Lot 119
Torah Scroll in Early Ashkenazic Script, Written According to an Early Ashkenazic Tradition with Rare Crownlet Decorations and Unusual and Winding Letters, 16th/17th Century
Early Torah scroll in early Ashkenazic script, with extensive crownlet decoration and unusual and winding letters, including rare appearances of these letters. [16th/17th century]. With later replacement membranes [ca. 17th/18th century].
This scroll contains letters with extensive crownlet decoration and unusual letters following the early scribal tradition – including rare crownlet decorations; inversed letters; winding Pe; Chet with vertical lines wide apart and additional decorations; and special decorations on Lamed, Nun and other letters. The scroll was written according to the early Ashkenazic tradition, including in regard to the exact spelling of the words, the spacing between sections, enlarged or reduced letters, letters with an overdot and the way of writing the final lines of the Song of the Sea in Parashat Beshalach. Variations unique to this scroll in the division of the words into three columns in the Song of the Sea.
This scroll was written according to the tradition and custom of early scribes, as detailed in the early book Sefer Tagi. The Rambam quotes this tradition in Hilchot Sefer Torah (chapter 7, law 8): "…and one should be particular with enlarged and reduced letters, letters with an overdot and unusual letters, such as the winding Pe and crooked letters, as transmitted from one scribe to another. And one should be particular about the crownlet decorations and their number, some letters have one crownlet and some have seven…". This style of writing gradually disappeared over the course of the generations, due to lack of uniformity between the different versions of the Masorah, and relying on the responsum of the Rambam who stated that a Torah scroll is not disqualified if lacking the extensive crownlet decoration and unusual letters. The tradition of extensive crownlet decoration and unusual letters was preserved in some of the Ashkenazic Torah scrolls even in later periods. In recent times, Torah scrolls are no longer scribed with extensive crownlet decoration and unusual letters.
This description is based on a detailed report (19 leaves) by a researcher specializing in the field of extensive crownlet decoration and unusual letters, who listed the many variations found in this scroll. His examination shows that some of the appearances of extensive crownlet decoration and unusual letters are not known from any other sources.
Some conjecture that the scroll was scribed in Poland, but this is unclear. The replacement membranes were written at different times (most were written specifically for this scroll).
Height of the parchment: approx. 65 cm. Maximum height, including rollers: approx. 100 cm. 72 membranes, 215 columns. Including 53 original membranes, and 19 membranes replaced at different times. Ink faded, with early ink restoration following the original script.
