Leiden Jerusalem Talmud
Encyclopedia
The Leiden Jerusalem Talmud also known as the Leiden Talmud is a medieval copy of the Jerusalem Talmud
. The manuscript was written in 1289 C.E, meaning it is the oldest complete manuscript of the Jerusalem Talmud in the world. The manuscript is also the only surviving complete (non-printed) manuscript of the Jerusalem Talmud. The manuscript receives its name from the University of Leiden where it has been kept since the nineteenth century.
s of that period. Errors in Hebrew Manuscripts were common since access to texts such as the Talmud
was limited. This was partially due to the absence of printing. However most notably, Talmudic texts were rare since they were outlawed on several occasions. The most prominent example of this would be the Vatican decree to burn all Talmudic manuscrupts. This decree led to the Paris book burning
s of 1242. Reb Yehiel writes that he copied the text from a different manuscript that was filled with scribal errors. However, Reb Yehiel states he tried to correct as many errors as possible. He humbly states 'I know that I have not corrected even half of the mistakes' and begs for the readers forgiveness. .
In 1973 the manuscript was restored and rebound.
Jerusalem Talmud
The Jerusalem Talmud, talmud meaning "instruction", "learning", , is a collection of Rabbinic notes on the 2nd-century Mishnah which was compiled in the Land of Israel during the 4th-5th century. The voluminous text is also known as the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud de-Eretz Yisrael...
. The manuscript was written in 1289 C.E, meaning it is the oldest complete manuscript of the Jerusalem Talmud in the world. The manuscript is also the only surviving complete (non-printed) manuscript of the Jerusalem Talmud. The manuscript receives its name from the University of Leiden where it has been kept since the nineteenth century.
Authorship
The Leiden Talmud was written in 1289 by Reb Jehiel b.Reb Jekuthiel b.Reb Benjamin ha-Rofe.. Reb Jehiel lived in Rome during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries where he was a famous scholar, poet, copyist. He was most well known as the author of the book of Piety Maalot ha-Middot.. Reb Yehiel states at the beginning of the Manuscript that he finished writing Zeraim and Moed on the 12th day of the month of Shevat. He continues to state that he finished Nashim and Nizikin one and a half months later.Errors within the text
There are several errors throughout the manuscript which is consistent with many other Hebrew manuscriptManuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s of that period. Errors in Hebrew Manuscripts were common since access to texts such as the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
was limited. This was partially due to the absence of printing. However most notably, Talmudic texts were rare since they were outlawed on several occasions. The most prominent example of this would be the Vatican decree to burn all Talmudic manuscrupts. This decree led to the Paris book burning
Book burning
Book burning, biblioclasm or libricide is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded...
s of 1242. Reb Yehiel writes that he copied the text from a different manuscript that was filled with scribal errors. However, Reb Yehiel states he tried to correct as many errors as possible. He humbly states 'I know that I have not corrected even half of the mistakes' and begs for the readers forgiveness. .
Bomberg printing of the Jerusalem Talmud
During 1523-1524 the Jerusalem Talmud was printed for the first time in Venice by Daniel Bomberg. Jacob ben Ḥayyim ibn Adoniyahu, the editor of the Bomberg edition of the Jerusalem Talmud used the Leiden Manuscript along with three other manuscripts as the basis of the printed edition of the Jerusalem Talmud. However, Jacob ben Hayyim ibn Adoniyahu considered the Leiden Manuscript the least accurate copy of the Jerusalem Talmud. The other three manuscripts of the Jerusalem Talmud used for the printing of Bomberg's edition of the Talmud have been lost.University of Leiden
After the publication of the Bomberg edition of the Jerusalem Talmud the Leiden Talmud was lost for around three hundred years. It was only to be rediscovered in the mid nineteenth century in the Library of the city of Leiden. It had been entrusted to the Library by the notable Protestant scholar Joseph Scaliger who was a professor at Leiden. The Leiden Talmud was transferred to the University of Leiden Library along with the rest of Scaliger's collection of manuscripts.Recent history
Recently the Academy of Hebrew Language published an exact transcription of the Leiden Talmud along with carefully annotated corrections.In 1973 the manuscript was restored and rebound.