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

Title

Sefer ha-Mivhar, or Commentary on the Pentateuch

Authors

• Aaron ben Joseph, ha-Rofe, -1320 (http://viaf.org/viaf/3301170)

Other related names

• Crawford, James Ludovic Lindsay, Earl of, 1847-1913, former owner (http://viaf.org/viaf/9985420)

Call number

Hebrew MS 23
(Manchester, United Kingdom, University of Manchester, University of Manchester Library, Hebrew Manuscripts)

Alternate identifiers

• Former: Crawford MS 23
• Former: Black 2653

Publisher

University of Manchester Library

Language

Hebrew

Origin

Place

Europe?

Summary

A manuscript copy of Aaron ben Joseph the Doctor's thirteenth-century commentary on the Pentateuch, known as "The Choice Book" (Sefer ha-Mivhar) or "Commentary on the Pentateuch". The title used in the manuscript is Sefer ha-Mivhar ve-Tuv ha-Mishar. Referred to as Aaron the Elder in some manuscripts, the author was deeply influenced by Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed. He is believed to be the first Karaite to have injected Maimonidean ideas into Karaite mainstream thought.

Notes

• Some marginal notes in different hands.
   

Watermark

Circle with bull inside and a star next to the circle (f.iii).

Extent

Ii+162+ii; 328 x 230 mm

Foliation

Modern pencil foliation in Arabic numerals at the bottom outer corner of side a of each folio, up to folio 31.

Support

Paper

Binding

Cardboard flexible binding with grey paper cover. Sewn on two raised cords.

Layout

Long line with 38 written lines. Dry stylus ruling and bordering. Written dimensions: 228 x 153 mm.

Decoration

The initial words are made in black ink and have a wavy character. Each catchword is provided with a small wavy line. Successive inverted triangles and diamond shapes can be seen at the end of texts, such as the parashiyot (see e.g. folios 37a, 84b, 162b). Nearly every page has margin words that are marked with arrow-functional drawings: short pen strokes with a small circle at one end. They also occur in the text. Some additional decorations or peculiarities include: a four-word heading with dots over each letter (f.2b); manicules (f.4a; f.60b); and headings decorated in small ink stripes (ff.127a-128b).

Script

Karaite semi-cursive script. Parashah beginnings and endings in Karaite square script.

Colophon

Running head on side a of each folio with the name of each parashah until the beginning of Parashat be-Midbar (Num. 1:1-4:20). Afterwards, running heads only appear sporadically, mostly in relation to Parashat Qorah (Num. 16:1-18:32). On folio 2b the commentary opens with a poem. The last line of the poem includes the date of composition, 1294.

Provenance

• Acquired by Enriqueta Rylands in 1901 from James Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford of Haigh Hall, and later bequeathed to the John Rylands Library.
   

Subjects topical

• Karaites
• Bible--Commentaries
• Piyutim

Genres

• Manuscripts, European
• Karaite manuscripts

Keywords

• 15th century
• 16th century
• Jewish
• Karaite
• Commentary
• Piyutim
• Paper

Licenses

• Text

  These images and the content of University of Manchester Library, Hebrew MS 23: Sefer ha-Mivhar, or Commentary on the Pentateuch are free of known copyright restrictions and in the public domain. See the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark page for usage details, http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/.

  URL

  http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

• Text

  Metadata is ©2017 The 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 — Handwritten notes in pencil
• Flyleaf 1a — Handwritten in pencil: Codex Caraiticus and 7.7.0.
• Flyleaf 1a — Watermark
• 2a — Handwritten in ink: מבחר
• 2b — Sefer ha-Mivhar. Four-word heading with dots over each letter. The commentary opens with a poem.; incipit: בני אל חי בני אבות ברורים
• Flyleaf 1a — Handwritten in pencil: Codex Caraiticus and 7.7.0.
• Flyleaf 1a — Watermark
• Inside back cover — Handwritten notes in pencil reading Hebrew MSS / No. 23; W.H. Black / 16/6/57 and some notes on the content of the manuscript.

Decorations

• 4a — Manicules
• 60b — Manicules
• 127a — Headings are decorated with small ink stripes.
• 127b — Headings are decorated with small ink stripes.
• 128a — Headings are decorated with small ink stripes.
• 128b — Headings are decorated with small ink stripes.
• Flyleaf 2b — Bookplate of the Bibliotheca Lindesiana.