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

Title

Yemenite manuscript

Authors

• Suleiman [...] Ibn Yuda [...]
• Rashi, 1040-1105 (http://viaf.org/viaf/19684048)
• Azulaï, Hayyîm Joseph David, 1724-1806 (http://viaf.org/viaf/120726794)

Other related names

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

Call number

Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1
(Manchester, United Kingdom, University of Manchester, University of Manchester Library, Hebrew Manuscripts)

Alternate identifiers

• Former: Gaster 1814
• Former: Gaster Unidentified 1
• Former: Gaster 1851

Publisher

University of Manchester Library

Language

Hebrew; Samaritan Aramaic

Origin

Place

Ṣanʻā', Yemen

Summary

Nineteenth-century Yemenite manuscript with the text of the three Megillot (Scrolls) Song of Songs, Ruth, and Ecclesiastes accompanied with minimal Massorah, the Targum, Rashi's commentary and excerpts from the commentary Nahal Eshkol by Hayyim Joseph David Azulai.

Notes

• Paper with watermarks: coat of arms with crescent and letters A C[?].
   
• Binding detaching from spine and sewing partly visible. Folio 13 detached.
   
• Marginal notes in different hands: folios ia, 3a, 4a, 9a, 11a, 13a-b, 17a, 19a, 21a, 31a-b, 34a, 43b, 45a-b.
   
• The commentary, which is transmitted anonymously in the manuscript, is not found on folios 1a, 3a, 10b, 46b, 47b, 49a-50b.
   

Extent

I+51+i; 234 x 163 mm

Foliation

Modern pencil foliation in Arabic numerals at the top outer corner of side a of each folio, starting on folio 2 and continuing to 51. Missing foliation on title page (folio ia), folio 1 and the last folio (folio iia).

Support

Paper

Binding

Brown leather binding with blind tooled decoration on boards with two double-lined frames and diagonal lines. Broken leather ties. Traces of 3 decorative ornamental appliques, now absent, on both boards.

Layout

The layout is composite: the main biblical text is written in one column on the outer top side of the page, surrounded on the internal margin and at the bottom by the Aramaic Targum. In the bottom half of the page is Rashi's commentary, usually accompanied by the Nahal Eshkol commentary. The latter tends to be in the internal column.

Decoration

Several words throughout the manuscript, such as initial words, headings, titles and masoretic notes, have a red ink line, small snake or crown-like decoration above them.

Script

Yemenite square script for the biblical text.

Yemenite semi-cursive script, larger for the Aramaic Targum.

Colophon

Folio ia in Hebrew: "וגו׳ נעתקה פה ק"ק צנעא יע"א בשנת מתוקה שנת / העבד אם מעט ואם הרבה". The letters indicating the date are in red ink and read 164 [וק-נ-בד-ב]. To this a different hand added in red ink in Hebrew: "לשטר׳ בקס"ב", which reads 162, probably missing one of the letters in the original colophon. On the right hand side the scribe's signature appears.

Provenance

• Acquired by The John Rylands Library from the heirs of Moses Gaster in 1954. Paper label on spine with 1814 handwritten in ink. Front paste-down: Handwritten note reading in English: "30.10.1923 / Presented to me by W.A. Howitt / M.G.". Front paste-down: Handwritten notes in pencil reading "1599", "Levy of sale", "[...], MSS 397 / Solomon's Song / of Songs / with a Commentary", "1851"; and in blue ink "1814". Folio 50b: Signature of Moses Gaster. Folio 51a: Handwritten in pencil number 5054. Folio iib: Handwritten Hebrew alphabet, upside down. Back paste-down: Handwritten ownership note in Hebrew, including the name Mahmud (מחמוד).
   

Genres

• Bible. Old Testament--Versions, Jewish
• Bible. Five Scrolls
• Bible. Ruth
• Bible. Song of Solomon
• Bible. Ecclesiastes
• Bible. Old Testament. Aramaic
• Rashi, 1040-1105
• Bible--Commentaries

Keywords

• Commentary
• Bible
• Jewish
• Yemen
• 19th century

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

• ia — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/1. Title page.
• ib — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/8. Rashi's Commentary [ff. ib-50b].
• 1a — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/2. Song of Songs [ff. 1a-17b]. Sublinear vocalisation and cantillation.
• 1a — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/5. Targum Song of Songs [ff. 1a-17b]. Sublinear vocalisation.
• 1b — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/9. Nahal Eshkol [ff. 1b-48b].
• 18a — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/3. Ruth [ff. 18a-25b]. Sublinear vocalisation and cantillation.
• 18a — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/6. Targum Ruth [ff. 18a-25b]. Sublinear vocalisation.
• 26a — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/4. Ecclesiastes [ff. 26a-50b]. Sublinear vocalisation and cantillation.
• 26a — Gaster Hebrew MS Add 1/7. Targum Ecclesiastes [ff. 26a-50b]. Sublinear vocalisation.

Decorations

• ia — Gate drawing. Its borders are filled with grape motifs. The letters of the title, in black ink, are either surrounded with red ink lines or have a red line on top. As fillers there are six red and black ink floral motifs.
• ib — Fleur de lys in black and red ink.
• 1a — Two initial-words on panels bordered by a frame filled with red grape motifs and red ink lines.
• 18a — Two initial-words on panels bordered by a frame filled with red grape motifs and red ink lines.
• 26a — Two initial-words on panels bordered by a frame filled with red grape motifs and red ink lines.