Commentary on the Haftarot and Commentary on the Books of Ruth, Song of Songs, and Lamentations, Scribe: Shabbetai ha-Levi ben Judah ha-Levi, [Ascoli, 1426]

Volume 1

Fol. 1r: A remedy or amulet, written in a later Ashkenazi script. Also, in a different script, is the beginning of the poem ahaleh le-koni. This is probably the same poem listed in Israel Davidson’s Thesaurus of Medieval Hebrew Poetry, 1924-1938 (letter ale”f, no. 2520).

Fols. 1r-50v: David Kimhi’s commentary on the Haftarot.

Fol. 56r-v, 67r: Judah ben Benjamin Anav, commentary of Alfasi (Talmud Shabbat f. 107). On this work see S. Hasida's edition of Shibbolei ha-Leket, 1987, p. 36.

Fols. 57r-63r: Hebrew translation of the Aramaic parts of the Book of Daniel.

This lot contains two manuscripts which initially formed part of a larger volume. The original volume became separated and currently survives in several parts including the present two manuscripts (Montefiore mss. 27 and 41) and a third manuscript in Warsaw, no. 260. The part in Warsaw has a colophon where the scribe, Shabbethai ha-Levi ben Judah-ha-Levi, states that it was written in Ascoli in 1426.

Volume 1 is comprised chiefly of David Kimhi’s commentary on the Haftarot (prophetic portions). Kimhi (1160?–1235?), known by the acronym RaDaK, was a grammarian and exegete of Provence. He was a teacher in his native town of Narbonne and was active in public causes such as the Maimonidean controversy of 1232, in which he defended Maimonides and his followers.

Volume 2 is an unpublished commentary based on those of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and David Kimhi. In the commentary on Song of Songs there are excerpts from Lekah Tov by Rabbi Tobias ben Eliezer, with explanations. On fol. 12v the author writes: athil ve-assayyem perush Shir ha-Shirim mi-Rabbenu Shlomo za”l al midrash hakhamim ki-feshuto ve-ekhtov bo ketzat perush mi-Rabbenu Tuviah bi-ketzat pesukim. [I shall write the commentary on Song of Songs by Rashi on the midrash of the Rabbis according to the plain meaning and on some verses I shall bring comments from Rabbi Tobias.] The author also cites Rabbi Moses of Rome in the name of Rabbenu Saadia (fol. 31r; see A. Grossman, The Early Sages of France, 1995, p. 572).  In his commentary on Lamentations, the author explains that he includes derashot [homilies], and that one of his reasons for doing so is because he does not understand the explicit meaning of the words [ekhtov kan ketzat mi-ha-derashot Eikha be-kitzur ahat min ha-sibbot she-eineni mevin pithronam- pitron ha-millot] (fols. 33v-38v). This section contains passages from Midrash Eikha.

Sotheby’s is grateful to Menahem Schmelzer z”l and Benjamin Richler for cataloguing this manuscript.

Provenance

Solomon Halberstam (shelf nos. 302 and 303)

Physical Description

2 volumes. Volume 1 (ms. 27): 67 leaves on paper (7 blank), 7 5/8 x 5 ¼ inches; 194 x 133 mm, ruled, 21 lines, written in brown ink in Italian semi-cursive script, fols. 56 and 67 on parchment, modern foliations in ink (with errors) and pencil, catchwords. Marbled paper wrapper. Volume 2 (ms. 41): 38 leaves on paper, 7 x 5 1/8 inches: 178 x 130 mm, ruled in metalpoint, written in brown ink in Italian semi-cursive script, some marginal notes, catchwords, modern foliation in pencil; lower margin of fol. 1 repaired with some loss of text, margins of fol. 24 reinforced, inexpert repairs to tears on fols. 25-30 with minor text loss, fols. 31-38 torn and crudely repaired in places. Marbled paper over boards, cloth spine.

Literature

Hirschfeld (mss. nos. 27 and 41); B. Richler, “Manuscripts That Became Separated,” in Asufot, 1, 1987, pp. 112-113 (in Hebrew)