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Selected Manuscripts from the "Polonsky Foundation Digitization Project"

Vat.ebr.228

Manuscript information

Resource type:
Manuscript
Collection:
Vat.ebr.
Shelfmark:
Vat.ebr.228
Library:
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Date:
Mid-late 15th century
Beginning date:
1426
Ending date:
1500
Support:
Paper
Height:
212
Width:
142
Extent:
135 ff.
Exhibit Tags:
KabbalahCapsali (family)

Description

Date:
mid-late 15th century
Beginning date:
1426
Ending date:
1500
Collation:
Quaternion (I. III). Composition of quires cannot be determined (II).
Writing:
Byzantine semi-cursive scripts
Watermarks:
Watermarks similar to the type listed by Briquet no. 3668 dated 1454-1475 (I). Watermarks similar to Briquet nos. 2529 dated 1478 and 3763 dated 1453-1471 (II). Watermarks similar to Briquet no. 5157 dated 1456, but closer in size to no. 5154, and to no. 5222 dated 1460-1487 (III).
General note:
Three different manuscripts bound together: I (ff. 1-8). II (ff. 9-28). III (ff. 29-135).
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Origin:
<Byzantium>

Administrative information

Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), pp. 163-165.

Parts of this manuscript

21r-25v

Elyaḳim, אלה הסודות מפרה אדומה מסר לי מרינו ורבינו האשל הגדול כ"ר אליקים יצ"ו הלוי בכה"ר

Overview:
Manuscript II (ff. 9-28)
Locus:
21r-25v
Author:
Elyaḳim, ha-Leṿi, [internal]
Title:
אלה הסודות מפרה אדומה מסר לי מרינו ורבינו האשל הגדול כ"ר אליקים יצ"ו הלוי בכה"ר
Supplied title:
Kabbalistic secrets concerning the red heifer
General note:
Related by Eliakim ha-Levi
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 164.

1r-4r

Florid phrases for use in letters

Overview:
Manuscript I (ff. 1-8)
Locus:
1r-4r
Other author:
Ḳapsali, Eliyahu ben Elḳanah, m. c. 1555 [internal]
Supplied title:
Florid phrases for use in letters
Summary:
Florid phrases for use in letters with "piyyut" and other verses
General note:
Includes a "piyyut" beginning: אין כמוך ה' אלהי האלהים באלהים with the acrostic Elkanah Capsali and several other verses with the acrostics Elkanah and Elijah [Capsali?].
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 163.

9v-18v

Short extracts on Kabbalah, homilies, novellae

Overview:
Manuscript II (ff. 9-28)
Locus:
9v-18v
Supplied title:
Short extracts on Kabbalah, homilies, novellae
General note:
Among them "notarikon" and abbreviations
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 164.

29v-44r

ʿAḳiva ben Yosef, אלפא ביתא דר' עקיבה ריש מתיבתא

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
29v-44r
Author:
ʿAḳiva ben Yosef, rabbi, c. 50-c. 136. Opere spurie e dubbie [internal]
Title:
אלפא ביתא דר' עקיבה ריש מתיבתא
Supplied title:
Otiyyot de-Rabbi Akiva
Uniform title:
Otiyot de-Rabi Aḳiva
General note:
A mystical alphabet attributed to Rabbi Akiva., Includes the text printed in "Ozar Midrashim", as Version B (ff. 29v-38r) followed by Version A. (ff. 38r-44r)., and Incomplete. Ends at the beginning of the letter "bet" in Version A.
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 164.

45v-66r

[היכלות] and Hekhalot

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
45v-66r
Supplied title:
[היכלות] and Hekhalot
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 164.

69v-88v

היכלות דר' ישמעאל שראה כשעלה למרום ומעשה מרכבה

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
69v-88v
Title:
היכלות דר' ישמעאל שראה כשעלה למרום ומעשה מרכבה
Supplied title:
Hekhalot Rabbati
Uniform title:
Hekhalot rabati
General note:
In three chapters. In some manuscripts the entire text is called "Hekhalot Rabbati". In this manuscript and a few others only the first 26 chapters (divided in this manuscript into three sections called בבות or עסקאות) are so titled (ff. 69v-85r) and the last part is called שר תורה "Sar Torah" or שר של תורה "Sar shel Torah". On the division of the chapters cf. P. Schäfer, בעיית הזהות העריכתית של ספר "היכלות רבתי" "Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Thought", vi (1987), p. 5. and Some additions in the margins by a later hand
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 164.

88v-89v

פרק ר' נחוניה בן הקנה שלמד לרבי ישמעאל

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
88v-89v
Title:
פרק ר' נחוניה בן הקנה שלמד לרבי ישמעאל
Supplied title:
Perek Rabbi Neḥunya ben ha-Kanah
Incipit text:
מי ימלל גבורות ה' ומי יוכל לתנות שבחו של מלך מלכי המלכים
General note:
Another text from the Hekhalot literature
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 164.

90v

מהיכלות

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
90v
Title:
מהיכלות
Incipit text:
מהיכלות. א"ר ישמעאל אמ' לי הדר מרום בבקשה ממך אמור להם לישראל
General note:
A chapter from the Hekhalot literature by a different hand
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 164.

93r-98v

[הבדלה דר' עקיבא] and Havdalah de Rabbi Akiva

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
93r-98v
Supplied title:
[הבדלה דר' עקיבא] and Havdalah de Rabbi Akiva
Incipit text:
טובה הרחיצה מאד
General note:
Mystical-magical text added to the "havdalah" service at the end of the Sabbath. and Beginning missing. Lacks paragraphs v and xv. Arranged in a different order from other manuscripts.
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), pp. 164-165.

98v-103r

Elʿazar ben Yehudah, [פירוש ההבדלה דר' עקיבא] and Commentary on Havdalah de Rabbi Akiva

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
98v-103r
Author:
Elʿazar ben Yehudah, di Worms, c. 1176-1238. Opere spurie e dubbie [internal]
Supplied title:
[פירוש ההבדלה דר' עקיבא] and Commentary on Havdalah de Rabbi Akiva
Incipit text:
ברוך הנותן ליריאיו מחכמתו וחלק להם מתבונתו
General note:
According to J. Dan, תורת הסוד של חסידות אשכנז (Jerusalem 1968), p. 65, the author is Eleazar of Worms.
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 165.

105r-112r

Elʿazar ben Yehudah, פירוש של אדרת

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
105r-112r
Author:
Elʿazar ben Yehudah, di Worms, c. 1176-1238. Opere spurie e dubbie [internal]
Title:
פירוש של אדרת
Supplied title:
Commentary on the piyyut האדרת והאמונה
General note:
Attributed in this manuscript to Eleazar of Worms עד כאן קבלה מפי מורינו ורבינו רבי אליעזר מגרמישא (f. 112r). and According to J. Dan, פירושי "האדרת והאמונה" של חסידי אשכנז "Tarbiẓ", l (1981), pp. 396-404, the work was composed in the milieu of the Ashkenazic Ḥasidim and not necessarily by Eleazar of Worms himself.
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 165.

113v-135r

G'iḳaṭilah, Yosef ben Avraham, Kabbalistic commentary on the Passover Haggadah

Overview:
Manuscript III (ff. 29-135)
Locus:
113v-135r
Author:
G'iḳaṭilah, Yosef ben Avraham, n. 1248 [internal]
Supplied title:
Kabbalistic commentary on the Passover Haggadah
Explicit text:
נשלם פירוש ההגדה על דרך הקבלה שעשה רשב"א [!] זצו"ל
Language:
Hebrew.
Alphabet:
Hebrew.
Source of information:
B. Richler, M. Beit-Arié, N. Pasternak, Hebrew manuscripts in the Vatican Library: Catalogue, Città del Vaticano 2008 (Studi e testi 438), p. 165.