Obj. ID: 19118
Illuminated Manuscripts Munich Sephardi Massoretic Bible, Castile, 1275-1300 and c. 1400
The Munich Spanish Bible, square in format, comprises the entire Bible with massorah, written by Scribe A. The independent massoretic lists and treatises which precede and follow the biblical text were written by Scribes A and B. Scribe B's texts are enclosed within decorative frames.
The order of the books in each division of the Bible follows the Spanish tradition. However, the order of the three divisions of the Bible: Pentateuch, Hagiographa and Prophets (Book of Joshua is at the end of Nehemiah, fol. 243r-243v) does not. That the unconventional division order is not accidental is evident from the List of Variants, which are likewise arranged (fol. 428). This order contrasts with the Talmudic Canon (BT tractate Baba Bathra 14b) as well as the present order, in which the Hagiographa directly follows the Prophets, yet it is found in some other Spanish Codices from the time of the Munich Sephardi Bible. For example, in the Earl of Leicester Bible dated c.1250-1300 and attributed either to Toledo (Ginsburg 1966, No. 51) or Burgos (Sed-Rajna 1975:7), the Prophets are not included and the text of the Hagiographa massorah runs on continuously from the last verso of Deuteronomy (fol. 104v) to the first recto of Chronicles (fol. 105r). Another example which originally had a similar inverted order is the First Ibn Merwas Bible (BL, Or. 2201), the product of the Schoolof Toledoin 1300. As Narkiss pointed out, the manuscript was rebound by a later binder to accord with the usual order, but since the original foliation has survived it is possible to follow the previous arrangement, namely: Pentateuch, Hagiographa and Prophets (see Narkiss 1982, No. 2).
These three Bibles may represent a larger group of Castilian Bibles sharing the same tradition. It is worth noting the earliest surviving dated Hebrew Bible fromSpain(Toledo, 1197), in which the Hagiographa is followed by the Prophets (Paris, BnF hébr. 105). But here, in contrast to the First Ibn Merwas Bible, the ancient foliation of the manuscript shows that the inverted order is the result of a later binding (Sed-Rajna 1975:6, and note 2).
Our Bible was copied from Sefer Mugah (מוגה, corrected), and includes marginal gloss from the Hilleli Codex. Sefer Mugah is a biblical codex written with special care in order to serve as an exemplar for scribes writing Torah scrolls or other Bible codices. Ginsburg defines the Muggeh as the earliest Codex quoted by the Massorites (Ginsburg 1966:429). Indeed, the Muggeh is cited in two early model Bibles, the London Pentateuch Codex (BL Or. 4445) of c.820-850 CE, and the St. Petersburg Prophets Codex written about half a century later, in916. In the absence of a colophon our Munich Spanish Bible cannot be safely identified as a model book. However, the use of the Muggeh and Hilleli Codices as the text and correcting exemplars may point to it as such, or, at least, to the precise bibles to the well known precise Spanish Bibles from the 13th-14th century fromToledo, such as the above mentioned the First Marwas Bible (see Sed-Rajna 1975:8).
The Muggeh Codex is mentioned in the poetical epigraph, a poem "in praise of the version" (שיר בשבח הנוסח), which in our Bible precedes the Pentateuch (fig. 1), stating that the book was "copied from the Muggeh Codex" ((נעתק ממוגה with the utmost attention and care:
ספר זה נבדק/ כפי חוזה נצדק// נעתק ממוגה/ באור שמש יגה// ננקד במלאכה/ ונמסר כהלכה// נגמר באותיות/ קטנות ורצויות// ובמלא ובחסר/ ותקון בלי חסר// פסוקים נסדרים/ וחשבון הסדרים// ותקון כל שירה/ כדת בו נחברה// פתוחות וסתומות/ בתוכו נחתמות// במאמר הזקנים/ במיטב רעיונים// גוזרים ואין מפר/ בהגיוני שפר// נפתלי ואשר/ אמוני הכושר// וספר זה ידיד/ ובין עצומים יפריד.
This Muggeh epigraph, originating from Aharon ben Asher's Sefer Dikduke ha-Teamim (Baer and Strack 1879:19), became a literary hallmark for the corrected Bibles. A similar epigraph of 12 lines, though with minor differences of words and spelling, precedes the Pentateuch of the above-mentioned Leicester Codex (ToledoorBurgos, c.1250-1300), which served as a model book. Moreover, similarly to our manuscript, the Hilleli codex is quoted in this Leicester Bible, which also has appendices with massoretic lists, some of which are within square text frames (Ginsburg 1966:732-734).
The Muggeh epigraph with some abbreviations appears already in the earliest extant Sephardic Bible fromToledo, 1232 (Paris, BnF hébr. 25, fol. 9v; Sed-Rajna 1994, No. 3; Kogman-Apel 2004:fig. 20; and the order of books is Pentateuch, Prophets, Hagiographa (Chron. first)). Although the poetical epigraph is not found in the First Ibn Merwas Bible of 1300, it was copied in the Second Ibn Merwas Bible written in Toledo in 1308 (fig. 2).
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Fig. 1:MunichSephardi Bible Castile,Toledoor Soria, last quarter of the 13th century Munich, BSB 392, fol. 25 |
Fig. 2: Second Ibn Merwas Bible Toledo, 1308 Toronto,UniversityofToronto MS Friedberg 5-001, fol. 2v (olim Sassoon 1932, No. 508) ©http://resource.library.utoronto.ca/manuscripts/digobjectbook.cfm?Idno=F4543&Page=0008&size=0 |
Fig. 3: Pentateuch: Early Spanish Manuscript (Codex Hilleli) Toledo, 1241 New York, JTSA L44a, fol. VIII (Seforim Database, facsimile addition) |
The Codex Hilleli which served as the correcting exemplar of our Munich Bible, is the famous Spanish model Codex (Stern 2012:249-250), the importance of which rivals the Muggeh. Although the original Codex was carried away from the Kingdom of Leon in 1197 (Zacuto 1857:220), a copy of the Hilleli was produced in Toledo in 1241 by Rabbi Israel ben Isaac ben Israel of the Ben Israel family (for the Ben Israel family of scribes in Toledo, see Kogman-Appel 2004:61-63). Its Pentateuch, including the poetical epigraph, has survived to this day (fig. 3).
However, another copy of the Hilleli Codex was in use inToledoin the year 1300, as is evident from the marginal gloss by the original massoretic annotator of the First Ibn Merwas Bible (Ginsburg 1966:869). Moreover, evidence of a Hilleli Codex inBurgosis found in a letter of R. Meir Halevi ben Todros Abulafia (RaMaH 1180 - c.1244) to the sages ofBurgos, from which it follows that they had 'a book' known as הללייא (Haleleia; Ta-shma 1970:120). Furthermore, in the King's Bible written in Solsona in 1385
(BL King's 1; Narkiss 1982:110-111) the massorator adduces variants from a Hilleli Codex and quotes one variant from the Muggeh (Ginsburg 1966, No. 9:514–515). Thus, Hilleli manuscripts, like the Muggeh, were in the possession of different communities, not just inCastile, and their texts were in use as late as the end of the 14th and even into the 15th century. Accordingly, the Muggeh and Hilleli codices cannot give a clear indication to the place of production and date of our manuscript. An analysis of the decoration, however, suggests a date in the last quarter of the thirteenth century inCastile, either inToledoor Soria.
The twin carpet pages of our Bible, executed by Scribe A (figs. 4-5) resemble in their composition of four interlaced medallions within a decorated frame those in a Pentateuch produced in Toledo in the first half of the 14th century (fig. 5; Kogman-Appel 2004:61-68). However, the foliage arabesque in our Bible resembles more closely the Joshua Ibn Gaon Bible of Soria, 1306 (fig. 7).
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Fig. 4: Carpet page End of Pentateuch MunichSephardi Bible Castile,Toledoor Soria, last quarter of the 13th century Munich, BSB 392, fol. 132 |
Fig. 6: Pentateuch Toledo, first-half of the 14th century Marseilles, Bibliothèque municipale ms. 1626/I, fol. 1v (Sed-Rajna 1975, fig. 13)
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Fig. 5: Carpet page End of Pentateuch MunichSephardi Bible Castile,Toledoor Soria, last quarter of the 13th century Munich, BSB 392, fol. 131v |
Fig. 7: End of Latter Prophet Joshua Ibn Gaon Bible Soria, 1306 Oxford, Bodl. Ken. 2, fol. 299 (Narkiss 1982/II, fig. 18) |
The single carpet page at the beginning of our Munich Codex (fig. 8), composed of interlacing bands with vestiges of gold leaf, can be compared to other carpet pages in the same Ibn Gaon Bible (fig. 9). Joshua Ibn Gaon worked in Soria and Tudela at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century (for Ibn Gaon Bibles and forms of decorations see Narkiss 1982:22-26; Kogman-Appel 2002:264).
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Fig. 8: Single carpet page MunichSephardi Bible Castile,Toledoor Soria, last quarter of the 13th century Munich, BSB 392, fol. 4 |
Fig. 9: Facing carpet pages Joshua Ibn Gaon Bible Soria, 1306 Oxford, Bodl. Ken. 2, fols. 14v-15 (Jerusalem, CJA Narkiss Archive) |
The two facing carpet pages preceding our Pentateuch, in fine arabesques of trefoil flowers (fig. 10), recall two earlier Castilian Bibles: the Second Cambridge Castilian Bible of c.1279 (fig. 11) and the First Cambridge Castilian Bible, CUL Add. 465, mid-13th century (Narkiss 1982/II, fig. 1), particularly in style, if not in motif.
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Fig. 10: Two facing carpet pages MunichSephardi Bible Castile,Toledoor Soria, last quarter of the 13th century Munich, BSB 392, fols. 25v-26 |
Fig. 11: Arabesque SecondCambridgeCastilian Bible Castile, c.1279 CUL Add. 3203, fol. 365v (Narkiss 1982/II, fig. 504) |
Scribe A's use of early motifs is also seen in his parashah and seder sign decorations, similar to those in
sub-set tree: 
II + 439 + II leaves (fols. 1-3 and 438-439 are parchment flyleaves).
The quires are arranged according to Gregory's rule.
Watermark on the second front flyleaf (height: 105 mm) similar to Briquet No. 864, dated 1469.
Text space: (139-141) x (142-144) mm.
Height with massorah: 177-180 mm.
15th-century brown sheepskin on wooden boards. Both covers are decorated with a blind-tooled rhomboid within a rectangular frame, decorated with stamped floral motifs in the spandrels and a large one in the centre. The spine has four double cords and head and tail bands. The front and back covers show remnants of clasps and straps respectively. The top and bottom edges of the pages show goffered hatching with vestiges of gold.
Binding history:
1. Previous binding, c.1400-1437: five parchment flyleaves of a manuscript datable to c.1400, bearing an
owner's inscription of 1437 (fol. 1).
2. Present binding, c.1500 with two thin paper flyleaves bearing a watermark of c.1469 (see Material).
3. Restoration of pastedown and addition of two thick paper flyleaves bearing an owner's inscription of
1880 (first front paper flyleaf).
4. The manuscript was last restored on 26.1.2007 (sticker on back pastedown).
The manuscript was decorated by the two scribes. Scribe A executed the micrographic and painted decorations of the Bible, including five carpet pages (fols. 4, 25v-26, 131v-132), and Scribe B decorated three complete quires including 46 full-page tables of triple arcades (fols. 9-24, 430-437), both using green, red, violet, blue, yellow, yellow ochre, gold powder and sometimes gold leaf (e.g. fols. 9v, 430, 431v).
Scribe A:
1. Five carpet pages: a single carpet page at the beginning of the codex, composed of interlacing bands
within a square panel, partially painted in brown (fol. 4); twin carpet pages within square text frames
filled with fleur-de-lis scrolls in yellow ochre (fols. 25v-26), as a base for the mostly flaked-off gold
powder and gold leaf. These two carpet pages mark the beginning of the Pentateuch.
Further twin carpet pages are painted at the end of Pentateuch (fols. 131v-132), each composed of four
palmette arabesques in red, blue, olive green and yellow ochre framed by acanthus scrolls, palmette
chain and braid motifs.
2. Massoretic lists (fols. 5v-8v, 26v-27, 423v, left column-425, 426v-427v) and a poetical epigraph
(fol. 25) written within textual frames. The frames consist of large script surrounded by micrography.
3. Decorated seder signs (ס) topped by a trefoil motif (e.g. fols. 36v, 64v), and parashah signs (פרש) within
penwork cartouches often decorated with an interlace (e.g. fol. 73v), both written in square script
between the text columns or in the margins.
4. Mid-book signs within penwork cartouches (e.g. fols. 40, 64v).
5. Decorated end of the biblical text (fol. 423v, right column).
6. Micrographic massorah in geometrical forms (fols. 138, 141-141v, 164).
Scribe B:
46 full-page tables of decorated triple arcades enclosing various texts (fols. 9-24, 430-437v). The frames
include three types of decoration, each type similarly executed on either side of a folio, as follows:
Type a: 15 folios decorated with arcades formed by foliate scrolls intertwined with geometrical interlace
motifs (fols. 9-9v, 12-13v, 15-16v, 18-18v, 20-21v, 24-24v, 430-430v, 431-431v, 432-432v, 435-437v).
These include arcades with rounded trefoil arches (e.g. fols. 9-9v, 430-430v), pointed trefoil arches
(e.g. fols. 15, 18), cinquefoil arches (e.g. fols. 16-16v, 436-437v), and lancet or pointed arches
(e.g. fols. 12-13v, 20-21v, 432v). The foliate scrolls often extend to the four corners (e.g. fols. 432,
436-437v).
Type b: 5 folios decorated with horseshoe arches forming arcades are decorated with filigree work and
interlacing bands (fols. 11-11v, 14-14v, 19-19v, 22-22v, 433-433v, 434-434v). The filigree decorates the
top part and spandrels. Some arches and columns of interlacing bands include thin acanthus scrolls
fols. 14-14v, 19-19v, 434-434v), while others remain undecorated (fols. 11-11v, 22-22v, 433-433v).
Type c: 3 folios decorated with arcades formed by geometrical interlace motifs (fols. 10-10v, 17-17v,
23-23v) including some filigree in the spandrels of the round arches. The interlace motifs extend beyond the frame, forming squares at the corners of the frames and triangles above and below the central columns.
Additional later parchment flyleaves:
1. Afull-page decorated rhymed poem in the form of a tree springs from an elaborate foliate motif, and its
diagonal branches consist of text lines written in alternating brown and red ink (fol. 2v).
2. Afull-page decorated circle within a square frame consists of a piyyut written in micrography in brown
and red ink. The frame is decorated with braid and foliage motifs in spared-ground technique (fol. 3).
The text of the piyyut is copied on the verso of the page, but not in graphic form (fol. 3v).
3.A full-page decorated calendar executed in brown and red ink (fol. 438v).