Collection ID: 0002 | Metadata type: TEI | TEI XML | Data

Title

Berit Avraham ... etc.
[ברית אברהם] ... [וכו'.]

Authors

• Rosengarten Family Fund

Other related names

• Maimonides, Moses, 1135-1204, attributed name
  משה בן מימון,

Call number

CAJS Rar Ms 482
(420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106-3703, University of Pennsylvania, Library at the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies)

Alternate identifiers

• bibid: 9969495493503681
• http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1088505328

Publisher

University of Pennsylvania

Language

Hebrew

Origin

Date

circa 1800-1810

Summary

This is a multi-part manuscript consisting of a number of works, with many of them specifically narrative-aligned, mystical, and some of them being somewhat controversial. The first work is a prayer for the success of Napoleon Bonaparte; it begins (while the first folio is clearly missing) with a prayer for Napoleon's success in battle, and so that he should sit on the throne of France and Italy; f. 3v-4r; possibly, this is coming on the heels of a decree by Napoleon in approximately 1808 for synagogues to recite prayers on his behalf. Following this is the work Berit Avraham, authored by [Gedaliah? manuscript damaged on writing] b. Avraham, who 'at 28 years old converted to Judaism from Christianity, and authored the text so God will grant him forgiveness and destroy the enemies of Israel' (translation of f. 7r); it is a variant of the recensioned texts among the "Toledot Yeshu" manuscripts, including the birth narrative of Jesus being from an illegitimate union, a presentation of Jesus as a scholar and sorcerer ("ṿekishe-hayah Yeshu ben h. shanim halikho le-bet midrash ve-yatsa ḥarif 'ad me'od ... ve-lamad kol ḥakhmot she-ba'olam uve-milekhet kesafim [i.e. keshafim] hitsliaḥ me'od..."; 'and when Jesus was five years old, he entered the house of study, and returned very sharpwitted ... and he studied all wisdoms in the world, and [specifically] the wisdom of sorcery', f. 9r); that Jesus stole the Ineffeble Name of God ('ve-hayah shem ha-meforash yoda'a kemo she-hem yod'im', "and [Jesus] knew the Ineffable Name as they (i.e. the Elders of Egypt) knew it...", f. 9v); finishing with a prayer by the author for vengeance against the enemies of Israel and enemies of His (i.e. God's) name, such as Jesus and his disciples ('kemo Kriśṭuś Yeshu ṿe-Yoḥanan ṿe-Luḳ̣i (?) ṿe-Avi (?) ṿe-Mati ve-Eliaḳi ṿe-Paluś ṿe-Netser ṿe-Neoi (?) ṿe-Todos; f. 33r), after which a sacrifice will be brought, i.e. the Temple will be rebuilt. The third work is a narrative about the messianic figure Shabtai Tsevi (b. Smyrna 1626 - d. Istanbul 1676), including the vision received by Nathan of Gaza (b. Jerusalem 1643 - d. Skopje 1680) confirming Shabtai's messianism. The fourth work is a narrative of a dream recounted by Ḥizḳiah da Silṿa (b. Livorno 1659 - d. Jerusalem 1698), called after his chief work Peri Ḥadash; the recounting moves through a vision of him with members of a cohort of six rabbis, all named, being punished by "three or four men, wearing black [robes], darker than night" ('Anashim melubashim sheḥorim ḥashukhim yoter min ha-laylah'; f. 43r) mentioning the punishing of members of his cohort for their treatment (possibly a case of excommunication) of Mosheh Ḥabib, who desired heavenly retribution; the vision continues with six men (possibly the cohort mentioned) blocking Ḥizḳiah da Silṿa from the afterlife, which he saw behind them (manuscript has a depiction of the formation); the narrative finishes by telling about Ḥizḳiah da Silṿa reaching "close to levels of prophecy" ('ṿe-ḳarov le-nevu'ah hayah'; f. 45r.) and dying a short time after. The fifth work is a story about a lapsed Jew, Shemu'el ibn 'Azariah, who converts to Islam and tries to prove allegiance to Mohammed through his reading the Torah, only to return to Judaism after a dream. The sixth work is a short hagiography about Shelomoh ben Yehudah Ibn Gabirol (b. Malaga appx. 1022 - d. Valencia appx. 1070?), incorrectly recording that he lived in Zaragoza ('Rabi Shelomoh ben Gabirol hayah be-'ir Saragosah'; f. 53r). The seventh work is a commentary on the visions of Rabah bar Bar Ḥanah (active 3rd century in Persia and Palestine) recorded in Talmud Bavli Bava Batra 73a-74b; this text is an explanation of the Aramaic terms found in the Talmud as well as a key for the numerous allegories in the Talmudic text. The eighth and final work is the Igeret megaleh 'amuḳot attributed to Maimonides; according to Yitsḥaḳ Shelat (see: Igrot ha-Rambam, ed. Sheilat, Jerusalem, Mosad ha-Rav Ḳuḳ, 1986. vol. 2, page 695-6) this letter supposes Maimonides praises the Kabbalistic wisdom and relinquishes study of philosophy; Shelat concludes that the letter is a complete forgery.

Notes

• Ms. codex.
   
• Manuscript is foliated incorrectly in large numbers at upper left recto; correct foliation written by cataloger in lower left recto. Layout is single column without ruling, resulting in an amateur appearence; for the last work (f. 61r-65v), 2 columns with title headers and contemporary foliation (numbered 126-130) are used. Written in a hybrid script with elements of Sefardic and North African influence, with both elements of block and semicursive present; for the last work, script is clearly Maghrebi cursive. Rebound in modern decorated boards; many pages mended and reinforced with Japanese fine paper, especially in areas of extensive insect damage throughout the manuscript. Written likely in Italy, perhaps Southern Italy, based on the paper and inks, as well as provenance and signatures.
   

Extent

66 leaves : 166 x 111 (135 x 80) mm bound to 175 x 120 mm

Support

Paper

Provenance

• Sold by Kestenbaum and Company, auction 68 (April 7, 2016), lot 137.
   

Subjects topical

• Napoleon--I,--Emperor of the French,--1769-1821
• Shabbethai Tzevi,--1626-1676
• Nathan,--of Gaza,--1643 or 1644-1680
• Hezekiah ben David da Silva,--1659-
• Shemu'el ibn 'Azariah
• Rabbah bar Bar Ḥana,--active 3rd century

Genres

• Codices
• Miscellanies
• Manuscripts, Hebrew--19th century

Licenses

• Text

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