Hebrew and Judaica Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University

MS. Canonici Or. 54

Oriental Manuscripts Canonici Oriental Collection

Contents

Commentary on Job by Zerahiah ben Isaac Gracian

ff. 2r-181v
Gracian, Zerahiah ben Isaac ben Shealtiel, active 13th centuryזרחיה בן יצחק בן שאלתיאל, Commentary on the Writings (Job) ‫ פרוש כתובים לזרחיה בן יצחק בן שאלתיאל (איוב)

Yehudah ben Daniʾel of Lotsira sold the MS to Nataniʾel ben Shabbatai of Norbits; witnesses: Mosheh ben Shabbatai and Shmuʾel ben Shmuʾel of Modena (see ownership inscriptions at the beginning and at the end).

Colophon: The author's colophon is on fol. 181v, underneath another colophon probably by the scribe (or the scribe of the MS this copy was based on) is erased but still legible: נשלם פירוש ספר איוב לזחריה בן יצחק בן שאלתיאל ... ממדינת ברצלונה אשר בספרד
Language(s): Hebrew

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ff. 184
Dimensions (leaf): 282 × 215 mm.
Foliation: Foliation in Arabic numerals.

Collation

Quires of mostly 8 leaves no signatures no catchwords (fragments suggest that catchwords might have been trimmed off by binder).

Hand(s)

Sephardi semi-cursive script.

Decoration

Not decorated.

Binding

Brown leather binding, blind tooled.

History

Origin: [Spain]; [14th century]

Provenance and Acquisition

The same ownership note is written a few times by various hands: יהודה וצבי (?) בכמ"ר עמנואל זורף(?) (fol. 1r); various other notes on fol. 1r including a partially illegibly Latin (or Italian?) note; ownership note by Shimshon Kohen Modon: קנין הצעיר שמשון כהן מודון (fol.1v). Purchase note in Italian semi-cursive on fol. 181v: Yehudah ben Shmuel (?) sold it to Nataniel ben Shabati (?) in [5]259(?) (=1499); illegible note on the bottom of fol. 181v.

Matteo Luigi Canonici's (1727-1805) collections passed to his brother Giuseppe, and on his death in 1807 to Giovanni Perissinotti and Girolamo Cardina, who divided them. To the former fell the MSS., then about 3550 in number, and, after many attempts to sell them, the Bodleian became the purchaser of the greater part in 1817, for £5444 5s. 1d., or including incidental expenses about £6030, the largest single purchase ever made by the Library. The formal list of volumes handed over was signed on May 18, 1817, and the books probably arrived later that year.

Record Sources

Manuscript description based on Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, vol. I, by Adolf Neubauer, Oxford 1886, No. 126, Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda to Vol. I, No. 126, and on the data of the Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts, National Library of Israel with additional enhancements by the cataloguer.

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures contact Bodleian Admissions). Contact specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript.

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)

Microfilm

MSS R.R. Film No. F 16190

Bibliography

    Neubauer, Adolf, Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1886), no. 126.
    Beit-Arié, Malachi and R.A. May (eds), Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda to Vol. I (A. Neubauer’s Catalogue) (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994), no. 126.

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