Hebrew and Judaica Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University

MS. Canonici Or. 67

Oriental Manuscripts Canonici Oriental Collection

Contents

Sefer ha-Shorashim

ff. 1r-233r
Kimhi, David, approximately 1160-approximately 1235קמחי, דוד בן יוסף, Sefer ha-Shorashim ספר השורשים

On the margins at the beginning and on some leaves in the middle of the MS there are omissions and biblical referenes by an Italian hand. Glosses written in an Italian mid-late 15th-century hand.

The document on fol. 234v dated 1417 (in Portuguese) might be by the scribe's grandson.

Colophon: Colophon on fol. 231r: יצחק בן יוסף זרקו כתב בלישבואה שנת ל"ח . The script seems to be of a later period. Perhaps the hundreds were omitted in the colophon and the date should be 5[1]38= 1378?
Language(s): Hebrew

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ff. 234
Dimensions (leaf): 279 × 206 mm.
Foliation: Foliation in Arabic numerals.

Collation

Quires of mostly 8 leaves no signatures, catchwords in the middle of the lower margin (at the end of quires)

Condition

Fol. 56 is torn; last quire (fols. 225-234) is very loose.

Layout

Text in two columns. Hair and flesh side are distinguishable. Pricking and ruling are often visible.

Hand(s)

Sephardi semi-cursive script.

Decoration

Decorated initial words.

Binding

Parchment binding.

History

Origin: Lisbon?; 1378?

Provenance and Acquisition

Ownership inscriptions: יונה יאיר (fol.1r); יוסף בן יצחק זרקו (fol. 234v) ; censors' signatures: "Camillo Jaghel 1613", "Ego Frater Renatus a Mutina ord[in]is Capp[ucino]ru[m] correxi anno 1626", "Revisto per mi fra Luigi da Bologna del ordine de sa' Domenico ... 1599" (fol. 233r), "fra Gir[olamo] da Duranallo 1640" (fol. 234v).

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. 2391, Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library; Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda to Vol. I, No. 2391, 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 21671

Bibliography

    Neubauer, Adolf, Catalogue of the Hebrew Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1886), no. 2391.
    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. 2391.

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