Pentateuch (Genesis 1:16-32:10), [Yemen, 15th century]

This manuscript is similar to Yemenite Bible manuscripts on parchment, called Taj or Keter Torah, from the scribal tradition of the famous Yemenite Benaya family. The present manuscript may be compared to manuscripts L 64 and 64a in the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary. In the Hirschfeld catalog eight-nine folios are indicated, however, the present manuscript has only twenty-eight folios.

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

Physical Description

28 leaves on parchment. 11 3/8 x 8 3/8 inches: 290 x 215 mm, collation: 18, 22, 38, 42, 58, ruled and pricked, text in two columns, 22 lines, written in brown ink in large square Yemenite script, with vocalization and cantillation marks, Massoretic notes on the margin, between the columns, and one line each on top and bottom of the page, some notes written in a decorative pattern (fols. 3v, 4r, 6r, 8r, 17r, 23r), modern foliation in pencil; corners reinforced, fols. 1-3: damaged with some text loss. Half morocco over cloth boards.

Literature

Hirschfeld (ms. no. 4)