The Masorah of Elijah Ha-Naqdan : An Edition of Ashkenazic Micrographical Notes

Open Access Following Levita’s statement, the Masorah transmitted by medieval illuminated manuscripts was generally considered as less significant for the study of the biblical and masoretical knowledge in the Jewish world. The biblical codices produced in Ashkenaz were considerably disregarded compared to Spanish codices. Challenging this assertion, this work engages in a reflection on the link between the standard Eastern tradition and the Ashkenazic biblical text-culture of the 13 th century. Élodie Attia provides an edition of thirteen cases taken from MS Vat. Ebr. 14, offering the oldest series of Masoretic notes written inside figurative and ornamental designs. Its critical apparatus offers an unprecedented comparison with the oldest Eastern and Ashkenazic sources to evaluate if the scribe paid more attention to aesthetic details than to the textual contents. In an unexpected way, the Masoretic notes of Elijah ha-Naqdan, even written in figurative forms, show a close philological link with the Masorah of the eastern Tiberian sources and prove that the presence of figurative elements neither represents a loss nor a distortion of Masoretic knowledge, but rather illustrates a development in the Masoretic tradition. Machine Generated Contents Note: Masoretic Contents Versus Masoretic Layout? -- What Is A Figurative Masorah (masora Figurata)? -- Why Edit Figurative Masorah? -- Critical Editions Of Masoretic Notes -- Structure Of The Edition -- Editorial Steps For Masoretic Micrographical Notes -- The Manuscripts Of The Critical Apparatus -- Expected Results -- Edition -- Editorial Rules -- Important Remarks To The Reader -- Case 1 F. 63v, Genesis 50:21-exodus 1:10 -- Case 2 F. 67bis R, Exodus 5:4 -- 5:15 -- Case 3 F. 72v, Exodus 9:34 -- 10:8 -- Case 4 F. 75v, Exodus 12:7 -- 12:17 -- Case 5 F. 77v, Exodus 13:7 -- 13:19 -- Case 6 F. 85v, Exodus 20:25 -- 21:11 -- Case 7 F. 89v, Exodus 24:9 -- 25:3 -- Case 8 F. 93r, Exodus 26:19 -- 26:32 -- Case 9 F. 98r, Exodus 30:1 -- 30:14 -- Case 10 F. 100v, Exodus 32:13 -- 32:25 -- Case 11 F. 101r, Exodus 32:26 -- 33:1 -- Case 12 F. 104r, Exodus 35:1 -- 35:15 -- Case 13 F. 113r, Exodus 40:37 -- Leviticus 1:10 -- Concluding Remarks -- Appendices -- Appendix 1 Categories Of Masoretic Notes According To Shape -- Appendix 2 Ms Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. Ebr. 14 -- Appendix 3 Ms Berlin, Staatsbibliothek Zu Berlin, Or. Quart. 9 -- Appendix 4 Statistical Results -- Index Of Hebrew Manuscripts -- Index Of Biblical Verses And Occurrences -- Subject Index -- Plates. Élodie Attia. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. In English, With Edition Of Hebrew Text. Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 Prologue 11 Introduction 17 Masoretic Contents versus Masoretic Layout? 18 What is a Figurative Masorah (Masora Figurata)? 19 Why Edit Figurative Masorah? 21 Critical Editions of Masoretic Notes 23 Structure of the Edition 24 Editorial Steps for Masoretic Micrographical Notes 25 The Manuscripts of the Critical Apparatus 28 Expected Results 32 Edition 33 Editorial Rules 35 Important Remarks to the Reader 37 Case 1: f. 63v, Genesis 50:21–Exodus 1:10 39 Case 2: f. 67bisr, Exodus 5:4–5:15 45 Case 3: f. 72v, Exodus 9:34–10:8 53 Case 4: f. 75v, Exodus 12:7–12:17 58 Case 5: f. 77v, Exodus 13:7–13:19 65 Case 6: f. 85v, Exodus 20:25–21:11 71 Case 7: f. 89v, Exodus 24:9–25:3 78 Case 8: f. 93r, Exodus 26:19–26:32 83 Case 9: f. 98r, Exodus 30:1–30:14 88 Case 10: f. 100v, Exodus 32:13–32:25 94 Case 11: f. 101r, Exodus 32:26–33:1 101 Case 12: f. 104r, Exodus 35:1–35:15 108 Case 13: f. 113r, Exodus 40:37–Leviticus 1:10 113 Concluding Remarks 119 Appendices 125 Appendix 1: Categories of Masoretic Notes According to Shape 127 Appendix 2: MS Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. Ebr. 14 129 Appendix 3: MS Berlin, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Or. Quart. 9 141 Appendix 4 : Statistical Results 149 Index of Hebrew Manuscripts 151 Index of Biblical Verses and Occurrences 153 Subject Index 161 Plates 163 Publication Bibliography 165 Credits 173 Following Levita's statement, the Masorah transmitted by medieval illuminated manuscripts was generally considered as less significant for the study of the biblical and masoretical knowledge in the Jewish world. The biblical codices produced in Ashkenaz were considerably disregarded compared to Spanish codices. Challenging this assertion, this work engages in a reflection on the link between the standard Eastern tradition and the Ashkenazic biblical text-culture of the 13th century. EÌ#x81;lodie Attia provides an edition of thirteen cases taken from MS Vat. Ebr. 14, offering the oldest series of Masoretic notes written inside figurative and ornamental designs. Its critical apparatus offers an unprecedented comparison with the oldest Eastern and Ashkenazic sources to evaluate if the scribe paid more attention to aesthetic details than to the textual contents. In an unexpected way, the Masoretic notes of Elijah ha-Naqdan, even written in figurative forms, show a close philological link with the Masorah of the eastern Tiberian sources and prove that the presence of figurative elements neither represents a loss nor a distortion of Masoretic knowledge, but rather illustrates a development in the Masoretic tradition. This volume is the first attempt to critically edit the textual contents of Masoretic notes written in micrographical designs. Within this pioneer work, Élodie Attia focuses on the Masorah of a 13th-century Northern French scribe, Elijah ben Berechiah ha-Naqdan (alive in 1233-1239), and provides new evidence about the transmission of Biblical and Masoretic knowledge in Western Europe and in Ashkenaz Intends to critically edit the textual contents of Masoretic notes written in micrographical designs. The author focuses on the Masorah of a 13th-century Northern French scribe, Elijah ben Berechiah ha-Naqdan (alive in 1233-1239), and offers new evidence about the transmission of Biblical and Masoretic knowledge in Western Europe and in Ashkenaz.