Sefer Mikhtam, David ben Levi, Scribe: Moses ben Shem Tov Ibn Habib, Jativa (Spain), 1480-1481

Sefer Mikhtam is a commentary on tractates Pesahim and Megilla of the Babylonian Talmud based on the compendium by Alfasi. Its author, David ben Levi, lived in Narbonne in the thirteenth century. The scribe of the present manuscript is Moses ben Shem Tov ibn Habib, and he copied it for his own use in Jativa, Spain in the year 5141 [1480/81]. The scribe added many glosses in the margins in which he cites Rabbi Jonathan [of Lunel] several times and his ancestor Meir ha-Levi. The same scribe copied another halakhic compilation (ms. New York, JTS Rab. 1475). It is possible that he can be identified with the grammarian and poet Moses ben Shem Tov ibn Habib who emigrated from Lisbon to southern Italy in 1486 or earlier.

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

Provenance

Moses Israel Hazzan of Corfu, Rome and Alexandria (notes on stub prior to fol. 1, and on fols. 45v, 56r) — Solomon Halberstam (shelf no. 204)

Description

56 leaves, 8 ¼ x 5 5/8 inches; 210 x 143 mm, written in brown ink in Sephardic semi-cursive script, catchwords, foliation in Hebrew characters in ink, modern foliation in pencil; ink stains on fol. 3, three-fourths of fol. 37 torn away, scattered worm trails in bottom margin mended, one shoulder note shaved, corners cut round and a trifle frayed, some light browning or staining. Modern half brown morocco, spine lettered gilt. 

Literature

Hirschfeld (ms. no. 71); edition of M. Grossberg, Lemberg 1904, with commentary on Megilla based on another manuscript; edition of M.Y. Blau, New York 1959, with commentary on Pesahim based on this manuscript and on London, British Library Add. 19778; on the author and his works see I. Ta-Shema, Ha-Sifrut ha-Parshanit la-Talmud be-Europa u-be-Zefon Afrika (Jerusalem, 1999; 2004), pp. 156-157