Home
   Under Reconstruction!
Object Alone

Obj. ID: 20946
Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts
  Fugger's First Miscellany on Kabbalah, Venice, 1548

© BSB, Photographer: Unknown,
Summary and Remarks

David ben Moshe appears in BSB Cod.hebr. 52 and 54; and Yaakov ben Yosef in BSB Cod.hebr. 10, 12, 15, 17, 22, 24, 27, 31, 32, 43, 48, 49, 52, 57, 58, 62, 73. Scribe1 inthis manuscript only.

 

Remarks

10 image(s)

sub-set tree:

Name/Title
Fugger's First Venetian Miscellany on Kabbalah | Unknown
Object Detail
Monument Setting
Unknown
Date
1548
Synagogue active dates
Reconstruction dates
Origin
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community type
Unknown |
Congregation
Unknown
Location
Unknown |
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Unknown
Period Detail
Collection
Germany | Munich | Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (BSB)
| Cod.hebr. 40 (Steinschneider 1895, No. 40)
Documentation / Research project
Unknown
Iconographical Subject
Unknown |
Textual Content
Unknown |
Languages of inscription
Unknown
Shape / Form
Unknown
Material / Technique
Paper, 3 + 280 + 2 leaves (both pastedowns and front and back flyleaves are later replacements of the original leaves).
Material Stucture
Material Decoration
Material Bonding
Material Inscription
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
Colors
Construction material
Measurements
Full page: (340-341) x (245-246) mm.
Text space: David ben Moshe: (237-239) x (140-142) mm.
Scribe1: (237-238) x (138-141) mm.
Yaakov ben Yosef: (237-240) x (141-143) mm.
Height
Length
Width
Depth
Circumference
Thickness
Diameter
Weight
Axis
Panel Measurements
Condition
Well preserved. Apparently the manuscript was not used.
Extant
Documented by CJA
Surveyed by CJA
Present Usage
Present Usage Details
Condition of Building Fabric
Architectural Significance type
Historical significance: Event/Period
Historical significance: Collective Memory/Folklore
Historical significance: Person
Architectural Significance: Style
Architectural Significance: Artistic Decoration
Urban significance
Significance Rating
1
Ornamentation
Custom
Contents
1. Zohar, pericope Pekudei: Hekhalot (זוהר, פרשת פקודי: הכלות; Palaces) (fols. 2-42): beginsאמר ר' שמעון הא תכונן באינון היכלין דאינון קיימא לסידרא סדורא. 1st ed. Mantua 1558. 2. Sefer Yezirah with an anonymous commentary (ספר יצירה; The Book of Creation) (fols. 43-78): begins .בשלשים ושתים נתיבות פלאות חכמה חקק יהוה צבאות אלהי ישראל אלהים חיים ומלך עולם1st ed. Mantua 1562. Another copy in Munich: BSB Cod.hebr. 115 (fols. 110v-126), produced for Johann Albrecht Widmanstetter by Paulus Aemilius. 3. Sefer Hekhalot (ספר הכלות; The Book of Palaces) (fols. 79-138v): major and minor Hekhalot and other fragments of the Hekhalot literature, cf. Steinschneider 1895:26: beginsאמר רבי ישמעאל מה הן אילו שירות שהיה נאמר מי שמבקש להסתכל בצפיית המרכבה (Schäfer 1981:IX; Swartz 1986:179-190; Schäfer 1988:17). Another copy in Munich: BSB Cod.hebr. 22 (fols. 149-165) from Fugger's Venetian group. 4. Anonymous Kabbalistic super commentary on the Pentateuch commentary by Moses ben Nahman as far as pericope Hukat (פרשת חוקת; fols. 139-159): begins כנגד עשרה מאמרות שבהן נברא העולם שהם מדותיו. The commentary is preceded by a short chronology (fols. 139-139v) beginningמשה רבינו כתב חמשה חומשי תורה ואיוב כתב ספרו . 5. Or ha-Sekhel (אור השכל; lit. The Light of Mind) by Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia (fols. 160-212v): begins בהיות המחשבה האנושית קצרה מאוד מהשיג העניינים האלהיים הנעלמים (Idel 1976:24 n. 161). Other copies in Munich: BSB Cod.hebr. 59 (fols. 183-231) from Fugger's Venetian group; BSB Cod.hebr. 92 (fols. 31-68), belonged to Egidio da Viterbo and later to Johann Albrecht Widmanstetter. 6. Commentary on the ten Sefirot (fols. 213-215): begins אדם שרוצה ליכנס בפרדס צריך ליזהר (Scholem 1933/34:498 no. 1). 7. Fragment of Hayyei ha-Olam ha-Ba (חיי העולם הבא; Life of the World to Come) by Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia (fols. 215v-218) (Idel 1976:62ff). 8. Imrei Shefer (אמרי שפר; The Words of Beauty) by Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia (fols. 219-277v): begins היום הזה העול גבר על הלבבות (Idel 1976:21-24). Other copies in Munich: BSB Cod.hebr. 28 (fols. 265v-277) from Fugger's Venetian group; BSB Cod.hebr. 285 (fols. 46-117v), belonged to Johann Albrecht Widmanstetter.
Codicology
Scribes
David ben Moshe (Scribe A*): fols. 1-78, in dark brown ink. Scribe 1** (Scribe B): fols. 79-159, in dark brown ink. Yaakov ben Yosef (Scribe C): fols. 160-277v, in dark brown and brown ink. The text was sometimes proofread by the scribes themselves (e.g. fols. 80v, 273v) but mainly by the Fugger's group corrector, e.g. fols. 10v, 16, 66, 69, 72v, 150. * The letters A, B, etc. denote the order of copying by the scribes in this manuscript. ** Running numbers (Scribe 1, 2, etc.) denote scribes' names in case the latter are unknown, and relate to the entire group of Fugger’s Venetian manuscripts. The scribes identified by name are not numbered.
Script
The main text is written in semi-cursive Ashkenazi script.
Number of Lines
The text is written in 30 lines per page, mostly in one column.
Ruling
Ruling by stylus: 30 horizontal and 1+1 vertical lines (e.g. fol. 159). On fol. 160 the scribe reinforced some of the ruling for the title in plummet.
Pricking
None.
Quires
24 quires of 12 leaves each, except for V10, VII8, and XI10. Quire composition: I12 (1-12); II12 (13-24); III12 (25-36); IV12 (37-48); V10 (49-58); VI12 (59-70); VII8 (71-78); VIII12 (79-90); IX12 (91-102); X12 (103-114); XI10 (115-124); XII12 (125-136); XIII12 (137-148); XIV12 (149-159a); XV12 (160-171); XVI12 (172-183); XVII12 (184-195); XVIII12 (196-207); XIX12 (208, 208a-218; two successive leaves are numbered 208); XX12 (219-230); XXI12 (231-242); XXII12 (243-254); XXIII12 (255-266); XXIV12 267-277a).
Catchwords
Catchwords for leaves are written horizontally at the left below the text in semi-cursive script by the text scribe.
Hebrew Numeration
None.
Blank Leaves
Fols. 1v, 42v, 78v, 79v, 159v, 159a, 159a verso, 160v, 218v, 277a, 277a verso.
Direction/Location
Façade (main)
Endivances
Location of Torah Ark
Location of Apse
Location of Niche
Location of Reader's Desk
Location of Platform
Temp: Architecture Axis
Arrangement of Seats
Location of Women's Section
Direction Prayer
Direction Toward Jerusalem
Coin
Coin Series
Coin Ruler
Coin Year
Denomination
Signature
Colophon
Fol. 277v: The colophon ending the text is written by Yaakov ben Yosef in semi-cursive script: אני יעקב בר' יוסף ז"ל היום יום/ יב' ניסן ש"ח לפ"ק פה ווינזייא/ הבירה (I, Yaakov bar Yosef of blessed memory, today 12th Nisan 5308 [21.03.1548], here in Venice the capital).
Scribal Notes
Fol. 11v: Inscription by David in the outer margin accompanied by a pointing hand: כאן נראה לי שחסר אבל כאשר מצאתי בהעתקה שהיה לפני כך העתקתי ממנו (Here it seems to me that [text] is missing, but when I found [it] in the copy which was in front of me, thus I copied from it). David left two empty lines here intending to supply the text from another copy. Fol. 121v: Inscription by Scribe 3 in the outer margin: כאן חסר (Here [text] is missing). Scribe 1 left a few empty lines here intending to supply the text from another copy. Fol. 217v: opens with a note by Yaakov: זה מצאתי בספר עין הארץ (This I found in the book Ein ha-Aretz).
Watermark
Watermarks: '3' and '0' with a short line attached to the top of '0' on the right in the outer corner of the folio (15 mm; e.g. fols. 7, 17, 54, 55, 60): Harlfinger 1974-80, Cercle 52 (Venice, 1548); trefoil flower between 'P' and '3' in the outer corner of the folio (32 mm; e.g. fols. 74, 155, 185, 189): similar to Harlfinger
1974-80, Lettres 75 (Venice, 1548, 1550); a cross between '3' and 'M' in the outer corner of the folio
(28 mm; e.g. fols. 251, 256, 262-264): unidentified; a cross between '3' and 'C' in the outer corner of the folio (24 mm; e.g. fols. 222, 224, 228): similar to Harlfinger 1974-80, Ancre 55 (1545-6).
Hallmark
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Trade Mark
Binding

Green leather turned brown on wooden boards (340 x 235 mm), gold-tooled similarly on front and back with a central roundel within an undulating lozenge in a large rectangle, decorated with floral motifs at the centre of each side and at the corners. The front roundel is inscribed CABALA, and below is the letter C. The back roundel is inscribed קבלה and below is the letter ג. The spine, blind-tooled with hatching, has four hidden cords and head and tail bands. On the edges of the front cover are vestiges of four of three plaited leather bands, two groups on the side and one each on the upper and lower edges, with corresponding holes for four nails on the edges of the back cover (for preserved bands see Cod, hebr. 301). Each group of three bands terminated in a ring intended to hook over the nails in the opposite cover. The leaves are gilt-edged.

 

This binding was made for Fugger by Andrea di Lorenzo inVenice

(Hobson 1999:111-112). Similar bindings in BSB: Cod.hebr. 11, 17, 22, 24, 52, 54 and e.g. Cod.gr. 21, 39.

 

Watermarks on flyleaves: A rooster (?) within a circle in the lower outer corner (21 mm; front cover second flyleaf): this flyleaf is a later replacement of the original.

Decoration Program

The decoration is executed by David and Yaakov:

  1. Decorative titles and initial words opening some treatises and their sections by Yaakov (fols. 160, 161, 186v, 190, 219). For similar titles, captions and initial words see BSB Cod.hebr. 10, fol. 1; BSB Cod.hebr. 15, fol. 245; BSB Cod.hebr. 17, fol. 169; BSB Cod.hebr. 22, fols. 1, 70, 181;

      BSB Cod.hebr. 24, fols. 165, 213; BSB Cod.hebr. 32, fol. 1; BSB Cod.hebr. 48, fol. 1;

      BSB Cod.hebr. 52, fol. 1; BSB Cod.hebr. 62, fols. 1, 183.

  1. Decorative kabbalistic scheme by David (fols. 62).
  2. Coronet above the tetragrammaton by David (e.g. fols. 56v, 76v).
Suggested Reconsdivuction
History/Provenance
Owners' inscriptions: None. Inscriptions of librarians and researchers: The numbering of the texts by Fugger’s librarians does not always correspond to the actual number of texts in the manuscript: N0 1: fols. 2-42; N0 2: fols. 43-159; N0 3: fols. 160-218; N0 4: fols. 219-277v. Front third flyleaf, verso: Contents in Hebrew in brown ink by Librarian 1a: היכלות דרבי שמעון פירוש/ ספר יצירה קצר מיוחס לרבינו/ סעדיה גאון זצ"ל/ ספר אור השכל/ ספר אמרי שפר. Contents in Latin characters in brown ink by Librarian 1a: Hechalus deribi Schimeon perusch\ sephaer Jezira kazar meichas leribenu\ Seadia gaon zetzal.\ Sephaer Or hasechael\ Sephaer Imre schapher. On the right, contents in Latin in brown ink by Librarian 2: R. Simeonis Hechalos. i. Liber temploru'(m)\ R. Saadiae commentarius in libru'(m) Ietzira.\ R. Ismaelis Hechalos siue templor'(um) liber\ Or hasechel. Lux intelligentiae.\ Imre schafer. tractatus pulchri, cuiusdam hispani theologia liber. In light brown ink by Librarian hand 4: Hechaluth de rabbi Simeon\ Et expo(sitio) sup.(er) Iezira\ Hechaloth de zohar\ Or hasechel\ Imre sepher. Inside front cover, on the exlibris in plummet: Contents of the manuscript in German. Exlibris and stamps: Inside front cover: an exlibris of the Bavarian Court and State Library (230 x 155 mm) with the arms of Elector Maximilian I of 1638 (Dressler 1972:B3ab), stuck over his earlier exlibris (175 x 135 mm) of 1618, before he became Elector in 1623 (Dressler 1972:A3a-f). On the front cover third flyleaf, recto, and on fol. 277v, there is a 20th-century oval stamp of the BSB: BIBLIOTHECA\ REGIA\ MONACENSIS. Old signatures: Back cover in black ink: St.(?) (second signature of Fugger's library, erased). Front cover in black ink: 2. n0. 2 (Duke's library, Prommer's signature). Front third flyleaf in black ink: MS. Hebr. 35. Spine, on the sticker in black ink: Cod.hebr. 40 (current signature). Inside front cover, on exlibris in plummet: Cod.hebr. 40 (current signature).
Main Surveys & Excavations
Sources
Dressler 1972 F. Dressler, Die Exlibris der Bayerischen Hof- und Staatsbibliothek, 17. bis 20. Jahrhundert, Wiesbaden 1972. Harlfinger 1974-80 D. Harlfinger, Wasserzeichen aus griechischen Handschriften, Berlin 1974-1980. Hobson 1999 A. Hobson, Renaissance Book Collecting: Jean Grolier and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, their Books and Bindings, Cambridge 1999. Idel 1976 מ' אידל, כתבי ר' אברהם אבולעפיה ומשנתו, ירושלים תשל"ו (M. Idel, Writings of R. Abraham Abulafia and his Teaching, Ph.D. thesis, Jerusalem 1976). Schäfer 1981 P. Schäfer, Synopse zur Hekhalot-Literatur, Tübingen 1981. Schäfer 1988 P. Schäfer, Hekhalot Studien, Tübingen 1988. Scholem 1933/34 ג' שולם, "מפתח לפירושים על עשר ספירות", קרית ספר י (תרצ"ד):498-515 (G. Scholem, "Index of the Commentaries on the Ten Sefirot", Kiryat Sefer 10 (1933-1934):498-515). Sirat and Dukan, unpublished C. Sirat and M. Dukan, Etude des manuscrits hébreux"sehr inkorrekt" conservés dans la Bibliothèque de Munich (Institut des Recherche et d'histoire des Textes, CNRS, Paris), unpublished. Steinschneider 1895 M. Steinschneider, Die Hebräischen Handschriften der K. Hof- und Staatsbibliothek in München, Munich 1895. Swartz 1986 M. D. Swartz, "A Liturgical Prayer in 'Ma'aseh Merkabah'", The Jewish Quarterly Review (New Series) 77 (1986):179-190.
Type
Documenter
Ilona Steimann | 2008, 2015
Author of description
Ilona Steimann; Prof. Aliza Cohen-Mushlin | 2008, 2015; 2015
Architectural Drawings
|
Computer Reconstruction
|
Section Head
Michal Sternthal; Project Head: Prof. Aliza Cohen-Mushlin | 05-2016; 2008-2015
Language Editor
Christine Evans | 2015
Donor
Supported by the Fritz Thyssen |
Negative/Photo. No.
The following information on this monument will be completed:
Unknown |