Obj. ID: 26162
Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts Liturgical Pentateuch, France, France, before 1348
The manuscript consists of the Pentateuch, Megillot and Haftarot. By the middle of the fourteenth century manuscripts with similar biblical contents were quite common in Ashkenazi circles inGermanyandFranceprobably made for personal use in the synagogue and at home (see Narkiss, Albenc Pentateuch, p. 320).
However, our manuscript is a rare addition since it include the text of Sefer ha-Gan, a commentary on the Pentateuch mainly based on midrashic sources, composed by R. Aaron ben Joseph ben Aaron ha-Cohen who lived in northern France in the first half of the 13th century and wrote Sefer ha-Gan around the year 1240 (see Orlian, Sefer ha-Gan, pp. 25-26). Although the ink colour of the text of Sefer ha-Gan is lighter than the rest of the text in the manuscript, there is no reason to assume that it was not an original part of the manuscript. The planning ahead of the space for Sefer ha-Gan proves that it was written at the time of the book production. On e.g. fol. 139, circles designated for Sefer ha-Gan done when ruling was prepared. It shows that all different texts in our book were planned ahead. Moreover, it seems that Sefer ha-Gan preceded the Massorah, since on fol. 234v, for example, the Massorah encloses the text of the commentary which is written in a circle at the lower part of the page.
Our Pentateuch which shows a skillful collaboration between three scribes has no colophon which states the name of the scribe and the date and place of its production. It is probable, however, that the name of the main scribe (A) is Hayyim, since the word hayyim (חיים) is marked in the text (fol. 35v) and in the catchword (fol. 8v). Schwarz ( Catalogue, No. 19) describes the script in our manuscript as a French script of the 14th century, and in the Hebrew Palaeography Project (see ZJ 19) it is suggested that the manuscript may have originated in France. Shalev-Eyni (Tripartite Mahzor, pp. 25-32) also indicated that the type of treatment of the parchment of our manuscript, in which the hair side is noticeable, supports a French origin. Indeed, according to Beit-Arié ( Hebrew Codicology, pp. 22-23) in the end of the 12th century a new technique entered Ashkenaz, in which the differences between the hair side and the flesh side were blurred so that it was not so noticeable. InFrance, however, although the new technique was partially adopted, the old technique, in which the hair marks were still noticeable, continued to be used. If so, the hair marks in the Vienna Pentateuch support the notion of a French origin.
Shalev-Eyni (Tripartite Mahzor, pp. 25-32) also compared our Vienna Pentateuch from palaeographic, codicologic and stylistic aspects to the Ashkenazi Duke of Sussex Pentateuch (London British Library, Add. Ms. 15282), written around 1300 in Lake Constance region, and found a close connection between the scripts and layout of the page of these two manuscripts. These indicate a direct relationship between them and show that both scribes are rooted in the French tradition (see also Narkiss, HIM, p. 31 and Pl. 29). Although the Vienna Pentateuch was probably also written by a scribe named Hayyim, this is not the same scribe Hayyim who copied the Tripartite Mahzor and the Duke of Sussex Pentateuch. Nevertheless, the scribes of both Pentateuch employ similar motifs in the design of the micrography. In both manuscripts, a common motif is triangular shapes with a small circle set within them. These triangles are adjacent to the upper or lower Massorah lines and their point faces outward. The triangles are arranged in a symmetric manner. Specifically similar in both manuscripts is the design of the flag of the letter lamed. Both manuscripts also used similar models for designing the micrography, as for example, the left dragon on fol. 81v of the Vienna Pentateuch is similar to the dragon on fol. 67 of the Duke of Sussex. Both heads are roundish and large in proportion to the body, their mouths are open and they have large eyes and pointy ears. Their foliate tails scroll around and have similar heart-shaped leaves. It would seem that the shaping of the nose in the Duke of Sussex is a less successful copy of the model than the nose that appears in the Vienna manuscript. Shalev-eyni also shows similarities in the iconography in both manuscripts. A prominent example is a ladder illustrating the text of Jacob's dream. In the Vienna manuscript (fol. 39v) the ladder is placed diagonally along the lower margin while in the Duke of Sussex (fol. 39), the ladder is designed along the outer margins.
The Vienna Pentateuch also contains two maps set in the margins of two consecutive pages (fols. 234v and 244v), illustrating the text and executed in ink. These maps are two out of four maps which often appear in a group of Ashkenazi copies of Rashi's commentary on the Bible as a separate unit, dating between the 13th and the 14th century (e.g., Rashi of Würzburg (Mϋnchen, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. Hebr. 5, Vols. I & II), described in detail by Professor Narkiss (Narkiss, Rashi U'mapotav, pp. 435-439) and in four manuscripts housed in Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale, Cod. Hebrèus 154, 155, 161, 156, described in detail by Gabrielle Sed-Rajna (Sed-Rajna, Les Manuscrits Hebreux, pp. 224-232). Several manuscripts of this group are housed in the Vienna collection – see documentation in this catalog of Hebr. 12b, as well as Hebrs. 23 and 24). Our manuscript cannot be considered as part of this group, as its origin seems to be French, and it does not contain only the Rashi text, but also the text of the Pentateuch, Massorah and Targumim.
It is important to note that these maps found in Hebrew medieval manuscripts were later omitted from most of the printed editions of Rashi's commentary.
The two maps in the Vienna Pentatuech are considered to be a pair, and most manuscripts including Rashi's maps include both of these maps (Delano-Smith and Gruber, Rashi's Legacy, p. 30). The first map in our manuscript, which is schematically drawn, illustrates Rashi's commentary to Numbers 34:3 (fol. 243v) and the second map illustrates the text of Numbers 34:2-12 and Rashi's commentary (fol. 244v), dealing with the boundaries of theLandofIsraelfrom the South, through the West and East till the North. This second map in the Vienna Pentateuch is elegantly drawn in ink and includes visual details and decorations less commonly found in copies of Rashi's maps, which are usually more schematic in nature, such as different shaped lines indicating bodies of water, fish swimming in the Great Sea, a visual depiction of Mt. Hor as a small heap over a large heap (as described by Rashi in his commentary to Numbers 20: 22, based on other sources describing the Mountain of Hor as a "mountain on top of a mountain, like a small heap above a large heap" (הר על גבי הר כתפוח קטן על גבי תפוח גדול), trefoil arches, gables, turrets of a tower and a decorated gouache band. Another copy of this map which also includes particular visual details and decoration can be found in a fourteenth century Provencal Pentateuch, housed in the Biblioteca Laurentiana in Florence(Ms. Plaut 3.10 appearing in Delano-Smith and Gruber, Rashi's Legacy, p. 33). It is interesting to note that in the Vienna Pentateuch, the compartment designated for the location "the entrance of Hamath" ((לבא חמת, is inscribed instead "Antiochia" אנטוכיא, which appears in Rashi's commentary (as well as in other commentaries) and was probably the metropolis of the country known as Hamath (ארץ חמת). Most of the other copies of the map retained the inscription "the entrance of Hamath" (לבא חמת) for this country, according to the biblical text and do not inscribe the compartment with the name of אנטוכיא.
Another variant appearing in this map in the Vienna Pentateuch is the addition of a second inscription under "Mt.Hor" (הר ההר), marking the location of "Turi Amnom" (טורי אמנום). This is based on Rashi's commentary to the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Gittin, 8a, in which he brings the Yerushalmi translation forMt.Hor as "Turi Amnon" ( טורי אמנון). This location is not often marked in the copies of Rashi's maps but appears for example in the map drawn on fol. 140 the Rashi of Würzburg (Mϋnchen, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cod. Hebr. 5, Vols. I).
Several years after our Vienna Pentateuch was copied in France, the manuscript reached Provence. This is indicated by the inscription found on fol. 362v (see History). There, during the Black Plague (1349), the manuscript was brought to the city of Igish (איגש), after it was saved from a fire which broke out in the community of Melanma D'shatron (מלנמא דשטרון)". Shalev-Eyni suggests, that it is possible that the manuscript reached Provence as a result of the expulsion of the Jews during the first quarter of the 14th century (1306, 1322).
sub-set tree:
Material
Parchment, I + 401 + I leaves.
The quires arranged according to Gregory rule starting with the hair side. Hair side is distinguishable from flash side in most pages.
Measurements
Full page: (284-287) X (193-197) mm |
Main text with commentaries: (204-244) X (121-157) mm |
Pentateuch: (136-138) X (58-62) mm Five scrolls: (137-140) X (52-59) mm |
Haftarot in two columns: ca. 137 X 90 mm; column’s width: 39-41mm Haftarot for Passover and Shavuot in one column: ca. 134 X (70-81) mm |
Scribes
The manuscript was copied by three scribes:
Scribe A, main scribe: Hayyim |
Bible text, Targumim and Rashi's commentary |
fols. 1v-401 |
Scribe B, massorator and decorator |
Massorah |
fols. 1v-401 |
Scribe C |
Sefer ha-Gan |
fols. 1v-302v |
The vocalizer-corrector, which probably was scribe B, divulged his hand by correcting the Targum (e.g. fols. 100, 100v) and the main text (e.g. fol. 362).
Script
Biblical text is written in square Franco-Ashkenazi script in dark brown ink. Massorah magna and parva are written in a small square Ashkenazi script in brown ink |
Targumim for the Pentateuch and the Haftarot for Passover and Shavout are written in small square script in dark brown ink |
Targum for Five scrolls is written in small square and semi-cursive scripts in brown ink |
Rashi’s commentary is written in semi-cursive Ashkenazi script in dark brown ink |
Sefer ha-Gan commentary is written in semi-cursive Ashkenazi tiny script in dark and light brown ink in shaped text mainly of circles. |
Number of columns
The main text of the Pentateuch and the Five scrolls are written in one column; the Haftarot are in two columns, except for the Haftarot for Passover and Shavuot in one column (346v-352).
Number of lines
Main text (fols. 1v-401) |
23 lines per column |
Targum Onkelos (fols. 1v-302v) |
Mainly in 34-46 lines per page |
Targum for Haftarot for Passover and Shavout (fols. 346v-352) |
Mainly in 43-47 lines |
Targum for Five scrolls (fols. 363-401) |
In various number of lines some in between 49-82 lines. |
Rashi’s commentary (fols. 1v-401) |
In various number of lines |
Massorah magna and parva for Pentateuch (fols. 1v- 302v) and Five scrolls (fols. 363-401) |
3 + 4 lines |
Massorah magna and parva for the Haftarot (fols. 303-362) |
Mainly 2 + 3 lines, some are of e.g. 2 + 2 lines (e.g. fols. 329, 329v, 332, 356) |
Sefer ha-Gan commentary |
Mainly 9-18 lines in circle shaped text |
Ruling
The ruling of the manuscript is varied in many pages. All ruled by plummet on both sides of the page:
Ruling for the Pentateuch, mainly of 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 vertical lines (e.g. fols. 34v, 35, 36, 38, 54, 96, 136, 171, 262 and 269v) and 4 + 3 + 24 + 4 + 5 horizontal lines (e.g. fols.10, 13, 86v, 138v, 188, 159, 203v, 206).
Ruling for the haftarot, 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 vertical lines (e.g. fol. 304) and 4 + 3 + 24 + 4 + 5 horizontal lines.
Ruling for the Five scrolls is mainly of 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 vertical lines (e.g. fol. 368) or 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 vertical lines ( e.g. fols. 376, 382) and 4 + 3 + 24 + 4 + 5 horizontal lines (e.g. fols. 372, 376, 378).
Additional horizontal ruling by plummet for the Targumim and Rashi’s commentary of more than 40 lines appears in many pages (e.g. fols. 35, 55, 86, 86v, 138v, .258, 364, 368, 377).
Ruling for Sefer ha-Gan of circles in the inner margin on top and bottom of Targum Onkelos column is seen on fol. e.g. 139.
Pricking
Is evident in the inner margin (for the first two quires) and in upper and lower margins.
Quires
50 quires of 8 leaves each, except for XXV10, XXXVIII4, XLII12 and L8-1.
Catchwords
Catchwords are written horizontally at the lower left hand corner of the final verso of almost every quire, in the same square script as the text. Most catchwords are also surmounted by simple motives. On fol. 8v the catchword “hayyim” (חיים) (which is also the name of the scribe) is also flanked by two pen-drawn confronting hooded human-faced hybrids.
The central befolia in some quires are marked by a horizontal line at the folding point (e.g. fols. 12v-13, fols. 100v-101, fols. 278v-279), probably as a guideline for (or by) a binder.
Hebrew numeration
For the quires in Hebrew letters in the lower left hand corner of the versos of the first four leaves of the quire (i.e. marking the four bifolia of the quire), starting on quire III (fols. 17-20) with the letter ג (=3). In this quire in addition to the letter ג, these four leaves are also numbered in Latin ciphers I-IIII (=IV) probably by a later binder.
As in this third quire, the first four leaves of some other quires are also numerated I-IIII (e.g. XXIII, XXV). The Latin nameration appears more often in the last quires of the book (e.g. XXXIV, XLI-XLII and XLIII, XLV).
It should be noted that in quires XXIII – XXXIX the Hebrew numbers does not follow the order of the quires in the manuscript. The difference is one number, e.g. quire XXIII is כב (22 and not 23) and quire XXV is כד (24 instead of 25). From quire XL on, the gaps between the order of the quires and the numeration are of 4 numbers or more, e.g. quire XLI is marked on fol. 322 מה (45 instead of 41).
Blank leaves
Fol. 362v was originally a blank leaf.
Binding measurements: 305 X207 mm; width of spine98 mm.
18th century binding of light brown leather on thick cardboards, blind-tooled with three-line frame and by an additional inner frame of running Greek wave motif enclosing rosettes. The spine is divided into six sections; each decorated on top and bottom by a gold-tooled band and floral corners, except for the second section which is not decorated. The uppermost section includes also at its center the Emblem of the Habsburg Empire.
The binding was restored in 2003 by the ÖNB restoration department.
The main decoration of the manuscript executed by the massorator (scribe B) consisting of zoomorphic, fantastic, foliate and geometrical shapes outlined in massoretic micrography. The decoration appears mainly in the Pentateuch. A few of which are text illustrations to the Pentateuch represented by a single object of the text as a condensed allusion to the scene (e.g. a ladder illustrating the text of Jacob's dream, (fol. 39v)). The decoration is placed mostly in the outer margin, but some are also in the lower margin.
The main scribe A illustrates the text commentary e.g. the two maps in Rashi's commentary (fols. 243v, 244v) or the diagram of Jacob's and his women's tents in Sefer ha-Gan commentary (fol. 45) . He is also responsible for the catchwords and apparently for their decoration: the two hybrids (fol. 8v) and probably the pen drawn small monkey on fol. 181v. His dragons and foliate motifs differ from the style of the massorator (compare the hybrids on fol. 194v by massorator with fol. 8v by the scribe A: they are not the same: different nose, different curving of head, different way of rendering legs). Scribe A also writes the signs at end of books (fols. 77, 302v, 401) as well as the andulating leaves in the Targum (fols. 181v; fol. 372v) and in the commentary (fols. 355, 373v).
Each page of the manuscript includes various texts skillfully arranged together: the biblical text in the centre of the page is surrounded by the Targumim in the inner margin, and in the three outer margins by the commentary by Rashi. The biblical text is also furnished with Massorah magna and parva and with Sefer ha-Gan commentary on the Pentateuch which is written in shapes of circles on top and bottom of Targum Onkelos in the inner margin.
I. Decorations by the massorator (scribe B):
A. Decorative massoretic micrography: including a stork (e.g. fol. 87v), a pigeon (e.g. fol. 368v), a fish (whale or dolphin) biting its fin (fol. 160), a lioness (fol. 40) and variety of two-legged dragons and hybrids. Some are with a leafy tail or tongue (e.g. fols. 57, 98, 102v, 122, 154, 187v, 223v, 232, 237, 257v, 282, 370), others depicted with head and tail in one unit (e.g. fols. 2v-3, 70, 250), or as a pair of dragons (fol. 81v), with intertwined tails and tongues (fol. 186). The hybrids are with human or bird face wearing hoods (fols. 6v, 37v-38, 118, 149, 194v). Other depictions include stylized floral and foliate motifs (e.g. fols. 1v, 2, 10, 27, 64, 194, 275v). There are also architectural structures (e.g. fols. 1v, 2, 4v, 214v), a key (fols. 17, 77), a spear (fol. 61), and geometrical motives of a circle (e.g. fol. 8, 9), chain of circles (e.g. fol. 56v, 206v), a zig-zag (e.g. fols. 9, 58, 111), a triangle (e.g. fol. 50), a wheel (fol. 189v) and plaited motifs (e.g. fol. 20v, 101v). In some pages the massoratic micrography frames most of the page (e.g. fols. 187v, 232).
B. Illustrative massoretic micrography: including Noah’s ark (fol. 9v), the shrub of Hagar and Ishmael (fol. 26v) Rebecca's water jar (and jewels ?;fol. 32v), Jacob’s ladder (fol. 39v), the city of Haran (fol. 44), storages for the food in Egypt (fol. 61v), a wheel (fol. 69v) an ax (fol. 99) and shittim woods for the Tabernacle (fols. 117, 118).
C. Decorated mid-book-sign in micrography: e.g. fols. 38v, 110v "Middle of the book" (חצי הספר), 155 "Middle of the Torah in words", 157 "… in letters" ((חצי התורה באותיות, 159v "… in verses" ((חצי התורה בפסוקים.
D. Decorated ascender and descender of letters: The long flag of the letters Lamed in the Massorah parva text column ends in a shape of a spear (e.g. fols. 5, 54, 56, 273v, 290v) or written one inside the other resembling structures of musical notes (e.g. fols. 43v, 61v, 78, 89, 90v, 91, 100, 266) or diamond shapes (e.g. fol. 70v).
II. Decorations by the main scribe A:
A. Illustration for Rashi's commentary: Two maps of theLand ofIsrael in the lower margins (fols. 243v and 244v).
B. Targumim and commentary shaped text:
Rashi’s commentary: surround the biblical text on three outer sides. In the outer margin the flow of the text column is interrupted at the center. Each part of the interrupted column ends in a triangular apex faces inward. Sometimes the commentary is written in geometrical forms such as a circle (e.g. fol. 4), triangles (e.g. fols. 132v, 133), and as a floral motif (e.g. fol. 6), arches (fol. 183), diamond and triangle (fol. 80) or in more elaborate geometrical designs (e.g. fols. 129v, 130). In one case the commentary is written in the lower margin in a row of triangles (fol. 349).
Targum Onkelos: is written in a narrow column in the inner margin of the biblical text.
Sefer ha-Gan commentary: is written mainly as two circles above and below the Targum Onkelos column. Sometimes it is written in a shape of a lozenge (e.g. fols. 49, 71v), half circle (e.g. fols. 76) or pair of circles (e.g. fols. 74v, 75), a mushroom (fol. 105, 147v) or in other various geometrical forms (e.g. fols. 292, 323).
C. Decorated initial-word of book: the letters of the initials are surrounded by a wavy line in red ink creating a panel to the words (fols. Gen. - fol. 1v, Ex. - 77v, Lev. - 142, Num. - 185v, Deut. - 247v, Song of Songs - 363, Ruth - 368, Ecclesiastes - 378v, Esther - 389). Similar initial word is for the last pericope of the Pentateuch (fol. 300v).
D. Decorated end of book: in geometrical design at the end of Genesis (fol. 77) and the entire book (fol. 401) and in an architectural structure at the end of the Pentateuch (fol. 302v).
E. Decorated catchwords: surmounted by pen-drawn foliage (e.g. fols. 8v, 16v, 24v, 72v, 80v), triangle of dots
(e.g. fols. 48v, 326v, 346v), a vertical line (e.g. fols. 32v, 112v, 160v, 168v, 226v, 234v, 266v, 274v) and an
arch (fol. 318v). Two pen drawn face-hybrids decorate the catchword hayyim on fol. 8v.
F. Pen drawn small monkey playing a ball is on fol. 181v.
G. Decorated end-of-text: a pen floral motif issuing from חזק at the end of Targum Onkelos (fol. 77).
H. Simple decoration at end of words in Rashi’s commentary and the Targum text mostly executed in dots
of ink (e.g. fols. 6v, 28v, 59v, 175, 214, 286, 297, 310, 347v,355, 372v, 373).
III. Decorations by scribe C:
A small diagram of Jacob's and his women's tents in Sefer ha-Gan commentary (fol. 45, lower circle).