Igeret beḥinat ha-ʿolam / ḥiberah … ha-Bederśi R. Yedaʿyah ha-Penini b.R. Avraham. Keter malkhut / [Shelomoh ben Yehudah ibn Gavirol]. [Berakhot, piyuṭim u-tefilot]. אגרת בחינת העולם / חברה ... הברדשי ר' ידעיה הפניני ב''ר אברהם. כתר מלכות / [שלמה בן יהודה אבן גבירול]. [ברכות, פיוטים ותפלות]. [Examination of the world by Yedayah Bedersi. Kingly crown by Solomon ibn Gabirol. Miscellaneous blessings and prayers].
Details
Type of record: Archive
Title: Igeret beḥinat ha-ʿolam / ḥiberah … ha-Bederśi R. Yedaʿyah ha-Penini b.R. Avraham. Keter malkhut / [Shelomoh ben Yehudah ibn Gavirol]. [Berakhot, piyuṭim u-tefilot]. אגרת בחינת העולם / חברה ... הברדשי ר' ידעיה הפניני ב''ר אברהם. כתר מלכות / [שלמה בן יהודה אבן גבירול]. [ברכות, פיוטים ותפלות]. [Examination of the world by Yedayah Bedersi. Kingly crown by Solomon ibn Gabirol. Miscellaneous blessings and prayers].
Classmark: MS ROTH/*423
Creator(s): Jedaiah ben Abraham Bedersi (1270-1340); Ibn Gabirol (1022-1070)
Date(s): [14th-15th century]
Language: Hebrew
Size and medium: 106 leaves : parchment (flesh and hair side clearly distinguishable)
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/115670
Description
Hebrew title supplied from headings in folio 1r and 50r, as well as by cataloguer.
English title supplied by cataloguer.
Contents:
1. folios 1r–49r: ''אגרת בחינת העולם חברה החכם המשורר הבדרשי ר' ידעיה הפניני ב''ר אברהם''.
2. folio 49v: blank.
3. folios 50r–76r: '' ''כתר מלכות. בתפילתי יסכן גבר....
4. folios 76v–77r: blank.
5. folios 77v–88v: ''סדר ברכת חתנים" comprising several hymns (פיוטים).
6. folios 88r–92v: ''ברכת מילה''.
7. folios 93r–95v: ''תפלת הדרך''.
8. folios 96r–99v: ''צדוק הדין''.
9. folios 100r–101r: blank.
10. folios 101v–102r: originally blank; סגולות added by second hand.
11. folios 102v: blank.
State of text:
Fine white parchment most probably vellum; spine broke; pest damage; erosion and fading of ink in some folios with loss of text; sticking leaves; some staining and dirt, especially in the first and last gatherings of the text.
The format of MS Roth *423:
The item is a miniature manuscript, ideal to take on travels.
Bibliographical note:
National Library of Israel (NLI), Online Catalogue, system-no.990001859310205171. The NLI’s description is based on the microfilm of MS Roth *423 made on behalf of the Institute for Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts of the NLI during the 1960s.
The microfilm can now be downloaded in a digitized form from the NLI-webpage.
Davis, Handlist 164 (Leeds, 2005), no. *423.
Roth aquired the item after he composed his Mss. catalogue (see Roth, “Catalogue”, in Alexander Marx: Jubilee Volume, vol. 1 (New York, 1950).
Decoration
Standard prayer book layout with basic decorative elements:
Decoration 1: Initial words throughout the text, and headings in prayer part are in bigger square script letters.
Decoration 2: Ornamented gathering catchwords (now mostly trimmed off).
Decoration 3: Size and type of script is changing according to the content, e.g., some instructions in the prayer part are in tiny semi-cursive script (1 x 1 mm.).
Decoration 4: Poetic spacing and well executed layout.
Decoration 5: Decorative substitute for the Tetragrammaton.
Decoration 6: Strict maintenance of left margins.
Decoration 7: Completion formulas.
Physical characteristics
Dimensions of written space: 45 x 32 mm.
Dimensions of binding: 76 x 59 mm.
Foliation: i (paste-down) + 104 (foliated as 1–3, 3a[=4]–57[=58], 57a[=59]–102[=104]) + i (paste-down); modern pencil foliation, upper left recto; folios 49v, 76v–77r, 100r–101r, and 102v are blank; folios 101v–102r were originally blank.
Collation: 1²?(wants 2; 1 is paste-down) 2–10¹⁰ 11⁴? 12²? (wants 1?; 2 is paste-down).
Catchwords: most likely in inner lower margin of verso of last leaf of each gathering; horizontal, ornamented with dots; most of the catchwords are completely trimmed off; only the catchword in last leaf verso of the 9th gathering is extant (folio 88v[=90v]); the ornamental dots of the catchwords in last leaf verso of the 1st (folio 9v[=10v]) and 2nd gathering (folio 19v[=20v]) are visible.
Ruling: frame-ruled in dry point with double outer vertical bounding lines; horizontal and vertical lines are crossing; 16 long lines.
Number of lines: 11–15 long lines.
Script: Italian semi-cursive and square Hebrew script.
Ms. codex: width 53mm height 73mm
Binding
Full polished dark brown leather binding over boards (16th-17th century (?)); blind-tooled designs on both boards; in the front-board's centre is a right-facing rampant lion surrounded by an oval frame with a half laurel, half round leaves, border; on its top and bottom sits a winged cherub's head; the oval frame and the heads are surrounded by leaf sprays; the edges of the board are decorated by a border made out of different rolls. The back board bears a similar design; its oval centre frame envelops an amphora with flowers; the oval is surrounded by five winged cherub's heads nested in leaf sprays; the parchment is sewn on two raised bands; the back is nearly flat and attached to the spine; gilt-stamped on the spine's middle panel is "BECHINAT OLAM ETC. MS." The leather covering shows some damage by pests.
Vocalisation and cantillation
None.
Scribal information
Written by one professional hand (identical substitute for the Tetragrammaton and para-scriptual elements throughout) apart from segulot in folios 101v–102r.
Former owners and annotations
Segulot (remedies) added by a second hand in folios 101v–102r.
A description of the manuscript, cut out from some printed catalogue, is attached to the final paste-down; the number assigned to the manuscript in this description is "307" but is has been crossed out and somebody, maybe Roth, added the mark "MS. Roth 423" in black ink.
A small label with "The Cecil Roth Collection" printed on it, and "MS. Roth 423" written in pencil below, is attached to the initial paste-down.
Access and usage
Access
This material is not subject to restrictions under Data Protection or other relevant legislation that might limit access. However, other protections, such as donor conditions or conservation considerations, may still apply where advised.