Collection ID: 0021 | Metadata type: TEI | TEI XML | Data

Title

Sefer ha-Peli'ah Book of Wonder

Authors

• Garmison, Samuel, active 17th century (http://viaf.org/viaf/310521345)
• Maimonides, Moses, 1135-1204 (https://viaf.org/viaf/100185495/)

Other related names

• Gaster, Moses, 1856-1939, former owner (http://viaf.org/viaf/12428346)

Call number

Gaster Hebrew MS 1482
(Manchester, United Kingdom, University of Manchester, University of Manchester Library, Hebrew Manuscripts)

Alternate identifiers

• Former: Gaster 1482

Publisher

University of Manchester Library

Language

Hebrew

Origin

Place

Israel?

Summary

Seventeenth-century Hebrew codex containing the Kabbalistic text Sefer ha-Peli'ah ("Book of Wonder"). Folios Flyleaf 1a-Flyleaf 2b contain references to the Sefer ha-Kanah. Many Kabbalists used Sefer ha-Kanah to refer to both the Sefer ha-Peli'ah and the Sefer ha-Kanah. The texts were apparently written by the same anonymous Kabbalist toward the end of the fourteenth century or the beginning of the fifteenth. In this manuscript numerous marginal notes accompany Sefer ha-Peli'ah. The three indices that follow the text were put together in relation to this particular manuscript by the seventeenth-century rabbi Samuel Garmizan. Most likely, therefore, Samuel Garmizan was the copyist of this manuscript. Another indication is that the last four smaller leaves of the codex contain Sefer shittufe shemot by the same Samuel. That text is a short dictionary with homonyms to aid preachers. The front and back paste-downs include two conjoined leaves of Maimonides' Book of commandments.

Notes

• The indices refer to the Sefer ha-Peli'ah; the name of the maker of the index is spelled שמואל הקטן לבית גארמיזה on line 1 of folio 184a
   
• The Book of homonyms is a short dictionary with a limited number of important homonyms to aid preachers; the first folio is bound the wrong way (recto should be verso and vice versa); the name of the author is spelled שמואל הקטן לבית גארמיזה on folio 195b; the text runs from letter א to ם and thus seems incomplete
   
• Condition: bookworm holes; stains; spine damaged; sewing fragile and exposed; boards detaching from text block
   

Extent

198 ff. (ii+198); 293 x 213 mm [ff.1a-194b] 280 x 208 mm [ff.195a-198b] 200 x 290 mm [Inside front and back covers]

Foliation

Hebrew foliation at the top outer corner of side a of each folio from 1 [א] to 190 [קץ].

Support

Paper

Binding

Brown leather binding with blind tooled decoration in squares and diamonds on boards. Boards made of several layers of paper. The front and back paste-down contain two conjoined leaves of Sefer ha-Mitsvot of Maimonides, 1138-1204. Written parchment strip to be used as tefillin.

Layout

Long line or two columns with between maximum 58 written lines.

Decoration

Kabbalistic manuscript with several pen drawings and diagrams illustrating the text. The function of these diagrams is to create a visual representation of abstract portions of the text to help the reader improve their understanding of it.

Script

Sephardi semi-cursive script, same hand throughout.

Provenance

• Acquired by The John Rylands Library from the heirs of Moses Gaster in 1954
   

Subjects topical

• Cabala
• Commandments (Judaism)
• Jewish sermons, Hebrew
• Mysticism--Judaism

Keywords

• Commentary
• 17th century
• Jewish
• Annotated
• Damage
• Diagrams
• Drawings
• Kabbalah

Licenses

• Text

  Images are ©2018 University of Manchester Library, Special Collections and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License version 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. For a description of the terms of use see the Creative Commons Deed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

  URL

  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

• Text

  Metadata is ©2018 University of Manchester Library, Special Collections and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License version 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. For a description of the terms of use see the Creative Commons Deed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

  URL

  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

Table of contents

• Inside front cover — Fragment of Maimonides' Sefer ha-Mitsvot used as a pastedown
• 1a — Sefer ha-Peli'ah [ff.1a-184a]
• 184a — Index of biblical verses [184a-190a]
• 190a — Index of rabbinic passages [190a-191b]
• 191b — Index of subjects [191b-194a]
• 195a — Book of homonyms [195a-198a]
• Inside back cover — Fragment of Maimonides' Sefer ha-Mitsvot used as a pastedown

Decorations

• Flyleaf 2a — Remnant of ornamental floral decoration in top-right corner
• Flyleaf 2b — Remnants of ornamental floral decoration in the top right and top left corners; the initial words ספר הקנה are decorated with an ornamental ink line above the words; ink drawing of a bird laying eggs
• 1a — The initial words are bordered by an ink four-layer frame filled with wavy pen lines
• 47a — A shaped-script diagram followed by a pen-drawn diagram illustrating the text preceding them on 47a which ends with the following description (lines 16-20): '[..] and see with your own eyes that this is the upper world, the world of the intellect (עולם השכל) which is all transparent, the circle of holiness, and the holy of holies. And around the circle of the (planetary) spheres are drawn the great serpents (קנינים) created by God during the six days of creation. And they are tail next to head on one side and tail next to head on the other side. And you should know that the sefirot are above the throne and the throne is above the four hayyot (living creatures) and the hayyot are above the (planetary) circles and their names are: Man, Ox, Eagle, Lion.' The first diagram is headed by the caption 'These are the three Hekhalot' [ואלא שלש היכלות]; there follows an abstract scheme filled in by shaped script, organized according to the structure of the Hekhalot; on top a throne-like shape inscribed by the first Sefirah Keter Elyon with the Kisse ha-Kavod beneath, Hokhmah and Binah at its base
• 47b — Diagram of ten concentric circles surrounded by the giant serpents head to tail, as described in the text (see folio 47a); the circles are described as follows (from the centre of the periphery): sphere of the earth (ארץ); sphere of the moon (לבנה); sphere of Mercury (כוכב); sphere of Venus (נוגה); sphere of the sun (חמה); sphere of Mars (מאדים); sphere of Jupiter (צדק); sphere of Saturn (שבתאי); sphere of the 12 constellations (מזלות); sphere of the intellects (גלגל השכלים)
• 48a — Diagram of the Hekhalot, showing at the top two concentric circles with a smaller circle beneath; the upper circle is divided into four parts, inscribed רקיע and ערבות; the 'walls' of the Hekhalot are described in the outer circle; the inner circle represents the throne, composed of precious stones: ברקת, גחלית, מרגלית, ספיר; the second diagram is a circle subdivided into twelve segments each of which is inscribed by a temurah (letter permutation) of the four letters of the Tetragrammaton; the diagram is headed by the caption אלו הם שנים עשר גבולי אלכסונות
• 48b — Another Kabbalistic drawing consisting of nine concentric circles
• 57b — Initial words decorated with an ink-drawn line with small circles on both ends
• 58a — Initial words decorated with an ink-drawn line with small circles on both ends
• 58b — Initial words decorated with an ink-drawn line with small circles on both ends
• 59a — Initial words decorated with an ink-drawn line with small circles on both ends
• 82a — Kabbalistic diagram
• 195b — The text heading is bordered by an ink three-layer frame filled with wavy pen lines