sixteen times. (2) The so-called Other Recension to Exodus, by which is meant the commentary ordinarily to be found in the Bible editions, since our author as well as other supercommentators (see MSS. Add: 510. 1 and Add. 433, &c.) commented on the Short commentary (see p. 90 of this Catalogue). He quotes this commentary thirty-six times. (3) On Joshua, concerning which it says here (leaf 88b):... u~n plnni u~s s wn, lhw NV=D I'm *... (4) On Isaiah, which he quotes three times (5b, 36a and 55a). (5) On the Minor Prophets, which he also quotes three times (86", Haggai, 19b and 85b, Zechariah). (6) On the Psalms, which he quotes six times (6, 6b, 13, 15b, 18a, 19a). (7) On the Proverbs, concerning which he says (48a): V1IVD 1lWt... l.iiK, see p. 90 of this Catalogue. (8) On Job (28). (9) On Lamentations (638). (10) On Ecclesiastes, which he quotes five times (6 l, 8, 78, 79b 80'). (11) On Daniel (68). 1 Whether the, MS. in possession of Jellinek which is supposed to contain -this O.ther eeension does really contain it needs farther investigation; see our description of MS. Add. 510, 1, below. 140 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 49. b. Other treatises of grammatical, theological, mathematical and astronomical (astrological) import: (1) n n (5a, 18b, 26b). (2) 1in, n1 (26b). (3);:st= (22'2 74', 76 b). (4) 7'I'iU -'= (73b). (5) namn zm: (11, 28', 29b). (6) =ln Im: (6', 22b, 31b 35'). (7)'1VZ'1TS, which he quotes twelve times (7b, 13b, 26a, 27, 29', 31', 38, 44', 46", 56", 6lb 63b). (8),nnir't1,t na 1Wy (sb; which is, no doubt, not only identical with the book of the same name in MS. Dd. 10. 68, leaves 248b250a, but also with the,DtDV 1 07 I -lnrnn11 nrVIV9, MS. Add. 400. 11. 2 and the nD.n=1i Db'I't L.Ii'. nr.TVy quoted in MS. Add. 518, leaf 6'; comp. Kerem Chemed, iv. pp. 1-5). (9) Cbmmentary on the IV'It ~DD ((5b, 7b, 8, 18b, 29'). (10) N1u.it -1D (72 b).' (11) V'"DSY~3t'l (40b, 49b, 70, 80'). (12) rDirin ntI'1 (7"; see MS. Add. 481). (13) nM rD-It'ID: (11', 13', 20', 91a; see MS. Add. 481). (14) nlt12n q w13 (11b). (15) ns'mvnr, nllt?, w1W V (40b). (16) tl'srr-i',1 VID (43a). It is not impossible that the last-named three titles may mean only one and the same book; the last two very probably do so. 2. R. Abraham b. David (t'1N'7) Hallevi, or the Elder (22", where he also mentions his l,3'1,Ppy~, and 35b). 3. Maimonides (25b, whose,illq',.JD he quotes). 4. R. Yoseph Qimchi (89b; see MS. Add. 518, leaf 77", where it reads David instead of Yoseph). 5. Nachmanides, whom he quotes fourteen times (15b twice, 22", 33", 42", 44, 55', 61, 66", 69', 73', 82', 86", 87 ). 6.'1y ln' (i.e. RI. Yitzchaq b. Yoseph Ibn Yisrael, 2', 34', 58", 64b; see MS. Oo. 6. 68). 1 This book was, according to R. Shemtob b. Yehudah Ibn Mayor (MS. Add. ]433, leaf 127b), originally written in Arabic and afterwards translated (by whom?) into Hebrew. Compare No. 52 of this Catalogue, below, No. 49.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 141 7. R. Chayyim Ibn Yisrael (the brother of the foregoing; IP, where he also quotes his JTI PD'COND, llb, 14-; see the description of MS. Add. 433 below). 8. R. Yoseph Ibn'INp1 (i.e. Don Yoseph b. Abraham; 9b. See this Catalogue, p. 109 and the Bodl. MS., Mich. 545, olim 138, leaf 136a, where our author quotes Ibn NPl1's work L$1Zi'~n). 9. R. Yehudah (MS. Add. 518, leaf 8b, has 1101n) b. Nissim b. ~g~ (8'). o10. W']prin (15, 35b, 36b, 38, 40, 61b). 1I. lW]=]]Nl II (15, 21, 44, 47, 80, 8Ob). 12. nm.,,: (9b, 23a, 29-, 84). 13. ~3DtH - lPr (13'). 14. 1!,prlDM D1n (32a). 15. WAi:',llrt (38b, 40b and W1t'lD'l n SDnI 67b, 82a). 16. WsNrnr, in w njni (9b) Regarding the original scribe we may say, that, although we know him neither with precision, nor even with certainty, his name probably lies within the Chiffre -r'$ (see p. 137 above, Note 1). His individual name may have been Eliyyah, El'azar or some other, commencing with ~b whilst his surname was Ibn Tzur, or Tzaddiq, or some other, commencing with 2. But he was, no doubt, an Arabic-speaking Sephardi, as the peculiar character of several of his letters warrants us to believe (the q, p, &c.). He, probably, also belonged to Guadalajara, or its neighbourhood, for as this copy can scarcely have been executed much later than 1375 or 1380, the MS. was probably copied where the work had been composed. The hand is of singular beauty and the work of surpassing correctness. His only fault is, that the spaces left for the diagrams on leaves 2b and 28" have been left blank k. A later hand, of the xv-xvIth century, and also that of a Sephardij who, was in all probability, an owner, has made some entries on leaf 92b, the whole of which had been left blank by the original scribe. The matter relates to Ibn'Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, and consists partly of short explanations and partly of what the scribe considered the correct 1 Of these are specified: Ibn Sina (Avicenna), 7b, 9", 11", 14"; Abunazr, 7b, 9a, 15", 44a; Abuchamid, 9b; Ibn Roshd (Averroes), 7b, 15". On this last-men. tioned page he speaks of his (Averroes') rn, zr ia. 2 Anybody who knows the importance of the smallest clue to an anonymous scribe's name will appreciate even the reduction of a doubt from within a vast, to one within a small, range of speculation. 3 The same has, no doubt, also been the case with respect to the diagram, which ought to have stood on leaf 30, now missing. 142 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 49. readings of the text. The whole amounts to eight pieces, all of which refer to the first Excursus of Exodus. A considerable portion, however, is absolutely illegible, and some of the rest can be read only with great trouble. Another Sephardic owner, of the xvi-xvIIth century, has written emendations on leaves 20b and 25a; the writing on the latter leaf is more of the current character. Another Sephardic owner, of the same period, but somewhat later, has re-written the antichristian passage on leaf 24a, which had been erased by an anonymous censor. He has also written an emendation on the outer margin of leaf 66a. A fourth owner, of the xvII —xvIIth century, and also a Sephardi, has written, in Rabbinic character, the title of the book (n nr: ni'=). To this hand are also due: (1) the catchwords at the end of the lower margin, and (2) the numbering of the quires there, which numbering, however, is wrong. A fifth owner, a Sephardi of the xvIITth century, has written on leaf 1a, in square' character, the title of the book, and, also on 50b, under the original scribe's writing of the same, the first three words of Leviticus. To a sixth owner, a Sephardi, and also of the xviiith century, are due the words MntMl'Da N1pM, on leaf 1^. For the connexion of this MS. with the Colleges of R. Yomtob Ibn net:1. and R. Mosheh Shime'on Shelomoh, &c., see the description of MS. Add. 1015. 1, below. The state of the MS. is unfortunately, very unsatisfactory. Most of the margins have suffered considerably from damp; which makes the MS., in very many places, quite illegible, and leaves 2 —21 are worm-eaten. Yet, considering both the age and the correctness of the transcription, and, above all, its value for the textual criticism of Ibn'Ezra's commentaryl, few MSS. will be able to stand a comparison with it. [Library-mark, Add. 1015. 2; bought in 1873 from Fischl Hirsch.] 1 If R. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish had the advantage of using Ibn Ezra's autograph copy, our author had, in his turn, the advantage of collating a great number of old copies of it, which he critically sifted. Thus we find, on almost every page, one or other of the following phrases: rnprw,;, wnwn... r.ntv ram1, W1ewn Min txa, he2 IxerNn 1, nnos1 f;nvyn Ixse n 1, nneprVrn nwpu, his a rfPuM nwn Y'Irn e... 0-:S: >I, Wevs Kr;vuz NvKwnd, =nrl; InrW 51 nip 7n Z31u,, &C. The phrase, however, most frequently used in connexion with. this critical sifting is niu" Nin 1I. No. 50.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 143 No. 50. Paper, in quarto, 8~ in. x 5b in.; 80 leaves, 8-sheet quires, 40-42 lines; Rabbinic character, Sephardic handwriting of the xvth century. rni nn[n i- by "I-1 VWr it Wr-bit bo vw'n] l1J@ Supercommentary on Ibn'Ezra on the PENTATEUCHi, by R. Shemuel b. Se'adyah Ibn Vt\]1; defective.?, Supercommentator's preface; 1~, Explanation of commentator's preface; 5;, Genesis (17 wanting); 27b,.Exodus; 45b, Leviticus; 57b, Numbers (65-67 wanting); 68, Deuteronomy (78-80, the last leaf probably blank, wanting). Begins (leaf la): -nnnr img nn * *In non~n... */:,*'Di.... D': ininn vv winin... n* Breaks off (leaf 77", on Deut. xxxii. 13; Venice ed. leaf 51", col. 2): n n=31 IIn 1val nnpM 1n1M Inn 11S:1= lw t D t n 1n'1 n in aa... I blwn Sr N1'1 rinum ti nnrmnm n prlDn This MS., as a work, agrees, on the whole, with the work described in the preceding number; the few deviations are pointed out there. As a MS., however, although originally much inferior to MS. Add. 1015. 2, it has its own peculiarities and its own history, which deserve to be pointed out. The scribe's name was, probably, Zerachyah as'It is to be found twice (leaves 43' and 76a) at the head of marginal notes by the original copyist. He has the peculiarity of continually giving by abbreviation ($"I1n) the author's frequent phrase of I1:WV NI1; (1~) 1' (see p. 142 of this Catalogue, Note). To this copyist belongs the drawing and filling out of the diagrams (with the exception of the filling out of that on leaf 29a, for which see later). The words:1'1:2 NSD, in elegant Sephardic square character, which are to be found on the inside of the binding, probably also belong to him. They, of course, refer to a much older work than Romanelli's..The following marks of ownership are to be found in this MS. (1) On the margins (passim) is to be noticed a Greek hand of the xvIth century which has supplied numerous corrections, &c. The same owner has filled out the second diagram (on 29a) and also written on the inside of the binding a memorandum of a debt due to him and to his partner (or partners). From the coin (W=:f) there mentioned it is clear that the writer lived in Turkey. 144 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 5I. (2) An ungraceful Sephardic hind has scrawled on leaf 1a the words: crln ni' ~W' Mn i. The writer of this belonged to the xvnI —xviiith century; and he also lived, no doubt, in Turkey, where the Chakkims are found. The condition of the MS. is, apart from the missing leaves enumerated before, far from satisfactory. The paper, originally brittle, has suffered much from damp. The MS. has, apparently, been immersed (in part) in salt water, so that the upper portion, particularly that of leaves 1-3, is almost entirely illegible. Leaf 18 is badly torn and the whole MS. is somewhat stained, soiled and worm-eaten. [Library-mark, Add. 518; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 51. Paper, in quarto, 8- in. x 57 in.; 96 leaves, 4-sheet quires, mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, German Ashkenazic handwriting of the xvth century. nuns r' i,rm by r".kIN by wlbD Mirn] eira mit Supercommentary on Ibn'Ezra on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Yoseph b. Eli'ezer b. Yoseph of Saragossa. Leaf la, Superconmmentator's preface; lb, Explanation of commentator's preface; 50, Genesis; 45b, Supercommentator's preface to Exodus; 46a, Exodus; 75b, Leviticus; 85', Numbers; 89b, Deuteronomy. Begins (leaf lP): nnw1 N: Ka. nnn r:- n1= m.1ttp7r rn V-11 i: o.mc)1 nmvu w)nvwas N:P Wnl:1nn EM) 1"rv n"3 scw' -i Ntpr n 1 qoi~ nw (!) n9 P ni-n rin...W l)pn nt.IKt~K'Nw1 is IMN -I-I nm:: -IVN w:$w n Jn (lnr lr Din Ends (leaf 96b): nThrri s phras v' ie,:3 p 1VV Vii= som ewhan rr sinv wel- 1kt1now X This phrase is somewhat rare. It is a transposition of the well-known 1 nyv'"''w with a slight addition. This latter phrase is a contraction of Is. lvii. 2. See Index of Abbreviations at the end of this Catalogue. No. 51.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 145 An extract from this work is extant under the name of q1 iS'T in the so-called MtMl= n]lWXln (see p. 123 of this Catalogue, Note 1), which latter contains, besides the text of Ibn'Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, extracts from three supercommentaries upon it, i.e. the'$1'rnp1 by R. Shemuel b.,l1: Ibn Zarza (Mantova, 1559, Folio), the Winnr IIr$ (numbers 49 and 50 of this Catalogue) and the Mn]p nra1 (the present work). As regards the value of this printed extract we may remark that it is not, and indeed cannot be, very great. For, apart from the fact of it being a mere extract, the peculiar reasons for it being so, which are partly given by the editor himself and partly by Jellinek and ourselves (see later), make it, when compared with a well-preserved and bona-fide copy of this work, almost wholly worthless. R. Yequthiel Lazi, the editor of the "Margalioth Tobah", assures us (see Editor's Note preceding the preface of the " Ohel Yoseph", that within that preface, as also that on leaf 153b and elsewhere), that the MS. before him was defective, illegible and worm-eaten, or he would have given us much more of this excellent work. On examination, however, we find that all the critical passages (such, for instance, as bear on the date of the composition of the Pentateuch, &c.) are missing. Now we are far front impugning the editor's veracity, and sharing Jellinek's views, that the omissions are due to fear on the part of the editor, and other but similar reasons (jnly 1~, 27. Heft, p. 34); we think, on the contrary, that there can be little doubt, that it was an owner before R. Yequthiel Lazi, who had not distinctly called the "Tzaphenath Pa'neach" an excellent work, who removed all these critical passages. Anyhow, we must confess that, be this as it may, the printed extract does not represent this work in its most important points. Our author was a Spaniard by birth, who travelled, however, to various other countries, as Palestine (leaf 1a), Syria (ibid.), Greece (p. 128 of this Catalogue). He composed this supercommentary for R. David b. Yehoshua' Hannagid (leaf 1I &c.), a descendant of the celebrated Maimonides, whose own and whose descendants' full genealogyl for thirteen generations we on this occasion get (leaf 1" and Ib). From this genealogy on the one hand, from a passage, in which the author attacks Nachmanides2, on the other 1 This genealogy runs thus: vivin'~ In, ivii arC'1'` n1-m, -1,n... tUR: 7re'M 1Y,'-IU D1:1 S mn 1V,l" 3fi 7: i zn 11 I j'" D _n41 7n 11,11IM1...'% nlu'- c rrri,'tr:n 17, 7 " ~ le 1;-T'- 11,1'7-;n J Compare Maimonides' subscription to his rl)wtDn U w-r. 2 Leaf 69b (comp. Ibn'Ezra's short Commentary on Ex. xxviii. 30), the following passage is to be found:..nS c 1nv-mV'K nbn3 uyn nt ^n 51 "Z 1,na- m nPK A: n ",wp 1c o p.c'v K nru1T V'Ull' 1'3 01b2 nVT~'n n111 MI= WX 1nNU N:) ~X p vJn1 )1ny Xm ntnT r14p...nn:p rn-nI eN-1 Kt nutmni n m " n n n numan N= i'4; comp. also Geiger's Jiid. Zeitschr. I. p. 222. (That, however, Nachmanides was not the author of this statement will be clearly shown in Excursus II.) 10 146 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 51. hand, and finally from the fact, that our R. Yoseph is the copyist of the Bodleian MS. containing the supercommentary of R. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish the younger on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch (see pp. 128, 136 of this Catalogue): we find that the work before us must have been composed during the latter half.of the xIvth century. The literary means at our. author's disposal for so important a work were, comparatively speaking, not very great. That he knew Arabic.(a language, which was at that time absolutely necessary in order to be able to read the Greek-Arabic philosophers), we know from leaves Ib, 28a and 57a, &c. But who could have believed that the Midrash Rabbah was only known to him at second hand (lob)? That he was acquainted with synagogal poetry which is to be found only in the Ashkenazic ritual or its offshoots (46b and 59b), was an advantage for which he probablyl was indebted to the fact of having visited Greece, where Ashkenazim had early settled (see the description of MS. Add. 542 below). As alluded to before (p. 123 of this Catalogue), our author was one of the first to draw the attention of the learned world to the fact that others besides Ibn'Ezra had something to do with the works that go by the name of the latter. This view is not only to be found in the second preface (to Exodus; leaf 45a), but also on leaf 41a, where he says: P1,~W f1'Ik',n oin ~nt2n; leaf 64b, where he says that KVn In is a mistake for 21'~p, and that this mistake is owing to one of his disciples; and leaf 46a, where he distinctly names as one of these disciples, R. Yoseph l5'nD, or %5"1D2 (commonly ~]lqlt2). Whilst he states this his conviction, no doubt, in the first place, in the interest of truth, he uses it next as one of the means gallantly to defend his author, whom he veritably idolises (leaf 1"), against aspersions (leaves 57- and 71-, &c.). Otherwise we learn from this commlentary only three more interesting facts in connexion with the works of Ibn'Ezra, i.e. (1) that the so-called First Recension2 on Genesis was in our author's hands; (2) that the commentary on Proverbs was not in his hands (indeed, no commentator but Ibn Kaspi seems ever to have seen it; see pp. 90, 91 of this Catalogue); and (3) that Ibn'Ezra wrote two commentaries on Job. 1 If this was our author's only visit to Greece, it would lead us to the conclusion that this commentary was composed after 1375. 2 If the MS. believed by Jellinek to contain the First Recension on Genesis (pnt,,=n:q; 27, p. 34, Note; comp. this Catalogue, p. 139, Note) really does so, it can only be an incomplete copy; since the present MS. also cites the important passage (leaf 23b) which Jellinek says is not to be found there. But it must not be forgotten, that there may be, or have been, several earlier Recensions on Genesis in existence, one that of which Mortara's is a fragment, and another, which forms, or formed, part of the grammatical commentary on the whole Pentateuch (Otzar Nechmad, II. pp. 222, 223, Note). Indeed, wherever he went on his travels, Ibn'Ezra seems to have composed commentaries and other works at the request of his admirers (comp. Luzzatto, Kererm Chemed, IV. p. 132). 1No. 51.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 147 Of other authors he quotes: (1) The'Arukh (40b). (2) Qimchi (24b). (3) Nachmanides (69b). (4) R. Yoseph Wal{WY (42b and 69b. (5) R.(!) Abraham %Np'l1g (83b). There are a few more points of interest in connexion with this copy as a work to be mentioned: (1) The author has the peculiarity of quoting any. passage from a prophet, if that constitute a prophetic portion of a week, by the name of the pericope to which it belongs. (2) The pericopes CHOW, VI=SYD and MClm are without a commentary here, just as they are in the printed edition. (3) Leaves 26' and 39b have two Antichristiana of some interest. (4) The diagrams were, no doubt, originally conceived by the author. As regards this copy as a MS. we remark, that it is, on the whole, exceedingly well copied, and that the lacunae to be found on leaves 4b and 31b, are in reality much smaller than one would at first sight think. The diagrams on leaves 2', 2b, 7a, 8, 18S, 36b, 85", are, if not artistically, yet intelligently, executed. Two Italian censors have entered their names on leaf 1P: Fr. Hipp. 1602, and Fra Gir~. da durallano(?) 1640. Of owners we have on leaf P1 the following signatures: V"'n'r m11a: V"1 A'l, I$v~ v r 1 ktv' I l ~"''n~ 5n'sS:1 w1 nt (see p. 134 of this Catalogue), the last three abbreviations of which occur again on leaf 96b, and Y"'D, rrl?, ilTln,' 1f. On the fly-leaf is the following entry by the former owner: Wann'In C ll8n DS= M$ t al;t Szly, Bri I ntrp$N -Iy nla -in mD nv On the same fly-leaf we read by the latter owner something similar: 1C ~ 13: KIn t) s rnn Wpv v"mrin nw Vrs wnin 9tv),T' 1 1=1 n~ty22 tz a l enn o )ln w:~n N1,11 n av n, - Im (Ipu *SN$1t;rrrn-T mw *S::: t-Nnsn 1:1 $N1*3W's;1$ Spun It will thus be seen: (1) That while both these owners knew the title of the first of these four commentaries, the latter owner (Y. Z. Azulai), who lived after the 10-2 148 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 52. publication of the so-called Margalioth Tobah recognised the identity of the "Ohel Yoseph" and the Tzaphenath Pa'neach, as he speal s of the latter as existing in print (Dtlln V'VV1). (2) That neither of these learned owners knew that the second and third of these four commentaries were those of Ibn Ya'ish and Ibn Kaspi respectively. (3) That even as late as Azulai's time the fourth commentary (by R. Shemuel Ibn K1{1) still formed part of this volume. To our great regret such is no more the case, this fourth commentary having been cut out (and cabbalistic matter having been substituted; see MS. Add. 510. 3), before the volume came into this Library. This regret is the greater as very little is otherwise known of this R. Shemuel's commentary (comp. nwrl, v. 4, p. 39.) The MS. is in a most excellent condition. [Library-mark, Add. 510. 1; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz. ] No. 52. Paper, in quarto, 8-1 in. x 6 in.; 240 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 26-27 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, fine Sephardic handwriting of the xvIth century.'17 -1-111vN Upr r" i1I Wilt i; VI 11 -i w l -1)Ntv Supercommentary on Ibn'Ezra on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Shemtob b. Yehudah Ibn Mayor, of Briviesca. Leaf la, Introduction of the supercomlllentator; 3a Genesis; 65b, Exodus; 145h Leviticus; 183,b Numbers; 208b, Deuteronomy; 240a subscription of the copyist; 240b; blank. Introduction begins (leaf la): SOpe nacm nriIn My beg i14 n ns (leanf n, Njn nw~... nTri cl (=o, nrll*n Ir j nl.on nW1=191 I=t M Wir'I nri::n - Supercommentary begins (leaf 3a) I~spx o(nnri nrl o mn) rrn Hi r.np nu"ns,,i 1In' j;ri jl l JnVeo1n... NZ IIVND sow 37 nin N1 n' pn tson c jwnrl nrn No. 52.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 149 Ends (leaf 240a): sinV )mawn )sn np n ar r nrl: jn In s D o rnrw..1mr.Z.v lir Although ver y youn g3, our author was qualified, as few were either Ia work so enigmatically worded as is Ib'Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch. He possessed great natural talent, which both his eminent nnSephardi by birth and education, and therefore naturally familiar with bn Ezra's Sephardic attainments and s tyle of writing. Even s I n'Ezra he knew not mere ly the (alonik) part of the) Talmud (see passim) and the Although very young3, our author was qualified, as few were either before or after him, for the difficult task of writing a uperabicomentary on a work so enigmatically worded that language (see pas'Ezra's comand, ientary on the Pe knew Ltatein also (leaf 55ch. He possewsed great natural talent, whlich both is eminent teacher and he himself larvellously developed. Nor was he less favoured by local and historical acciden the Jewsproduction of the Penis work. He was a Sephardi by birth and education, and therefore naturally familiar with Ibn'Ezra's Sepharding ttainments and style of writing. Even as Ibnc'Ezra he knew not merely the (agadic part of the) Tala.ud (see passim) and the Bible according to the whole extent of the Hebrew and Aramaic idioms, as extant in Text and Targum (see passim), but also Arabic and the philosophical works written in that language (see passim), and, in addition,..e knew LatiCompare also (leaf 55). He was born at Briviesca, a place in which not merely Jewish piety, buton. Cewish learning also our cowasat homesp He came into the world in 13606, when the Jews f the Peninsula, although suffering 1 This explanation is taken from Ibn byaspi's.rger SupercommentaraJ..2 According to Jahn's Tables, Tuesday 4 Marcheshvan 5318 corresponds to 28 September 1557 of the common era. 3 When the author proceede th the composition of this supercommementary he was only 24 years old; see leaf 2, where it says: much more than 24 years old when he wrote his (see NCompare 3 also Steihneider in Geiger's Jd. eitscr. p. 122. 4 R. Barukh; see later on. Comp. also our communication respecting this MS., in Jud. Zeitschr. VIII. p. 238. 5 See leaf lb, where it says: minn M pcn Ken: -mn 1111nri cbirn i WIp ap...... npwmm~ P1pn. Comp. also n*Ntv initn by R. Shelomoh b. Abraham Ibn niiix (MSS. Add. 499 and Add. 500). 6 ILeaf 145b, we read the following: zviKw mDrnK1 Nin n= t mwnt*n neuOn.*..%.v. uwn jm5. According to this the supercommentary on Exodus was nearly finished in 1384; but, as our author was not much more than 24 years old when he wrote this (see Note 3 above), it follows that he was born about 1360. 150 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 52. terribly, suffered not so much as Jews as they did as Spaniards, and when, consequently they had not, despite the author's complaints, really degenerated, in a scientific point of view. Nor was the fate which befel his parents (~10Z1 ~=N MTW inrfl) and his relatives (4n5 5n1, or the Jews in general?) and many others of his native city (4d?~,~nlrdl, lb), although very sad for him in every other respect, without advantage to him in reference to the production of this work, inasmuch as this catastrophe compelled him to produce something, were it only for bread. Even his youth proved with respect to this work an advantage. For while, on the one hand, it gave the author the energy necessary for his task, it on the other hand forced itself continually upon his mind and made him seek for information from others', older and riper, though perhaps not always more naturally talented, scholars than he was. The importance of the work before us (of which one more copy2 only is supposed to exist) lies in two circumstances: (1) that it is a preeminently grammatical supercommentary, and as such it is unique. As is well known, Ibn'Ezra's forte lay in the grammatical knowledge of Hebrew, of which he was not only one of the ablest teachers, but most distinguished founders. That he naturally brought this great knowledge to bear in a preeminent way on his Pentateuch-commentary has been alluded to before (p. 121 of this Catalogue, Note 2). Now Ibn Mayor, having justly the conviction that the point of gravitation in Ibn'Ezr,a's writings was grammar, composed this supercommentary chiefly3 with the view of explaining the grammatical remarks as extant in his author's Pentateuch-commentary. (2) that it is an inexhaustible source of biography and bibliography. Not much more original, on the whole, than the Meqor Chayyim, and other, but similar, works, this supercommentary has a great advantage 1 Leaf 2a, we read thus: b~e,Irnv ynpmn,/ irnnv b nm ynrx p;mn......n7ni m rmn i V, x rni'0pu. Upon this principle the author acted, although he claims originality, a few things excepted (see 2b,, rnw-irn',naT %nu,nw-ninm......P n D nn u'"uTpn'"u*nrnnv D^pua im m ) 2 This is in the Bodleian (Uri 128), and was written by the same copyist as ours, only two years later (Neubauer 228). Uri inadvertently describes it as by Shemtob Gafruth; probably because of an entry to that effect by a former owner. (See Steinschneider, Conspectus, p. 5, and Neubauer as before.) 3 See leaf 2', where our author says, that he called this supercommentary Hammaor Haygadol (the greater light) in allusion to his family name (Mayor signifying in Spanish greater, while Maor signified in Hebrew light). They, he continues, who would study this work, would find in it light thrown on every hidden meaning (of Ibn'Ezra), be it a mystical, grammatical, or exegetical one; but he (the author) would, although only briefly treating on the first and third points, dilate considerably on the second (grammar). Comp. also Steinschneider, in Geiger's Jiid. Zeitschlr. vi. pp. 122, 123. No. 52.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 151 over these. For it contains not merely the best explanations known, on this head, down to 1384, but also the names of the eminent men from whose oral instructions they had been' partly obtained; names some of which are otherwise utterly unknown. Nay, even on the works and authors which are to be met with here not for the first time, considerable and additional light is thrown by the way in which they are quoted here, as will be best seen from the following list. 1. Works and authors before Ibn'Ezra'. a. Jewish works and authors. (1),nirt2~]t22'W (sic) 199n'1D (109b). See this Catalogue, p. 32, Note 4. This celebrated Bible was, apparently, seen by the author himself. (2) p W -ID (38b). This standard copy is only quoted from Ibn (3),n2nn =:n (124a) and 112=M I=2n (153a; the Rabbis of the Talmud and not the Cabbalists, as these latter are called by the author, on leaf 83a, - * njl.j. TIl nlypD1j SGVl M:;I.). (4) MIidrash 0:0, (26a). See this Catalogue, p. 54. (5) R. Se'adyah Gaon (32b, 72b, 182b). (6) Wl'p (sic) t1 (69a). See R. Jehuda ben Koreisch...Epistola de studii Targumn utilitate, ed. J. J. L. Bargbs et D. B. Goldberg, Lutetie Parisiorum, 1857, 8vo. (7) tad,q ~nlg, i.e. R. Yoseph b. Yitzchaq (b. DNt=]W) Ibn'11nT]F (68"). (8) R. Adonim, i.e. V'71 b. Ut~n1 (10). See Jost's Annalen, If. pp. 320, 384. (9)!Wn1, who is quoted times too numerous for specification; see, however, next paragraph. (10) R. Yonah Ibn MnKi. This grammarian and lexicographer also is quoted times too numerous for specification. He is identical with R. D::1V'n, or D'I1V (i.e. D'I1n, Marw&n?), under which name he is very often quoted in this MS. (see our review of the Kitab al-uzxul... in the Jewish Chronicle of June 6, 1873, p. 161). Occasionally he is quoted here in connexion with the foregoing VI'n, for instance, 160;, where both are spoken of as I * In nMW'1 "I I n =n n 1pn'In,, ne a II' in: nn pmip, n,w N. 1 Some of these authorities are mentioned by Ibn'Ezra himself; but as given here, they are quotations independent of him. 152 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 52. (11) R. Yehudahl b. Mntl (57b, 218a). (12) R. Chananeel (195b). (i3) R. Yitzchaq Ibn 1n21 (64a). (14) R. Mosheh Hakkohen Ibn,;l'rPl:, who is quoted times too numerous for specification. (15) R. Shemuel Hannagid (9a, 234b). (16) Rashi (passim). (17) R. Yehudah b. t3tI1 (57b). (18) Wt:110',ql W'7'r7DI'V (20o), n:IlVN, V p1pV Znl (55a) and rj'lp'7l~, (passim), t321D1q'p2p)D (190b). b. Non-Jewish works and authors. (1) Plato (1t2~R 167b). (2) Aristotle (0tUD*I 111b, 135b, 155b),.q11 Dri (111, twice, 125a), V=6,lqDl VN (passim). (3) Galen (IDI~VVR 156b). (4) Hieronymus (55"). (5) P'~]Dl]~ (142-, 145a), Wtl3'DIlM~'l?3Mr (124-), 11',nn (95b, 1241, 1551, 231b), -Iln,-M t ln (112b). (6) Al-Farghani (... *:''I:... 85b). (7) Al-Farabi (N n: D W= 1=1'NK 34a'-l:]K2 202-, tK-WIN6N 182b). (8) -M1nin -Mn (84-), i-MMnn =nn (85b), wm:13nil tnnr (202-). (9) 1'1151 Drn and Tnl M 1 nDn(124a). (10), 1 R n1 (158b, 219b, 229b), JN2 n 1Dn (1245, 197b), njl!-n,. 31 2. Works by Ibn'Ezra. a. Commentaries on the Bible. (1) n'nI1n MWV"1t on Genesis (6b, 28b) 42b, 49b). (2) nnMu,WIM on the same Book (5b, 9ga 10a 28b, 30b, 32b twice), also ninI KnMD (7b), and finally n'nJnil 1nW' (32"b 45a). See this Catalogue, pp. 106, 139. (3) n11w Vnr on Exodus (92b). (4)'1-0]'N l'l W,' on the same Book (93a), also;'WX'M II Inn= (731, 98"). (5) nIn1, KnXM on the same Book (1315, 135a), also InJnMN, lnDW (199b, 128a, 132b). See this Catalogue, pp. 90, 139. (6). l1n'nl1,NID on LEvITICUS (164a). 1 This R. Yehudah is, perhaps, a mistake for the foregoing R. Yonah; or is the b. rnau a mistake for b. tvr:? See (17) later on. No. 52.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 153 (7) On the FORMER PROPHETS' (28"). (8) On Isaiah, which is quoted twenty-four times (15b, 16B, 28a, 29a, 32a, 32b, 40a, 41b 42a, 49b, 5la, 59b, 73b, 89b, 107-a 110a, 132a, 148a, 161, 183b, 202a, 209' twice, 217b). (9) On Joel (97a). (10) On Haggai (227a). (11) On Psalms (78a). (12) On Job (201a). (13) On Canticles (45b). (14) On Ruth (228a). (15) On Lamentations (160a, 229b). (16) On Ecclesiastes (18b, 206a, 212b). (17) On Esther (222a). b. Other treatises of grammatical, theological, cabbalistical (?), mathematical and astronomical (astrological) import. (1) rnt11 (33b). (2)'nr new (33b, 69a, 198b). (3) t,~rn (41a 5Sb, 188b). (4). T1,l =D: (12b), otherwise 11DTp,1l'y11; see this Catalogue, p. 121, Note 3. (5) A work not named by its title, but said to commence W~,5,~,n.. W/pn IV nrlnD:W'1 (232b). (6) tnv nn= (5b, 106). (7) N'11n IV (635, 176" twice, 176b twice, 215b). (8) nl3 I, Z?t 3 (226a), perhaps identical with the foregoing work (comp. ed. Creizenach, Hebrew part, p. 23). (9) Commentary on (part of) the Sepher Yetzirah (34b). (10) On Demonology (t'hw; 223b). (11)'D1D'DD (180b, 232a). (12):/2p O'1 b(127b); see this Catalogue, p. 140, Note. (13)'11:1.V'I l (8a); see p. 140 of this Catalogue, where this book is called: I t r DI. (14) 67W;1 odi (176 b). Comp. this Catalogue, p. 139. 2 This book is said here to have been originally written by Ibn'Ezra in Arabic and afterwards to have been translated into Hebrew, as will be seen from the following:, ~ l ioy %'nYu'!DD nr n nI K 5'5"T lrV.' 5 Jnn z, "nm...... wrTprin l71w plpuin )rlvlirJn'Dxi =i 7ltiu Kmi n 1mnmT lpin nrm. Our author here professes to give the substance only, and he does not give the name of the translator. The wording does not agree literally with the version by "VT1s.bt so largely quoted by Ibn Zarza; and yet it is difficult to believe that this version was unknown to our author. There seems no way out of the difficulty until we get some further light from other sources. There is a copy of,inTH5 at Oxford (Mich. 338, olim 316, Neubauer 1234). 154 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 52. 3. Works and authors contemporary with Ibn'Ezra. a. Jewish works and authors. (1) nlln (55b, 56a, 215b). These Additamenta are, apparently, Sephardic, as none of them are to be found in the editions of the Babylonian Talmud. (2) Maimonides (,"Yl=l 16b, 128b, I t'` passim, and once also I1'l in M, V D 144b). (3) R. Abraham b. David of Posquieles (206"). (4) R. Shemuel Ibn Tibbon,'whose Milloth are quoted (20b). See Nrl]' nlirj'1 VIV, in the D l,2 (Sabionetta, 1593, Folio). (5) R. Yoseph Qimchi, whose IXYPnV nlN-l6 V,'?~D is quoted (128b). b. Non-Jewish works and authors. (1) Ibn Roshd ('"': 124a,'1'I 121 1425, yV3ni'I1t 6:, V1?l VnYtl7 215", =3W;il 16", Vn-3E1 1)D 17a, 1 1-nlln 1-11-sp1 lw X 34an even highl E 155an vpmn rvnav). (2) An Arabic Philosopher, who is the author of the 2t D~': (128b). 4. Works and authors after Ibn'Ezra. a. Works and authors named distinctly. (1) R. Yoseph Ibn ]'=Y (128b). (2) R. David Qimchi (18b, 57b, 90b, 106b, 235a). (3) Nachmanides (I"Z2?n 148a, n"IN, 211a, 2131; see Note 1 below). (4) R. Mosheh Ibn Tibbon (12a). (5) R. Nissim3. He explains Ibn'Ezra (361) and is also to be met with five times besides (92b, 129a, 1781, 196b, 216b). (6) R. Chayyim Ibn Yisrael of Toledo, also E'n: (and by mistake also R. Yitzchaq Yisrael, 14b, 17a, 1Sa). (7) R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, whom our author calls ~"~'~, 51Vl TInni, rl-lIvnln D U, lrl In nnnr, 1 CtJ Y, or with all 1 See, however, later under Nachmanides, who also is occasionally called 2 This is, to judge from the quotation, a treatise on Metaphysics. Is i3'5N a mistake for n:, (, ) or p15. K (1j0 -)? 3 Of Marseilles? see rlmnn, vII. pp. 102-144. No. 52.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 155 these titles together (17a, 338, 53b, 64b, 74b, 111b, 1128, 128b, 1418, 1428, 143", 143, 156b 11578, 163a, 168s, 212b)1. (8) R. Shelomoh Ibn Ya'ish the Elder (VW71M, 46b). This Ibn Ya'ish wrote originally in Arabic; compare Meqor Chayyim in the so-called Margalioth Tobah, leaf 116". (9) R. Shemuel b. ~Ia (~:'",b'V 202b). This compiler died in 1368; see Zunz, Eine mnerkwiirdige Medaille in Jost's Annalen, II. p. 166, col. 2. (10) Prophiat Duran (1"V'2, whose explanation of Gen. xlix. 14 is here communicated; 638). (11) R. Barukh (81b). This is the author's teacher; see this Catalogue, p. 149, Note 4. b. Authors not distinctly named. (1) q"W': l:, also qNP. He mentions this writer always with some questionable epithet, as may be seen on almost every page. According to Steinschneider this is R. Shelomoh Franco the author of the'MT ItD (Geiger, Jiid. Zeitschr. vi. p. 122). (2) nlqil'D,1: 1t, also 1lD'l V1z, or il':. He is quoted, even as the foregoing, on almost every page. That he is not identical, however, with him will be seen from leaf 161a, where they are both quoted on one and the same passage, and where they are said but slightly to differ in the explanation thereof. Nor does Ibn Kaspi seem to be identical with this Ba'al Hassodoth, as in no instance could we trace an explanation, given under this head, either in MSS. Add. 377. 3. 6 and Add. 510. 2. 2, containing his Sodoth, or in his larger commentary which we have examined for the purpose at Oxford (Mich. 313, olim 100). On the other hand, some of the matter is to be found in the Meqor Chayyim, many of the sources of which remain still unknown to us. (3) 1rnrI $tV (113a). This must have been a supercommentator on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch. (4) D3M nMen (122'). (5)'1-3,1- (172b, 188b). This was, probably, a convert to Christianity. (6)',I,1 t=n= InM =Mn, i.e. of Montpellier; see this Catalogue, p. 87 (2018). (7) n'~'Bprtn (106a)), fe1np,'?= (144b)3 1 Our author refers mostly to this brilliant philosopher and divine either in reference to his commentaries on the works of Aristotle, or to his'n rnnrrn; sometimes also to his commentaries on the Pentateuch and Job. 2 From this it will be seen that R. Yitzchaq, b. Mosheh Hallevi (see this Catalogue, p. 92) used not merely the name Prophiat Duran, but also the abbreviation n7"t, long before 1391. Friedlaender and Kohn's conjecture as to the cause of the latter (us,runwn, p. 2) is, therefore, untenable. 3 The date of these two last (6 and 7) is not quite certain, and they may belong to a somewhat earlier period.. 156 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 52. In addition to the explanations, the sources of which are more or less clearly acknowledged by Ibn Mayor, there are some which he, apparently, passes off as his own, the real source of which, however, can be traced to others. (1) Such is, for instance, an interesting explanation of an otherwise utterly unintelligible passage of Ibn'Ezra on Exod. xxxi. 3, in which that author refers to his (now lost) commentary on Proverbs (see p. 90 of this Catalogue). Lines 2-12 of leaf 137.b (f1l1= n3a1l... tZ l MI= fle DV' lnn1n) are literally copied from [bn Kaspi's Perush or Biur llassodoth (compare MSS. Add. 377. 3, leaf 83a and Add. 510. 2, leaf 86a). It is, of course, not impossible, that the words. ID=: ~1]"'i "...* had fallen out in the copy before our scribe (see his subscription given on p. 149 above and a little later on, under the paragraph on the scribe). (2) But such an excuse can scarcely b3 pleaded in the following case, where Ibn Mayor has not simply copied, but also slightly altered, a whole treatise of R. Mosheh of Narbonnel. Leaves 140b (three lines from below) — 145b (...',1N?.. mrn: 1 fn: r lni Zil.yn,) are, except a few slight alterations, in which a grammatical explanation by Ibn Mayor, and a metaphysical view by R. Levi b. Gershom, are introduced, absolutely identical with the matter published by Pinsker under the name of IK2.-.. n... tDWC6Ir in Stern's pnVt,:l:, Dreissigstes Heft, pp. 25-33 (see particularly p. 27, the passage commencing *WVIIn). Now this is the less excusable in Ibn Mayor, since he taunts Ibn q"W' most bitterly for a like offence (18b * *I*nn,'p 911 -in ianv rW tr -18 h"W: fln j ln3.in.. This notice would be incomplete were we to omit the mention of a few peculiarities and other points of interest in connexion with this work. a. Peculiarities. (1) While he takes as his text the ordinary commentary on Genesis and the brief commentary on Exodus, as most other supercommentators have done, he nevertheless finds room to remark upon all the difficult and interesting passages to be found in the other commentaries on Genesis and Exodus respectively. He is most instructive also on those on the other three books, and he is particularly suggestive as regairds the various n1en:l of the whole. (2) There are, in this work, four extensive Excursuses: (1) on the Most Holy Name (77bb-86a); (2) on Angels (125 —129a); (3) on the Anthropomorphism of the i'lV3p'1P1V on Ex. xxxii. 21 (139b-145a; comp. the paragraph on R. Mosheh of Narbonne above); and (4) on Intercalation (173). (3) Each explanation commences with the phrase;1"D (i.e.'Innnrl n1%n; see above, p. 148), to which, in case the explanation should have been con] On this author and his time see the description of MS. Dd. 4. 1, below. No. 52.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 157 fessedly taken from some one else, another phrase 1"'T, i.e. nop.. is added. (4) The term lDlD, which is here often used, is once (113a) written IDN 1%D (1$X:), which is the real solution of the origin of this word. (5) Ibn'Ezra is here continually called 6VM,1; and is, indeed, considered by our author as the most perfect scholar, even in regard to Geography (see 98b,.D' lln aPn NI1MI...). Ibn Mayor rarely disagrees with him in anything, and least of all in grammar; when he does disagree with him he uses the term of respect 1n721D= nDI,','V 1' 11n1, as for instance, 19lb, &c. (6) Our author describes very tersely (17lb) Ibn'Ezra's position with regard to the lRabbins of the Talmud (together with an apology for such a position) thus::1,111 rv ~nnnin, nt',: an np birn nil... also 172b, &c.). b. Other points of interest. (1) Our author evidently knows of a weekly Parashah IV)l (Ex. xxxiii. 15) within that of maIIn, (see leaf 138b and compare p. 15 of this Catalogue). (2) Concerning the prayer tl~1 nr~ nlm,,, which is here explained, and exhibits some notable variations in the text, Ibn Mayor (or rather R. Mosheh of Narbonne; see above) has (142b) the following: %v nlvli ~ ~. Wlllr).1m1:, nstl 1,WIM tN1 Sv nrllnnr "I-mn i~pn Into,rnnn ins V M111 ~. **19 nr1':V'I1 (see also prln:211 as before, p. 29). (3) Antichristiana are to be found 35a, 55%a 161al, 238b'2. (4) Of the morals of some of the Jews of his time, particularly as contrasted with their intellectual superiority (which latter he traces to the dietary laws of the Pentateuch), our author gives a very disheartening I Among others we read also the following remark on certain terrible diseases called after Christian Saints: InD;1D;n e *1~ X ns~? p' nm Dnn 5D Dv Cr "' 1D1D.W1... lV', I-INX5 (Santo)'Wt nWY-9i In ony t Dn DUD jV Djrir bL j1K 2 This remark belongs to Ibn %"iwt, in whose name it is quoted and is mixed up with, or rather proceeds from, an anti-mohammedan passage, running thus: mnutr ~ rZ N1 (i.e. Deut. xxxii. 2) pmn 1r~ mA; mK' 1K':m',5~rwm... nrn'uIn 71 (Jesus) vd'u n- p nrvA,pnK nn rnb manwtU;1 X,, V%-;in"' 158 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 52. account1, as he does also of the behaviour of the rich towards the learned poor. (5) Witchcraft he illustrates (169b) by an interesting story in which both he and a "wise woman" (nVW1=6S) of Tarragona (;,li'~t2) play a part. (6) The n:1,i,~1 (Ibn'Ezra on Gen. ii. 11) is given (12a) as ~MU,:l5,-t (i.e. the Arabic'Dp 5S i-i), as he says he had found it in an Arabic book (of geography?). (7) Leaf 158b, the author speaks of a terrible disease, called the Persian Fire, and its cause 2. (8) Diagrams, the original arrangement of which is traceable to the author, are to be found 77b, 88b. Of R. Yochanan Ibn'Azziz, the copyist of this MS. it is impossible to speak in too high terms. His intelligence is only equalled by his conscientiousness; and even editors of our own time could only rival but never exceed him (see passim, but particularly 475, 75a), The following marks of ownership are to be found in this volume. (1) Every recto-page has the name of the weekly Parashah which is there found commented on. These superscriptions are in Sephardic Rabbinic, but not in the hand of the original scribe. They belong, no doubt, to an anonymous owner, of the xvI-xvnIth century. (2) Another owner, of a little later date (xviith century), was R. Yitzchaq doln (239b, 240a). (3) Another owner again was R. Sheimuel Yitzchaq flsn (9a). This owner has Hebrew-Arabic notes on 138a —139a, and is, probably the son of the foregoing. He is, no doubt, identical with the Shemuel ben Yitzchaq lonM of 4b, 1121, 2341, 2403. (4) The i": VY"KWl ~P'3t in Sephardic square character, which is to be found on the label on the back, belongs to an anonymous owner of the xvII —xvIIth century. To the same hand belonged also the Library-mark No. 277, which number is now crossed through. (5) The amplification of the title on the label on the back, running: IV='l;1'111 2 t W'P- ('": I P"K'I 3 cp T) cS1~.'I Iln is in the handwriting of H. Lipschfitz the bookseller. 1 n l 1NX n X n1 m;1aD:l ^:3r)71 pilln, lO'ntelx Ktt nzal....(169a)... 17 3;1 wl Cv to ir nY try 2 In connexion with this disease the following is to be read: 7n3 5D 11 5 V:)n= rilyn1;W Atl onlyT Xtt;-n15nl.tK1m *3. tlD'1 nonE,~:. V2~,,,I, nwni~rnn oN nY~n~ Drl yly7Y Dr 2N5!3)'ltM71i -71)5 nape -M71 7)1=fnr) CH (?nT;T) *..S1~-1 W~tl.PZ~ BIS~ No. 53.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 159 Attached to the inside of the binding at the beginning is a slip of paper, on which is set forth, in a few lines in Latin, the nature and value of this MS. This short and excellent, if not exhaustive, description belongs to the eminent bibliographer Dr Steinschneider, and is dated, Berlin, Nov. 8, 1867. As regards the condition of the MS.: the first few lines of leaf 1l are not quite legible, leaf 240 is cut in the lower margin, a few leaves are disfigured by some cabbalistic(?) scribbling and arithmetical calculations (without connexion with the matter on the spot), whilst a few other leaves are somewhat soiled and stained. On the whole, however, this volume is as well-preserved as the matter it contains is valuable. [Library-mark, Add. 433; bought in 1868 from IT. Lipsclhiitz.] No. 53. Paper, in quarto, 6-7in.x 54in.; 72 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 28-31 lines; Rabbinic character, fine German Ashkenazic handwriting of the xIvth century. RMnlBt ntem iN 1, nn1 vnvl mn w iy,I8r-n by wr 1v Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, CANTICLES and RUTH, and some of the PROPHETIC PORTIONS according to the Ashkenazic rite, by 1R. twi, great-grandson of Rabbenu TMeshullam the Elder; defective. Leaf l, Genesis; 28b, Exodus; 52", Leviticus; 60', Numbers...; 72 and all that followed wanting. Begins (leaf la): snN, nK'Ds n$ Dt,n ll) Ins: 1n1$ tN saw, nK I sN;l72 ntl nsWrE'= nII t3w11 11 n An-w user - Inv jr nng mr -I nN1 n min r Inns.n. n r nv Ab rn'v. -i wn-'i'n n ns n'm w N''inn ".. Acne NM:; wnI1nn e nnn isang i inN 12 ~nus ngiw 160 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. rNo. 53. Breaks off (leaf 71b, on Num. xxxiv. 19-28): sob*: 1:1 Aet na vin N$::smS nn~Rm 11na rlV w ctr n:V - -... Inn: N$ in 5V (Usurp nrosWn snot noI nt i nri P-m'S ntn'rSW= MN snsmn Cowl nil sin Anew N$ jlynw Cown nwiV K$ -$:rI -wv: I S:6$ 3rrV 4;v As -rn Neither this MS. nor its fellow-MS. Add. 699, 1, as stated before (p. 66 of this Catalogue), have received due justice at the hands of their sometime owner, the late S. D. Luzzatto, in his description of them (Kerem Chemed, vII. pp. 68-71). If further proof were wanted for the truth of this assertion it would be found in the simple fact, that in the just-mentioned description not even the name of the author, which is distinctly to be found in the MS. (60b-61a), has been communicated. We will supplement this and other omissions; and we hope to be forgiven, if we shall, for the sake of completeness, now and then re-state a fact already to be found in Luzzatto's description. We learn from the work before us, that the author's name was Jntt2$ and that his father was the son of a daughter of Rabbenul Meshullam the 1(*:X u11n) K.Dn'7 ED: (f)4*n1 3 ln-1:5 ("nin -IN) n"N nI(')=s Ins... nK st - 1=n: 1:uzl INR... n-In: =ru'Inl II-KN r'nfz (r'),p nt 5'rlne (Leaves 60b_611)la).1n u n 1n cnr 3'IVzu5n " nusI 1 iy2.V -N w1n;I t:y u n The name Int5r, according to Zunz (see further on) signifies Saltmnan; this name, however, although not exactly without meaning (as it would be the equivalent of Saizmann) is absolutely without connexion with the original Hebrew, as given by him (Jehulda). We, for our part, think that it may with more propriety, signify either Slotman (the modern Schlottmann, i.e. Schlossmann) or Soltman (i.e. Soldmann, an equivalent of Sildner). And although one would, certainly, in either of these cases have sooner expected the so-called holy name (see further on) to have been ivw'/, (-im, =, ivD), one must, with respect to the Jewish custom of using double individual names, bear in mind the fact, that the German Jew has to translate the Jewish name (biblical or post-biblical) into German and not vice-versq, and moreover that it has been the habit of the German Jews from time immemorial, in naming their children doubly, not so much to translate the meaning of the biblical or post-biblical names, as to accommodate these to names already existing in the vernacular. Such, of course, can, in most cases, only be accomplished by preserving a mere similarity of letters however slight, and sometimes even only of mere sounds, e.g. the biblical Reuben is given by Robert, Asher by Anschel (i.e. Anselm), Gershom, or Gershon by Georg, while the post-biblical Alexander is given by Suisslein or Sussmann, &c. Now Slotman or Soltman have not merely several letters in common with the original name as given and proved by us (Shemuel; see further on), but are not so very far removed from its signification, at least, according to the derivation as given in 1 Sam. i. 20. No. 53.] COMMENTARIES ON. THE BIBLEr 1%% elder'. He was, certainly, a pupil of the celebrated R. Yehudah b. Shemuel (commonly called R. Yehudah Chasid). He was, in all probability, also a fellow-pupil of R. El'azar b. Yehudah (commonly called R. El'azar of Worms), who is well-known as Talmudist and religious poet (ItZ~), and far more famed even than his relative2 and master as Cabbalist. Like both his master and his fellow-pupil, our R. ntht was, no doubt, a German3, although he had also probably studied in France4 and resided in Bohemia5 as well as in Germany. As to the name tZt6i, though very uncommon, it is found in at least two other places. First, there is a MS. Machazor in the Bodleian Library (Mich. 617, olim 449, Neubauer 1035) which was copied in 1258 by one Yehudah b. Shemuel It2It,lgt26. Secondly, in the margin of a commentary on the Prayers, &c., by R. El'azar of Worms (Bodleian MS. Oppenh. 160, olim Folio 1010, Neubauer 1204, leaf 180') occurs the following passage:::'nit Inn 1n6n t Vri )IVII t An.I i1on nIII' v a n r 1 See leaves (37a —38b): DS1 15 (*nrw)pn mrnl... nTr5 i ni rn s"M,, 5 Snr Inns mb n5' mw' -mn... n'~vy b5,lnn 1p'nmw'-rIn m1H'I'ltN "t y n rmvn f5'e n*:ap This Rabbenu Meshullam Haggadol (or the elder) is supposed by Luzzatto.(Kereni Chemed, vii. p. 70) to have been M. ben Qalonymos (of Lucca), but Zunz (Literaturgesch. d. sylnag. Poesie, p. 162, Note 1), with-greater probability, takes him to have been M. ben Mosheh (of Mainz). See our descriptions of MSS. Add. 374, Add. 375 and Add. 667. 1. 2 That El'azar of Worms must have been related. to Yehudah Chasid will strike every one who examines their respective genealogies. The one is El'azar,b. Yehudah b. Qalonymos, and the other is Yehudah b. Shemuel b. Qalonymos.b., Yitzchaq b. El'azar (see this Catalogue, pp. 58, 59). 3 This is proved even more than by his name, which is unquestionably German, by the thorough knowledge of that language, which he displays; see ib, 2, 6b (?), lm, 22, 27' (2), 28b, 36a, 37a (?), 45a 52b (?), 54a, 54b, 59b (2), 63a.65', 68b, where he employs, at least, sixteen German words and phrases. 4 That he, as a German, should have studied in France will not surprise any.one who takes into consideration, that although the German Rabbinate counted, in the xIIIth century, hundreds of distinguished men, the greater portion of them had, down to almost the close of that century, been educated in France. This accounts for the French words on Ib, 2' (2), 6b (?), 7', 17b, 37' (?), 52b. 5 This alone accounts for his giving an explanation in Bohemian (1'yi lv,5; Ib) in addition to the one in French, which is subsequently augmented by one in German. Philologists, in our sense of the word, did not exist in his time. 6 Zunz (Gesch. u. Lit. p. 207) calls this copyist Jehuda Saltman; but in our estimation 71=5l is the every-day-name (nzmrn) of the copyist's father, which is the more certain as the so-called holy name (wvinro Do, which is used for -religious purposes, as for instance, in publicly reading the Law, &c.) of the latter was unquestionably mNtZv. 11 162 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 53. It seems to us to be an almost irresistible conclusion from these facts that the father of the copyist of the Bodleian Machazor was identical with the author of our MS., and that the latter again was identical with the R. jntt, son of R. Yehudah Chasid, mentioned in the above extract. If this be so, it follows that the mother of R. Yehudah Chasid was a daughter of Rabbenu Meshullam Haggadol. The following stemma will help to make this clear: Meshullam Haggadol Shemuel Chasid= a daughter Yehudah Chasid Shemuel, called jnt2t Yehudah 1. It is true that in the MS., as we have it, our author's father is not absolutely identified with R. Yehudah Chasid, but this is probably owing to various reasons, the chief of which are the incompleteness of our MS., and the carelessness, or ignorance, of transcribers (see later). The greater portion of the matter given here is of considerable interest2 and more critically instructive than one would have expected from the age in which it was produced. The commentary extends not merely over the Pentateuch, but also over select passages of the two Megilloth, Canticles (56a; inserted between the Parshiyyoth rl~]p and 1'13) and Ruth (61a; between'17t9f3 and SW:), and the Haplhtaroth, according to the Ashkenazic rite, of;v'W In (15i),'1in (41a),'1:1T (45b), fn En (50b), 2ip1 (51b), p'1ij)W (52a), y-1n= (55a)2 -Cn (58-); N12 (59a)2 V11n -nn (61b)% Nw (62 ), n1p (66a), and p$: (70). Little however is in reality due to R. ]tjnu himself; the explanations contained in this commentary are chiefly due to his father, R. Yehudah Chasid, and R. El'azar of Worms, in whose names they are honestly given. The matter given here in his father's name, 1 This Yehudah is possibly the father of the R. David b. Yehudah Chasid who wrote the -niKx~, nwKn (MS. Add. 664) and the ryit,,x (MS. in the Almauzi collection now in the British Museum). See more under the descrip. tion of MS. Add. 664, below. 2 In explanation of Exod. xix. 8 we read (leaf 37a) the following: n b.. t 5sl p I n tv rnwv t Y 5 1n:) nn'rm.nw - r,rx n nr7 a U nut15 lt' u o1nyn X5X Inv 5It 151p K5K 1),.'Nl1 =lnn one trw *-xK: nnwnb 58p r-nun (?K"o) m"m HU XY) TNI) 5H n5 n3ny nn-l-p Ad'' Trin rnxn be! -11n5 1nr nwin u~~z*... nrlp~l~, 3 Read Bemidbar and not Bamidbar, as both the Book of Numbers and the weekly Parashah are commonly, but erroneously, transliterated. 4 We must not omit to mention on this occasion, that sometimes matter which is to be found here is also to be found in MS. Add. 669. 1 (No. 36, above); and this not merely as far as the essence goes, but even word for word. Curiously enough, even as here it is also there given in the name of the compiler's (or author's) father,' Of the -two theories possible, we discard No. 53.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 163 R. ltO=S received, singularly enough, only to a small extent in a direct way, the greater part having been communicated to him by a R. Yitzchaq of Russial, who seems to have been the father's pupil and the son's friend. Once (35') also a R. Yitzchaq of Poland (plD1), another time a R. Mordekhai of Poland, a third time (16a) a R. Aharon, a fourth time (50') an anonymous Rabbi, a fifth time (68b) a R. Menachem, and a sixth time (58') a R. Nathan of Bamberg (p't 2) also communicated to the compiler explanations by his (the compiler's) father. The explanations for which the compiler cites R. Yehudah b. Shemuel by name are more direct, While those attributed to R. El'azar b. Yehudah are again less so. Of greater interest, however, than the explanations, are the authorities quoted in this book; and of these again such especially as were either contemporaries of the compiler or his immediate predecessors, 1. His earlier authorities are: (1) bDr i (9", margin, but by the original scribe; 19b, 38b, 43b); %'pfl (8"), Eli'ezer (El'azar)'T5NI, (17b, 452). (2)..." 1 1' s 1Dt ~,q,'1VVW I I tA t Sn.. (49b). (3) R. Yoseph Tob-'Elem (34a). (4) R. Yoseph b. Shelomoh of Carcassonne (WN',l6l' n W 1i...'... ilq 1r n r,, 70&, without, however, the mention of the author's name). (5)'1o1ql (28'). (6) Rashi, Rabbenu Shelomoh (passim). (7) Rabbenu Meshullam HIaggadol, his great-grandfather (38'). (8) R. Shimshon (ben?) Meshullam (38b). (9) R. Se'adyah (1W=2 b"n; not the Gaon, 38"). 2. His more recent predecessors are: (1) R. Shemuel b. Meir (35b), $b5tj " -1 0' p (62b). (2) Rabbenu Tam (5b). (3) Rabbenu Yoseph Bekhor Shor (64'). that of plagiarism and incline towards that of considering the compiler of the work contained in MS. Add. 669. 1 to have been the son of our R. 1t5t and also the copyist of the Bodleian Machazor mentioned above. 1 The name occurs: 14b, 16a, 16b, 17a, 18b, 26a, 27, 29a, 31, 32b, 35a, 35b, 36b, 38b 39a, 43a, 44b, 49a, 499b 51a (2), 51b, 53a, 53b, 54b, 55b, 61b, 62b 64b (2), 68b. Out of the explanations communicated by R. Yitzchaq, and to be found in these places, one (49a) belongs to R. El'azar of Worms, whilst another (54b) belongs to himself. Two (29a, 39a) may or may not be his own; all others, however, are distinctly given in the name of the compiler's father. 2 On this page we read the following: r; nrK ma i rpn ly,5'a rt iv,v: m "m... *-n)D:)n Do* 5wm qvt;ln) i:. Compare Zunz, Literatutrgesch. d. synag. Poesie, pp. 34 (Note 1), 58. 11-2 164 CATALOGUE OF TIEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. tNo. 53. (4) Rabbenu rVi3K (Abraham) Ibn'Ezra (7b), R[abbenu Abraham (8a), "'i Ibn'Ezra (32b), R. Mosheh (Abraham) Ibn Ezra (67.). (5) R. Elchanan, the Tosaphist (3b, 23a). (6) R. Yitzchaq Hallaban (4a). (7) R. Aharon b. Yoseph (81). 3. His own contemporaries are: (1) The author's father (K"?, D*'X, passim). (2) The author's teacher (qr11MM, passim). A record of his death and some other interesting matters in *connexion with it are to be found 45b —47a. It has been shown above that these two authorities are probably identical. (3) R. Yitzchaq of Russia (see above, p. 163). His communications are occasionally followed by (D'N) N'Dnn'and:'A'no', which signifies ('1511 an K VInN DUDN VIMrOnmpn W n $ Coon vi (4) R. Yitzchaq of Poland (see above, p. 163). It is not impossible that this is a mistake either for the just-named R. Yitzchaq of Russia, or for the following R. Mordekhai of Poland. (5) R. Mordekhai of Poland (see above, p. 163). (6) R. Aharon (see above, p. 163). (7) R. Menachem (see above, p. 163). (8) R. Nathan of Bamberg (see above, p. 163). (9) R. Eli'ezer of Forchheim (nrM::ltn, 54b, see above, p. 66, Note 1). (10) R. El'azar of Worms (see above, p. 163). (11) R. Yehoshua' b. Yitzchaq (70a). He bears testimony to the fact that a certain explanation had been given in a certain way by the compiler's father. He was, perhaps, a son of R. Yitzchaq of Russia. (12) An anonymous Rabbi (.. "' ~] M... 50'; see above, p. 163). In addition to these ought to be also mentioned a R. Simchah (59a); but it is impossible, from the context, to find out, whether he was the compiler's contemporary R. Simchah b. Shemuel, or indeed, whether he was not the R. Simchalh of Vitri-le-Frangais (the author of the Machazor Vitri; see our description of MS. Add. 667. 1). A few words about the scribe of this copy as well as the previous copyists of the work contained in this MS. will, we hope, not be without interest. 1. The copyist of this MS. is anonymous1 but identical with that of MS. Add. 669. 1 (see above, No. 36); and he exhibits in both MSS. great 1 The vacant spaces at the end of lines in both MSS. are filled up with part of the word on the next line, but very often also by a i (see Excurs. I.). No. 53.] COMMENTARIES -ON'THE -BIBLE. 165 talent as a scribe, which, however,- does not prevent him from occasionally making grievous mistakes. 2. Even as he cannot have copied MS. Add. 669. 1 from the autograph,, so there must have& been one intermediate copy at least, between this copy and the original composition, since in various places (56', 59a, 65', 70') additions are found by an earlier scribe, which additions, stood, no doubt, originally on the margin, but are now in the body of the work. They announce themselves, however, clearly enough, by the phrase ]nD,1 I' 1DD'Db)l, &c. being placed either before or after them, as the work of an earlier scribe.' 3. This earlier scribe's name was R. Shelomoh; a relative of his (65') was R. Shemuel (b. Qalonymos?), and one of his contemporaries (56") was n certain R. Yechiel b. Shemuel Hakkohen, who as well as another unnamed (70'), communicated to him matter'belonging to R. El'azar of Worms (the R.'Kg11N b. Menachem, disciple of R. Mosheh of France quoted by him on 59', was, surely, an older authority). 4. This R. Shelomoh is, if we mistake not, identical with the earlier scribe (or compiler) of part of the works contained in MSS. Add. 394 and Add. 561. He belonged, at all events, to the middle of the xIIIth century, uand his name in full was R. Shelomoh b. Shemuel. As regards the literature to be found on the margins, the following few remarks will suffice. 1. The original copyist has emendations and remarks on leaves 1i, 9b (in which nITn is mentioned; see above, p. 163), 33', 56' (upper margin). 2. Of the owners who left their marks of ownership on MS. Add. 669. 1 only two can be traced here, viz. the German Ashkenazic hand of the xIvth century (early) and the Italian hand of the xv-xvIth century. The former wrote all that is to be found on leaves 25', 32', 35b (in which R. Shema'yah is mentioned), 41', 54', 54b, 55, 55b' 56' (inner margin), 57' 57b, 58', 58", 61", 62', 67"; and although, at the first glance, it may appear different, on strict examination it will be found that it is one and the same hand, only writing at various periods. To the latter hand is due the transliteration of the German words on leaves 27', 68". For other owners, see this Catalogue, pp. 66, 67. The condition of the MS. is, if possible, even worse than that of MS. 669. 1. Of leaf 57 scarcely one-third is left, while leaf 71 is very seriously'injured, and even that part which is entire is so soiled and stained that it is almost illegible. But as if in compensation, the very last lines, which we have, after a great deal of trouble, succeeded in transcribing (see above, p. 160), contain an important piece of bibliographical information. [Library-mark, Add. 669. 2; bought in 1869 from S. SchOnblum.J 166 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 54. No. 54. Paper, in folio, 10 in. x 73 in.; 344 leaves, 8-sheet quires, 30 lines; Rabbinic character, Sephardic handwriting of the xIvth century. Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Mosheh b. Nachman of Gerona (Ramban, Nachmanides'), in two parts'; defective. I. GENEsIS-Exo Dus. Leaves 1-128 (containing the whole of Genesis and part of Exodus) of this part are now wanting; but leaf 128 has been supplied by a leaf now numbered 128*4. Mosheh b. Nachman ('-n-r) Yerondi (i.e. Gerondi, and not Girondi, as Steinschneider writes the name in the Bodl. Catal.), with the common concluding phrase Chazaq, form the acrostic of the =s-nv for the rinu5n of New Year, commencing:...n'~l m5p~ wvnj. (For the original of this soul-stirring, cabbalistic poem, see Geiger's Melo Chofnajim, Berlin, 1840, 8vo. Hebrew part, pp. 39-41, and Sachs' Die rel. Poesie d. Juden in Spanien, Berlin, 1845, 8vo. Hebrew part, pp. 50, 51.) Gerondi is written'q" by R. Yitzchaq ben Yehudah Gerondi, as may be seen from the poetical pieces for the New Year's service according to the rite of Algiers (',mi.. ul- ninn, Livorno, 1861, 8vo. leaves 64, 65a, 66b), 2 The Hebrew equivalent of this name, 1,). is used by Don Yitzchaq Abarbanel (who died in 1508); see rwrun tm1rvt, passim. Another form,rnm, used by at least two authors, is based on a false analogy with such names as,:,n, -,nprn, &c. Of these two authors, one is the anonymous writer of the!'5riqn, nlV (who was a grandson of t. Shemuel of Schlettstadt and therefore may be presumed to have lived in the xvth century); see Werbluner, Debarirn Attfkim, Part 2 (Leipzig, 1846, 8vo.), p. 9. The other is the anonymous writer of the'w1,31p1 (Riva di Trento, 1560, 4to.), leaves 42b, 43b; see Zunz, Gesch.'. Lit. p. 121, Note d. 3 After the whole of the introduction to the book, and a portion of the:commentary on the pericope wnp', had been, by mistake or otherwise, written -on leaf 160, the scribe recommenced the introduction on leaf 162' as a fresh part. 4 That leaf 128* is a bona fide supplement to this MS., and not to MS. Add. 524. 1, is easily proved: (1) While a small portion of the last line in the supplement is blank, because no more matter was wanted to make this MS. perfect (at that particular time and in that particular place), there ever must have been between this supplement and MS. Add. 524. 1 a defect amounting to more than a page or so. (2) As in this MS., so also in the supplement, the verse-page has the catchword on the last, and not on a fresh, line, as in the case in the fellow-MS., so that one clearly sees that the supplement was written for the accommodation, even as it was written on the model, of this MS. No., 54.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE, 167 II. LEVITICrs —DEUTERONOMY,/ Leaf 161, perhaps' blank, wanting; 162T, Leviticus (176 wanting); 227a, Numbers; 281a, Deuteronomy (286, 303, 336, 337 [which last leaf is, however, supplied by 337*], 341-344, wanting). Begins (leaf 129a, on Ex. xxii. 26): -...ri mnna 4: np1 3tV Breaks off (leaf 340b, on Deut. xxxiii. 16; printed edd. on 13): This commentary is not merely philosophical and cabbalistic2 (as Steinschneider states in the Bodl. Catal. p. 1960), but also, to a great extent, Midrashic, and, as far as Ibn'Ezra and to a certain degree also Rashi and Maimonides are concerned, also polemical3, It has been printed many times, both with and without the sacred text4; and it has been twice, 1 Leaf 160b, certainly, looks as if the matter found there was to be continued on the immediately succeeding page; on the other hand we have now the introduction to Leviticus actually re-written on leaf 162a. These facts coupled with another, that leaf 161 is now lost, make it doubtful, whether this last-named leaf had ever been written on and afterwards cancelled, or whether it had remained blank, totally or partially, and had been after. wards lost. 2 For a purely cabbalistic commentary on the Pentateuch by our author (consisting of a literal extract of all the cabbalistic matter from this work by an anonymous writer) see MS. Add. 493 below. ~ The assertion, however, made by Chayyim Goldschmied that our author's Peatateuch-commentary was, on account of the polemics against Rashi and other commentators contained in it, called l"f:nn rrnnz5 (see Landau's edition of the'Arukh, iv. p. xxxi, Note 2) is incorrect. At least the authority adduced for it has yet to be found. WTe have certainly read through the 316 closely. printed pages of the %:)xi -n, (Berlin, 1851, 4to.) without finding any trace of it. 4 A word may be said here of the earliest printed editions of this commentary. (1) The dateless edition of'Obadyah, Menassheh and Binyamin of Rome, of which a fine copy is in Christ's College Library (G. 4. 8), for the repeated use of which we here record our thanks to the Master (Dr Cartmell). (2) The Lisbon edition of 1489, of which copies are in the University Library and at Clare College, the latter (A. 5. 8) perfect at the end. (3) The Naples edition of 1490 (in the University Library), which, notwithstanding the assertion of the editor (or.editors) to the contrary, labours under many shortcomings, owing both to the incorrectness and defectiveness of the MS. from which it was made; see passim. (The introduction to Deuteronomy, which is wanting in its place, is, however, to be found at the end of the whole work.) Its only merit, if merit it be, is its consistently conforming to the Naples editions of other works at that period, in which the names Denis,,nrx &c. are given by u-5K,,nK &c. (4) The Venice edition of 1545 (n"v, l"mrinni, or p3prin nr,5K), for the loan of which we have to thank Dr Cookson, the Master, and Mr Wordsworth, Fellow and Librarian of St Peter's College. This edition, though not exactly a reprint of i]68 CATALOGUE:OF-iHEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 54. at least, translated into Latin (see our description of MS. Gg. 4. 34, below). Author and work, then, being well known, we will confine ourselves to describing briefly the MS. before us. The copy before us conforms, on the whole, to the printed editions; but has, nevertheless, several various readings of considerable value. Perhaps the most interesting, even if not most valuable, are the rhymes at the end of Exodus, which here stand thus (leaf 160"):.~ip 9 laown m6n is tonne... Of these lines, 5-9 are no to be found in any of the editions except he first (leaf 123 and there only in an inferior state; while the last line, henever it occurs at the commencement of a line, is distinguished nn 120n* 15Dnw rwvpn5 Wtpnl t:S I11V m;n -I IWV tiny tlnw rmni Ad Ins%21 three or five points being obliquely placed against it (see passim). Henn he Naples edition, stands in close connexion with i, as may be seen passim, 12u particularly from the commentary on Gen. i 1 n1 d the rhyme1s at the endl of umbers (leaves 6t, col 2 and 129, col. 2). Seinschneider shoull scarelyptn Of these lines, 5-9 are not to be found in any of the editions except the first (leaf 123)lthough, and there only in and, inferior state; while the last line, -which may, however, bthree due to the copyist, does not occur even there. Thaccessible of the origina scribe was, perhaps, Mosheh, as that name whenever it occurs at the commencement of a line, is distinguished by three or five points being obliquely placed against it (see passim). He the Naples edition, stands in close connexion with it, as may be seen assimee but particularly from the commentary on Gen. ii. 11 and the rhymes at the end -of Numbers (leaves 6b, col. 2 and 129r, col. 2). Steinschneider should scarcely have called this an editio castrat, eeing that, a few Antichristiana(?) excepted, it is as full as, and, in some respects, even fuller than, the preceding editions. (5),-If there be a Venice edition, which deserves so disparaging an epithet, it is,-hat — of 1548 (King's College Library,'A. I. 1 and Trinity College Library, -A. 14. 9); although, on the other hand, it must be remarked, that in this edition the commentary is a mere accessory. The first three editions must have been derived from three different MSS. The other early editions are not accessible to us. l It does not necessarily follow, that a name, distinguished by points, &c., in a MS, is always the scribe's; it may be that of the original owner (see Excursus I.). In this case there is the less certainty in assigning the name ~Mosheh to the scribe, as the letters n and n are invariably used by him for the billing up of the vacant spaces of the lineso No. 54.] COMMENTARIES ON" THE BIBLE. 169 was, if one may judge from his hand, a' Sephardi of the Peninsula, and lived about 1330-1380. He must have been a superior man in point of learning, if not in that of calligraphy. The following peculiarities, which one or all may however be due to the copy before him, are worthy of note: 1. Instead of the'l"V' of the printed editions, he has,q"X'1I (see, for instance, leaf 282a). 2. Rashi he gives invariably by W"'i (see this Catalogue, pp. 40, 48, 67). 3. He occasionally divides a word, placing part of it on one line, and part on the next line (se6, for instance, leaf 272b, lines 10 and 11). In addition to this scribb, others (owners or otherwise) have -left their marks on this MS: 1. A Peninsular Sephardi of the xvth century, who wrote on the margins and in current character (see passim). 2. Another Peninsular Sephardi of the xv-xvIth century, who wrote on the margins and in Rabbinic character (see 131", 134, 135). 3. A third Peninsular Sephardi of the xvIth century, who also wrote on the margins and in Rabbinic character (see 145a). 4. A fourth Peninsular Sephardi, who wrote leaf 128*. The MS. must have become defective, at the latest, towards the middle of the xvIth century, which defect was, however, made good by the insertion of this leaf about that time. It is in Rabbinic character, numbering 33 lines to the page. It begins (on Ex. xxii. 15 and 16; printed editions 15):..1. 111n 1Mns W1n12W ar And ends (on Ex. xxii. 26): 5. A Greek Sephardi, who wrote leaf 337*. It is written in Rabbinic character of the latter part of the xvith century, and contains 34 lines to the page. It begins (on Dent. xxx. 43; printed editions 40):.Invout adz~ Co1n NS any nn to:>: En And ends (on Deut. xxxiii. 3): 6. Another Greek Sephardi of the xvi —xviith century, who wrote in an inelegant Rabbinic character, on the margins of 139', 214a, 30A, 318%, 319, 319b. The state of this MS. is, when compared with Add. 524. 1, not very bad. In addition to the losses of leaves enumerated above we must 1 This is to be added to the instances given by Zunz in his interesting article on ni"' and ni"vr in Steinscheider's ~~rn, x. p. 50. 170 CATALOGUE OF HfEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No.; 5. however mention: 1. That leaf 223 is torn; but there is nothing missing;2. That the outer margins of leaves 276 and 296 have been cut away by the bookbinder, by which process some valuable notes have been destroyed; 3. And that the whole MS. is a little stained, soiled, and worm-eaten; but the paper, except in two places (288b and 329b), where its texture was originally rather loose, is fairly strong to this day. [Library-mark, Add. 524.,2; bought in 1869 from. H. Lipschiitz.] No. 55. Parchment and paper, in folio, O ini. x 7x in.; (originally 344 leaves, 8-sheet quires, the inner and outer sheets parchinent, the rest paper), 33 lines; Rabbinic character, Greek Sephardic handwriting of the xIv-xvth century. Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Mosheh b. Nachman of Gerona (Ramban, Nachmanides); defective. Leaf 1, blank; 2 (wanting) Introduction; 3b, Genesis (17, 19-30, 32, 33, 35-38, 40, 41, 43-46, 48, 49, 51-54, 56, 57, 59-62, 64, 65, 67-70, 72, 73, 75-77, 79-81, wanting); 82b, Exodus (83-86, 88, 89, 91-94, 96-98, 100 —115, 117, 118, 120, 121, 123, 125, 126, 128 and all afterwards wanting). Begins (leaf 3, in the introduction):..'.,fii nK't:Kn Amok Klpt15 Breaks off (leaf 127b, on Exod. xxii. 7): Klnt o in 2:W V ab wnwm, b4.2p.w t1pw,1=.. From the enumeration of leaves given above, it will be seen that this MS., as it now stands, is a mere fraction of what it originally was. It is nevertheless of no small value. For although it conforms on the whole to the printed editions, it yet not only favourably contrasts with them in point of general correctness, but also in occasionally containing matter not to be found in theme. 1 Of the several readings found here, and not in the printed editions, we will only mention one, in which it says, that Noah saw Adam (MS. leaf 22b, on Gen. x. 2-6), because the passage had been severely commented upon by the author of the work contained in MS. Add. 508. 4 (R. Zekharyah Hakkohen; see No. 59 of this Catalogue below). The passage in question runs here thus: 7*b 1 t:! CsY I'en 1Pnn m nli nM1n1 14n= 511n11 11,11t nIz1r nI 1=1 nD1 8. 9..5.W. K`. tW1' 7:Jr nW1l IH U 0 R 3-1K. - nM no n'r*Y';n^ 5v " W,-5 V vL7$V 511; No. 55.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 171 It is not improbable, that this very MS. wasin the hands of IR. Zekharyah Hakkohen, and that he took from it his points of attack against our author (see the foregoing Note), although this is not the only copy in which the objectionable passage alluded to occurs (see No. 56 of this Catalogue). The vacant spaces at the end of lines are filled up with part of the word on the next line, and occasionally by an K (see Excurs. I.). The following have left marks of their ownership on this MS.: I. An anonymous Greek Sephardi of the commencement of the xvth century, by writing notes on the margins. These contain a few supplements of words and phrases forgotten by the original copyist, and now and then also an emendation or suggestion belonging to the annotator himself (7a, 7b, 92b, 123b). Any other marginal supplements in a Greek Sephardic hand, belong to the original copyist himself. 2. The anonymous writer of the words: "?t 1:,rVI,l'nl sw'lVrn (leaf lb). The writing is in Sephardic Rabbinic character, of surpassing beauty, and belongs to the end of the xvth century. 3. R. Elqanah lW')J (leaf laP). This name is written in bold Sephardic Rabbinic character (not Greek Sephardic, which one would have expected). The writing belongs to the xv-xvIth century. 4. An anonymous annotator, who wrote between the lines and on the margins of leaves 4a, 6'. The writing is Sephardic Rabbinic character of the xvIth' century. 5. R. David b. Meir: —Ibn LW0.,: (?Benevenisti). This name is written in Sephardic square character (leaf la). The writer seems to have belonged to the xvIIth century, and lived, no doubt, in Turkey. 6. On leaf lb are two entries, recording money transactions, in'Spagnol' (Judeeo-Spanish) and written in Sephardic current character. The following names occur: (1) of persons: R. Yomtob -Mpl, R. Mosheh inTl, and R. Mosheh b. nrrni; (2) of places: Constantinople (,:lStO[ ); (3) of money: Reals (Wq'st)). These entries belong, apparently, to the XVII-xvIIIth century. 7. R. Abraham Hallevi U"D. This name is to be found on leaf 40, outer margin. It is a signature, somewhat artistically executed, in Sephardic current character of the xvIiI- xIxth century. For some time past this MS., with the one described in the last No., have formed one volume, but the matter missing between them amounts to more than a page. l As of this name there is only left the faintest trace possible we specify it minutely as being 3 in. from the upper, and 3~ in. from the outer, margin. Is this the father of R. Eliyyah *rm5p? 2 The matter missing is from... rn's a0 lcrm (Ex. xxii. 7) to nuno.. *. * nlw'p pwt (Ex. xxii. 15 and 16). 172 CATALOGUE'OF- HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 56. The entry, partly in Rabbinic and partly in current (Polish) character, on fly-leaf 2", is in the hand of H. Lipschiitz, the bookseller; it runs thus: IT1 n rsI now, tr nn p1M In -t01 n -lqnn iv ln1'a. This statement refers to the time, when MS. Add. 524. 2 was bound at the end of this MS. The condition of the MS. is not good; as, besides the defects enumerated above, leaf 3 is almost gone, as is also part of 66, while 115 is badly torn; and damp as well as worms have done considerable injury to this otherwise very interesting copy. [Library-mark, Add. 524. 1; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 56. Paper, in quarto, 8A in. x 6 in.; 202 leaves, mostly'l -sheet quires, 21 lines; Rabbinic character, Egyptian Sephardic handwriting of the xvth century. Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Mosheh b. Nachman of Gerona (Ramban, Nachmanides), in several parts2. Part 1; defective.'I. Genesis. Leaves 1-3 wanting; 4, Introduction; 6,- Genesis (12 wanting); 202, probably blank, wanting. Begins (ieaf 4P, in the Introduction):.. rnl1n1S,qn n= Iya' ntln non::1 rlV~'~,, as Ends (leaf (201"): ~S new) y~w Dow~ nn.n mnrlnj nrbtr>1 now n~! l,~te l... -1 -- -- non nvnnyn (cOly..tqm neonn plwn ibu1 ]ItlyT 41n11n 1ni$ ADD -mnln $anns 1 The first quire has six sheets. 2 That the scribe wrote this commentary in several (probably five) parts, is clear, from the phrases with which he finishes, on leaf 201b, Genesis and introduces, or rather announces, Exodus. It is, therefore, also very probable, that leaf 202 remained blank; and being blank, it was ultimately lost. 3 From these short quotations even it will be seen, how rich in omissions this copy is; for not only is in each line one word less than even in the commonest editions, but there is the whole of the concluding rhymes, after that book, omitted. 4 See Note 2. No. 56.]'COMMIENTARIES ON THE BIBL'E. 173 Although- this MS. conforms, on the whole, to the printed editions, from.which it, in most cases, only differs by the omissions and mistakes (of which latter it has not.a few), it is, nevertheless, of.great importance for the following two reasons: 1. Like MS. Add. 524. 1 it has (leaf 5!0) the rare reading, that Noah saw Adam (see this Catalogue, p. 170, Note).'2. It has (leaf 34a on Gen. iv. 22) between KlN;n, t n' ~t,ntIn f and'n.'mi 1nN V'171M the strange phrase' t"'ntn2n l'm;i; and again between t3iSP'1 "PI I'and r'nni the phrase V"T. Now, this is an important key. It is, in our opinion, an indication, wherever the -N'T1y occurs in this commentary (and it occurs several times even in the printed editions; see passim), that just shortly before that, an addition had been made by the author himself at the second, or even a later recension. The original scribe's name was, probably, Abraham, as the letters, and n are frequently to he found at the end of lines (see Excursus I.). Thiis scribe was a Sephardi, and either a native of Egypt, or, at all events, trained there (probably both); as his peculiar handwriting (besides the'consistent omission of the use of the A, where others would place it) will testify to. This scribe has a few peculiarities worth mentioning: 1. He always repeats the last word or two of the verso-page (being the last of the line, or on a line by themselves) on the next leaf; thus forming a species of catchword. 2. He very often leaves spaces for large initial words and phrases, some of which spaces either he, his assistant (see later), or a later scribe (or owner, see later) fills out. Some of these spaces are filled out with smaller letters than originally intended, while others are still blank. 3. Sometimes he leaves spaces, as if there was something missing, whilst in reality such is not the case; and although part of this is no doubt owing to the brittleness of the paper, this cause alone will not account for every case. An assistant apparently, of the original scribe, a Peninsular Sephardi, wrote the latter part of leaf 56b, the whole of- 201b, filled out a few of the vacant spaces, and made also some corrections. Others, however, besides these two scribes, have contributed to this MS. as it now stands; these were probably owners. 1 That, at least, a second recension was made by the author is well known from his remark on Gen. xxxv. 16 (not 17, as in Steinschneider, probably by.a misprint). 2 The final recension was made, shortly before the author's death, some. where in Palestine (? at'Acco, i.e. St Jean d'Acre); this final recension, however, seems to have -been at least a third, as a second had most assuredly been made at Jerusalem itself (..... o',1,rnKm:n v:ir....; see the preceding Note). 174 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [LNo. 57. 1. A Peninsular Sephardi of the xv-xvith century, by supplying omissions (which he did by filling out vacant spaces, and insulated words over some of the lines). He wrote in Rabbinic character. 2. Another Peninsular Sephardi, also of the xv-xvIth century, by supplying corrections on the margins. He wrote in current character. Twice (leaves 60" and 138b) he: has supplied also drawings (as a'hand,' &c.) to draw the reader's attention to a particularly striking passage in the commentary. Three other owners have left their marks of ownership in a less pretentious way: 1. A Peninsular Sephardi of the xvIth century, by writing the words 1"WV' tll' (on leaf 4A) in Rabbinic character. 2. An Italian, also of the xvIth century, by writing (on leaf 4a) the words S"? l":l?1Y5':aNK'aD in Rabbinic character. 3. Another Italian, but of the xvIIth century, by writing in mixed (Rabbinic and current) character the abbreviation $"313:1 (i.e.'In ~D The state of the MS. is very bad, owing partly to the original brittleness of the paper (see above), partly to the corrosive nature of the ink, and partly to damp. Between these three causes the MS. has been almost ruined. From leaf 37 onwards, there are few leaves indeed, which have not lost whole words, or even whole lines; from leaf 100 to leaf 133, however, entire pieces of the middle have fallen out and continue to do so to this day, on the slightest touch. From 134 onwards, however, the leaves are in tolerable condition. [Library-mark, Add. 525; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 57. Paper, in folio, 11- in. x 8~ in.; 602 leaves, mostlyl 5-sheet quires, 24 lines; the text (on the verso of each leaf) in Sephardic Rabbinic character, and the translation (on the recto) in Italian handwriting of the xv —xvIth century. 1 The exceptions are quires 17 (which has four), 18 (which has seven), 27 (which has again four), and 35 (which has six sheets). No. 57.1 COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 175 Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Mosheh b. Nachman of Gerona (Ramban, Nachmanides), with a Latin translation by an anonymous author, in several parts'; defective. I. GENESIS-EXODUS. Leaf la, blank; ib, 2', rhymed preface; 2b, 3', general introductions to the whole Pentateuch; 12", 13a, Genesis (291 300 wanting); 544b 5451a Exodus; leaves 603-612 and all afterwards nmissing.. Begins (leaf lb with the usual formula of commencing a book, the superscription of the work and tile text of the rhymed preface):.. nnll nab:,1. n>:Xln t1n: 12 M un:u::4,nrnn lta 1n neo and (leaf 2a with the translation of the superscription and the preface): Innouationes in legem Magistri Magistri nostri Moyse bar naman sit anima sua ligata in ligamine vitae. Cum timore cum metu cum tremore... Breaks off (leaf 602a, in the translation of the commentary on Ex. vi. 13):.. qui[a] tibi omnia verba non ad aaron tecum et te and (leaf 602b, in the text of the commentary on Ex. vi. 14, and with seven words of Ex. vi. 15, in the sacred text): Enp'.n61yV nl>Kn nn6 2o S 1 trapt anon nbV3Vl senl En nvy.. The Rabbinic text, in this MS., was either copied from the very MS., which served as copy for the Lisbon edition, or from that edition itself; more probably, however, the latter was the case, as our MS., except that it has throughoutr tJ6l N for the $SN of the Lisbon edition, too minutely reflects the advantages and disadvantages of that edition, not to stand in an absolute connexion with it2. The various readings taken 1 The whole commentary, together with the translation, was written either in two parts (I. Genesis, Exodus; II. Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), or, which is even more likely to have been the case, in three parts (I. Genesis and part of Exodus; II. the remaining part of Exodus and the whole of Leviticus; III. Numbers, Deuteronomy). From the way in which Genesis ends and Exodus begins, on the one hand, and the way in which the latter breaks off, on the other hand, we see that Genesis and Exodus (be it only part of the latter) were to form one volume, and that, at all events, something was wanting to make up this first part. 2 We will only give a few striking examples. Leaf 53b (on Gen. ii. 3) we miss, as in the Lisbon edition, the whole of the passage: irK rni"p rn n'......'t5x nwvn (see this Catalogue, p. 145). Leaf 61b (on Gen. ii. 11) we have...... ~n8:v5.:.... as in the Lisbon edition (the Naples edition' has... 5:b...). Leaf 85b (on Gen. vi. 1) is even to be found the very abbre. 176 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. i[No. 57. from; MSS. (0"j), or such as are of the scribe's own suggestion ('a), which.are occasionally to be found on the margins, are, no doubt, a mere afterthought on the part of the copyist, as is also the partial supply of vowel-points (on leaves — o10b, 21b'87b, 91b_94b, 98b-100b, and insulated Words to almost the end of the volume). The copyist's name was, probably, Hillel, as the letter,n serves a good many times to fill out the -void spaces of the lines (see Excursus I.). Although his Latin handwriting was of Italian training, he must have learnt to write Hebrew, from a Peninsular Sephardi. The translation, whether it be viewed with respect to Rabbinic, or to Latin lore, is no monument of great learning. One, certainly, could -have forgiven the translator the inelegance of his Latin diction, seeing that he had to contend with a treble difficulty: he had to render into Latin, thoughts that had been conceived almost three hundred years before in another language, and this not merely in the ordinary Rabbinic, but in the peculiarly coloured, cabbalistico-poetical, Rabbinic of Nachmanides. But what one cannot forgive the translator is his evident and frequent misconception of the text before him'. The translator seems to have viation of the Lisbon edition for 480 ("in) which in the common editions is given in full. Leaf 406b the pericope nrwun, leaves off, as in the Lisbon edition, with ntcrzh r 1n *.. and not as the other editions, with,n-bi;-nnr.... Leaf 411b'(on Gen. xxxvii. 26) is not merely, as in the Lisbon edition, the commentary'on a later verse given before that on' an earlier one, but the very mis-spelling of the word -nplmr (for nn,~rb) is to be found, even as it is there. 1 To give only two instances out of the many, we adduce: (1) that leaf 10a, he translates tuv vniu n;n,m nnn 5:)' nrr Lr;Il;=p 1,'tn uw 1rv...... en.: tvw, pn by Etianm est in manibuls nostris cabala veritatis quia tota lex tota ipsa nomina sua de sancto benedicto ipso... and (2) that leaf 545',,he translates....t:.v: rn Di,5ty... by Perfecit. scripturam libri Beressit... A superior man alike in Rabbinic and Latin scholarship, seems, on the other hand, to have been another translator of Ramban's commentary,on the Pentateuch into Latin. MS. B. 8. 2, in the library of Trinity College, in this University, includes a fragment, consisting of a single quire of eight leaves, which contains the commencement of this commentary on Exodus (Introduction up to iii. 12 inclusive). This translator (see later) gives the second of the two passages just quoted, thus: Finivit scriptura librum Genes[eos]... which, at all events, shows that he understood the author he had before him. We take this opportunity of thanking the College for their liberality in granting us the use of that valuable MS. In return for their kindness, we will furnish them, in addition to correcting an unaccountable mistake, which has crept into their printed Catalogue, respecting the volume of which this work forms part, with fresh matter in connexion therewith, which was, at the time of the publication of the Catalogue, unknown to us. 1. Only the first of the three works contained in R. 8. 2 (Isaiah, Hebrew and Latin) was copied by the scribe who is the copyist of the MS. described in this No. (57); the second and third work (Moreh Maqom and the Fragment No. 57.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 177 been one of those semi-learned Physician Rabbis with which Italy literally swarmed after the heart-rending catastrophe in the Iberian Peninsula (1492-1507). As regards the copyist of the translation, he is in our opinion identical with the translator himself; and the translation was, no doubt, copied at the same time as the text, as the identity of the ink throughout in both, the emendations (by the original copyist) both in text and translation (on the verso-page; see, for instance, leaf 42b), the occasional summaries (in Latin on the recto-page) on the margins, but above all, the boldness of the ductus which characterises both the Rabbinic and the Latin, and the fact of the contents of the respective pages closely corresponding with one another, will clearly show. If the translator as such cannot obtain the approval of the reader, he will do so, and this deservedly, as copyist, of this splendidly executed MS. Five owners, all of whom were, apparently, Englishmen and of the xvI —xvIth century, have left their marks of ownership in this volume, in various ways: (1) A good hand; (a) by writing at the end (leaf 602b) sunt quinterniones 60; and (b) by numbering on the verso-page the leaves down to 290 inclusive. (2) A hand full of character and distinctness: by writing mostly on the verso-pages, with more or less interruption, from leaf 71b to 421. The Hebrew interspersed in its remarks, which are written in Latin, is in Rabbinic character. Leaf 1lb, on occasion of Nachmanides giving the Rabbinic opinion (Bereshith Rabbah, cap. 33) that Palestine had not been subject to the Flood, the annotator hIas: Terrna?srael non fuit inundata, o vanitas, forgetting that one of the Prophets (Ezek. xxii. 24) must have had the same tradition. (3) A trembling hand: by putting on leaves 232b and 2305 the letters a and b respectively. of Latin translation of Nachmanides' commentary on Exodus) were copied by Gabriel de Cingulo. 2. There can be no doubt, that, as the Moreh Maqonz is the work of Elisha' of Viterbo, so is also the fragment of the translation of Nachmanides' commentary; and that, as the translation of that commentary on Exodus was certainly preceded by a similar one of that on Genesis, so it was, most probably, succeeded also by a similar one on the other parts. - 3. This Elisha' of Viterbo is probably identical with Egidio of Viterbo, who, according to Rubin (nrnn'-Tr niv, p. 24; see -nnvr,, v. 3),translated cabbalistic books (as the Zohar, &c.) into Latin. Rubin calls this Egidio a *nhcn (by which he understands a Christian pure and simple); if Egidio was, at all, a Christian, he was a nelz (i.e. a Jew converted to Christianity), but in no case a Christian by birth. This Egidio must, of course, not be confounded with Cardinal Egidia, Bishop of Titerbo and pupil of Elias Levita. 12 178 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 58. (4) A somewhat careless and intricate hand: by writing, mostly on the verso-pages, references, explanations of difficult words and phrases, &c. The whole, naturally written in Latin, has occasionally Hebrew words; these are in square character. The first trace of this hand is on leaf lb and the last on 562b. Although there are many leaves left without notes, the greatest gap is to be found between 416 and 560b. (5) A neat hand: a) by writing on leaf la: I"/:1. i. ntlj1:-,I i "'1. Rabbi Mosis filii Nachmanis in librum Bereshith. i. Genesin, et in sex priora capita Elleh shemothll. i. Exodi, vsque ad versum decimum quartum capitis sexti Exodi commentaria; b) by putting, on leaf 1P (the library-mark) 20. The writer of this seems to have been the last owner of this MS., Thomas Whalley, D.D., and Vice-Master of Trinity College, who presented it to the University, as the printed Latin label, on leaf ls, states. The condition of the MS., except for the above specified defects, is very satisfactory. [Library-mark, Gg. 4. 34; presented in 1637, by Dr T. Whalley.] No. 58. Parchment, 121 in. x 6- in.; 2 leaves (forming the outermost sheet of a 6-sheet quire), 2 columns, 32-33 lines; Greek Ashkenazic handwriting of the xIII-XIvth century. Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, by R. Mosheh b. Nachman of Gerona (Ramban, Nachmanides); a fragment. This fragment constitutes the remains of a magnificent copy, full of variants, and which; no doubt, contained originally Ramban's commentary on the whole Pentateuch, although we have now only two disconnected pieces on Leviticus. The leaf now marked 1 begins (on vi. 2):...not: n ten rn.;I In vn wl rIi ^=, and breaks off (on vi. 23): The leaf now marked 12 begins (on xii. 2): and breaks off (on xiii. 3): GnM~n i a nnnn nKnil I'ntaian Inv No. 59.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 179 The following note of an owner in a mixed (oriental and Egyptian) Sephardic hand of the xvIInth century, is to be found on leaf ib: This note if written in Egypt, was probably written during, or after, the time of R. Chayyim Yoseph David Azulai's sojourn in that country, whither he went to his daughter's marriage. See ITKI'Inn (Livorno, 1801, 40)i, leaf 202b, letter 2, 5. (For more information concerning owners, see MS. Add. 511. 1.) Having served for some time as binding to MS. Add. 511. 1, it is in various places almost illegible; particularly leaf 12b, which has been more exposed than the rest. [Library-mark, Add. 511. 2; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 59. Paper, in quarto, 7- in x 57 in.; 24 leaves, 6-sheet quires, oriental Qaraite (Sephardic) handwriting of the xvIth century.'1_7 pll111rt J — t''vlr vlibn Nllh1D1 OrN 111 >n nl Strictures on select passages in Nachmanides' PENTATEUCHcommentary, by R. Zekharyah b. Mosheh IHakkohen the Physician; defective. Leaf 1, wanting'; 2&, Genesis; 9a, Exodus; 90, Numbers (12 wanting); 15b, Deuteronomy; 15b date of the author's death and elegy on it by R. Abraham Hakkohen (the author's son?); 16 and all afterwards wanting. 1 If any one, after following our description of the MS., will turn to yrlnn ii. pp. 161, 162, and read the l":ann, 5y'vv which the Editor has there printed, we are satisfied that he will not fail to share our conviction that that poem was written by our author as an introduction to the work here described; and that, in all probability, it actually stood on the leaf at the beginning, which is now lost. The Editor of l5enn, appears to have found the poem copied separately into a miscellaneous volume in such a way as to afford him no certain clue to the authorship, though his clear-sightedness has enabled him to see that it must have stood at the head of some book containing answers to the attacks of Ramban on Ibn'Ezra and Maimonides. Steinschneider (Catal. Codd. Heb. Bibl. Acad. Lugd.-Bat. p. 143) very nearly hit the mark when he suggested that this poem was written to precede the mnv, of our author relating to the mntn mv (Cod. Vat. ccXLIX); and had he seen this Dvt-np itself, he would no doubt, have been the first to discern the fact. 12-2 I80 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 59. Begins (leaf 2', on Gen. x. 2): Ann. W n. -rIe niv n4wnn nN Us: tow. tn nN nIIN (n~ vnv 1"fV) nlsM nK nKn ensbs.1n. not riMn tmissvm rom - npvS -n riN-1 - Ins 2IN ma n -s In nM;rfN. n6wvnn w=n=s nmr1,,p KNn Ends (leaf 15b, in Nachmanides' commentary, on Deut. v. 5)::"3t S1m Itr~rrvt a wn nwi ne Snu arts. Our author was, no doubt, a s Greek abbanite. He is know n as a In the printed editions, accessible to us, as ndeed also in man 4MSS. of snots i Sn iw5' 15n:8 = inK if: WI W11=11 i: inwr1 -N w N~achmanides' Pentateuch-commentary, the passage (that Noah saw Adam) against which. Zekharyah here successfully argues, is not to be found. Butn two MSS. pr ns Lirn tai LNbrs 5 tub ners55and 56 of this nCatalogue) it is to be found. The agen and loality, in Iwhich the former of these two MSS. was executed, make i n improbable that our a uthor had that very copy in his ha ns, when he wrote this little, but valuable, work. t -n likn s 1n Ip as;131V= 141 - msy 6:n ln y m nn S min s It=a Our author was, no doubt, a Greek Rabbanite. He is known as a synagogal poet, Lhwzer, oturgesch. d. s. Poes. p. 3787). But he is better, but the whoSee Tword. Bais Abrathraam Kohen is, 121b. 2 In the printed editions,f the acessible to us, as indeed also in any orientaS. of Sepachmarides' Pen(tateuch-co nme ntry, the passage (that Noah saw Adam) against which R. Zekharyah here successfully argues, is not to be found. But in two MSS. preserved in this Library (Numbers 55 and 56 of this Catalogue)' it is to be found. The age and locality, in which the former of these two MSS. was executed, make it not improbable that our author had that very copy in is forgands, when this facte this little but valuable, work. 3 The ould &c. is without the points uual on such an occasion; in all proba-ther line bility, however, the whole word stands for the date, which would give 1446. 4 This elegy.has the poem of icrostis an, the sixth line having not slighy superely the letter a, but the whole word inr. This Abraham Kohen is, f probably, the author's son. The value of the acrostic was, apparently, noticed by an oriental Sepuhardic owner (a Rabbanite) of the xvi-xvIIth century, since he has written against the elegy the words;1I zoni-N; although, singularly enough, he must have soon forgotten this fact, since he suggests for the fifth line (n), which, because he could not understand the w5,,1 n n beides), did not please him, another line which begi ns OV ww1, /n, 15-p i5b 1 15i: end s 5:), which again deprived the poem of its n and has only one -merit, that of being slightly superior in diction to the original. 5 So in MS.; read 7DD. 6 SO ill MS.; readntltr. 7 In a Greek ritual in this Library (MS. Add. 542) are to found three poems by our author, the first two of which are noticed by Zunz, one having no acrostic and one with;trgsOTX and besides these a third with the acrostic I;-m;r1-)nC1 which beegins )wvninr niI riy )-I j7T and ends lvb5w vrri mr-pnjlP wU~1. No. 59.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 181 known as R. Zekharyah the Philosopher (Assemani, CCXLIX. p. 207); the title the Physician belongs, apparently, to his father (see superscription of the elegy). The present work is, no doubt, the- famous D"tIMlv~1, heard of by many, but, in modern times at least, seen by none, and, apparently, 1 The word rosup (occasionally also VI~p,'Vvnmp, &c.) seems to mean a set of sheets, written on or not, forming a quire, or quires, of parchment or paper. It is probably a corruption of the late Latin quaternus (like the French cahier, old French quayer, and the English quire, old English qtlayer), a gathering of four sheets. In this sense we find the word used by Rashi (1040-1105), as may be seen from his commentary on T. B. Menachoth 32a, anus. The Tosaphists (North French Rabbis of the age succeeding that of Rashi and founded chiefly by his grandson R. Ya'aqob b. Meir, or, as he is more commonly called, Rabbenu Tam) use the word exclusively for Rashi's commentary on the several parts of the Babylonian Talmud. Subsequently the word was used again less exclusively for any smaller works and pamphlets, or single quires of larger works. This was especially the case from the xIIIth century downwards among Sephardic authors, scribes and others, who, however, write the word nr-n-p. In this sense the word vimilp is used by R. Menachem Tamar of Greece (see Steinschneider, Catal. Codd. Heb. Bibl. Acad. Lugd.-Bat. p. 143), and probably before him, by his grandfather, the author of this little work, himself. Elias Levita, misled by the immediate succession of the ) to the i in Vnt1tp derives this word ('2rin s. v.) from the Italian quinterno (Latin quinlternus), an expression with which he would become familiar in the Venetian printing offices of the xvith century. But, though the words qruinternus and quinternio may have existed as early as the xivth century in the sense of a 5-sheet quire (Du Cange s. v.) there seems no trace of them at an earlier date; and, indeed, their formation shows that they could only have been invented after the use of quaternus, signifying a quire, had been long known. Zunz (Zeitschr. f. d. Wissensch. d. Judenth. p. 324, Note 55) takes v>unp to be an abbreviation of the vintzipr of the Gemara and the equivalent of the Latin cowlwlentarius; but it is clear, that 7'imn pzwn (T. B. Gittin 28b), nr)'rzpn (Ibid. 29a), and m'nmtopnr (T. Y. Yebamoth xvI. 5) are used not of things but of persons; and therefore, as Buxtorf long ago suggested, the word Drnomp represents the Latin commentariensis, and not commentarius. Commentarienses (see the passages quoted by Du Cange s. v.) were governors of prisons, to whom the execution of condemned prisoners was committed. Buxtorf perceived that, in the view of the Talmud, the contrast lay between persons and persons, between the 5mwy by 1]T nm, who were incorruptible, and the:i lu p'2 1nnuvrp, who were liable to be bribed; though, in explaining l'mvnomeiP by judices criminales, he has given the word conmmentarienses a sense for which there seems to be no authority. Landau ('Arukh s. v. vnvmip) has fallen into a strange mistake (all the more strange, seeing the free use he has made of Buxtorf's labours), in stating that Rashi and the Tosaphists misunderstood the word r'nt0m2lp. We have no means of examining MSS. of Rashi on the passage in Gittin, on which he comments, to see whether the true reading of his words is x;v,5 ^uinn, according to the printed editions, or.,1;5 u~n, as the phrase runs in the,n-lrn l1:P and nrivtA. on the Talmud Yerushalmi (both of these commen 182 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 59. only:known from the mention of it by 1. Menachem Tamar, whose maternal grandfather our author was'. In these strictures R. Zekharyah ostensibly professes to defend Ibn'Ezra's remarks in his Pentateuch-commentary and faimonides' views on anthropomorphism as extant in his Moreh, &c. But, if the truth must be told, our author's principal aim is less to defend these two great teachers than to attack Nachmanides, against whom he has an antipathy, probably on account of his predilections for Qabbalabh, which he (R. Zekharyah), as a sober thinker, holds in utter contempt2. In this aim the author, being a master of style and logic, perfectly succeeds; for with all feelings of veneration for Nachmanides, both as a man and a scholar, one is irresistibly carried away by the style and arguments exhibited in this little book3. These attacks on Nachmanides' commentary are, naturally, only on select passages, so that one need not feel surprised that very little is found on Exodus and Numbers and nothing on Leviticus and Deuteronomy (the matter which belongs to this last being only part of the text of Nachmanides). But, although, to judge from the way our MS. concludes, the copy is incomplete, there is probably not much wanting4, tators, no doubt, having Rashi's words in mind). But in no case can Rashi be taxed with ignorance of the meaning of the phrase he explains. As for the Tosaphists, they merely repeated what Rashi had said before them. 1 Steinschneider, as before, p. 142. See leaf 3V, where he says that Nachmanides invented mysteries (i4n,n'7z ntweln), and leaf 8b, where he charges him with inconsistency and cowardice, as the following will show:..MKN1= nno= Dz n Inr I' 1 zbu,D YlXN m)nD N5 117;5v'D Ll*n;n I UNI... lupu5 iy b' 5x m=n)'2 n'p 1'yvl (Nachmanides) xrn tvy D1nVW XbKX I' u-r. prTb b pu' w1 n x n ),x X ^nL7z U,%1, n 5.~nJ L. V p'Yn r.1i'w D'fIl 5y ltho l'~wyve n W t1xn tr unv n. lni8nzn nl^i Iton5utn 1rn1u 1n KH' n See leaf 8, where he has (on Nachma n ides' remarks to Gen xli. 7, inDrD nrn;n n...) the fo3 llowin strikin g pass npage: UN 1r'1viPnM mnl=V nill nI -prw = 1) Minp 1 trI. nD-'i rjni.V n. or'. I;nnD 5nin1 15 n.r-mm.I'y liT tHw. nxm n 5x yrn=n N5 nnou pn! rnn 6;1r)7nnr im- 125 I3t' OrN nlyn n p Cer 5 sn -nm; nyn nninl jlw xj ni'on The leaves m issing at the end (a least 9), although m hey were, proba11 y,1 3 See leaf 8(, where he has (o4 Nachmanides' renarks to Gen. xlvi. 7, with this little treatise, as. the elegy following stiking passagehows. Tha rea'ise is incomplete at ynnhe end, is no doub owing to the incompleteness of;rpml ^:n1,InlnnU ~nlnR tp ~L~~5Wx1-1 nM 15 n D' nww'm N5l,71Nl nm5)-fi nnll,nnr)inx -IAn K5!1 -nD3 Ht:,1tjj nY N5: Nn v 1, 1n1K) 1r Dw 4...'lO3 l l-,l 1 V IW^pN 4 The leaves missing at the end (at least 9), although they were, probably, not blank (see MS. Add. 508. 4), contained at all events nothing in connexion with this little treatise, as the elegy following it clearly shows. That this treatise is incomplete at the end, is no doubt owing to the incompleteness of No. 59.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 183 as the whole work is only called a D't:Dlp even by the author's grandson (see above, p. 181 and Note 1 there). Of the many points of interest to be found in these Strictures we will only single out two: (1) That our author was very probably acquainted with Ibn'Ezra's grammatical commentary on the Pentateuch; at all events, he must have been so with the poem preceding it (see this Catalogue p. 120, Note 2), since, in the course of his argument he has (leaf 6a) the following:;Ipny3 nI,n11nn W1"IP) innW: npt WN1;11 4n 1an;nvtll E pt;13Dow 18sn towT.7soDDN lean n19U C; l~tp *l~W:'DK Iv:no 1 W SC N * Jl:W,8n nJ~npln3 43 9K1 no: tlilW.;73nW in (2) That Ibn'Ezra's Short Commentary on Exodus (edited by Reggio; see this Catalogue, p. 90) was not only known to him, but is called by him (leaf 11) nn1 rlN 1 1pr1 lP (in contradistinction to the Long Commentary a little before quoted by him), which, seeing that he had studied and knew Ibn'Ezra's style as few others, is a confirmation, that this Long Commentary was viewed by him as, on the whole, belonging to Ibn'Ezra (see this Catalogue, pp. 123, 124, &c.). The scribe of this copy, of whose name no trace is to be found here, is identical with that of MS. Add. 508. 4; and must have been a Qaraite trained, if not altogether living, in the East, as the Sephardic character of the writing sufficiently warrants one to believe. One peculiarity of his deserves being noticed. Because, as a Qaraite, he probably knew the Pentateuch by heart, he gives only two or three words of a verse, when he writes a quotation from the Mosaic records, giving the rest by single letters only; see,' for example, leaf 4", where Gen. xxvi. 13 and 14 are represented by [Sl'ihi ibib~]'1 w[q,~ 5~1, and a little later on Gen. xxvi. 3 and 4 by;'hi1nh;'5ih15hhb~ 1111 yt fs. This MS. was, in all probability, at one time, owned by R. Yehudah b. Eliyyahu Tishbi, a Qaraite, living in the xvIth century near Constantinople; see the description of MS. Add. 508. 6 below. Another owner was the anonymous oriental Sephardi of the xvI-xvIIth century mentioned above (p. 180, Note 4). the copy before the scribe. Perhaps the author died just when about to comment on Deut. v. 5, and hence the singular fact of the treatise ending with piece of Nachmanides' commentary thereon. 1 This line reads in the nn3 nwiy (p. 223) thus:,a —83Dt;1 Drnn tT vntil wn=, by nut:z' ln. 184 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 60. Except for the defect before enumerated, this MS. is in good condition. [L.brary-mark, Add. 508. 5; bought in 1869 from II. Lipschiitz.] No. 60. Paper, in quarto, 8- in., x 67 in.; 48 leaves, 28 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, occidental Qaraite (a mixture of Sephardic and Ashkenazic) handwriting of the xIxth centuryl. Supercommentary on the Mibehar' on the PENTATEUCH, by IR. Shemuel b. Yoseph of Kala, in the Crimea; defective. Leaf la, Genesis (5 10, 36 wanting); 46a, Exodus... Begins (leaf 1, on Gen. viii. 3; Mibchar I. leaf 32a): P ~W CRAW 1j93 Adz' Ads Nri92'S b ra n NWtt nvw N-SU) Breaks off (leaf 48b, on Ex. i. 19; Mibchar II. leaf 2a): I"P'V i1NI EVnrD3)nl sn,19M1 "129n, 3,>1 iDn )"K111 " 1 NIV W$r3,t.. This is, if not the most recent, certainly, one of the latest commentaries on the much-cherished text-book of the Qaraites. It was composed within the last century, and the author, dying on 25 Shebat, 55143, never went in his interpretation beyond Leviticus (see Steinschneider, 7/,1;1n, xI. p. 13). On the other hand, this commentary, as far as it goes, is superior even to the PlO n11t24 of R. Yoseph Shelornoh Yerushalmi (see this Catalogue, p. 128), who must have known and made use of it, without 1 The water-mark of the paper bears the date 1819. 2 nrinn:r, &c., is by R. Aharon the Physician b. Yoseph the Qaraite, who imitated, and by no means unsuccessfully, the great Ibn'Ezra's language and mode of explaining the Scriptures. This work, although -composed as early as the end of the xiIIth century (1294, as will be seen in the arnnn mnu,; comp. Steinschneider, Catal. Codd. Heb. Acad. Lugd.-Bat., p. 5), was not printed till 1834 (not 1835, as both Steinschneider and Zedner write), at Eupatoria (I111m), Folio. The author was an inhabitant of etsx:51v, in the Crimea; such was the case, at least, in the year 1279, as may be seen from II. leaf 14b (on Ex. xii. 2). Later Qaraites however assert that he lived at Constantinople; see Pinsker, nm'ninp'hps, (fWien, 1860, 8vo.) p. "5~r. 3 According to Jahn's Tables, 25 Shebat 5514 corresponds to Sunday, February 17, 1754 of the common era. 4 This commentary accompanies the printed edition of the Mibchar. No. 60.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 1 83 however naming this source. Our author is not only well versed in the literature of his author and the' earlier grammarians, but also both in the Rabbis (whom, although in duty bound to attack, he often involuntarily praises) and in Aristotelian philosophy (as interpreted by the ArabicHebrew school). Of later authors of his own community he quotes R. Abraham the Crimean (tn'p11) only (on Ex. i. 1; see leaf 46%). The scribe's name was probably R. Abraham Ilabbachur b. Ya'aqob Shammash (i.e. servant of the Synagogue); see the printed edition, in this Library, of the grammatical work plhli1n Mn by R. Mordekhai Sultansky (=Dt0%V), Eupatoria, 1857, 4to. (with which this MS. was formerly bound up), on the lower margin of the title-page. As a MS. this copy is, apart from the defects, rather of inferior value, owing partly to the ignorance of the scribe, and partly to the incompleteness and inexactness of the copy before him. But its value ought to be determined by the fact that it is, as yet, only the third' copy known of this important work. As regards the condition of the MS., 29 leaves are apparently wanting at the beginning, since what is now leaf la is marked i, 2a N"l, &c.; although it is difficult to understand how all these leaves could have been occupied. Leaves 5-10 are missing in the middle, as also leaf 36; and all after 48, at the end. The margins also are badly cut; the paper, however, is good. [Library-mark, Add. 861; bought in 1871 from Fischl I-Iirsch of Halberstadt.] No. 61. Paper, in quarto, 8S in. x 50 in.; 184 leaves, 4-sheet quires, 23 lines; Rabbinic character, fine Sephardic handwriting of the xIv-xvth century. Ilpr~ tW t Xrn 1In man1 ii -wInn NlnW rritT Nls Commentary on the PENTATEUCH, by the Physician R. Nathan b. Shemuel; defective. Leaves 1 —9 wanting; 10, Genesis, 32b, E-xodus (73, 80 wanting); 81 (wanting), Leviticus (88, 97 wanting); 106b, Numbers; 146", Deuteronomy; 1 One is to be found in the Imperial Library of St Petersburg (Neubauer, Aus der Petersburger Bibliothek, p. 49), and another is in the possession of Fischl Hirsch (Steinschneider, n1,T;rn, xi. p. 13, who considered the same in 1871 as unique). 186 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 61. 181i, Author's poetical subscription; 181b, blank; 182-184 (probably blank) wanting. Begins (leaf 10, on Gen. xiv. 1-24): ten ntsI I n tMN.1vin'll 1 l ntnplll:1D11I Vmvlr 11111VIl VV l-n Ends (leaf 181a): 15 1X:'afti tlsnn tm a- n svN Adv Itt aV nnw1 iw nn3 Ens sin V()ynDv - 1 v p VrIv'nn Mp tis t If the above 1subscription is not srictly poetical, inn is something beer; DADE: Lund ntw 1nD noonsV Dw n SvIN want) t O it is an instructive resum6 of this, in many respects important, work; and it is on the whole borne out by the contents of the MS. before us, as will be seen from the following remarks. 1. TITLE AND NATURE or THE Wn RK. The:1t l1'~t2,~ contains a f The points over subscription his word may possibly mean that this MS. was copied for a person of that name (see Excursus I). 2 WVe cannot pronounce this title, at least as far as the author himself is therein concerned, to be quite certain. On the one hand, nobody until now has ever properly examined, or, at all events, properly described, this work, while, on the other hand, the MS. before us is defective at the commencement (leaves 1-9; see above), just at the likeliest place for finding the title of a book recorded, if given by the author himself. The only resource left to us, therefore, is the subscription; but this subscription, although it does not exactly exclude the possibility of this title, mentions the book, as will have been seen, by the name of wt'nwn, ~Dv alone. If the author himself really called this book ntu 7in:t (for which there is a high probability, see later), he did so, no doubt, in order to hint thereby, that this work be taken for what it was in his eyes (and, on the whole, is also in reality), a:un Anar, i.e. a reproduction of excellent explanations taken from works which had been chiefly composed by others than himself, who was a mere collector. It is also very probable, that, in addition to this reason, the Rabbinical saying ~xs:Zt V'K1 tnrli (T. B. Berakhoth, 5a) and the liturgical phrase,:3$ 1 n 111 T1: No. 61.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 187 triple commentary on select parts of the Pentateuch in the shape of t3n, WV'=1 (or W'1) and n131. The Peshat is exegesis in the ordinary sense of the word; and though not always originall, it is always exceedingly good2. The Midrash (or Derash) reproduces, as will be almost selfunderstood, Rabbinical views and sayings from the Talmudim and Midrashim 3. The Nistar, however, contrary to all ordinary expectations, gives but rarely cabbalistic matter, but furnishes mostly allegories in the sense of the so-called Maimonidean4 school, with all the inconsistencies, and (for the Ten Penitential Days), hovered before the eye of his mind, when he named this book thus. For the high probability, if not absolute authenticity, of the title z- bit, it must be mentioned, that not only does R. Menachem Perigori (the sixth owner of the present MS., writing in 1469) call it so, but that the copyist of De-Rossi's Cod. 1140 (writing in 1400) does the same. R. Shabbethai Bass (writing in, or before, 1674) uses the name as if the book were universally known under this title. (The evidence given by Heilperin in rnw1v;v iyV, ed. Friedensohn, II. leaf 248a, and Ghirondi in pn, p. 274, No. 17, is, comparatively speaking, worthless, as the former unquestionably here simply wrote out R. S. Bass and the latter confessedly copied De-Rossi.) 1 The matter given under this head is often taken from Ibn'Ezra and Nachmanides, the author not deeming it worth his while to mention the real authors thereof by name, except on leaf 129a, where the name of the former, and leaf 102a, where that of the latter, is to be found (see later). What he does to these two princes' of Jewish commentators, he does also to others, as R. Tobiyyah b. Eli'ezer and R. Ya'aqob b. Anatolio. 2 We will give one instance only. Every one, on reading Gen. xlv. 25-27, must feel, even as did Rashi and the Rabbis before him (Midrash Rabbah on Genesis, cap. 95), the difficulty of the nexus: And when he saw the waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. Our author has regarding this the following explanation: n-' n XD I l~ D YN Ad 5:t bl K\1^ b l en - l' Al i'y YsZ'Zux E1 r' tn3h'age U lDI in xinr D 11 nln rn -l in,1XJ:81... -Is n =' t 3n ynf, l'CX By5 tn ter *D,, rah nrwnle undnd (hnanny) p c1uli D-Yin o n tl-,ini... flno~1.j18p Db'iVn n'rir e'X'S1n 1;n nntiTl 3 By the term Mlidrash7in we understand this peculiar kind of Rabbinic literature down to, and inclusive of, the so-called rnnmnj xnpr, (in reality the nu nmp5 by R. Tobiyyah b. Eli'ezer; see the description of MS. Add. 378. 1 below), to which, although our author does not acknowledge the source, the cabbalistic explanation on leaf 150b can be traced; see xnntS xrnipr, (Venezia, 1546, Folio) leaf 67a, column 2, towards the end. 4 The endeavour to prevent gross material conceptions, with respect to the Divine Being, from taking root in the mind of the simple Bible-reader is, although much older than evpn:s, yet chiefly to be found in the Targum of that name. Maimonides, the well-known Talmudist and philosopher, relying, on the one hand, on this endeavour as manifested in this Targum, and on the other hand, on what is to be found in the Talmudim and Midrashim respecting anthropomorphism, produced, on this ground, his far-famed nuln. But this book, although it vwas full, besides the spirit of philosophy: it breathed,- of the 188 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 61. let us add, absurdities, attaching theretol. This triple commentary is sometimes, though rarely, merged into one, as may be seen, for instance, in the pericopes 1lI and irnnlI (leaves 55b, 151b &c.). If we may judge from Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (Genesis and Leviticus being defective at the commencement), each of the five books is preceded by a short, but instructive, introduction (,lnqn3), while, now and then, the socalled Nistar is preceded by a yet shorter introduction (RPVi). 2. TIMiE OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE WORK. This work was composed in the year 1307, a time when R. Shelomoh b. Abraham Ibn R1T1N (see the description of MS. Add. 1187. 1) was yet alive. This fact helps to explain our author's apparently strange conduct in this commentary. We find, that, on the one hand, he not merely fights the battles of Maimonides against his opponents, but he actually reproduces in his Nistar (and this almost literally) all the inconsistencies, eccentricities, and even absuirdities of the school, then wrongly going by this great man's name; whilst, on the other hand, he, unlike that school, continually urges his readers, in spite of his apparently high opinion of the allegories of his Nistar, to give the preference to the Peshat over it (see passinl), as the Nistar could never exist without this Peshat (see particularly leaves 49a, 109). To us it appears that part of the author's conduct was due to his standing in awe of the celebrated Chief Rabbi of Barcelona, who, towards the end of his days, was looked upon (and justly so) as the teacher of all the Israelite Diaspora ( =t115: 5:' In' l), and who had only a year or so before this commentary was composed, given battle to the so-called Maimonidean school'. fear of God, soon experienced the unenviable fate of being misunderstood by both extreme parties within Judaism. While to the believer the explanations contained therein savoured of heterodoxy, they served in the hands of the mistaken rationalists (the so-called Maimonidean school), for divesting the most explicit narratives of Holy Writ of their plain and bona fide meaning. To give an idea of the length this school went, we will only adduce, that they explained Gen. xiv. 9 (,tnrmn nx am:b9 nv=nm) by, the four elements warring against the five senses; an explanation which was, no doubt, to be found in this MS., on leaf 9b, as the first words of leaf 10a warrant us to believe. See the next two Notes. 1 Thus, for instance, we read, in reference to the three measures of flour, which Abraham had commanded Sarah to prepare (Gen. xviii. 6), that they were an allusion to the three principal sciences: Mathematics, Physics and Divinity. Froin this it will be easily understood, that, if Abraham did not, in our author's eyes, exactly signify the MoppOh whilst Sarah signified the "'rTX (see the next Note), the whole, according to him, was an allusion to the command issued by the human intellect to the soul (=m~,nwn x: vn,mni 7nn; Jleaf 13a). 2 This school had its principal representatives in Provence, where the extravagance of its process of symbolisation, in the interpretation of the Scriptures, was so great, that it amounted to an absolute negation of all Biblical history. R. Levi (b. Abraham b. Chayyim, author of the In rr,*5 and w'n;n,nr No. 61.] COMMENTARIES ON TIIE BIBLE. 1 89 3. PLACE OF THE COMPOSITION OF THIS WORK. On the other hand, the absurdities, with which the Nistar of this commentary teems, would and could scarcely have been reproduced by a man of such sovereign good sense, as our author proves himself to be in his Peshat, had he not been obliged to pander to the foolish and unnatural cravings of his time and neighbourhood. We know what the once glorious congregations of Provence, so distinguished in 1200, and even later, in sacred as well as profane learning, had become towards the commencement of the xIvth century; how their piety had become mere fanaticism and their philosophy mere sophistry (see above pp. 187, Note 4, and 188, Notes 1, 2). Now, our lrln5;ni; see Geiger in yVnrn II. pp. 12-24 and Otzar Nechmad II. pp. 94-97) and other persons not further specified, held forth in public at Montpellier and other places that Abraham signified the MIopq5', Sarah the "'TX, the four Kings successfully contending with the five, the four elements which ultimately conquer the five senses, the twelve sons of Jacob, the signs of the Zodiac, Amalek, the evil desire, the Urim and Turmminm, the Astrolabe, and such like (see to5Nx mnJ1K 7; r:iua l) -... ul n, Wien, 1812, Folio, leaf 52a, col. 1, and rnnm nslKp, Pressburg, 1838, 8vo. pp. 31, 45, 47, 50, 52, 77, 89, 106, 153, &c.). At last R. Abbamari b. MlVosheh b. Yoseph (Don Astruc de Lunel), an inhabitant of Montpellier, the collector, and to a great extent also the author, of the Minchath Qenaoth, appealed for help to R. Shelomoh Ibn nrrm, who, in conjunction with his Rabbinical College (i' r ni) and the Elders of the congregation of Barcelona, decreed, in 1305, that nobody should be permitted to study Grseco-Arabic philosophy (Medicine excepted) before he had attained his twenty-fifth year (nv 7:...... -sxU, leaves 52a, col. 2 to 53a, col. 2). Originally R. Abbamari and others desired this restriction to extend to the thirtieth year, to which Ibn ARoiw had at first acceded (nip rnrn, pp. 61, 115); later, however, R. Abbamari himself, seeing the opposition waxing great (see later), proposed the twenty-fifth year (Ibid. p. 134). R. Asher b. Yechiel (wPx-rn; see MS. Add. 1209), who had immigrated, only a few years before, from Germany into Spain, and had become Chief Rabbi of Toledo and all Castile, only very reluctantly acceded to approve this decree, as, according to his opinion, the prohibition till twenty-five misled people to think, that it was allowed to study philosophy after that period, at a time when one ought to be engaged in the study of the Torah. However, R. Abbamari, more distinguished for piety and learning than for discretion, would not rest. For a moment, his zeal had a contrary effect; for, alarmed by these anathemas, real Maimonideans such as R. Ya'aqob b. Makhir, the celebrated translator of Euclides (see our description of MS. R. 14. 61 in Trinity College), and R. Yeda'yah Happenini wurnn7 (MS. Add. 639. 6), protested against this decree (n ip znn:?, pp. 62, 84, 86, and la... n x v niNrs, leaves 53', col. 2 to 60a, col. 1). The Jews of Montpellier, however, having been banished in 1306, the study of philosophy suffered with other studies, and the so-called Maimonidean school soon ceased to exist. The fanatics ascribed this, of course, to the interposition of Providence; although, to their honour be it said, they prayed for their antagonists, as fervently as for themselves (Minchath Qenaoth, p. 179). (For the ungenerous treatment which R. Abbamari is said to have afterwards received at the hands of this Maimonidean school, see Graetz, Geschichte, vII. p. 288.) 190 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 61. author, if he was not one of those unnamed orators, who had publicly given the nihilistic explanations of the Pentateuch mentioned before (which we suspect he was), is certainly a faithful mouth-piece of theirs, only endowed with a considerable share of prudence and caution. At all events, one can scarcely understand the depth and range of the so-called Maimonidean school and the literature referring thereto, without having read this book. In our mind there is little doubt, that this work is the result of viva voce explanations given in Provence, and perhaps in Montpellier itself, although the finishing touch may have been put to it somewhere else. 4. THE AUTHOR'S AGE AND NATIVE LAND. Our author speaks of himself, in 1307, not merely as being feeble, but also and especially as being tPt (see, besides the subscription, also leaf 48"). Allowing for this expression 60 to 70 years, he must have been born somewhere about 1240. Now, at the time of our author's birth and even somewhat later, it may have been (considering the connexion between Aragon, Catalonia and Provence, which had terminated only some thirty years before) nothing extraordinary for a Provengal, particularly if he was a Jew, to be a good Arabic scholar; but at the commencement of the xIvth century, this was, (a few cases excepted, as for instance the Tibbon family, &c.), although not exactly impossible, yet very improbable. Our author, however, to judge from the use he makes of Arabicl, must have known it perfectly and spoken it fluently. He was, therefore, in all probability, a Spaniard (an Aragonese or Catalonian) by birth. 5. WORKS AND AUTHORITIES QUOTED IN THIS COMMENTARY. These are, certainly, very few; but still they represent a fair portion of literary chronology from pre-gemaristic times down to the very days of the author; and they are: (1) The'11Vs Ib (12", 108b). (2) The'DD (i.e. the O'D; 175b). (3) The Midrash Rabbah, on Genesis (20b, 45b, 89", 95a) and Exodus (48-, 60-). (4) W1'TI~ (48b, 74, 85b). This last is the so-called Kt1rInn. (5) The n$1:,jrnP D,,~W72 (17'), also ni5p,i,y': (50a), *nJ n:lapnI (50a), and finally;1:3pn1 l-: (98). (6) Mn*Vw 1:n1 (Rashi; 66"). (7) Ibn'Ezra (129'). (8) Maimonides (mostly under the name of p),'1112; but also under D":, as 27b, and more plainly, under 1nD':Mn, as 19b, &c.). (9) R. Yoseph (Ibn) l1'1p and his commentary on Canticles (22b). (10) Nachmanides, whom the author calls ln;r, i.e. the Cabbalist (102a); see this Catalogue, p. 109. 1 ]r: tlw:, or':'u. Once (68b) both these expressions are placed as if they meant two different languages. No. 61.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 191 (11) The ~Dir, $:%, i.e. R. Ya'aqob b. Abbamari b. Shimle'on b. Anatolio (22b); see l'n ~nir'ln~t (Lyck, 1866, 8vo.). (12) NbI'Ind; (83a). 6. CURIOUS AND INTERESTING MATTERS TO BE FOUND IN THIS COMMENTARY. (1) The Articles of the Jewish religion, as defined by Maimonides, our author calls the nMr Y"', and he finds all of them in Deut. vi. 4-9 (152 —154b). (2) Leviticus, besides being called by the well-known title n r1,V n7l1n, is also called by him VMMil nW:1' mm:; and Numbers, besides being called W'711llM MMpn (Mishnah, Yorma, VII. 1), is also called by him 7'IDT'IDD 1j)'l2 (')D 1N) (106b). For the names he gives to Genesis and Exodus, see the next number of this Catalogue. (3) The resemblance between Jethro and Plato, not only in their excellence in philosophy, but in the very etymology of their respective names, is alluded to in the following passage (38b): nnn IMnI 1~'1n InM =nIinn' 1n1W1 q MmInX (i.e. Moses') lnn:Dn $P9-. A M (Plato) INtl X: nN: n 5ro Illw (4) The idea of the Heavenly Jerusalem2 being the final object of aii Israelite's aspiration, is referable, according to our author, to a cabbalistic (or a philosophical) origin; for he has (106") the following on it:...$:b~rnv rl',l;r nn7,'o nunK =42ininnn lwrtA 1 This resemblance appears then not to be an original suggestion of our author's. It originated, no doubt, in the fact of the name of,nr implying largeness. According to the Rabbis (in the Midrash Rabbah on Exodus, cap. 25) he bore this name because he enriched (enlarged) the Pentateuch by one Parashah (mnn nrnii, in Exod. xviii). Plato's name also has the same meaning. He is said to have been called lXcdraW from either his mental or his physical qualities. Diogenes Laertius (Lib. 3, Plato) says: IIXdcir&v && l i ebeCtiav /e7T'ovo/dJtO', irpOTrepov'AptoTOKX7S~ da7ro 7or rI7rwCrov KaX06odUe/ooS 6,oa, KacOd bq~av'AXafavppos iv &6a6oXat. Evtot la rT'Y wXal'trv'7Ta rTfs lpt-Yve.aTs OV'TW voeamOivaa ~i 6i- wrXarT7s 7V Tb /iGircowov, W'c bo~L NedcivOs. Seneca (Ep. 58) says: Plato ipse ad senectutem se diligentia pertulit. Erat quidem corpus validum et forte sortitus, et illi nomen latitude pectoris fecerat. Servius (on Virgil, -,En. vi. 658,' humeris extantem suspicit altis') says: Quasi Philosophum, ac si diceret Platonerm. Alludit enim Poeta. Nam Plato ab humnerorum dictus est latitudine. 2 Compare the Epistle to the Hebrews xii. 22 ('IepovoaXb/jc &Erovpavly). The equivalent expression, nrim 5y Do5m1v, (1 actvw'Iepoveo-ax/) is used both in the Talmud (Babli Ta'anith, 5S) and in the New Testament (Gal. iv. 26). 192 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 61. (5) The attacks of our author on the Christianity of his time in Western Europe are so fierce, that. we should have been greatly surprised, how a book containing them could have escaped the well-known wrath of the censors and its practical consequences, as mutilation, &c., had we not reason to believe, that this MS. had been copied in liberal Provence, and did we not know it for a fact, that it soon afterwards passed into the East, where censorship was unknown. Our author expresses himself with remarkable boldness against images, confession, hebdomadal fasts, pilgrimages (154b, 1555, 163a, 165b, 166", 173b, 178b, &c.), for which last practice he also sits in judgment upon the Mohammedans (165b). The scribe's name was probably Yoab, Yochanan, Yoseph, or something of the kind, as we find a line filled up on leaf 15~ by' and on leaf 84b by 1'. Although, apparently, a Peninsular Sephardi, he probably copied this MS. in Provence. Unfortunately, the elegance of his writing is entirely eclipsed by his ignorance (or carelessness); for who would, for instance, readily recognise in his IM M 1 plITl, (170a), the author's protest against gambling (M'2]pg), or in his Dot (95b), the EnDnt mentioned by Maimonides (Moreh, III. 29, 37)? Ten successive owners have left their marks of ownership in this volume. (1) A Peninsular Sephardic hand, of the xvth century (early) by making emendations on leaves 13b and 15" and giving a solution of an abbreviation on leaf 96a. The emendations on leaves 22b and 117b (which latter is wrong) much resemble this owner's hand, but they belong to the original scribe. (2) A Greek Sephardic hand, also of the xvth century (early) by writing a cabbalistic remark on 174b (3) A Greek Ashkenazic hand of the xvth century by making an emendation on 99b (4) A Greek Sephardic hand, also of the xvth century, by writing a remark on the outer margin of 34a. (5) A Greek hand of about the middle of the xvth century, by suggesting an emendation on 133b. (6) An Italo-Greek- hand, by writing on 181b, the following Note of sale: nnn NAn MM() (1469) 5"T1 nMV fern V-74 /'10 n (news) stIV't( V'1:D 1 nl D CD: n a nd (Finale) t% Drl' s"o (Perigori) 1, D 1The V1117 ID! (wanarit Min Gree (Bonavitr) te ScaI ac (o:)fS6 al handt ln"11I Ns:Wrlly Denejpj nslV 3 "V) tntsnl!nj1 njn8DV:j sryLn Pn1X: ~' andB 111 ai nn n1: 1m/:: tInPn qcw D n The witness writes in Greek Sephardic; the character of all the hands No. 62.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 193 hitherto enumerated is Rabbinic. R. Abshalom Bonavita has left no mark now remaining in this MS., by which his hand can be identified. (7) An oriental Sephardic hand of the xvth century (late) by making in mixed (Rabbinicand current) character, on 181b, the following statement: Stun t:rw wns -n I I 1:: t nnor int nt ~ Is-) 5 C 1I'7 (-I)'t No year is given. The word V1=25 means small white, i.e. silver, coins, known in Greek as a'corpol or afr7rpa, and in Italian as albi or bianchi; all words meaning the same thing (compare Zunz, Gesch. u. Lit. p. 548). The concluding words mean'as current at Constantinople.' (8) A Peninsular Sephardic hand of the xvith century (early) by suggesting, on 120', an emendation, which is, however, without value (as the MMn=V of the text must not be emended into Mr9nn], but into r'll1). (9) Another Peninsular Sephardic hand of the xvith century, by writing on 33b, 31', 63-68b, 137b —141a, the titles of the pericopes (once also, i.e. on 34a, the number of the leaf, which is, however, wrong) on the upper, and the catchwords on the lower, margin. (10) A Sephardic hand of the xvi-xviith century, by writing on the upper margin of 10%, the following:.5munt av Inn ar e ~a thlen In this owner's time the MS. must have been already defective at the commencement. The last three owners wrote in Rabbinic character. The words 5067 p"? t"D =n) =D I t I 1~ t IDD, written in Polish Ashkenazic current handwriting on 11a (which at the time of sale was thought to be the first leaf), belong to the undermentioned bookseller, Lipschiitz. The condition of the MS. is not very satisfactory, as, besides the defects before enumerated, 10, 120 and 179 are torn, and various leaves are stained and soiled. Luckily, however, only the margins are worm-eaten, and there is very little of the writing which is not clearly legible. [Library-mark, Add. 485; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschfitz.] No. 62. Paper, in quarto, 8~ in. x 53 in.; 48 leaves, 8-sheet quires, about 35-40 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Italian handwriting of the xvI —xvIIth century. - [S1w~Dw I] tHn1 In 13 194 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. LNo. 62. Commentary on select passages of the PENTATEUCH, by the Physician R. Nathan b. Shemuel. Leaves 1, 2 (both perhaps blank), wanting; 3a, Title and introduction; 3, Geenesis; 18", Exodus; 28", Leviticus; 32a, Numbers; 37, Deuteronomry; 41-48 (all probably blank) wanting. Title (leaf 3a): 7C1Xt4'ln tn \n82 0111nn-m Nvlt8 DI 5111 Ln. rnn tgr MP w1nsD 1SW,n-Im bna (In1Sin tri W-= ivrm n Cv+= mB1tr In) It= nnnn nn Introduction begins (Ibid.): 22.,3W';l 3 P1 22]}Z) "IL ") S1'.-'nm,"'3{Z V2..'.'.'3% 2],'2I IMU11i nnn= 1110n 1;1 nlvrtl 1 1 y:n1 ssvn nI.V$ nrit1n. svninn Work begins (Ibid.): nIK'NV 111$mn p-n6 Nz nxs.;m iv 5na n 1"YVntv 1 $4, nr r: Ends (leaf 40b):.pr n This small work, whichl was printed some years ago (Livorno,'n l ])I3, 8vo.), is by the same author as the preceding (No. 61). It consists, besides large extracts from the 1tD tl:nT (chiefly from the N2istar), of the leading ideas to be found in the commentaries of Ibn'Ezra and Nachmanides, which are sometimes reproduced verbatim, although without giving the authors' names, and sometimes appear in another shape, without however being so worked up as to conceal the real authorship; and finally also of some entirely new matter. The title l"DItmI,'iT12 is, at all events, fully justified, as this little work contains mostly choice explanations4, whether I See T. B.'Abodah Zarah, 25'. 2 This phrase occurs in Ramban's verses at the end of Exodus. 3 Luzzatto (vlv %,, Padova, 1864, 8vo., p. 62, No. 526), writing probably from personal knowledge, says that this little book was printed in 1840, and that the date-word ought to have had another, (TrnUyu). Zedner gives 1840 as the date, without any remark, probably knowing what Luzzatto had written. 4 As a specimen of these we may mention one which is found on leaf 39b, which leads us to the solution of a difficulty felt by many critical readers of the Talmud Babli (Berakhoth 6', 57a; Megillah 16b; Sotah 17'; Menachoth 35b; Chullin 89'); namely how R. Eli'ezer Haggadol developed from Deut. xxxiii. 10 the meaning of wuei: 1,5~rn.'N. No. 63.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 195 original, or taken from other authors, or from the writer's own 15t1 JEt. It is also worthy of note, that in the work before us, the Targum D~plts is frequently referred to and explained. As regards this copy as a MS., it is not merely of recent date, but contains many gross blunders, though perhaps not more than did the MS. from which the printed edition was taken. The scribe's name is;11ll-. He is identical with that of MSS. Add. 1169 and Add. 1171. This MS. seems to have been executed for one R. Shime'on Hallevi; see leaves 15, 17b and 323. (For other owners see the descriptions of MSS. Add. 1169, 1171.) Except a few water-stains, the volume is in good condition. [Library-mark, Add. 1170; bought in 1875 from Jacob Saphir of Jerusalem.] No. 63. Parchment, 12- in. x 9T in.; 228 leaves, mostlyl 4-sheet quires, 26 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, fine Sephardic handwriting of the xIII-xIvth century. Commentary on the LATTER PROPHETS by R. David b. Yoseph b. Yitzchaq Ibn Qimchi2 iHassephardi of Narbonne (Redaq), in two3 parts. Part 1; defective. Leaves 1-8 wanting; leaf 9", Isaiah (137 wanting); 1431, Jeremiah; 227b, blank; 228, probably blank, wanting. 1 The last quire consists of six sheets. 2 The question of how to read and transliterate the name inp, i. e. whether'Ir~3 or st~r (see Neubauer in the Journal Asiatique, 5e s6rie, tome 20, p. 267), will be discussed in the memoir preceding the critical edition of Qimchi's Commentary on the Psalms, now in preparation by the present writer. 3 That the second part of the Latter Prophets (6f which this is the first) was still in connexion with this volume about the middle of the xIvth century, may be gathered from a Note which is to be found on leaf 2271; comp. the paragraph on owners, below. 13-2 196 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 63. Begins (leaf 9g, on n'sl~nll, Isaiah iii. 4): Ends (leaf 227a): Redaq is not an original commentator (any more than he is an original grammarian'). Most of his explanations belong either to the Targumm2, or to the Rabbis in Talmud and Midrash, or to the grammarians that preceded him, or to his elder brother (R. Mosheh), or finally, and chiefly, to his father, whom he frequently quotes, and whose excellent explanations have to a great extent been thus preserved from entire oblivion (see later). But though not original, Redaq is unquestionably, after Rashi, the most popular biblical commentator. This is owing to the fact of his combining the characteristics of Rashi and Ibn'Ezra. The childlike simplicity and faith of the former and the incisive criticism of the latter, of both of which Qimchi is a harmonious personification, have secured to him popularity among both Jews and Christians in times past and present. Of course this popularity of his commentaries varies. It is greater or smaller in proportion to the greater or smaller popularity of the biblical books he comments on. Thus, for instance, his commentary on the Psalms is the most popular (as the numerous MSS. and editions thereof amply testify), because the Psalms themselves are, on account of their devotional contents, the most read of all biblical books. In accordance with this theory, it will be easily understood, why, next to that on the Psalms, his commentaries on the Latter Prophets, and of these again, those on Isaiah and Jeremiah, should be considered the most important, even as of these, in their turn, that on Isaiah should be the most sought after. With these introductory remarks we proceed to the MS. before us, which we must pronounce to be of the highest value for the following reasons. IMPORTANCE OF THIS MS. AS EXECUTED BY THE ORIGINAL SCRIBE. 1. This MS., as issued by the original scribe, is, if not the very oldest, at least, one of the oldest copies extant of our author's commentaries on Isaiah and Jererlmiah. I See our Review of the Kitab al-uz5l... in the Jewish Chronicle of June 6, 1873, p. 161. 2 This is an element of value in Qimechi's commentaries on the Prophets, of which it is impossible to speak too strongly. In almost every verse he cites the so-called Targum of Jonathan; and even judging from the present MS. and No. 69 below, it becomes apparent how extremely corrupt is the ordinarily received text of that Targum, and how easy it would be almost to reconstruct it from a few good MSS. bf'Qimchi. In this matter, unfortunately, the printed texts of Qimchi are of no service whatever, seeing that they either merely reproduce the ordinary faulty text, or give a bare reference and catchword, or else they omit all notice of the citation altogether. No. 63.1 COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 197 2. It has deviations, both-in the shape of substitutions and omissions, greatly superior to the text of the editions. Whilst it has the genuine poem and bibliographical remarks, introductory to Jeremiah, it lacks the rhymed lines commonly found at the end of Isaiah, which, to one acquainted with Redaq's style, must appear more than doubtful. 3. It has additions, which, no doubt, embody Redaq's own, but later and better, recension. They are too numerous to be specified. 4. But, above all, it has intact the notorious Antichristiana, which Qimehi extracted from his father's books Haggalui and Habberith, as the following passage (leaf 113b) will show:,i~~DVW l=D ilVNI W2g,VnlN l... Itmil 7,V i i,l-Wn nVnw i, -IZ. r 1 1 15rn -1=1 411 art Ohs. II. IMPORTANCE OF THIS MS. AS ENRICHED IN LITERATURE BY LATER SCRIBES. The commentaries on Isaiah and Jeremiah, are, for their better understanding, accompanied on the margin by part of the Sacred Text of those books. This is the work of three different scribes, all of whom, however, belong to the early part of the xivth century. 1. Work done by the first of these later scribes. (1) The text written by the first of these scribes is in Peninsular Sephardic, current character. It reaches from the commencement to leaf 147b, embodying with very few exceptions (see later) the whole of Isaiah and part of Jeremiah (i. 1-ii. 22). The text of Isaiah is so regularly and carefully given, that, but for the omissions observable in xxxvi-xxxviii (where but little of the text is found, owing to Qimchi's not having commented on much of it), one might almost have classed this MS. under the previous subdivision of this Catalogue. (2) But this scribe has besides this, many, though but short, marginal notes, which consist chiefly of emendations. He must have had a copy of the later recension of Qimchi's commentary on Isaiah before him, as we find leaf 71b, inner margin (on xxx. 20), the following phrase: which words, the first abbreviation perhaps excepted, unquestionably belong to Qimchi, as the context clearly shews (comp. Rashi). 2. Work done by the second of these later scribes. (1) The text written by the second of these later scribes is in oriental Sephardic, Rabbinic character. It reaches from leaf 147b to 151a, and 1 These works themselves are generally believed to be entirely lost. More will be said of them in the memoir referred to on p. 195, Note 2 above. 198 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 63. comprises Jeremiah ii. 23-iii. 7, of which, however, we must except ii. 26-28, 30-33 (see later). (2) This scribe furnished the vowel-points to Jeremiah iii. 7, written by himself, as well as those to ii. 22 written by the first of the three later scribes. 3. lWork done by the third of the later scribes. The work of the third of the later scribes is insignificant. It consists merely of the writing of the text of Jeremiah ii. 26-28, 30-33 (see-above) on the margin of leaves 198b —199a; and this is in Greek Sephardic character. III. IMPORTANCE OF THIS MS. AS FURNISHED WITH VARIED LITERATURE AND INFORMATION BY OWNERS. 1. It is not impossible that 1 and 3 of the later scribes just mentioned were successive owners of this MS,, and that scribe 2 was the son, or a relative of scribe 3. B-ut be this as it may, towards the middle of the xIvth century this MS. must have been owned by a Peninsular Sephardi, as may be seen from two lines, written in Rabbinic character, on leaf 227b. The full name of the owner, which followed themn, is unfortunately erased; which is the more to be regretted, as the statement contained in them (tWrl srkn I'," l~n Bss'~ NP~~ t bsnDp "n: Ai. n V'.n 2n) leads one to infer that this owner alluded therein to his possessing this very volume and its fellow-volume containing Qimebi's commentary on Ezekiel and the Minor Prophets, 2. In the years 1395-1400, this MS. was, apparently, owned by tlr]p Bonet do Sylvis (V4V'I1 t2:]2), in whose handwriting (Sephardic Rabbinic) the following three documents, which are instructive in more than one way, are to be found on leaf 227'. YDR inlnUr np1:W ylrsX (1395),-P) R3 snD n wInn Sty pawD- are 8Vr ar l i N 6IVOV (Castejonl) jiw'nvnjrI.71rp n:IM;1nIt3; C*: mfaps lnllvl t M_ MAV slarva CONY -sV iMl,7nmn N1v w X: WI n F lnu'aK (Florins) Vli'i 12Kn WIn Dp n]]:nC N6 n.13 i, MlVW D: nnD 1 nvlIl ] y wThn.nt isvoi oNsly muenc fix b: s nln-lp, Inw''s sig. Stn 1,1T,m n~ hwsanl Z-1pni;in'lmlp1,nn'sw4 n-innn V CVD W N 1 This name is variously represented in Hebrew: lVIvP, 1S1Dfai 1N t'1Upr &C. No. 63.] COMMENTARIES ON TIlE BIBLE. 199 tn: 1Di 199 t D'lzn~K rnnln, anpn:s lllbw Inp 9' 9 b. V:zm$ MNZ (1395) r"Jp nw 11wmnD V-ni nwT=n1 C,-Iml,V i nl' p-1 s}:;5,n~m;n$Mzgil ia D'l''lP119 ls;r nsd;nKL7:,r>M Ilnw $,ll N I nJl t1'38z (n11P1'i) nYIN-ml llnwnsUn: I':11nil7 InlI,$:%np mr (1-7v ini3) 1sPa'Pw n KW3I s "l y:s:n It, z=ln w:nnD 11" Ilnnl 1.nn)Nn 16npv (the rest erased)... n; zmuo P mK pr w1D\* asJ (1400Ci) 0p rV'Is~ VnS 1 n= n:rn VI::llnK n'K99:9 K~3 I qVWp (Nplll nn) o99ruim Jninn n1,1eN V7I* 1DD 3. Within the first half of the xvth century this copy must have belonged t:o a Peni n sephardi. e has l eft his mark of ownership on this MS.: (1) by writing one verse of the sacred text (Jerem. i. 5; leaf 144a); (2) by variou rreis ns in the body of the MS. ( see passim); and (3) by supplying various notes on the margins. These last, although they chiefly1 supplement omissions in the commentary, which had escaped previous owners, are by no means confined to this (see, for example, leaf 87p, which 3. Within the fix-st half of the xvth century this copy must have belonged to a Peninsular Sephardi. He has left his mcharter of onership on this Mus.: (1) by writing one verse of the sacred text (Jerem. i. 5; leaf 144e); (2) by various corrections in the body of the MS. (see passim); and (3) by supplying various notes on the Margins. These last, although they chiefly suppleme5. Int omissions in the comarentas ory, which had escaped previous owners, are by no means o.,fined to this (see, for eoample, leaf 87, which contains attached stronoio thel note on the fis moon). IThis owner inrote a beautiful current hand, which may be best identified on leaf 19'. 4. In the xv-xvIth century this MS. probably belonged to a Greek Sephardi, as a suggested eumendation, in Rabbinic character, on leaf 206", leads us to believe. 5. In addition to tle marks of ownership just given and which,are inseparable frorn this MS., there is one to be found on a paper leaf, which llad been attaclled to the binding of this volume. It is couched in Spaggnol and written in mixed (oriental and Egyptian) Sephardic, current character. It contains the names of 1lN t,'1';n:l (=)fn, 6I1n, and ~lqMW ~nn, and is signed rsln ~q11. It is, apparently, quite modern ('xvIIi-xixth century). i The learned men of 15'v or Tr~5iu are often to be met with in old MSS. 200 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 64. As regards the condition of the MS., it is, on the whole, excellent. Leaf 163 has lost all three outer margins, and 185 is cut; 9' is somewhat stained and soiled, as are a few other leaves; yet, in most cases, the writing looks quite fresh, and there is absolutely nothing that cannot be read with perfect ease. [L]ibrary-mark, Add. 482; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 64. Paper, in quarto, 9t in. x 7 in.; 28 leaves, 7-sheet quires, 38-40 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, fine Italian handwriting of the xvIth century. Comnmentaries on PROVERBS, ECCLESIASTES, and CANTICLES, and on RUTH and LAMENTATIONS, preceded by a descriptive CATALOGUE of more than twenty of his other works, by R. Yoseph b. Abbamari b. Yoseph b. Ya'aqob Ibn Kaspi of Argentiere'. Leaf 1", A poem by the scribe; la, the Catalogue; 2', Introduction to Proverbs; sb, Commentary on Proverbs; 12b, on Ecclesiastes; 19b, on Canticles; 20b, Introduction to the Rolls Ruth and Lamentations; 20b, Commentary on Ruth; 21b, on Lamentations; 26b, blank (27, probably blank, wanting); 28, blank. 1. ~o n nnnh THE CATALOGUE. Title, and poem by the scribe (leaf 1P):,i SID 011;nlU1D P1,18P0 Ill ni~n= kern vr)nm - 1 w, n m::64 ads nnn M 1M):1n:1 InNS 1:2 1 Being in Paris in 1874, we carefully inspected Codex Oratoire 105 (New Catalogue, No. 986) in the Bibliothique Nationale, and we can relieve Steinschneider's mind of the doubts expressed in Ersch and Gruber's Enlcykloptdie No. 64.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 201 Catalogue begins (ibid.): Ends (leaf 2a): This Catalogue is, if we except a number of insulated words, which differ for the better1, identical with the hlD= IllpD published (after a copy made by Werbluner from the Munich MS. 365) by Benjacob, in the collection Debarim Attilcim, i. (Leipzig, 1846, 8vo.), where it forms No. 2 and occupies pp. 10-14. While we miss here the poem, which is there to be found at the end, but which in our opinion belongs to one or other of the scribes, at all events not to our author, and certainly not to this Catalogue'2; we have here, at the commencement (see above), a different poem, which apparently belongs to R.'Ezra of Fano (see later, in the paragraph on the scribe). The importance of the Catalogue lies chiefly in the following four points: (1) It is, if not the only one, at least, one of only a very few Catalogues prepared by a Jewish author himself of his own works3. (2) It contains matters of interest partly appertaining to the author himself, partly to his own family, and partly to that of Maimonides. (3) It makes us acquainted with the plan of no less than twenty important works by the author, all of which afterwards existed, although ii. 31, p. 59, Note 12. The original hanld has clearly enough the word xnm,5n~r (Steinschneider's n1' to5-r is evidently a misprint); comp. also Munk, Melanges, Paris, 1859, 8vo., p. 496, Note 3. 1 We need only give two examples. We read here (leaf la, line 12): -m11-y... mn1lb 1Cnb,nlm nr'in;m w D/ n,~m~5i 1n,-9rn. As is well known, the ordinary reading (iSi irnz5) has been much discussed and has given considerable trouble to the bibliographers, not only because Ibn Kaspi would thus have named his daughter before his first-born son, but chiefly because this daughter is nowhere else heard of. By our reading, on the one hand, and by considering, on the other hand, the remarks of the Midrash Rabbah on Genesis, cap. 84 (on xxxvii. 35: MINn jnnNb... rn~p rm~ an V'~), this difficulty disappears altogether. Again we read here (ibid.) innuns (y)'ne w 81X1 instead of the unquestionably corrupt Mn Ini in x irK. It is however possible that this passage should run thus: ri1t j19in Inxr (i.e. and from Aragon to Castile), seeing that at our author's time Castile was emphatically understood by Sepharad (Spain). 2 See the i,~ne ia by our author (in the n'spl ei', Frankfurt am Main, 1854, 8vo. p. 54). 3 This point has been already, though in our estimation not sufficiently, appreciated by Steinschneider (Ersch u. Gruber's Encyk. ii. 31, p. 58). 202 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MAIANUSCRIPTS. [No. 64. at the time of the composition of the Catalogue only part of them had been actually written, while another part had then yet to be composed. (4) It describes to us, besides these twenty works, the plan and nature of other and earlier works by the author, the identification of which, would otherwise be for more than one reason if not exactly impossible, at least very difficultl. COMMENTARIES ON PROVERBS S, ECCLESIASTES, AND CANTICLES. General title (leaf 2a):,n"'V1i Van nip burn nnr~ an: nlwv 5I-nm, art nr:von This work spreads over select portions of the three books of Solomon, and is therefore divided by the author into three parts (;:pin). 1 Thus for instance we learn from it: (1) That (leaf la) at the age of thirty our author had composed a work entitled r:nrr nwnm, containing a compendium (n1ip: Dn ixn, i. e. a combination of abridgment and commentary) of the Ethics of Aristotle and the nro;nn;n -a) of Plato. The work of Plato is the Politicus according to Steinschneider (Encyk. p. 69), but the Republic according to Kirchheim (Die Kovmvmentare von Joseph Kfaspi...zzu Dalalat al Haiirin. Frankfurt am Main, 1848, 8vo. p. xiii). The title Terumath Hakkeseph was suggested to the author at Mallorca by one vn5w D,'uXN of Perpignan; see nein nruxn in Debarima Attikim, ii. p. 15. (2) That at the same age he had composed another work under the name of qD:)n rn, (see the description of MS. Gg. 6. 37 below). (3) That he had composed another work again, just before he had commenced the Catalogue. Its name was raz'd qo:, and it contained one hundred and ten difflcult questions (and answers?) on the Pentateuch and the Prophets. (The existence of a copy of this work cannot, at this moment, be traced; that it, however, did exist, we know also from the author's commentary on Lamentations; see later.) (4) But the work which interests us most is the author's earliest production, although he mentions it here accidentally third. It is the bran r'na, which, although it does not do so now, contained originally (if our interpretation of the author's r;ln n,m' xy 1uiK X-n' J nnpun rrin n.1m0' n1y I'nnmnla awno Dm rl n-'n, on leaf 1, be correct) under one title (analogous to the Terumzatht Hiakkeseph mentioned before) an explanation of the Grammar of Ibn ns]i and a supercommentary on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch. This latter, in one form or another, included also the explanation of the so-called Sodoth as extant in MSS. Add. 377. 3. 6 and Add. 510. 2. 2 (pp. 55, 56, 61, 132, 133 of this Catalogue); see Excursus II. According to the preface in the Munich MS. 61 (1elekheth Shelomozh, p. 16), these two or rather three works were executed at the early age of seventeen! 2 This work was composed for, and addressed to, his firstborn son (1n q) n:)1n; 4'), then resident in Barcelona (see 4b, 12"). This eldest son's name was Abbamari, as we learn from Cod. 40 in the Town Library at Leipzig (see No. 64.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 203 Introduction to Part 1 (Proverbs) begins (leaf 2"): tnyl3v i 76 1 ISNI v oln n vD n tnno sn wri n n tn rIbn InN cnlt IM4.n 7in1 no i l ri ini n itn l n vnin: Commentary on Proverbs begins (leaf 2b): Commentary ends (leaf 12"):,-,'Iv,nvD n1211 n l)n ti In (n p'lln,) np-71m nr, M,,q rI,:l,11.. in inmI Inn =: mnmwil mnnxi:rnvf wrnvsnS v1n9n In rinSt Ni rilnti,, Dnnit:1 wzln`n:Dzl'm rinvi Postscript ends (leaf 12b): 7,rn..t14,v ix,,nz,$wvh, min,^,mTn $nmn mn snn5: ni rn-.I= l2y nlaiv;. l11 /JnvM /it 4 (64 mI 3) rnK N 9 -Wv R$ nNI1, 1=in,mD:Wm r1iNv1 9t9n nriviim'ln nnwri pi 6n n-rn w nn v:5w.(lD', r~D=O b",2=~ To judge from the commencement, both of the Introduction and of the work itself, and from the author's subscription of this commentary, as communicated by Werbluner (Mel. Shel. in D)ebarime Attikcin II. p. 19); our copy differs somewhat from that at Munich (Cod. 2651). This commentary is, like most of the works of our author, thoroughly permeated with the ideas of Greek-Arabic philosophy, of which he was perfect master; and although Jerusalem and Athens do not ordinarily a;gree, t.ey are he:e, on the whole, peaceably and harmoniously placed Delitzsch, Catal. p. 304) and Cod. 264 at Munich (MIel. Shel. p. 17). IKirchheimn (Die Kommentare, p. iii. Note 2) maintains, against De-Rossi, that Ibn Kaspi had only one son, Shelomoh, and one daughter, whilst Steinschneider (Encyck. I. 31, p. 60, Notes 13a, 15 and 17a) partly sides with De-Rossi. Now the expression n*VY:inn -i.x:~ rinxl (MS. leaf 4a, line 19), the force of which has apparently escaped all these scholars, unquestionably shows that our author must have had a son besides the one at Barcelona. This other son lived at Tarascon, and his name was Shelonmoh (see this Catalogue, p. 133, Note 2); and Steinschneider is quite right in emrending the,~'y:, in reference to this son,. into'Ser. 1 Thus, for instance, the questionable'ri 1, after the author's name at the' commencement of the introduction, is not to be found here; nor the subscription by the author, in which the place and time of the composition are given as n-un....tv Irn....lprwu ~'y (Tarascon, Dec. 1329 or Jan. 1330). We7o' suspect however that Cod. 265 at Munich, which is said to consist of 37 leaves: in quarto, contains somiething besides the commentaries mentioned in the Meleldheth Shelomoh. 204 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 64. together. Viewed as an explanation of a biblical book, it is, if not exactly the only one by the author worth anything (Kirchheim, Die Kommentare, p. vii), certainly the best of his commentaries on the Bible accessible to us. Its chief interest however does not consist in the explanations themselves it gives of this. philosophical book, but in the following points, which are for the most part only accidentally touched upon. (1) Ibn Kaspi ascribes only the substance, and at most the single sentences, of this philosophical book to Solomon, whilst the book as such he declares to have been composed by the King's servantsl. (2) Of Aristotelian works he quotes the following: (1) 3=t,;l nlt (Physics; 2b); (2) n11m1,1 CD: (Ethics; 2b) 3', 12'); (3) 1v1n fn'IDD (De Animalibus; 4-); (4);1NMDtn nD= wEpu Jpprivelas; 9D); (5) n13]]];1 nIn]R (Meteora; 9b). We may as well here draw attention to the author's naive statement (11), that he considers Aristotle inferior to Moses! (3) The Massorets and Accentuators, whom he evidently identifies with one another (lnirt, 9t: 1rny and =V1U3,n 9V:; 4a} 8b), he places so high, that he says of them 1ri 1npr x 1K or VWIn wnn t)nnl"n 1u. (4) Of Maimonides' works he quotes only the Introduction to his commentary on the Mishnah by name (7a); he mentions him however, besides, in three other places (5, 7a, 9a), (5) Of his own works he quotes: (1) the CODI -,2~, which was afterwards called by him p)=3 nMM (2a, 3b, 45, lb); (2) nn'lh1 V'1P- (3%, 3b, 45, 55); (3) oB1'nal; without further specifying them (45). (6) The interpretations of vii. 20, xvi. 33, xxiii. 30 and xxiv. 21 (45, 75 and 8b) are of interest, chiefly from an ethnographical point of view. (7) In a linguistic point of view we may note the word R'Pr (the Assizes in France; 45). (8) Ibn Kaspi evidently knew the It 1]'?31 and the In nrl1, &c. (see No. 61 of this Catalogue), and controverts their authors, although he neither mentions them nor the books distinctly (12a). He protests against allegorically explaining not only the Pentateuch and the other (historical) books, but even this book (of Proverbs), beyond the apparent and absolute necessity (comp. also 2a). 1 Leaf 4b we read: rnnwn9 t'1n3n nuin pn 1n4InK C7 In'WN-I XD v -.17n D! n 5t n DD 9nn Nt neev... and again leaf 8b: TI*91Vt enn s inx e:) n~ r IN.' n i ox "n b: y ntr -Iz;n X1n K. rt D2~ ~/ -" n... 1p1n01 viru71 nTny ON v l x (n rI ) inrx Crnwt;IN rmv Mnx nm,,pi elm nyip I'll-rv..,. ~tU'18* 4tW: No. 64.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 205 Introduction to Part 2 (Ecclesiastes) begins (leaf 12b): n~nn...n~nr.. IZl,,di -I nmtra rwri Pinn Nlnw ninD rc-ima Snn: nnr 1l1n1 1 W t n 1 WKl) n:.n t 5W n nD~w mn nn to:N t nK -Inm mOR,w)On i-Trn I-nPr b3J5 nn,7np Inv,nn1 nmn nt 1nnn,TVy N1,nw1 IVl1rn tZ nv U1111W 1 3) 19; I Tna l 711Nv nEl/ InvUD sm. W Itn 1-11 0.win, 1:.,-1 ilnt Commentary begins (leaf 13T):;11nirl J*R* ~ *'1,N int 9nK T"e 812XW;198* 5n t lD Kl tn ins;..Ng $NK smns naive (1:) t1v lvYpIlS,UT: Commentary ends (leaf 19b): n11vn, r n tI n n lwv Rin =r)-n -tn$ 6nv rKwn;nn?II... Author's conclusion ends (Ibid.): nswvpnn I'N" ril$ n Vi Iz unnn: wVrnnm rit smwmd oSK -iK n5*,,ilw 1_1 l n n19 %)IN ma nN r (!61-1s fnlntD)().wn IISn rin wi-mv-11 The apparent contradictions, nay heresies, to be found in Ecclesiastes, are no modern discovery; the Great Synod already knew of, and seriously reflected on, them. In consequence of this reflexion, the book barely escaped being excluded from the biblical Canon (Mishnah Yadayim, III. 5, Midrash Rabbah on Ecclesiastes i. 1, T. B. Shabbath, 30b &c.). Now the reasons for ultimately declaring this book canonical, although they certainly satisfy the believer, might or might not satisfy the philosopher, who is in the habit of sifting everything critically. Our author then solves this double difficulty of the apparent contradictions and heresies of Ecclesiastes, according to his wvont, philosophically1; and the aim of this biblical book is, according to him, a twofold one: (1) To point out to the reader the following philosophical truths: (1) That the motive of all human actions is to be found either in folly or in wisdom; (2) Whilst folly is in reality only ollne, and divisible only into degrees, wisdom consists essentially of two kinds, worldly and divine, bothl of which are divisible again into degrees. Singularly enough in a philosophical commentary on so philosophical a book as Ecclesiastes, the author mentions Aristotle only once (lnm5ra,; 15%, line'13) and his own nv;rn -nyp also only once (16b, line 19), just as he mentions Ibn'Ezra only once (17a, line 14j), when he controverts him. 206 CATALOGUE OF HIEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 64. (2) To bring home to the reader the following philosophical counsels: (1) That nobody should for a moment question the duty of avoiding folly of any, even the slightest, degree; (2) That of worldly wisdom only a certain am.lount, removed alike from both extremes, should constitute man's motives; (3) That, on the other hand, with regard to divine wisdom (under which our author understands partly the study of religion and partly speculative philosophy), the more a man inclines to the extreme, the better it is for him, as thus alone can he make himself fit for perfection, immortality, and the conjunction with the Active Intellect (M.~,I~2ts' iVrlt1 inw'/Nn qN: i j 5 IDM,1 I 7y VM1pW; leaf l911). Now, although the theory of the Actlive Intellect being an Angel, with whom the souls of the perfect become one by study, &c. is a mere creation of the Greek-Arabic school, and is now happily exploded; and although, further, this commentary is also from an exegetical point of view inferior to the author's commentary on Proverbs, it would be unjust to denounce it as being utterly without value (as Kirchheinz and Steinschneider evidently think). The division of the book of Ecclesiastes (into ten parts) according to our author, and the logical evidences (twenty-one, of which, however the 19th is missing) developed out of the book itself are certainly very creditable ideas. This commentary is moreover not utterly devoid of other matters of interest. Thus, for instance, we become, in the course of it acquainted with certain facts relating either to the author himself or to others, and with his views on various imatters. Thus we learn: (1) That he knew Latin (leaf 15a, line 9); (2) that he was fifty years old when he composed this commentary (leaf 19b), a statement which is an important, though indirect, key to the chronology of his whole literary activity; and further; (3) the curious way in which he connects the Pope's sojourn at Avignon with the cheapness of wine and the dearth of corn (in Provence'); and (4) his view on the institution of the double keeping, in the Diaspora, of the biblical Feast-days (I~ lW ~:~tP wm n 2w), a point which has been much ventilated of late, particularly in England. Part 3 (commentary on Canticles) beg,ins (leaf 1 b): 68$ 9Iw l Inn/ni,n-a nnsr nrilys Down tr n 1 DB 9npvw I1be 4=' pR q'-)'sN j1w ntbv a- mnnv w-mv,-1 vvw vrvn9- rn n ne n:n =1: nz- 78 tNs n$sa II:VVIIII t=D wn-llp n1visn nnn9p wn nlnrT Vw1,6... 5:n Inpn nnon nyr iv p 1 He does tlhis, on occasion of illustrating Eccl. iii. 2, in the following way: (the Pope) mn-~'N. nnr:t nn:w n'KN (Tarascon) %n3i:17n x' n ),n:x ri...,$,x1n; r 1 m11v 17~Tz7 oL'V, rnnV'i3 m'o i'Ipw t:-i v''imn (Provence) gYK rt-,n xinu itv irrs wn>E niv,=^^'ihtn nh;,1 i n9Snn u vn-nyw' nnuc r luFi.D.Mi. m No. 64.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 207 Ends (leaf 20U): N5 I l t":2'l11'11N N vSnD: nra5D t'Dn 11tv DUNS tin Bun th 17 1-1 3 M58,7,Dt nrIV V1,11,1 )iNn s-7 -all wit v= ma: PtsA n r nnnn nrn rn:r nritSviv' 1no pD hn- nvv inn VIt If,ISIn-n, banns 5Ns$1 Tansir Sai The author, according to his own confession, did not intend to write a regular commentary on Canticles, since others had preceded himl in such work, and had moreover done it on the whole very well. I-e wished to give a general idea only of the book and a few hints thereon; and even these were not due to himself, but to Maimonides (Moreh III. 51; Yl l11 *I I v t ly 19'K% -11A)XI M-s n 1V En CLOD sS I1+;1). lAd, as if to gratify our author's wish in this respect, this opusculum, more than two hundred years after its composition, appeared in print' as a quasi-introduction2-to the triple: commentary on Canticles, edited by R.. Yitzchaq b. Abraham b. Yehudah V'"11V4, an exile from the Iberian Peninsula and from Naples. 3. hi: Mnn. COM0MENiTARIES ON RUTHI AND LAMENTATIONS. General Introduction begins (leaf 20b): in~ UInlike in inn srr5l lnn nrnr l m;1 r:wr rKN nw: DOn: IN nDll -nN s.. n vnm On p751n;m p-:iW Dtynv ni In -INRO This work is divided into two parts, or Mll:n as they are called by the author. (Part I commentary on Ruth) begins (leaf 20b0).1.. ar -1=5 mm:v i7^S -wrl m Wlln I= -wntiw, vtow ADO,n 1 At N ~n"uoxp, i.e. Constantinople, without date, but according to Steinschneider (Encyk. II. 31, p. 64) in or about 1577. 2 Editor's preface, towards the end:... DDD 1'E' i:n, "Ad,rm; Di,.D vnrlv. 3 This triple commentary consists of (1) the present work; (2) the lnwu, gv/ or,v-pn uVp of R. Ya'aqob Provencal (,xtwm1~,; editor's preface: Iinn IK...n-rnlN armw); and (3) a commentary, without a special title, by Se'adyah (x-tKD) Gaon (?), translated by the editor from the Arabic. 4 The book is very inaccurately printed; but the awful vicissitudes of the editor, which would suffice as an excuse even for graver shortcomings, must be taken into consideration; and we are bound to state, that we are indebted to R. Yitzchaq w'p;v in this publication for many historical, biographical, and bibliographical notices of interest to be found in his preface. 208 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 64. Ends (leaf 21): v1, 91K1,nr ~~Iq rlw D niqnt n, ~D;91 rirri nvwln:,win inn... Apparently, this commentary as extant in this MS., agrees with that under the same name, which constitutes part of the Munich MS. 265 (Mel. Shel. in Debarim Attikim, ii. p. 18). As, however, neither Werbluner, nor Kirchheim, nor finally Steinschneider, say anything on the internal nature of this commentary, the following few remarks may not be deemed superfluous: (1) Characteristics of the book of Ruth, &c. according to this commentary. While the ostensible purpose of this book, says our author, is to give the genealogy of David the King, sprung from the house of Juadah, whose greatness Jacob had prophesied and Moses had confirmed, the undercurrent continually manifesting itself in this book, and indeed in all Biblical books, is to give the reader moral and religious instruction and information which will largely contribute to the improvement both of his body and his mind. (Compare 2 Tim. iii. 16.) (2) Value of this short commentaryfor various reasons. The interesting matter which this Commentary contains is quite out of proportion.to the smallness of its size. Though very brief, the information to be found in it is as varied as it is valuable. It embraces points in Biblical hodegetic, lexicography and grammar (extending both to Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin), philosophy, ethnography and bibliography (which comprises several of his own works, as also some of those of Ibn =NS], Ibn'Ezra and Maimonides). The whole is seasoned with a quaint, but by no means irreverent, humour peculiar to our author. Part 2 (commentary on Lamentations) begins (leaf 21b): m:SN neon nowe cnlll Intn IIns)ntr)v n fnn mnnI nw nsn nnwnn 993,:ws;nIst Ends (leaf 25b):' (I)nISnI- onva1 rrnni s ns= wSvnW $- nsvripr in: 15t~ n rnt AVl... i,,N's din his'il 11'9,sn I. This commentary has been edited by Reggio in his o"f" hehLe II. (Wien, 1836, 8vo.l), where it constitutes almost the whole of the 26th Letter, 1 Reprintecl (in a double edition) in the Ritual for the Ninth of Ab (the day of mourning for the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple) under the name of mn=: flbN (Wien, 1853, 8vo). No. 64.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 209 and occupies pp. 45-61. But the MS. which the editor had before him must have been an inferior one, as the edition teems with mistakes, which, particularly as Reggio is known to have been ordinarily a very careful editor, cannot be accounted for on the score of mere misprints. Our copy, on the other hand, although itself not entirely free from mistakes', is, generally speaking, a fair exponent of this commentary, and in some instances, even superior to that part of the Munich MS. 265, which also contains it. In addition to Steinschneider's instructive, but very short, notice on this commentary, both as extant in print and in MS. (Encykl. ii. 31, p. 65), the following few remarks may not be unacceptable to the reader. (1) Our author appears here as the champion of biblical and, if we may say so, altogether of Hebrew linguistic orthodoxy, and will not even allow that (as Ibn'Ezra thinks) a T might irregularly have been put instead of a D (in the plural). Thus on the word 17nnI2 (i. 4) he has (leaf 228) the following: wnV-7 Ant 5Z5l nn mn nn M nunsr l lm * bode 1iD,-nra 11n) 11wb N 1h9 lag ENn VlW n11nnn nlW V''ni V10lP11 i: rnNW inn (The IIY = t]~: is here a standing phrase with him.) On the other hand he objects to Hebrew micrology and micrologists, whom he calls sticklers (nt1jD2n V=yWf), as may be seen from his remarks on i. 19 (leaf 23a). (2) Here, even more than in his other works, Ibn Kaspi shows his great familiarity with Greek philosophy and philosophers, several of whom he names distinctly. The phrase 11,''1: r1 occurs here no less than twelve times. (3) While our author probably knew Greek philosophy by the channel of Arabic only (witlh which language he was very well acquainted, as is known), we learn here additionally (comp. above, pp. 206, 208), that he knew Latin2 ( 2n 1'1 -1 t' lr, 1X7; 21b). I This MS., for instance, reads (leaf 258, on v. 6) $y;, lrrrwi;n,~ for the unintelligible til of the printed edition, both of which.are unquestionably a mistake for %im (i.e. Phul, as Steinschneider, 1. c. Note 40, already rightly transliterates). The mistake in this MS. originated, no doubt, in the great similarity of the letters p and s in the Italian current character in the MS. from which it was copied. (On Phul and his influence for evil on the independence of Judah and Israel, see the interesting article by-Graetz, Die assyrischen Invasionen tund Eroberungen in Paltistina, im samaritanischen und judaischen Reiche in Frankel's Monatsschrift, xxIII. pp. 481-492.) 2 We may as well, on this occasion, give our author's rendering (23b) of the familiar Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris; it is;nnm, rn w:a 5: X, which is not only correct but even elegant, particularly when compared with Benzeeb's incorrect and inelegant nmrnzm un uni: n ng (Oza'r Haschoroschim, ed. Letteris, under the word on); comp. Zunz in Steinschneider's i,:rr,% xv. p. 10, No. 39). 14 210 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 64. (4) Of his own works Ibn Kaspi quotes distinctly his commentary on Proverbs (22a), the VD:1 e1D (25"; comp. above, p. 202, Note), and the'I'11S1 (passim). This last-named work he treats as a general literary receptacle, putting, or promising to put, into it all that he can only slightly touch upon here and elsewhere. (5) Of other authorities and their works he quotes, besides Plato, Se'adyah Gaon's translation of the Pentateuch, and Ibn nINi (already mentioned by Steinschneider), Aristotle, the undefined a,1W1tnl, Ibn'Ezra, Maimonides (whom he here several times simply designates by'I tD, I1 t m,V ~), and Ibn Qimchi (for which the printed edition and probably the MSS. before Steinschneider also, by mistake read V"N). (6) Our author speaks so frequently here of nle111 to be found in the Bible ( nVl 1 R1rT 1D, INlrv nR1il9, ~191]'11D, &c.) that, even had he not been the author of the 110D;'ID, and of a work on the r11'1D of Ibn'Ezra, &c., it would astonish no one to find him designated by the name of Ibn Sodi (S1PE tl; M-el. Shel. p. 15). (7) We have only to mention, in addition, two interesting explanations of his. The first is to be found leaf 23b (on H]t2, ii. 11) and runs thus: us~y ~no*1 qstry tl~r' nsmnn ~su~ ~na g i... lrn r ~.;~...;I"ii~ nrste "W Jt DUD 6vvM KvW'rr1i "1' n nnn; 1YINZ,:,ii iDWvriv'/li~ln nDN svtl i-I Inn WD =,nnsrD bb ID 1;TI n(6)n: wvnd The second is to be found leaf 24b (on im1f'1, iii. 62) and runs thus: As regards the scribe, it is the well-known Cabbalist R.'Ezra of Fano, teacher of the even better known R. Menachem'Azaryah of Fano and other Cabbalists and Talmudists of the xvIth century. The name VtVI 1]lN~ is to be found on leaf 15', lines 10-13 and 15-19, where four words had actually to be divided in order to bring about this desirable(?) result. Little ornaments above and on the side of the letters draw the reader's attention to this name. R.'Ezra was in copying this MS. probably not influenced by his profession of scribe merely; it was more the Sodliterature, which attracted him. 1 The allusion to'our holy teachers' refers no doubt to the Targum on. Cant. v. 10, T. B. Rosh Hasshanah 17b, Midrash Rabbah on Genesis, cap. iii., and the Peraqim of R. Eli'ezer, cap. iii.; that to'the Philosopher' to Aristotle; see Metaphysics, Book xII. (according to the old editions, but xI.- according to most modern editions), chap. 9. 2 T. B. Berakhoth, 28b. No. 65.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 211 For owners see the description of MS. Add. 857. 1, below. The condition of the MS. is excellent in every respect. [Library-mark, Add. 857. 2; bought in 1871 from Nathan Coronel of Jerusalem.] No. 65. Paper, in quarto, 8 in. x 57 in.; 66 leaves, two 8-sheet, and two 6-sheet quires, followed by one of 5 sheets, 27-30 lines; Rabbinic character, Italian handwriting of the xvth century. Commentary on JOB, by R. Mosheh b. Nachman of Gerona, (Ramban, Nachmanides). Leaf 1P, blank; lb, Introduction; 5b, Commentary; leaves 64, 65, probably blank, wanting; leaf 66, blank. Introduction begins (lb): i'v't ten: -t: nwn Inv n = nn be rrrn I'vti wane...N1',ir, nu,n,1nn, as pan nfr''~:17 Commentary begins (5b): Ends (leaf 63b): annex= want en TmlK lInv= IIra nn =$= n nnw KvW wspt-j VI..... =11 nV i$n11b;- 6 W;v wj nn n Klwin'IFS by W1 1,Vw This commentary has been printed three times (Venezia, 1517, Folio; Amsterdam, 1724-28, Folio; Fiirth, 1842-47, 8vo.2). In each edition it accompanies the sacred text: the first two being 1 If we read the name of the place the scribe lived in, or came from, correctly (y~5tubvp), we should be inclined to identify it with Castelluccio, otherwise Castel d'Asso, near Viterbo. 2 This last is not mentioned by Frankel, Monatsschrift, xvII. p. 450. 14-2 212 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 65. whole Bibles;. the last, the Prophets and Hagiographa only'. All these editions however (one seems to be a mere reprint of the other) represent only one MS., and that an incomplete and faulty2 one, less valuable than the MS. here described and than others which are now known3 of this important work. Unfortunately, however, this commentary has been declared, by no less an authority than Dr Z. Frankel, to be spurious, and the author has been said by him, in addition, to be a forger (Mionatsschrift, xvII. pp. 449-458). Frankel certainly admits that he cannot give either the name of the forger, or the time when the forgery was perpetrated; but, as the whole tenor of his article betrays, he evidently suspects R. Shemtob Ibn Shemtob, perhaps for the moment confounding, in his mind, Shemtob Ibn Shemtob with Shemtob Ibn Gaon. As we, however, on the one hand, for weighty reasons, utterly disagree with what Frankel advances for depriving Nachmanides of the authorship of this commentary, and as it is, on the other hand, of considerable literary importance to ascertain the real author, partly in reference to the Targumim, partly in reference to Rashi's commentary on Job, and partly in reference to other matters, we shall discuss the authenticity of this commentary in Excursus II (compare p. 36 of this Catalogue). The original scribe's name being tnnM, the latter part of a t is invariably used for filling up the vacant spaces of the lines (see Excursus I). This scribe must either have had before him a MS. full of orthographical errors, which he conscientiously and faithfully copied, or he must have been an ignorant copyist. But his calligraphy leaves nothing to wish for. His writing is very distinct; and the part of the. sacred text interwoven by the author with his commentary, although it is not given by the scribe in a different character of writing, is conveniently made prominent by its being underlined. This MS. has had, since it came out of the hands of the original scribe, several owners, who, in one way or other, have left their marks of ownership in this volume. (1) An Italian of the xvI —xvIIth century, by marking the chapters, on the outer margin in square character, and on the upper margin in 1 This edition was possibly meant to complement that of the Pentateuch, &c. printed at the same place in 1802-3 in 4to. The former is entitled 1IT;i15 r and the latter,n5trz A. 2 To give only one instance of each, all editions end with xlii. 15; and all editions have, on xv. 3, 3:5:svn wK (~n7:n):o n;. r:, a mistake which furnished Frankel with one of his strongest proofs that Nachmanides could not be the author of this commentary, as he would never have called the Prophet Isaiah:nnn; see further on. 3 For instance MS. Ee. 5. 9 (No. 25 of this Catalogue), and others, such as the MS. which R. Shime'on b. Tzemach Duran must have had before him (see his stun:nai on xlii. 17). No. 66.] COMMENTARIES ON THIE BIBLE. 213 Rabbinic. It was, probably, this owner, who crossed through, and then wiped out, the name of the original scribe on leaf 63b (see later). (2) Another Italian of the xvII —xvIIth century, who wrote in Rabbinic, and who must have been a superior man, by correcting the MS.throughout, by writing summaries of the commentary on the outer margin, and by making on leaf 63V, lower margin, the following statement: III' 11'Ii'r n a r s"? y'2-"$ -In i==ni'iln rmim W1 We have no doubt that the handwriting is that of R. Shimshon Kohen Modon (comp. this Catalogue, p. 39). (3) Judging from a small remnant left of the label on the back, this MS. must have belonged in recent times to Cav. Marco (Mordekhai) Mortara, the present Chief Rabbi of Mantua. (4) An even more recent, but anonymous, owner, wrote in Rabbinic character under the original scribe's name, which had been carefully crossed through and wiped out (see above), the words rPtDoDp nm3n. The condition of the MS. is not good, the inner and lower part of every leaf being stained by water, and leaf 17 being badly torn. [Library.mark, Add. 1051; bought in 1874 from S. Sch6nblum.] No. 66. Paper, in quarto, 8 -in. x a5 in.; 32 leaves, one quire of 9 sheets followed by one of 7, 26-30 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Sephardic handwriting of the xIvth century. [nnCas9N T: "it3 WV'19 -vN' rondo Commentary on JOB, by R. Abbamari b. Eligedor. Leaf 1, blank; 2a, Introduction; 3", Commentary; 30b-31b, blank; 32, probably blank, wanting. Introduction begins (2a): ntnn wrinpn nl by -IV cv 15:Ioul PC rv pI$ o i nl rrl rnis ~...mrn nmln m',KWn it- i n, nn:n r tnn Vn Commentary begins (3a):...P n =p B W~lEAn nin811 ant — Ilm 1:1 rip r-IN-1 Ace swriv ", 1t nl 17E 214 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW. MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 66. Ends (leaf 30b): (?'1t):nn nl, n? M-nrfI $3i:81) molse Iwn I Olsr nn Nl r nnW3l m t\nDn Nzv (?a:n,) ylf n,nlrm Nitrl M$Iril jrP nnr wnri;:Dt3 The commentary before us enters, as a rule, merely into the meaning of the book in general, and that of the chapters in particular. Occasionally, however, it explains also the single verses and even the single words. But whatever it does explain it explains remarkably well. The author (who wrote also a commentary on Canticles; see later, in the paragraph on the scribe) was apparently, a Provengall of the xIII-xIvth century (see next paragraph); and his name Abbamari is rendered certain by several MSS.2, of which the present is, apparently, the oldest known. Except Aristotle (2b), the author quotes by name only Maimonides (Ibid. and 22a); indistinctly, however, he quotes also the Rabbis of Talmud, Midrash, &c. (passim), and the-schools,q'tARD, and,'lpVWi1 (2b); these latter, perhaps, from the Moreh only. The copy before us was probably executed in Africa (Algiers?), and before the close of the xivth century, as both the nature of the paper, its water-mark, and the handwriting clearly warrant us to assume, although the copyist may have lived in the very first years of the xvth century, as he calls R. Shime'on b. Tzemach Duran Y::Ri,l $2: (see Note 3 below). The copyist's name is neither given, nor even in the slightest degree indicated. From this negative fact (see Excursus I) and other positive facts (see later) we conclude that he could not have been a professional scribe. 1 Four Le'azim, three of which are Provengal, are to be met with on leaves 26b (two) and 28b (two). 2 These are: (1) Our own copy, which belongs to the close of the xivth century. (2) Codex De-Rossi 1372 (where, by the way, the ljvw nltix l;u must be transliterated Sen Astruq de l15w, the plow being, no doubt, a mistake for "u'8). As it is well known that De-Rossi generally ascribes to his (undated) MSS. an age higher by a hundred years than they really are, his "sec. xiv." in this instance, means probably fifteenth century. (3) The defective Codex Vat. ccxLIV, which is avowedly of the xvth century (Assemani, p. 204). (4) The defective copy in 272 (4) of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, which we know from our own inspection to be, at the earliest, of the xv —xvth century. (The author's name is there, however, only given by a later hand.) Compared with this fourfold testimony, the heading and subscription of the Bodleian copy (Opp. 221, olim 281; known to us from inspection, to be,. at the earliest, of the xvth century), which ascribe this commentary to R. Mosheh of Narbonne, become comparatively valueless, as, indeed, the value of their testimony has been ere now much doubted (New Catal. 353. 4). No. 66.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 215 The scribe copied this MS., probably for his own use, so that he may be legitimately looked upon as the first bona-fide owner of it. That he was so for some time, at all events, is proved by the scribbling in his hand which is to be found on leaf 1a no less than from the three Notesl on leaf 1b and the Notes on leaves 30 and 31a2. This scribe-owner (if we may use this expression) possessed at the same time, and apparently also copied for himself, part of the commentary by our author on Canticles (compare, above, the paragraph on the author), and Abuchamid's I11=Y VVDI85s,, &c.3). The next owner has left his mark of ownership in this MS. by writing two Notes (in connexion with Physics) on leaf 31P and by scribbling on leaf 1a. These marks are executed in somewhat blacker ink than that used by the original scribe; their character also is mixed (Rabbinic and current), and the handwriting also is Sephardic as practised in Africa, but evidently of a century later. A third owner was a Sephardi of the xv —xvIth century. He has left his mark by scribbling in Hebrew (Rabbinic) and Spanish characters on leaf 1. (For other owners see the descriptions of MSS. Add. 532. 1, 2, 4 and 5 below.) As regards the state of the MS., while it is impossible to bestow too much praise on the scribe for his intelligence as exhibited in the correctness of this copy; yet the roughness of the paper, the paleness of the ink, and the peculiarity of the handwriting must have very early made the reading a matter of no small difficulty; a difficulty of course considerably increased now, and proportionately increasing with every, day. The only leaves, however, in a particularly bad condition, are L, 15a, 16 17b, 18, 19, the writing of which has been additionally affected by damp. The worms, although they also have told upon this copy, have, happily, not injured any part written on. [Library-mark, Add. 532. 3; bought in 1869 from H. Lipschiitz.] 1 Of these three Notes only the first has a reference to the book of Job, briefly explaining the Rabbinical view, in the T. B. Baba Bathra, 14b, on Moses' authorship of this book; the other two refer to the difference between the first and second Adar (rmyK) and to the Lulab and the wnrr~y in connexion therewith (Lev. xxiii. 40) respectively. In Note 2 the y"'nrnnm 53y is quoted and in Note 3 Maimonides' rnrnn nvrn. 2 These Notes are, if we except insulated words, now entirely illegible. 3 Owing to the state of the Note on leaf I&, which gives this interesting information, we cannot make out whether this work in that copy was accompanied by R. Mosheh of Narbonne's commentary (although it probably was; see MSS. Dd. 10. 12. 3 and 4, &c.). What we can make out of it, runs thus: -...*58z5 9rRManly D'5 15 *Dn n1 )11D1 —: 1.l'3X:"E 216 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 67. No. 67. Paper, in quarto, 8- in. x 55 in.; 84 leaves, 6-sheet quires, 25 lines; Rabbinic character, Sephardic handwriting of the xvth century. Commentary on JOB by R. Yitzchaq Ibn Arundi; defective. Begins (leaf 14a, on vi. 6): K... p l, n2z nr i tp- 1- r, (... =lrv Ends (leaf 84X): nstns=l nssMn(M nins14:1) 11=1 Usn:n ipn - 1:D1 InsvNIrn Ins-)MN nn1s - nMw:1wV l 6 n Il $s an tn vvv,,nn111'n Do:: s=n Do:: (KISI) l)CNi Leaf 84b is blank. Job is a philosophical book, and a commentary on it, if it is to be of any value, must be in accordance with its nature, i.e. philosophical. And, in truth, from time to time attempts, more or less successful, have been made to explain this difficult book philosophically; and if most of such commentaries labour under notable shortcomings, it is not because of the unsoundness of the general principle that guided their authors, but of the special application, i.e. because of the mistaken attempt to make this book an exponent of Greek-Arabic philosophy. True, Hebrew-IsraeliteJewish religious philosophy and Greek-Arabic philosophy are related to one another; but they are nevertheless far from being identical, and it is the former of which the book of Job is an absolute representative. The philosophical commentary before us, on the other hand, although pregnant with Aristotelian philosophy, with which the author is familiar as few others, successfully avoids most if not all the dangerous rocks which caused the literary shipwreck of even so brilliant a philosopher as R. Levi b. GQrshom. The author, whose family-name "SMI' points to Ronda (Lat. Arunda) 1T ) I R K n:at5 mvlnri pnws any is found, as we know from inspection, in Codd. Paris 261. 1 and Bodl. Hunt. 613. The former is a beautifully written and perfect copy, though not without many mistakes, whilst the latter is tolerably correct, but only a fragment, containing, however, the introduction, &c., which is the most important part of the whole work. When Uri (cxLvII. 1) calls our author Arunas (miwK) it is for no better reason than because a comparatively modern owner, or cataloguer, had written that mistake at the head of the fragment. No. 67.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 217 in Andalusia, was, certainly, an Arabic-speaking Rabbi, as may be seen from the numerous Arabic words that occur in this commentary, although he lived, probably, in a Christian' country, perhaps in Provence, or more probably in Italy. He, no doubt, flourished in the first half of the xIvth century, thus being a contemporary of R. Levi b. Gershom, as may be deduced not merely from the negative fact of his never affixing the term "'t (so usual after the name of a defunct person) to the name of this author, whom he very often quotes; but also front the positive fact of his speaking very slightingly indeed2 of him, which ordinarily no Jewish author would do of a fellow-author already dead. The following statement characterizing the tendency and internal economy of the commentary, and giving the enumeration of the authorities and works quoted, and some of the other interesting matters mentioned in it, will, we feel sure, not be unacceptable to the reader. a. Tendency of this commentary. Like others, our author holds that the principal aim of the book of Job is to answer the momentous and intricate question: Why are there pious persons who suffer, whilst there are wicked ones who are prosperous? But, unlike many, particularly philosophical, commentators (for instance R. Levi b. Gershom, &c.), he denies that Job and his friends had an idea of immortality. b. Internal economy of the commentary. (1) The whole book of Job is explained as strictly forming one living and inseparable piece of art, the various Ma'anioth (tolP) forming, as it were, the skeleton which the various verses clothe with sinews, flesh, and skin. Although additional strength is sometimes obtained for the purpose of this explanation fronm the philosophy contained in other parts of the Scriptures, the Talmnud, the Midrash, and the Greek-Arabic philosophical writings, care is always taken to develop the philosophy of the book from the book itself. As the Ma'anioth are indissolubly interwoven with the whole book, so every verse, or part of a verse, quoted is skilfully interwoven with its respective Ma'aneh. 1 Leaf 39b we read the following: uSpU*1 b'rKpUrV4r >D5^ rvn-9 -mn i PT I rn S t....... imn n'; 1 yl;n N r x nn-I W N^r rn'D5XYpd wb. r InnrmiK nent... rntl'5n nUni nMn rn rni11Vr: uIV I ni7 P I n r e1n From this it would seem that our author lived in a Christian country and within the dominions of the Holy Roman Empire; and if so, then very possibly in Italy. 2 Our author seems to have had a personal pique against R. Levi b. Gershom. He not merely frequently declares his (R. Levi's) general and special conception of the book of Job to be utterly worthless, but he actually wrote an Opposition work lrnnmbtn to R. Levi's work of the same name. 218 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 67. (2) The Ma'anioth are connected with one another by the phrase n..R;' 1M'VCD1; the primary explanation of each verse, or part of a verse, is introduced by the phrase i":, while the further explanation of it is signalized by that of't2l1. If either of these explanations is brought into connexion with an idea expressed in another part of the Scriptures, the further phrase 1"' is used. At the end of the minute explanation of each Ma'aneh the whole of it is summed up, and the number of parts (i.e. leading ideas) of which it consists is given; the whole being introduced by the stereotyped phrase: ~.I. s~. t )pn....r., -1,13 ntn nmr=,~ non c. Enumeration of authorities and works quoted in this commentary. (1) The Rabbis (passim). (2) Plato (54b). (3) Aristotle, either by the name of ltUDI, or simply ~1D1, or finally by the mention of a particular work of his, without expressly mentioning his name. We may remark on this occasion that there are few works by Aristotle which are not quoted in the course of this commentary, even in the defective state in which we have it. (4) Euclides (D*P1Ipl; Gob). (5)'IS1'l D:1nMR (? Johannes; 66b). (6) The commentators of Aristotle, as Themistius (63'), and Ibn Roshd (56b, 63b). (7) ii1Mi MD1311 (Maimonides; 64a). (8) R. Levi b. Gershom (almost on every page). (9) The author's own introduction to this commentary (IDlMM?1t nnTEr or l1 1 N;int n1nnl; passim). This introduction is unfortunately wanting (see later in the paragraph on the condition of the MS.). d. Other interesting matters in connexion with the commentary. (1) Leaf 55b has a paragraph on Providence as manifested by the forewarning character of certain dreams. In the course of this the author says of R. Levi b. Gershom: pangn srnd nnnW n NSlnv= waNrn -It -1d nlto -Wi: me, tnwli 1Int ns n rnnll t:za fi$iiniinvw, n Only to lOn.. un$ we nrDvo $ntO'ppltm Itn ltD (2) Leaf 61b the author expresses his disapprobation of such as think that the mere knowledge of the ceremonial laws is enough for a Jew, in the following very strong terms: 15nfntn V.1 ) aw rrn t-S1n I:'nnvwt wN-1~I11 1~nnmlr i 1wVnnwi nte... msln~ saw:9 PiOtt~~~o5f bun: pap w )l t l Ivswynn nixon wnnn n i n D n n i nl W Aiz D n O i N ariplz wUn Ininn No. 68.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 219 The scribe's name was probably Yehudah as the letters and n are frequently used for the filling out of the vacant spaces of the lines (see Excursus I). He was not only a good copyist as regards calligraphy, but also as regards intelligence, as there are comparatively few mistakes in the copy before us. Of owners we can trace here only one, and this one is an anonymous person of the xvIth-xvIIth century. (Is this R. David Harophe? See our description of MS. Add. 532. 5 below.) He writes a far from ungraceful, though somewhat intricate, hand. The work done by him is in current character and Sephardic handwriting, and consists (1) of numbering the' leaves on the upper, and (2) re-writing (in some instances; see later, in the paragraph on the condition of the MS.) on the inner, margins words which had been probably destroyed by an instrument used by the Quarantine officials. HIe does the latter work of course mostly by mere guess, in which he is not always correct. In most instances, however, he has not even attempted to restore the words lost. From the paging made by him we see clearly that the MS. was even then as defective as it is now. The condition of the MS. is far from good. In addition to the 13 leaves missing at the beginning, by which, unfortunately, the whole introduction and part of the commentary (the most valuable of the whole; see p. 216 above, Note 1) was lost, there are also wanting leaves 37, 48, 74-83. Moreover, the whole copy is more or less stained by water and soiled; and particularly leaf 14a, the upper part of which is scarcely legible. Leaves 28 —49 in the upper and 25-40 in the outer margin, are wormeaten, by which, however, luckily, the writing has suffered nothing. Not so leaves 67-84, which have been pierced through (probably by the authorities of the Quarantine), by which a good number of words have been irretrievably destroyed. [Library-mark, Add. 532. 1; bought in 1869 from. H. Lipschiitz.] No. 68. Paper, in quarto, 8- in. x 6- in.; 20 leaves, 5-sheet quires, 27-28 lines; mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, Italian handwriting of the xvIth century. wtn iy m:n~nn rmzn sp rllvp=z Vrinv nrnrmpr [I'S *h.V19D *tiy19 Dnir rinei= Translation into Rabbinic Hebrew, with explanation of the difficult parts, of the Targum on the FIVE ROLLS, by an anonymous Italian Rabbi; incomplete. 220 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 68. Leaf la, Preface; la, Ruth; 4', Canticles; 15b, Ecclesiastes (17a —20b blank). Preface begins (la): tgn$ Wtlp j1S:U 11no in 01W$N n svzvn w vn nw lnnn ulr$ bvnns KzStlz.nt xcvlp yr Work begins (la): -..w r.z W I-s x prn Breaks off (16b, on Ecclesiastes ii. 8): Apart from the fact that the work before us is unfinished (it lacks the greater portion on Ecclesiastes and the whole on Lamentations and Esther) the author's assertion, that it contains the Targum on the Five Rolls in Hebrew (V'1INp 1p ~2 MM 1IV nln nwDMTI: 1;,,Pn r rnfl), must be taken cum grano. In reality only the more difficult parts of that Targum have been translated by our author, as he himself says in another place (wPn',.. rlgD n rl-,lln:1q~'qK pV l Mi); and this not into Hebrew pure and simple, but into questionable Rabbinic. This latter fact considerably detracts from the interest awakened by another assertion of our author, that Hebrew was understood by the generality of the people (Jews) of his time (Mrn$ $vlrnl 11= z lK: s mnm v,~ 3...jlpm$ $gvv* 1to: D~nrinv I1n...~5 r $,) nn:I ~?1/i5 n 1). But, if'in one respect the author has overstated the value of his work, he has in another respect undervalued it. It contains something more than a mere translation of parts of the Targum in question; it contains also an explanation of them. This explanation is either introduced by one or other of the phrases WIMrnniI nla, Mann=n wrtd,?nn~rl part, =nllq,' VIM, or succeeded by'D'In ITfl, j'1DN itfl, &c. In it the author points out the word, or the turn, of the sacred text, which justifies the Targumist in his deviation, or at least induced him to deviate, from the apparently more natural meaning of the verse (see, for instance, leaf 3b, on Ruth iv. 71; leaf 9", on Cant. iii. 6, &c.). Taken as a whole, this small work may be safely pronounced to be of no small value; the more so, as we become acquainted through it occasionally with a piece of Targum-text which is not to be found in-the printed editions (see, for instance, leaf la, on Cant. v. 10). 1 The Targumist renders niyr by ruuzs n, ipnn. What induced him to do so? Our author has the following remark on the point: L.Vr *.V: 51'=Tlpha u nn p 5f~ i lrme (,y3) lLp-lu 5 uw ztn-lrn wy)-.n1.ySp5 (I=Nl1) 0 r N I z'pn No. 69.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 221 The author, who displays great familiarity with Bible, Talmud and Midrash (and particularly with the last-named literary activity, which is the source sometimes, as it is at other times the efflux, of the Targumim; see Excursus II), must have been an Italian, as may be seen from the only t"VV2 to be found here (3a; repeated 3b). He probably lived in the xvIth century, the unquestionable date of this MS. (see next paragraph). To judge from the numerous corrections, &c. made by the scribe, this MS. seems to be an autograph; the scribe is certainly identical with the scribe of the first part of MS. Dd. 10. 14. 2 (see No. 39 of this Catalogue). There seems to be no trace of the work elsewhere. There is no trace of ownership to be found in this copy; but, apparently, it belonged, at one time, to R. Yehudah Aryeh, of Modena (Leon Modena, see p. 72 of this Catalogue), as it afterwards certainly belonged to Yitzchaq (b. Menachem?) ~,q1 (see ibid.). The condition of the MS. is excellent. [Library-mark, Dd. 10. 14. 3; presented in 1647 by the HIouse of Commons.] No. 69. Paper, in quarto, 73 in. x 5~ in.; 174 leaves, mostly' 6-sheet quires, 30 lines; Rabbinic character, Sephardic handwriting of the xvth century.'1r'1-11 )nn ry smn bVy: V-N9 bri)r= an v y st vVWEt Commentaries on the FIVE ROLLS, by Ibn'Ezra and on the MINOR PROPHETS, by Redaq, with other matter; defective. I. [Er$vL)UD -4$ N1tV I-IN vN n la T nlK' my nn$A=, wVn EM WVD] COMMENTARIES ON THE FIVE ROLLS, BY R. ABRAHAM B. MEIR IBN'EZRA OF TOLEDO (M"Y2Nr1). 1a, Ruth2; 3a, Lamentations; 9b, Ecclesiastes; 34a, Esther; 39b Canticles. 1 The exceptions are quires 1, 2, 3, 14 (which have 7) and 4 (which has 5 sheets). 2 The order observed here in the Five Rolls, is, no doubt, intended for that, according to which they are read in the Synagogue, i. e. Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. If Canticles is here placed last, it is either because the scribe of this very MS. began to copy it between Passover and 222 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 69. Begin (leaf Pl): rinn nrnli)Z nrl n'= an rtt Orr V-Wplp snDn nn=: 5NlWv nM-:$n wn1w f71- non mnn 11=1 Dnnn B1N.:=Iv.nvft.1C 1 n", n' DDm1,I U D:V 4111 End (leaf 48b): These commentaries, as extan in this MS., ike those w hich are to be These commentaries, as extant in this MS., like those which are to be found in the Rabbinical Bibles', consist of single ones on Ruth, Ecclesiastes Pentecost, or because he copied it from a MS. that had been commenced at such a time. Taking, however, into consideration the independent thought of our scribe (see later), the former reason gives the more probable account of the anomaly. 1 Besides the single commentary on Esther and the triple one on Canticles, which are to be found in the Rabbinical Bibles, Ibn'Ezra is known to have composed another single one on Esther and another triple one on Canticles. That on Esther was edited by Zedner from a MS. in the British Museum (London, 1850, 8vo; reprinted Berlin, 1873). That on Canticles was edited by H. J. Mathews from three MSS. at Berlin, Oxford and Paris (London, 1874, 8vo). We cannot allow this opportunity to pass without drawing the reader's attention to Mr Mathews' work. He has certainly placed Ibn'Ezra's admirers, and the readers of his literature in general, under great obligations. Not merely has he carefully edited this interesting commentary, but he has also enriched it with an accurate translation, an instructive introduction and many valuable notes. But we must join issue with the editor, when he treats Ibn'Ezra as he would treat an ordinary commentator and deduces (Preface, p. viii), from his expression (on Ruth i. 15) rinnii: mnnm,~ mn:, the conclusion that Ibn'Ezra had actually written a regular commentary on the whole Pentateuch before he wrote his commentary on Ruth. Ibn'Ezra was a man sui generis, and explained all parts of the Bible sporadically (if we may say so) before he had explained a single book regularly. His unsettled, migratory, mode of life caused him to write everywhere, at every time, and on everything, piecemeal, as the occasion demanded (see this Catalogue, p. 146, Note 2); so that the negative facts obtained from his statements (where he says in one work that he is going to write such or such another work, implying thereby that he had not already written it) alone have a value in determining the priority of his several works. For instance, when Ibn'Ezra says (on Cant. iii. 10) i)pizn a nUvxK rn'I:, we learn from these words, that he regularly commented on Canticles before he had done so on Isaiah, even as we learn from his words (on Cant. vii. 3) irnp=: nvntmN n-I, that when he wrote them he had not as yet regularly commented on Proverbs (see further on). Thus we learn from his commentary on Ruth (i. 2, i. 16, iii. 11) that he had written it before those on Ezra, Isaiah and Proverbs. The same is the case -with respect to his commentary on Esther, which he had composed before those No. 69.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 223 and Esther, a double one on Lamentations, and a triple one on Canticles. Theyare here, although not without mistakes, superior on the whole to those in the printed editions, (1) This MS. has, particularly on Ruth, several omissions (of irrelevant matter), substitutions and additions. (2) Several of the substitutions are accompanied (on the margin) in all the five books by various readings, sometimes with, and sometimes without, the announcement: "D~. These various readings correspond with those of the printed editions. (3) Many difficulties presented by the printed text of the commentaries on Lamentations and Canticles, in consequence of an explanation of one of the double or triple commentaries having been erroneously drawn into another, are here naturally avoided. 2. [ )t11 6 g wiul VV DVn~ni YFlil] COLLECTANEA ANTICHRISTIANA, BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR. Begin (leaf 48b): in wwn zi _11i9 i Vin nKni iuc n i-ln' =ni vrw~n P1ECn2;-~N'iO nab P3 -1 Nlvn$ nu, ll:: no n rnv~1 Vlinnn I PMN M;=t1milln on Ezra (i. 1), Canticles (i. 6), the Pentateuch, Samuel and Chronicles (i. 10), and Zechariah (ix. 30). But it by no means follows from the loose expressions'sX~ r'eln 1nV''awun (on Cant. vi. 5) and;rnnnr nw' mm: (on Ruth i. 15), that the commentaries on Canticles and Ruth had been written after those on Daniel and the Pentateuch respectively. The commentaries on Lamentations and Ecclesiastes afford no evidence of priority either way; though the latter is positively dated from Rome in 4900=1140, and was probably the first regular commentary which he ever wrote down. We must now substantiate our view, which at first sight may appear somewhat strange. Ibn'Ezra in his Brief Commentary on Exodus (which is on all sides acknowledged to be a genuine part of his Pentateuch-commentary, and is even believed by most critics to be the only one belonging to him on that book, to the exclusion of the Long Commentary) says (on xxxi. 3),....' n w' m 5 w n w l,' a n; which ought to show that he had written the commentary on Proverbs before that on the Pentateuch. How then, could he in the commentary on Ruth mean by nnin nlw 11m X>:), that he had already written a regular Pentateuch-commentary, when on the same Ruth (iii. 11) he promises to write a commentary on Proverbs? These remarks are enough to show the extreme intricacy of the whole question; but it is hoped that they may tend in some measure to remove the difficulties so long felt by critics, and which have received such forcible expression in Halberstam's preface to his admirable edition of Ibn'Ezra's mrntn cD (Lyck. 1874, 8vo.). 224 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 69. End (leaf 49a): rlttni n1r1tVNI ('sh1 SOW) 1'rWe iDs: NItm nn'. nN rlrn, wnrin m$,m:- For the Jews, attacked as they and their religion have continually been, to compose Antichristiana, has been, as is well known, a common practice, particularly from the xith century downwards. Some of these Antichristiana certainly occur as mere explanations of the Messianic passages of the Bible in a sense adverse to Christianity, as may be seen in the commentaries of Rashi and Ibn'Ezra. Others, although of the same nature, and ostensibly composed for the same purpose, consist of shorter or longer excursuses in Biblical commentaries, and contain, besides the defence of the doctrines of Judaism, systematic, and sometimes even fierce, attacks on Christianity, as may be seen in the commentaries of David Qimchi on Isaiah and the Psalms and of Abarbanel on Isaiah. A third kind assume the proportions of whole independent works of controversy, in which the desire to refute the doctrines of Christianity is openly avowed, although, no doubt, this desire did originally spring from the ardent wish to defend Judaism. Such works are Yoseph Qimchi's neon, Chasdai Crescas' lt:l ~:1s'1,'~3P, Shemtob Ibn Shaprut's tnll: 1:N, Lipman's Il=~ and others. But there exists, further, a fourth kind of Antichristiana, a species of second-hand compilations, which consists of books, treatises, &c. made up from all the before-mentioned three kinds. Even these, though they lack originality, have the advantage of giving the reader a general idea of the matter. To this category belongs Lopez' nl~S Mi n1 MnNl2l BN'D'11 and very probably also the treatise of which we find the commencement here. As regards the author of this piece, though we cannot say who he is, we can with more certainty say who he is not. He is none of the above-mentioned writers, nor is it our scribe. Viewed as literature, it is written in the style of David Qimchi; but the MS. before our scribe must have been in a very bad state, and the difficulty of reading it extreme, if indeed it was legible at all. And this is no doubt the reason why after two half-pages, the scribe gave up copying entirely. For it must be clearly understood, that it is not a mere fragment inserted on a waste page, as might at first sight appear likely; seeing that the scribe has written it in precisely the same style as the rest of the MS. and that the rest of the volume, now occupied by Qiinchi, was at his disposal. 3. [NKn:rn s-d 4"noDIt snag 4 1= ppnv 11 rtw In -ii-i f a+ nvr n iv Vral] COMMENTARY ON THE MINOR PROPHETS, BY R. DAVID B. YOSEPH B. YITZCEHAQ IBN QIMCHI HASSEPHARDI, OF NARBONNE (REDAQ). Leaf 49b, Hosea (65 wanting); 81P, Joel; 881, Amos (89, 100 wanting); 106i, Obadiah; 108b, Jonah; 112b, Micah; 125, Nahaumm; 130a, Habakkuk; 13S", Zephaniah; 142b, tHaggai; 145b, Zechariah; 167b, Malachi; 173b, blank; 174 (probably blank) wanting. No. 69.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE, 225 Begins (leaf 49b): *Dixn =1Nw vDr1i spuds nI! 5v31nt Nt~n 1111:* l P W D! 1n t n1V InVv/l 1MNs utn. tit: Ends (leaf 173'): *:Th buS nzais omntry liemk hs ong eno gt This commentary, like most works of odur author, has long enjoyed great popularity. Not merely has it been often printed in the original, but portions of it on most of these Twelve Books have been translated into Latin from time to time by various writers, and that on one (Zechariah) has been published entire in English. But this commentary, as extant here, has a value even beyond that of an ordinary MS. for the following reasons: (1) It represents a better recension at the hands of the author; whereas the printed editions have only the ordinary text, and that in a more or less corrupt state. (2) It has intact the Antichristiana, omitted or disguised in the editions. (3) The qttotations fiom the Targum are given here in fill, so that Its pristine text could be almost reconstructed from this and a few other MSS., as in the case of the Isaiah mentioned above (No. 63; p. 196, Note 2). The name of the scribe was, probably, David or some other beginning -with 1, since he invariably fills out the vacant spaces of the lines with this letter, unless he uses part of the first word of the next line. Although apparently a Peninsular Sephardi by birth, he seems to have been acquainted with the Ritual-Services of the Ashkenazim (see leaf 26b, marginal Note). He probably lived either in Italy or Greece, The forimula'1 I''11: given above points, however, rather to a Latin country, and therefore perhaps to Italy; see this Catalogue, pp. 42, 69. He was no mere scribe, though his handwriting is by no means ungraceful. The following points deserve remark: (1) He makes few mistakes. (2) He makes the reader's work more easy by placing various signs to distinguish the text from the commentary, &c. (3) He often gives readings from other MSS. on both works (of Ibn'Ezra and Qimchi), introduced mostly by K"D, and in Qimchi also by,"], and three times by nTV. This n'", though twice (91b, 96a) to be solved into Nt3mn N1vln or Knwn KnII' (comp. this Catalogue, p. 1971), seems. once (61b) to stand for nnrn'l:.. 1 By an oversight on p. 197 a few words have fallen out. What is there printed "170M NK*1ii" ought to be " N,~)n srmpni or xnin Inryr". 135 226 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 69. (4) He often adds marginal explanations from other authors. See, for example, leaf 18b, where he has a Note, commencing... V= t n1, in which R. El'azar V''i1p is defended from Ibn'Ezra's attack (Eccl. v. 1) on him, on account of tW/W being used by him in the masculine, whilst 1q1DK is in the feminine. (5) He occasionally gives explanations of his own (see, for example, leaf 17b). (6) He marks some of the Haphtaroth occurring in the Minor Prophets. (7) Once he makes the pious ejaculation V1=W~]'n nv D l3)VIV:l, where the unpropitiatory phrase in1'n 2''N:1l$MM ends a leaf (5b; in the r 12tD3l W2'D on Lam. ii. 10). As regards owners, the following nine have left their marks on this MS. (1) An anonymous Italian of the xv-xvith century by writing in mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, the running titles of several books of the Minor Prophets (see leaves 115b, 1168, &c.). (2) An Italian of the xvI-xvIIth century by writing his name, V'=sK tV]T, in Rabbinic character, on leaf 3a, inner margin. (3) An anonymous Sephardi of the xvIIth century, by marking in Rabbinic character the quires 26, 31, 32, 34, 35 on the upper inner margin. The numbers there still remaining, shew that the volume as we now have it must have formed quires 23-36 of a still larger Codex. (4) An Italian of the xviith century by writing Laudad~. Emanuel, in Italian character on leaf 1", lower margin. (5) An anonymous Sephardi, probably also of the xvIIth century, by marking the number of the quire (Y'") in Rabbinic character, on the upper margin of leaf 125". (6) Again a Sephardi of the xvIx-xviiith century, by writing in bold Rabbinic character the catchword on leaf 126b". (7) An Italian of the xvIIIth century, by writing in bold Rabbinic character the library-mark rn"bD'I on leaf 1'. This owner is apparently the father of the Physician Samuele Vita della Volta (comp. this Catalogue, p. 39). (8) Cav.,Marco (Mordekhai) Mortara,( Chief Rabbi of Mantua, by writing (in a Sephardic Rabbinic hand) on the label on the back: Y"'l1Y 111711 111191p nvv Inn al p-en: nl$= on1 all. (9) The last owner, H. Lipschiitz of Cracow, by writing on leaf 18 in Polish Ashkenazic current character y'VW5 2ar'W'IK and' H. Lipschiitz.' The MS. is somewhat worm-eaten in the first three quires; but in all other respects is in good condition. [Library-mark, Add. 403. 1; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschfitz.] No. 70. COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 227 No. 70. Parchment and paper, in quarto, 8- in., x 6 -in.; (originally 56 leaves, mostly' 6-sheet quires, the outer sheets parchment, the rest paper), 30-31 lines; Rabbinic character, Greek Sephardic handwriting of the xIvth century. Commentary on CANTICLES, by R. Mosheh Ibn Tibbon, with other PHILOSOPHICAL PIECES, by R. Zerachyah b. Yitzchaq; defective2. 1 The last quire has 4 sheets. 2 We have noticed above (p. 63) the fact, that one R. Shelomoh, a Greek Ashkenazic owner, has written at the end of Part 3 a Table of the contents of the whole Codex (now numbered Add. 377 in this Library) of which the present MS. forms Part 1. As the missing leaves (40 out of 56) contained many pieces of interest, we have thought it worth while to subjoin R. Shelomoh's list of the contents of this MS., with a few remarks, as supplementary to the notice of the three remaining fragments described in the text above. His list, which has already been made use of to some extent by Steinschneider (wz;inn, xI. pp. 42, 43), is as follows: [Leaves lb —4a],''Ty' r yr"T V,1:2lX " mrzO t2,n rzn ~,v i nm t,:nnwrsn nFVe (1) [Leaves 4b_5a]'n.n7'7i7i mnIn n )lMb nar5 lm"num nnDK (2) [Leaf 5_ —5b]'r0 ty r'Mn V2u n 1.=5 nlwwvt l''"rin nlne (3)'7.v'tan trom)-m ner (WuTrr ny);1".v'*)2twn'arm 1:ni nmWu, taenn-v n:1 (4) [Leaves 5b6 —6] [Leaves 6b_31b].N"v 8pr'"on p2n l2'i bwnv.',,n "r, (5) D'm~'3='~ 11~ 21' l'~'p'z m1 ~'-rn'awn"s',m~ In% 2,/m~:wn D',22 m 1~ tmn:2 (6) [Leaves 32b-40a; 32' being blank] K"D U':"uD [Leaf 42a —42b] i"5 y:2'b: 5btmvt - rinrl n-yb''x2n mna'pn (8) [Leaves 43' —45'] Rn"D n) -V" CuWK pin2 1 nrnni n nrinn r LtV npi Sp,K' (9) [Leaves 45 — 55b] o"p. y n-', n wl2n prnm'"prw YV - x': (10) [Leaves 40b —41b] "'Iy m1"y-3,,''v: pSnm =": pmwnnn by su 2 (7) (1) This missing Letter on Repentance is, no doubt, identical with the MS. n177nWr,'iv in the Vatican (cCLI. 4; p. 214), which is superscribed: n1Vnen n1vw II:) 1n,'1MN'1n, and begins:... nnvn i niyp 71: mvr5b ~n tnXK xv n5l5y. The loss of this treatise out of the present Codex is doubly to be regretted, because it seems to have borne a title otherwise unknown, and because, besides the one in the Vatican, there appears to be no trace of any other copy, except that in the Bibliothkque Nationale at Paris (No. 839; formerly Ancien fonds 105), 15-2 228 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 70. Leaves 1-16 wanting; 17", Ibn Tibbon on Canticles (26-35 wanting); 36, Letters of R. Zerachyah on the Moreh of Maimonides (37-48 wanting); 49a, Commentary by R. Zerachyah on the Moreh (52 almost wholly torn out, 56 wanting). 1. PIPNT ON OTlX S, ~ 1~K.W M0SHv (0W F Mo -vWnL V )tY 5. w1i] - [n: 112-n1 1'lln COMMENTARY ON CANTICLES, BY R. MOSHEH (OF MONTPELLIER) B. SRIEMUEL (OF LUNEL) B. YEHUDAH (oF GRANADA AND LUNEL) B. SHAUL IBN TIBBON OF GRANADA; defective. where, however, only the first leaf is at present to be found. On the author and his possible identity, not only with R. Abigedor b. Eliyyah of Vienna, but also with R. Abigedor, the uncle of R. Hillel b. Shemuel b. El'azar of Verona, see our description of MS. Add. 653 in the third Section of this Catalogue. (2) This missing Letter on Humility is, no doubt, identical with the rinK'imn printed in the =mnl,mrn (Mantova, 1638, 8vo.), where it occupies leaves 107b-109. It is there introduced by: ln1 bt7 erIfn' nLr6t u Fn vin arn nrT rlw ba nrmnpb mtiu. It begins: r'in vn'ntl wurtn K5m'pNK -di, nn vr.-. rinnrm im5, and ends: 3tnw''NK Dy nirn nnimKn Npn.n'm m:wprpn Dab p' n.;. Nnn t)510 n;1=11 1,:n- 5na M,5yn lvn orn -ine -Amn -,I nm551^p nl mtn X5 ~'' 1I nl: n3'p, 5 ltryn. (The last two words, of course, belong to the scribe of the MS. used by the printer; comp. this Catalogue, pp. 42, 69, 225.) (3) This Letter on a Coin is, no doubt, identical with the piece to be found at the end of the early editions of Nachmanides' Pentateuch-commentary. It there begins:...'rm'r'in nn, and ends:.m=i-iD n'rn3iy,no Ti~n -... The addition of the word cgwi at the close, in the first edition, seems to confirm the idea of this piece being a letter. (4) This missing Letter on Jerusalem, d'c. is, no doubt, identical with the letter sent by Nachmanides to his son Nachman, with which the Lisbon edition of the Pentateuch-commentary concludes. It is a brief resum6 of what immediately precedes it (a meditation by the author on Jerusalem and its awful condition and a prayer for its welfare, which begin:..,brin nminpr, and end: r nN TroN ntI n n riw''1...). This resum6 is there superscribed: nan nrbww nirm:anvNx 1=5' Ixri nn i)%n' zn'Tpn 7 i'Vw1i- 5' 1. It begins:...'nnz i m l, and ends: In animrtv %-nai.... The loss of this letter out of this Codex is the more to be regretted, as it may, perhaps, have contained the year (after naming the month of Elul), which some give as'27 (1267) and others as'28 (1268). This little piece, though in the Lisbon edition, is not in the editio princeps. We take this opportunity of expressing our thanks to Dr Atkinson, Master of Clare College, for his kindness in allowing us the free use of the copy of the Lisbon edition in the Library of that College. (5) Part of this Commentary still remains; it is therefore described in the text above. (6) to (10). All these being R. Zerachyah's work on the Mloreh, of which parts still remain, will be found described in the text above. No. 70.1 COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 229 Begins (leaf 17", on iii. 11; printed edition, leaf 15b):.'.r. r n$l riD nN in nl Breaks off (leaf 25b, on viii. 8; printed edition, leaf 22b): t-nrl. In 1Ni t zK1 -'lrnl hi 8r1I, n-l 1,1 r1p1 i'an.n..... This commentary has lately been printed as one of the publications of the Society 0D1'1 p YlVD= (Lyck, 1874, 8vo.). But, as the anonymous editor has given us only the text in its barest possible form (therein differing from an inferior MS. only in having an abundance of misprints), without critical introduction, without a single illustrative note of any kind (even to tell us from what MS. it is takenl), in which particulars it contrasts most unfavourably with some of its fellow-publications (notably the wI.1 P]n]n and q12,'1'1Wi), enriched as they are with the editorial labours of Halberstam and Steinschneider2, we are compelled to remark more at length upon this work itself in general and upon this MS. of it in particular. 1 The MS. in the hands of the anonymous editor, as may be seen from leaf',tL verso, must have been in an oriental Sephardic handwriting. By oriental Sephardic scribes the letters,i are written with the - in inside the a,, which combination the transcriber for the press seems -to have mistaken for,i; and as he also confounded 1' with ta, the result is ltPn for 1upmi. It is hardly satisfactory that the misprints in a book should be our only source of information as to the MS. from which it is taken. 2 Steinschneider's contribution to the wtun'-lz is so full of valuable and instructive matter, that it seems worth while to add an elucidation of two little points which have escaped him. (1) The word int,5 (see p. 21) is applicable, of course, to both space and time (compare the Targumim, Talmudim and Midrashim passim). But though it is ordinarily used in Holy Writ in the sense of'formerly' i.e.'backwards,' yet it certainly occurs in Jeremiah vii. 24 (anl n't,5 K51 r:nK5) in the sense of'forwards' i.e.'further on', as it is used here by R. Hillel. This whole difficulty of Steinschneider's, however, is based on the assumption that the word used by R. Hillel is the Biblical bnl.; but may it not rather be the Talmudic M.~. (itself the equivalent of the Biblical'?D']~), as in the phrase n']mrl Eb, i:e.' deeper and deeper in',' further and farther on' (T. Yerushalmi, Horayoth iii. 5, and T. B. Sotah 4b, Horayoth 13a)? (2) Again in the o's'wr wvtv, &c. (leaf 50a), the original source of the saying of R. Yose the Galilean is to be found in the Siphra, Dibbura dechoba, Parashah xii, Pisqa 10; compare Bensly, The missing fragment of the fourth book of Ezra (Cambridge, 1875,- 4to.), p. 28, Note 6. From the Siphra it was copied by R. Tobiyyahu b. Eli'ezer (:i nrp5 on Lev. v. 16), by the Yalqut (~ 479), and by Rashi (on Lev. v. 16); b1ut R. Hillel evidently took:it (if not direct from the Siphra) from Rashi, who must have had before him a copy of that work in which the reading was en =i:vrn instead of rZ ivwn. Whichever be the right reading, the phrase 5, wtvn can surely only mean'who abstains,''whoever abstains.' (The Yalqut here has the ordinary reading; while R. Tobiy 230 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. -[No. 70. (i) On this work itself in general. Most, if not all, of the Hebrew literary productions of the middle ages, particularly if they are commentaries on the Scriptures and by authors nurtured in Greek-Arabic philosophy, are valuable to us rather for their accidents than for their essence. As elucidations of Scripture, they may be worth little; but they nevertheless deserve our attention, if only for the following three reasons:(a) They reflect the spirit and taste of their own age; (b) they preserve to us the names of the most prominent men of times gone by; and (c) they rarely fail to enrich our vocabulary of post-biblical Hebrew with terms invented on the instant, as the occasion demanded. These are sometimes original, sometimes translated from Arabic or Latin, and sometimes only ordinary words, employed in an unusual sense; but always new to us. The commentary before us and its author form no exception to this rule either for good or for bad. Mosheh Ibn Tibbon, like his father and grandfather (and in some respects even more than these), was a diligent and successful translator of Greek-Arabic works of philosophy (in his time including not only mathematics and astronomy, but also medicine). But his original works, particularly his biblical commentaries, are, as far as scriptural interpretation is concerned, absolutely without value. (a) To illustrate our statement, that the commentary before us reflects the spirit and taste of its age, we need only mention that it was so much in vogue for at least half a century after its composition, that the " Sages of Rome" actually requested'Immanuel b. Shelomoh (whose poetry was so easy and graceful, but whose scriptural interpretation was so pompous and inflated), to explain the book of Canticles to them in the style of R. Mosheh Ibn Tibbon, only a little more minutely! (Comp. this Catalogue, p. 43.) Yet, apart from the fact that this commentary is full of absurdities (can any one imagine this lovely and peerless idyll being made to represent the hard and grinding metaphysical speculations of the Stagirite?), not only is the reader left in doubt, but the author himself is confessedly undecided, which of the various metaphysical ideas or terms a given verse or word may mean. Hence the continual recurrence of such phrases as:'1~1, W2D~1;, D 12DN 1,'WDy At, 1S,'13D 1, &c. (b) The references to the authorities and works quotedl here will be found of some interest. They are as follows: (1) The " divine" Socrates (leaf nw"l verso). (2) Aristotle (passim). (3) i-n1-'1mm %= (p. 7). yahu b. Eli'ezer works up the passage in quite an independent way of his own; so that R. Hillel cannot have taken it from either of these.) 1 It is not the least of our anonymous editor's many faults, that he counts by pages, in Arabic numbering from 1 to 14 (Introduction and part of commentary); and then proceeds to count by leaves, in Hebrew from 8 to 26. This process makes his book very troublesome to quote. No. 70.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 231 (4) =r1n,, meaning sometimes King Solomon, sometimes Aristotle, and sometimes a Talmud-teacher (passim). (5) V1nl21, the teachers of Talmud and Midrash (passim). (6) The Talmud, by quoting various Massikhtoth, or various Peraqim of them, as: 1ln"r 1tN p' 2 (p. 13), T"'V3 (leaf n recto), 1n1T1= ~r Nn, pr= (leaf W"I recto), rnl1%, p'02 (leaf N": verso). (7) NZi nM'~N: (passim);:1'1 nII= Mi, (leaf I"' recto). (8) V'1*1 on all the books of the Pentateuch (passim). Once also (leaf' recto) W1 T.I~ T"Vq V' w 2, which ought perhaps to be (9) nVnW t1a' (passim). (10) nlWl'lnl "W1 (p. 11). (11) "Y1=tM (p. 12; leaf n recto). (12) WD1D1S'Q; (p. 14). (13) W2W': WV (passim). (14)'~1112; (not David; p. 7). (15)'=1 InI (the poet; leaf L recto). (16)'InK 11qn (perhaps a mistake for tl trnK::lr; p. 10). (17)'~t1:l and his nlKrqn ninn, also':IKZN and ~"'n1'P (pp. 9, 12, and leaf n1"' verso). (18) NrK In and,S]'"1 (leaves K", recto, K"n verso). (19) WIT? tl tII In "' (leaf n recto; this explanation however belongs not to Ibn'Ezra, but to R. Se'adyah Gaon) and KrT l::11n;l (leaf I"Y' recto). (20) 1Wn In (p. o10). (21),f'lI 21M, mostly, however,'i, simply (passim). (22) R. David Qimchi (leaf aY' recto). (23) "1~ NIK (passim); once (p. 6);1,q1;1'1 t w =1'o (24) nrnil 71- tV~R (i.e. R. Ya'aqob b. Abbamari b. Shime'on b. Anatolio, the author of the Malmad, whose sister was apparently the wife of R. Shemuel Ibn Tibbon, so that R. Ya'aqob was married to his own niece; pp. 11, 14, and leaves Y'" recto,,i"n recto). (25) The author's own works (or parts of works): (a) the commentary on Genesis (leaves I recto,'1"` recto); (b) the 1n1lPw,V2g'gw (p. 13); (c) the,1TUMlI'3e2 (leaf "Y' verso); (d) the u'1IV,1 nlVD 1'M (leaves 1"' verso, tV't recto,'Z recto, ~"' recto); (e) l], 1Vw (leaf t"' recto). 232 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 70.:c) But the chief value of this work lies in the unusual terms to be found in it; that is, either entirely new words and phrases, or common words and phrases used here inl a new sense. The following (which struck us as such at'a cursory glance, so that we will not guarantee all of them) may serve as specimens. (1) t'}z.,l We (for ytin &c.; p. 11). (2) 61S...- *II 1 (for 61tK1 ~.. Vn2; unless the DI1 be altogether a mistake for the frequent'is; p. 13). (3) n1:11t (for virtues, commonly n11:t31 n111n, but see nIDOD, Pisqa'l11 z*Krnl, where it is perhaps used in the same sense; leaf Y"' recto). (4)!'7T=-2, l (for the, even with our author, otherwise usual n1s,~1; p. 14). (5).... 931=t (for the, even with our author, otherwise usual... *:'; leaves::" recto twice, ": recto). (6) S... t1'l P (perhaps after the Mioreh; p. a). (7) 1nf11 (for vices,'commonly n113 nr11, nlnlD rnlll &c., but see Jer. iii. 5, and rKn lD, as above; leaf Y'" recto). (8) Ip' (in the sense of'but on the contrary'; although this expression may belong to the author's father; p. 9). (9) rn1]f tIws (for pairs of things, commonly ~ ]tl 2n: &c.; pp. 13, 14). (10) We may on this voccasion mention that there are also two Le'azim to be found, on leaves I verso (MnK nnn,Mt /w a"'lt$ 9p3,n K:;1, ~'~r,~w 1 5',1w ) and?'` recto (l'iqn2'I (ii) OC2 this MS, of this Commentary in particular. Apart from the defects arising from loss of leaves, the fragment of this ~ommeritary which remains is enough to show that it must have been copied from a faulty and defective' MS.; and that the Introduction (,lrnnD), which is to be found in the printed edition, can never have existed here. Some passages, howeveer which had been ormittedA were afterwards supplied in the margin by the- original scribe. Nevertheless, with all these drawbacks, this MS. is not without value, as it is certainly one of the oldest copies of this commentary existing. 2e,3 Wl- t n'15 TODD Vi IMr tsn YAW 3t~ M-I)n'-b mVnt -I nn3 N] [n~tzn nnIT'11 $ n 1-iDm PInt r'rN LETTERS OF R. ZERACHYAH TO R. YEHUDAH ON TWO MATTERS IN CONNiEXICON WITH THE MOREH; TOGETHER WITH FOUR EXTRACTS FROM A COM6ENTARY QN THAT WORK BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 1 Leaf 19b (on v. 7; printed ed. leaf n'oi recto, line 25) the scribe has:'~ 5"/n -Itv Vncn;11n nu*n iv nnmS;n (ni nnv ) r5-rrrnn pnprrvn nrnD -p arie znImDn 3pn5 Dmpa nnn *,N *l On m nins (,5 rNk). The printed edition, however, throws no light on this supposed deficiency, as the word 1,inriz is there immediately followed by 5"1 rn'lrn nnV., even as it is here followed, after the Note just given, by the equivalent'~"i'trne. No. 70.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 233 This article corresponds to Nos. (6) to (10) of the Table of contents given before on p. 227, Note 2. It will be convenient to notice the contents here in accordance with that Table, identifying the matter, even where now lost, with the corresponding passages in MS. Add. 1235, lately belonging to Carmoly (No. 39 in the sale Catalogue of his MSS. and frequently referred to in connexion with R. Zerachyah, in the Otzar Nechmad II., Frankel's Monatsschrift v. and Steinschneider's Hammazkir Iv., &c.). (1) Letters to R. Yehudah. Of these explanations of the Moreh (which take here the form of letters in answer to R. Yehudah's questions), as they are found in MS. Add. 1235, only two seem ever to have existed in this MS. They are numbered t6) in the Table of contents, and formerly occupied leaves 32b —40a. (a) On the MMIn; a mere fragment. Begins (36a):... s snmy'1$p OUR: IrKI 18 pn nrn i nnrw Ends (36b): (irm~) olnD5 imD1 011, Inn (1 i 6 p... This will be found in MS. Add, 1235 -from leaf 86b, line 17, to leaf 88a, line 14. Any remarks called for by this and the following explanations by R. Zeracllyah will find a more appropriate place in our description of that MIS. in the fifth Section of this Catalogue. (b) On Job, Satan, and the sons of God. This piece, which now no longer exists here, must have been identical with the corresponding passage in -MS. Add. 1235, from leaf 92a, line 19 (. L. * mrv' tN e?n), to leaf 97a, line 1 (t)l]yl lqn1I,rN i, *... qnA). (2) Four extracts from a commentary on the -Moreh. (a): On Part'IIi. Pereq 22. This extract, which now no longer exists here, is numbered (7) in the Table of contents. It extended from leaf 40b to 41b, and must have been identical with the passage to be found in MS. Add. 1235, from leaf 97, line 1(- * 1 n(l...og A r p'in:1 n:r p), to 98b, line 24 (Tnil1 r~7il). It will be observed that in the Table of contents it is called II. 22, not III. 22; but an examination of the Moreh shows at once, that, while II. 22,- treating on cause and effect, &c., as introductory to the proof that the world was created out of nothing, would be here quite irrelevant, III. 22, which treats on Job, &c., is akin to the matter immediately preceding. Besides which, MS. Add. 1235 (which will be admitted to stand in some, if not close, relation to this our MS.) gives us on II. 22 nothing at all. 234: CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 70. (b) Introductory remarks on the Metaphysics of Aristotle. This also does not now exist here. It is numbered in the Table of contents (8) and extended from leaf 428 to 42b. At first sight it might seem strange how this piece should have found a place in connexion with the Moreh; but, when it is remembered that the Moreh is founded on Aristotle's philosophy in general and on his Metaphysics in particular, the strangeness disappears. The phrase nl1,~'5n'b~ looks as if it meant a mere translation of Aristotle's own introductory remarks to the Metaphysics; but, apart from the fact, that these could not have been compressed into two pages of our MS. (were they even those of the first chapter of the first book only), it is observable that the index-writer uses the preposition P1 to signify concerning, on, in reference to, &c.; and so he appears to use the equivalent prepositional particle D here in a similar sense. It is just possible that this may be the passage which is found in MS. Add. 1235 occupying much the same space. It there begins (leaf 136b, line 23): YVt=t1'n1w nD ritz ln -.. * nrlnnnn, and ends (leaf 137", line 23:,1, tn' IN,MDY l'p~n 2N1... Otherwise there seems to be no trace of it to be found in MS. Add. 1235, or other MSS. containing R. Zerachyah's works. (c) On the introduction to the Moreh, This again is lost from our MS. It is numbered (9) in the Table of contents; and extended from leaf 43b to 45a. It was unquestionably identical with what is to be found in MS. Add. 1235, from leaf IP, line 22 (... rpl;23-1 8K), to leaf 48, line 5 (. j'1D:''i:, W i itv rinl). (d) On certain Peraqim of Part i of the Moreh. A considerable portion of this still remains. It is numbered (10) in the Table of contents, and originally extended from 45b to 56". It is impossible to say what Peraqim were dealt with on the now missing leaves 45 to 48. (a) On Pereq 36. Begins abruptly (leaf 498): *. no: fan ~,5~~W Ends (leaf 49'): This is to be found in MS. Add. 1235, leaf 328, line 15, to leaf 328, line 20. (,a) On Pereq 46. Begins (leaf 498): MIN,WNIM1SV It*: 1nm nl7 — mws -Inw hnng I-InwN -mill U in K (bnlr O D4111m.-i~ ~ ~ ~~~~7D9'ni3 39 ~'9C1~ No. 70.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 235 Ends (leaf 50)): In the corresponding place in MS. Add. 1235 (leaf 37b) an explanation of Pereq 46 is to be found, which resembles the present in substance, though differing from it considerably in diction. At the same time, at the very end of that MS. (leaf 137", line 23, to leaf38a), a second explanation of the same Pereq is given, which corresponds to the present more closely, though not word for word. We have found reason to believe that R. Zerachyah composed two commentaries on the Moreh (see our description of MS. Add. 1235 below). It is therefore probable that these two explanations of this Pereq represent the two different commentaries. (y) On Peraqim 51, 52. Begins (leaf 50a): -1=0n1,'.. ="1nn n is n:alnD rrpnr y n1 ntl 1] 1 ~ N K. l"b p-n U.. baw n n 1 K1,; Ins K1Z1r n~l'ntNV 7NK3 nt 1"Vz SEX Breaks off (leaf 55b): -s1lS nlw un1 n IN- * The explanations of these two Peraqim are to be found almost word for word in MS. Add. 1235, leaves 43b —51a. Though leaf 56 is now missing, it is evident, from the way the scribe has written leaf 55', that he was drawing his work to a close, and as a matter of fact only six lines are needed to finish the explanation of this Pereq. The scribe was R. Shabbethai Bilbao (1t1~; see No. 35 of this Catalogue), who seems to have executed the MS. for himself, as he was a dabbler not merely in poetry and Qabbalah, but also in religious philosophy. Subsequent owners were: (1) The before-mentioned Ibn Tarshish (see this Catalogue, p. 60), who has left his mark of ownership on leaves 17b, 18a and 19a. (2)- An oriental Qaraite of the xvth century (early), who has a few emendations on the inner and outer margins of leaf 19a. (3) R. Shelomoh, the index-writer, who has only left his mark by writing on leaf 22a, &c. the running title T'll TVW. For other owners again see our description of No. 35 above. The state of this MS. is very bad, for, in addition to the (wholly or partly) missing leaves, it must be added, that this copy has suffered from damp, as well as from wax (or some such substance), which had been poured on it in a liquid state. [Library-mark, Add. 377. 1; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] 236: CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 71. No. 71. Parchment, in quarto, 91 in. x 7a in.; 50 leaves, 5-sheet quires, 27 lines; Greek Ashkenazic handwriting of the xIvth century. TIMW NM' 1 i p,'hvl -late tit V~l+w I 1i1t vnv rsi3 Commentaries on CANTICLES by R. Abraham Hallevi, on RUTH, CANTICLES and ECCLESIASTES by Rashi, on LAMENTATIONS by R. Yoseph WI and on ESTHER by an anonymous author. Leaf 1l, Introduction to Canticles; 1b, Commentary on the same book; 22", Commentary on Ruth; 25a, Introduction to Canticles; 25", Commentary on the same book; 34b, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; 44a, Commentary on Lamentations; 48a, Commentary on Esther; 50b; blank. 1. [4rin pnr' In wrinN +I nnv, vV $V] WVI-i COMMENTARY ON CANTICLES BY R. ABRAHAM B. YITZCHAQ HIALLEVI (DON ABRAHAM HALLEVI, TAMAKH). Introduction begins (leaf IP):...5n:=S m-rnnn iN t:nnr'*K L1nnlI pnx rv 1$1 4.n1: mIn Commentary begins (leaf lb): n~Sw 75n *nn nmn - nbnw 1lnnpn n=~:.n=nbw ne/a mWeIIn n1'W Ends (leaf 22a): n w mnm mn~enn le~ tts.'Ymn yP[ 1:sm~, mn~ 5Ke;w ntenn=... This commentary has been printed twice (both times with the sacred text: Sabionetta, 1558, 16mo. [not 24mo. as Steinschneider, nor 32mo. as Zedner]; Prag, 1611, 8vo.). We will therefore on the whole confine ourselves to the MS. before us, making only such additional remarks as are absolutely necessary, either for rectifying the misstatements current 1 This phrase, unlike those at the commencement and end of the five following commentaries (see later), belongs probably to the author himself. No. 71.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 237 with respect to our author, his age, &c., or supplementing a few omissions as regards the nature of this book. (i) On the author, &c. Our R. Abraham b. Yitzchaq Hallevi cannot be the celebrated Provengal poet, of whom Steinschneider (Bodl. Catal. p. 693) speaks as having composed this work in 1380 and dying in 1393, seeing that the author of this work does not write as a great poet would (compare especially the rhymes at the end). Still less can he be the Don Abraham of Gerona, who wrote in 1400. He is, however, no doubt a man of an earlier date, and ought perhaps to be identified with the R. Abraham b. Yitzchaq Hallevi, who lived at Jerusalem (Zunz, Literaturgesch. d. synag. Poesie, p. 512), and who, though not a great poet, was a poetaster. What his original home exactly was it is difficult to say, as the Le'azim are -not quite clearl. The work before us-must have been composed, at the latest, towards the middle of the xIvth century, as this MS. cannot be much after that date (see our description of MS. Add. 378. 1 in the third Section of this Catalogue). Respecting the s"wn1, which is found at least as early as the eighth century2 and which signifies'= 1 lnnrDn inll (compare Zunz, Gesch. u. Lit. p. 457), it ought to be remarked, that it is not altogether impossible that such a formula may have become in the course of time a family-name. (See Index of Abbreviations at the end of this Catalogue.) (ii) Supplements. (1) The fact of our author not being a great poet did not, however, prevent him from writing a commentary of some merit, which is the more to be appreciated when we take into consideration the age he lived in. Like the rest of the school of Maimonides, to which he apparently belonged (although he seems to have been infinitely better in every respect than the majority of the men constituting it), he sees in everything, but especially in Canticles, an open and a hidden meaning ~(a,l: and a'1DJ), of which the latter was not a mystical or cabbalistical, but a philosophical signification. (2) Though this work distinctly names only Aristotle, Rashi, Maimonides and Nachmanides, its literature betrays, in the philosophical explanations, that the author knew the works of Ibn l]3) (or test), MoshIbn bn Tibbon,'Immanuel b. Shelomoh, Ibn Kiaspi and others, and, in the mystical explanations, those of R. Tobiyyallu b. Eli'ezer, and others (see leaves 2, 4b, 5b, &c.). (3) The author modestly acknowledges that he invented very little, and that the greater portion, if not all, of this work was due to predecessors. (4) Of all the curiosities which we find in this book, one exceeds everything else, i.e. the author's naive confession (on vi. 8), that though the hidden meaning of the numbers 60 and 80 was known to him, the open meaning of them was not! 1 The seven Le'azim are these: (1) W:il.?=lt;nln; (2) N.i'-ninn; (3) ti=nolvw; (4) lII=lno i; (5) Kinili$~ l (6) iTw=rrwn; and (7) j')1='1n (leaf 19b). Some of them look French and some Provencal. The last is Arabic. 2 See 911nz;n, III, p. 63, &c. 238 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 71. (5) The terms constantly occurring in this book are:,;t1 and'rnD and'rnp nI'7np (see Ibn Kaspi on Lam. ii. 11, and compare this Catalogue,.p. 210). (6) For the better understanding of the commentary the sacred text accompanies it in full. This is evidently the author's own arrangement, and this description ought perhaps with more propriety to have found a place in the preceding section of this Catalogue. 2. [ 1n-M pn12 Ad n'sw$ Inr> nonl 53 Tnn] COMMENTARY ON RUTH BY R. SHELOMOH B. YITZCHAQ OF TROYES (RASHI, R. SALOMO ISACIDES1). Begins (leaf 22b):,nwvn ie UnK 1Nt t1wn -=rD = u 1rsnn nn en $.Pvnwav uw'rn... DI n nn nn n, III-I w ~%v11n t;!.6 rS Dn= svn tiISI Ends (25'): nonl wV.)D h5on,, nep17w 2=1n n nlM b -ig tn nanny low.. It need hardly be said that Rashi's commentary on Ruth has been printed times without number. But the MS. before us, while it has all that is in the editions, contains a great deal of additional matter, as may be gathered even from the beginning and end given above; but the body of this commentary is equally fruitful in new matter. This new matter has all the appearance of being genuine, although we must, of course, be very cautious with respect to the works of an author whose writings have been so much worked upon in early as well as later times, by learned and semilearned (DtIV'1D~tn). The additions at the end are also to be found in the Naples edition of 1486, and bear some resemblance to the corresponding passage of R. Tobiyyahu b. Eli'ezer on Ruth2; a matter of no wonder, seeing that both writers drew from one common source, the Midrashim. It ought to be known however, that the lt nrpi on the Megilloth has, at some period, been supplemented by, or from, Rashi, as will be shown in our description of the copy of that work in this Library (MS. Add. 378. 1, below). 3. [nt-M1 IsnM 1to 11*)V 1=m$] nDYs-n mew Lip] VI-Ist 1 The, in,vz, stands for,prin: not nrae; but in spite of the protest of Zunz and other scholars the name,no, is still constantly used by less careful writers. 2 Compare Berliner, Magazin I. No. 14, where this point is noticed. While, however Berliner corrects Steinschneider's mistake of Marcheshwan for Tishri, he himself erroneously makes the year 1487 instead of 1486. -No. 71.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 239 COMMENTARY ON CANTICLES BY R. SHELOMOH B. YITZCHAQ OF TROYES (RASiTI, R. SALOMO ISACIDES).Introduction begins (leaf 25a):.... ~tte ne2~ ~Sm~ 7nN KIpII I1WN lt mnw mni nanyb nna Commentary begins (leaf 25a): +.. wnlp Ends leaf (35b): Both introduction and commentary are on the whole here what they are in the printed editions. But there.is one passage, which cannot be passed over without notice, since, whatever its origin may be, it is here written quite as part of the text. It runs thus (on i. 4; leaf 25b): ~n4IN11 n...3v inn'11 (;rl:rmD snnI l:1N).n: (!)mn 2 N *1is lr t'rn 1w rn... - -vL' I- nN W:;it id *lznni sentwl $n=n IN=: v= nn anonImi. It is at least enough to show how desirable it is that some scholar should begin to do for Rashi's other commentaries what Berliner has already done with so much success for his commentary on the Pentateuch (comp. this Catalogue, pp. 50, 128). 4. [nD:SM Pn-I M IDSW 13Mt i] nMnnv [1:] Wan COMMENTARY ON ECoLESIASTES BY R. SHELOMOH B. YITZCHAQ OF TROYES (RASHI, R. SALOMO ISACIDES). Begins (leaf 34b):..^ninnin 1121 W nlpm $z n $p t 1 Ends (leaf 44e): ninqp WI%1II 6vW: plow: $nri 1:1 FAD wt),1n: 11=;lp-1v Innl jin..+ Except for variations in the turn of expressions here and there, this is identical with the text as found in the printed editions. 5. pnP~rnm wp;mDvIn tlcD1w'-l -Inee [93V] WVnI COMMENTARY ON LAMENTATIONS BY R. YOSEPH B. SHIME'ON NlP OF NORTHERN FRANCE. Begins (leaf 44a): This phrase belongs, no d onub, o the copyist.' This phrase belongs, no doubt, to the copyist. 240 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 71. Ends (leaf 48a): This commentary has been printed twice; as anonymous in the Naples Bible (Hagiographa) of 1486; and with the author's name in the A'n'1 W=n) (Metz, 1849, 8vo.). Our MS. is superior in some points to both editions, but agrees more with the modern one, especially in respect to the Le'azim, of which the Naples edition has but two, and those Italian and peculiar to itself. Extracts from this commentary, contained in a Hamburg MS. (Cbd. Hebr. 32), have been printed by the indefatigable Jellinek under the title,M:nNNI n1l qnls y, /'t1I (Leipzig, 1855, 8vo.). Although,the editor was unable to verify the authorship of many of these extracts, yet his scientific instinct led him to suggest the real author; see his Footnote on p. vii of the above work. It is not to be wondered at that he failed to decipher the Le'azim, which are there given in a very corrupt state, as may be seen from our MS., which though not quite correct, is yet much more so than any of the copies we have seen. From iv. 8 it might appear as if our author knew Greek; but the reference to a Greek equivalent may perhaps be an interpolation of the scribe, whom we know to have been a Greek. 6. p1zi*PN nn 15- rnt:2 8nnm] ntD [9p] v1pFn COMMENTARY ON ESTHER BY AN ANONYMOUS RABBI OF NORTHERN FRANCE. Begins (leaf 48'): Insts newtl wlsion fint? In1=n2 lwrvn= wVIlinN Jnn nnwv'In V11.1n bt sawn,iJwl nlMI= ptnin -IzW Wn W nVav mvz lrrn Ens lnlnn rnlvpnmv,nw Ends (leaf 50):.i:,4 GNAW prt rilnt n i n ptn n n rK pt D'~ n Dml l-nri... ptnnil ptn M nD nvlt iNr nriw nDK n'xe Wvrr riW Although by an anonymous author, and although no Le'azim are to be found in it, there can be little doubt, that this commentary is the work of -a North French Rabbi, of the age immediately succeeding that of Rashi. It is of very great value. It is not printed, but is by no means unique. It is identical with two MSS. at Florencel (see Biscioni, 8vo. edition, pp. 347 1 In fact these five commentaries on the Five Rolls appear to be identical -with the five which occur as Nos. xiii-xvii in the second Florence MS. referred to in the text. Nos. xIII and xv, there anonymous, are by Rashi. No. xvi, there anonymous, is by R. Yoseph xip. NO. 72.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 241 and 367), and with one in the Bodleian (Opp. Add. 4to., 52). It certainly deserves to be edited. The scribe's name was probably Nathan or some other commencing with 7, as may be seen from leaf 46a, &c. He generally fills up the vacant spaces of the lines with the first letter, or letters, of the first word of the next line. Our scribe is in the habit of making a pious ejaculation, either ~-np(~~ ~~nr'til, or "tV1 ~lK'"n$()l anew, orbed'~ $nn y n~S'W1,, whenever an unpropitiatory phrase occurs in the text of his author; compare this Catalogue, p. 226 above. Of owners we can trace here: (1) The anonymous scribe of MS. Add. 378. 1, who copied that MS. in the year 1361. He has written on leaf 50b in square Sephardic character of great beauty the following sentiment: lopj ]D= 2l to, l 7Tn rtnin'1vs (2) An anonymous Ashkenazi of about the xv —xvIth century has left his mark on this MS. by an emendation on leaf 22', outer margin. (3) Another anonymous owner, whose date cannot be determined, has re-inked the MS. in various places, where the ink had sprung off (see later). (4) One Nethaneel b. Shabbet;hai of Norcia, who has made the following entry on the last leaf: in nls Klp: tD'AD t Inv' (NO) rJln D6i~1'/^:t i:J:'1) a~i5.im 4*VjW nN snznn: Age arm1 Sw -mm, ntni -1-1 iCI rMu;,",Tit )'~11 qn1w. He must have died in or about 1524. See our description of MS. Add. 378. 1 in the third Section.of this Catalogue; where other owners of this MS. will be mentioned. On leaves 49b and 50a are the entries of two censors.: ~on the former that of'Dominico Gerosolomitano 1595' and on the latter that of' Gir. Dominico Carrett(o) 1607.' The state of the MS. is excellent, except some parts of the smooth side of the parchment, where the ink has sprung off. [Library mark, Add. 378. 2; bought in 1867 from H. Lipschiitz.] No. 72. Paper, in quarto, 84 in. x 5~ in.; 48 leaves, 8-sheet quires, 22 lines; Rabbinic character, Sephardic handwriting of the xIvth century. 16 242 CATALOGUE OF IIEBR-EW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 72. Commentary on DANIEL, by R. Levi b. Gershom' of Provence (Ralbag, Gersonides, Leon de Bagnols). la, blank; lb, Text; 44-48 (44, 47, 48, cut out) blank. Introduction runs thus (leaf ib): In us =2ts n 0n1S11) IlKl,V56 vvstMS I= r: vn txm ri1rPeinm -m mv-n -Anea i:Amn: lDtn I= mnn niMpnnm -int Commentary begins (Ibid.): Vt~ (11n1TV InM $-I Nn~n s litun -7v 1y1 aWll n)111 ns= $ wbw nmvn ~..n3pzir, now, mD3i1:l~Dn tn ni-14 S m 3En w Ends (leaf 43b): 1n1W1 nrlnT ants v1,, nuns: r:5 -VNh $nrl b 11VIN mitnl Lenny... inrinl son i= s $n mb ir:1 rnvlYW nm E w -rm 3M nelv s This commentary having been repeatedly printed2 we may confine ourselves to the MS. before us as such; and this is of very high value for the following reasons: (1) It is not merely one of the oldest, but possibly the very oldest, now extant, of this commentary, which was only composed in 1338. (2) It is not merely fuller3 than the editions, but the text also contains readings superior to those found in these editions 4.. 1 Not Gershon as commonly written. 2 A word may be said here of the first edition (from which the other editions seem to be a mere reprint). Although executed with the very same type, with which the first edition of Nachmanides' Pentateuch-commentary was printed, it was not printed, as is stated in Jiidische Typographie, &c. (Ersch u. Gruber's Encyk. II. 27, p. 35, Note 15) by the three workmen (partners?),'Obadyah Menassheh and Binyamin of Rome (comp. this Catalogue, p. 167, Note 4), but either by one of them alone, or by a successor to them all, as may be seen from the use of the singular number in the phrase which occurs in the printer's postscript to the first edition of Ralbag's commentary on Daniel (... jppmprnnu',ps). It was, however, probably printed after Nachmanides' commentary had been published, as that author's phrases at the end of Deuteronomy are almost literally imitated here by the printer. 3 See, for example, the Introduction (Ib), on ii. 5 (5a), &c. 4 Of these readings we will only mention one, viz. nI:ia, which formula is regularly to be found here, wherever rn"y: is to be found in the printed editions. Now,,n"in is, no doubt, the formula used by the author originally here, just as it is used by him in his Pentateuch-commentary, which he finished and perhaps altogether composed in the same year as this commentary (1338). For the expression;"= itself compare this Catalogue, p. 169. No. 72.] COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE. 243 The scribe's name appears to have been Zekharyah or some other beginning with T, as may be seen from leaves 25a and 36a, where this letter is put at the commencement of 10 consecutive lines in one case and 4 in the other, without any connexion with the matter on the lines adjoining them (see Excursus I). He was apparently trained in Africa, if not a native of that part of the world; but, at all events, an Arabic-speaking Sephardi, as may be seen from his writing'I:%Di, &c. As regards owners, they form a goodly company; yet, except the original owner perhaps, they all lived in Italy, in one part or other. (1) The oldest owner, who is anonymous and for whom the MS. was probably executed, belongs to the xivth century. The mark he has left in this MS. is of considerable value. He wrote on the margins, in Rabbinic Sephardic, numerous corrections and suggestions, mostly preceded by the letter'i (which, no doubt, stands for NM15'l). They are in most cases much to the point. (2) The next owner is also a Sephardi, and his writing is also in Rabbinic character. He belongs to the xIv —xvth century, and his name, n3nI Nan:, occurs twice on leaf P1. He was probably an ancestor, certainly a relation, of the Physician Abraham b. Shelomoh n3l, who was connected with the Hebrew press, which existed at Mantua from 1476 to 1480. (3) A third owner, an anonymous Sephardi of the xvth century, wrote in Rabbinic on leaf 11' outer margin. (4, 5) Abraham(?) b. Eli'ezer of Pisa, from whom(?) the MS. passed into the hands of...... b. David of Forli(?), both evidently Italians of the latter half of the xvth century. The actual names of both owners are lost, owing to the state of the MS., where the entry occurs (leaf lb). Whichever of the two writes the entry, writes an elegant Italian current hand. The MS. seems never to have left Italy from the time of these owners till a few years ago. (6) Another (anonymous) Italian owner of the xv-xvIth century wrote on leaf 1'Vse:' ":I $NT K'''e'S. To this owner belong also several corrections, which are to be found between the lines of the text. He wrote in mixed (Rabbinic and current) character, and his hand is easily identified by the yellowish red ink with which he writes. (7) Another anonymous Italian owner wrote a marginal note in mixed character; it is to be found on leaf 41b. He apparently belongs to the xvI-xvIIth century. (8) Another anonymous owner of the xvIIth century left his mark by writing in Italian Sephardic (imitation) on leaf 46' the four words V'Vll L.... L..,,_~' 244 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. [No. 72. (9) R. Sanson Cohen Modone of Mantua (see this Catalogue, p. 39) Wrote on leaf 1b, lower margin, in mixed (Rabbinic and current) Italian (I611n j11 ) IV=~H'Y/ln lt'i'II; a statement which was probably repeated, though somewhat amplified, on leaf 43b, lower margin, but which is now cut away by the binder. To this owner, who died in 1727, belong all the interesting and instructive summaries on the margins. He has marked the modern chapters, &c.; and twice (leaves 23P and 37a) he has made entries in Italian. Once (leaf 15b) he has also written an emendation between the lines. (10) After the foregoing owner's death this copy came into the hands of the: father of the Physician della Volta (see this Catalogue, p. 39). In his time the MS. was very, carelessly bound. In his writing are the title h'lH $YT: VwI'E and the library-marks't'1,',1 and C"on'n'i1 on leaf 1P. It is a bold, but very ungraceful mixed Italian hand. (11) Samuele Vita della Volta of Mantua (see this Catalogue, p.:39) probably inherited this copy from his father with other books, but has left no mark on it himself.. It is, however, possible that the:words 1]: XDI on leaf I' belong to him. (Is there an allusion to his being WMC, a physician 7) These two words are in Rabbinic Sephardic and apparently belong to the xvIIi-xIxth century. It must be noticed, that within the last hundred years, even the pure Italian Jews have adopted the Rabbinic Sephardic instead of their own less graceful Rabbinic. (12) The next owner was Cav. Marco (Mordekhai) Mortara, Chief Rabbi of Mantua, as the words i: w1n m'n ]hn;, on the label on the back, in his hand, clearly show. Leaf 43b contains two censors' entries: (1)'IDominico Gerosolomitano 1597' and (2)'Visto per me Gir. dominico Carretto 1618.' It may not be uninteresting to learn that, while the suspected antipapal passage,. leaf 25b (on vii. 26), has been struck out by the former of these censors, the wellknown antichristian passages have been allowed to stand. After the first leaf, which is a good deal damaged, this MS., is in very fair condition. [Library-mark, Add. 397; bought in 1867' fronm I. LipschiAtz.] ADDITI ONS..ID nail.nwi In newtsz mv s 1-t n Im b: The following notes are mostly the result of examining books and manuscripts received, or seen, too late to be of use while the preceding sheets were passiug through the press. Page 8, last line (of text) but. one. This use of 1'IWn' (in the 1ntv y:) has since been noticed elsewhere by Dr H.. L. Strack, of St Petersburg, to whom we communicated our proof-sheets. See his article, Die biblischen und die massoretischen Handschriften zu Tschzufut-Kale in der Krim, in Zeitschriftf. d. gesammte lath. Tlheologie u.. Kirche, 1875, p. 603. Page 23, line 13 from below.'1"n may also signify MMIn 1 ne In An c; see MS. Add. 1200 (a copy of the Yemen Machazor), leaf 145a, where the last three out of these four words stand, written out in full, instead of the ordinary 1SI1' )'I. H.ere, however, the l"'' was hardly used in a sense other than that given by us in the text. Page 29, line 18. Another instance of the Qaraite formula of thie dedication of a book to the use of a congregation, occurs in MS. Add. 1014. 1; see this Catalogue, p. 127, line 14. Page 39, line 4. "'"1 may also signify,i2Ib'vt1 lrmln-. Page 40.- This whole commentary (No. 28) has been transcribed and is being prepared for publication with the care which it deserves, by Mr W. Aldis Wright, of Trinity College. The Leipzig Glossary mentioned in the text, has been kindly sent over to Cambridge for examination and, has been carefully collated by Mr Wright. Delitzsch (Literaturblatt des Orients v. No. 19) suggests the possible identity of the.i. quoted on Job with the ~'fl12'1ar:I'i quoted on Canticles iii. 10 (not Eccles. as he and Zunz both print it). A comparison of the two MSS. at once reveals the fact that the citation in the Glossary on Canticles is actually taken from our Commentary on Job; and the authorship of our Commentary is thus rendered certain. Who the R. Berekhyah was, whether flIifl or some other, remains yet to be discovered. Page 44, line 19. P"lill~ has been commonly solved by r nn:'r nt: 1~r'In D2 T 1. We have, however, found the solution as given by us in the text, written out in many MSS., and it is further rendered certain by the amplified form ~" 2, which occurs in MS. Add. 525 (see p. 174 of this Catalogue), where the current solution would, of course, be simply absurd. Page 44, line 9 from below. W"1= with a quotation from the Prophets (as here) may also signify 1 VN: nD2, &c.; with a quotation from the Hagiographa it might signify ZVlnW;1t2 or rn1W Inn, &c. 246 CATALOGUE OF HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. -Page 48, line 8 from below. To W"'l'I.'VY add its equivalent (Cittadino di Patras). Page 55, line 15 from below. Y"l: would be perhaps better solved here into WVry 13]:a:K (see p. 118 of this Catalogue, Note 1), as it is preceded by the title'~a1. Page 56, line 10,'1161 should evidently have been written by the scribe:'1t~'l1 (Lat. delator), as otherwise the numerical value would be 249 instead of 260 (~'1). Page 56, line 9 from below. i" may, with equal propriety, be here solved by nJ1 p'n1 viy en,;rif: l r$, or finally by 2D1 nnt. Page 58, line 2. Is WsD1= a mistake for lnt'DZ? The matter is, certainly, identical with what is to be found in the VI'M,1 ~tDpI (Venezia, 1519, 4to.), leaf 7b, col. 2, line 15, &c., although some of it is in different order. Compare also t$l~,? A'n (Warsaw, 1870, Folio), ~ 6. Page 58, lines 6-8. Somewhat similar matter will be found in the 8~,ri'grp~, leaf 7b, col. 1. The paragraph in our MS., though closing with the words VWap ~' $ P1tl1 p4$, contains also some remarks on the nl'p YVW and the identity of its contents with the Decalogue. Page 77, line 1. The same piece occurs in a MS. at Parma; see nlt1M, xII. p. 117. Page 78, line 4 from below. V":, if not D171W:a,), or M1vW Wt', as is possible, may perhaps be some equivalent of the title'Knight of the Golden Spur' (' Sperone d'oro'), an order which R. Mordekhai Modena is known to have received from the Emperor Charles V; see Ghirondi, qis' ban:1 nrqr&in, p. 244, ~ 49. Page 79, line 21. See on the subject of R. Yechiel of Paris an article by M. Adrien de Longperier in the Journal des savants for 1874, p. 648. Page 83, last 9 lines. The same piece occurs in the Parma MS. mentioned above; see ~n'TZ?,, xii. p. 116. Page 84, lines 22-32. See this also in the Parma MS.; compare'1:t9, xii. p. 117. Page 85, Note 1. On the family tZl'mtZ, see p. 97 of this Catalogue; and Berliner, Magazin, ii. Nos. 4 and 24. The piece which contains this reference to that family, is also in the Parma MS.; see Xt~Zn,, xII. p. 117. Page 89, line 24. On,'a?1vn, comp. p. 111 of this Catalogue. Page 89, line 3 from below. Since writing the remark in the text, we have examined the Paris MS. (No. 312 in the New Catalogue) to which Zunz refers; and we find that, though the narrative in our MS. treats on the same subject as that in the Paris MS., ours is altogether different and ADDITIONS. 247 in every respect of greater value. (Is this R. Ya'aqob b. Nethaneel the same as the one to whom Maimonides addressed the r{fl rlK?) Page 94, Note 4. R. Yechiel Mele, the compiler of the:1;t tnon, was probably a son, certainly a relation, of this R. Pinechas Eliyyah. Page 109, line 12 from below. The UDD, &c. are on Ibn'Ezra on the Pentateuch. Page 111, last line of text. On $9I] qVn, comp. p. 89 of this Catalogue. Page 113, lines 25, &c. We have since found, that the matter contained in this piece is almost word for word identical with ~ 85 of the'11M of R. Ya'aqob b. Yehudah Landau, only with a different superscription. This discovery helps us to identify the? rDn ~Yl of the present piece with the R. Abraham t2D' DMn (of Heufurt) b. Mosheh of Sinzheim, whose t r m n n r3 rl served as the ground-work of the'I*W'1]11 of R. Shimshon b. Eli'ezer (Sklow, 1804, 4to.; see leaf 3'). Page 119, last line of text. We have since seen the Paris MS., and our conjecture is confirmed (see leaves 72b —75b of that MS.). Page 129, Note 1. This phrase will be found again, also in full, in MS. Add. 403. 1; see p. 225 of this Catalogue. Page 131, line 13. ~"nV may either mean,mqns nZl] n or 3'~ mis'Dnn. The first is an allusion to Hab. ii. 4; and, when used after the name of any one, it means'May the just man (i.e. the one here named) live,' &c. The other is an allusion to Psalm lxxii. 7; and, when used after the name of any one, it means'May the Righteous (i.e. the Messiah, see Zech. ix. 9) flourish in his days.' It is obvious from this, that while the latter phrase can be applied to any one, the former can be only with justice applied to men of eminent sanctity. We are satisfied that'""I can only mean here what we have explained it to mean in the text. The solution suggested in'tD1t1,, xv. p. 77, Note 2, does not apply. Page 134, line 21. We now know this Yeudah Zerachyah to have been b. Mosheh b. David. Compare the preface to his edition of the Responsa of R. David Ibn Abi Zimra (Livorno, 1818, Folio). Page 136, Note 1. Steinschneider, to whom we sent a copy of this sheet and the next, objects (1=DM, xv. p. 77, Note 2) to our solution on the ground that' t"N gebraucht Niemand von seinem Lehrer.' He cannot, of course, mean that V1]N and''N are not singly used constantly in all ages from biblical times downwards in this sense. And we can see nothing startling in this combination of the two phrases (even though not commonly used together), when we find them occurring in several MSS. of the very writer under consideration. We have already noticed the phrase ASK r]17 written in full and applied to another of his teachers (R. Meir b. David; see p. 135 of this Catalogue); and we may remark that it is also found in the Bodleian MS. (Neubauer, Catalogue, No. 232). So that, when we find 248 CATALOGUE OF' HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS. the phrase in three wholly independent MSS., we have no reasonable ground for condemning it as a corrupt reading; an argument which we should be slow to resort to at any time. Otherwise, but for it having been written out in full elsewhere, we might perhaps have suggested the solution D1$N STlq, or MNq And, or TnMW ens, as R. Levi Hakkohen may have been the author's maternal grandfather or his brother-in-law for aught we know. Page 136. No. 49. See stnD,, xv. pp. 15-17; where Steinschneider gives an account of this MS. from an examination of it made before it came to England, though not published till long after our description was printed. Page 144, lines 8 and 9 from below. The 1 in V"V' may also mean InMlI], referring to the persons and not to peace. Page 148, line 9. The missing fourth commentary cut out of this MS. has been lately brought to England, since the passage in the text was printed, and is now in the Bodleian Library (Opp. Add. 4to. 134). Page 154, Note 2. We have since found, that this passage, as well as the one in which R. Yoseph Qimchi is quoted above, have been simply copied there by lbn Mayor from the Parashath W=t=t of the recension of Ibn tUl12 which is in print (see p. 137 of this Catalogue), where the treatise in question is called?tlD6. Steinschneider (?'lr;l, xv. p. 77, Note 2) refers us, on tB16t, to p. 248 (it is really p. 247) of his Memoir on Al-farabi (St Petersburg, 1869, 4to.); but, full of interesting matter as it is, we find nothing to our purpose on this point. The citations in question, having ceased to be Ibn Mayor's own, do not call for further investigation in this place. Page 161, Note 2. Compare Gross in Berliner's Mcagazin, I. p. 108, Note 8, who speaks of having seen this relationship asserted by R. El'azar of Worms himself in a MS. commentary on the Prayers (no more precise reference is given) belonging to Baron Gunzbourg of Paris. Page 176, line 6. The N may perhaps be the final letter of the scribe's name, as is sometimes the case (see Excursus I). Page 198, Note 1. lqIWIU:lP is generally represented by Capestanl, or Capestang; see, however, Minchath Qenaoth, pp. 172, 173, where in one place it is given 11=P'j and in the other l13WpD. Page 210, Note 1. For the allusion to'our holy teachers' see also Mnj5DD, Pisqa WTnV. END OF VOLUME I. CAZMBRIDGE: PIRIN'TED BY C. J. CLAY, M.A. AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.