Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol Devarim – Yemen, 1473 – Scribed by Rabbi David son of Rabbi Benaiah, Renowned Scribe of Sanaa

Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol to Devarim. Sanaa (Yemen), [Shevat 1473].

Yemenite script. Reshut piyyutim at beginning o

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Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol Devarim – Yemen, 1473 – Scribed by Rabbi David son of Rabbi Benaiah, Renowned Scribe of Sanaa

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Auction 100 – Important Hebrew Manuscripts and Books from the Victor (Avigdor) Klagsbald Collection

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Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol Devarim – Yemen, 1473 – Scribed by Rabbi David son of Rabbi Benaiah, Renowned Scribe of Sanaa

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Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000

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Manuscript, Midrash HaGadol to Devarim. Sanaa (Yemen), [Shevat 1473].

Yemenite script. Reshut piyyutim at beginning of each parashah vocalized (with supralinear vocalization). Glosses, corrections and notes, in margins and between lines, by various writers of different periods.

On last leaf, colophon of scribe R. David son of Benaiah son of Saadiah, who scribed the book in Sanaa in 1473, on behalf of Shalom son of Yehudah son of Amram Alkawas who ordered it: "This Midrash HaGadol is completed with the help of the great G-d, Thursday, 29th Shevat [1473], in the city of Sanaa; may it be a good sign for its master who occupied himself with it, Shalom son of Yehudah son of Amram Alkawas… and the writer David son of Benaiah son of Saadiah, may G-d forgive me for any error I made…". Between the lines are added blessings for the living over the names of the scribe and his father, while a blessing for the deceased is added over the name of his grandfather.

The scribe R. David son of Benaiah son of Saadiah (son of Zechariah Al-Margaz), son of R. Benaiah the scribe, from the famous family of scribes in Sanaa (see: Michael Riegler, Benaya the Scribe and His Descendants – A Family of Scribes from Yemen, Pe'amim LXIV, 1995, pp. 53-67 [Hebrew]). The scribe R. David was active ca. 1470s-1510s (see further: Gavra, Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, I, pp. 81-82). In his Even Sapir, R. Yaakov Sapir published a poem copied from R. David's handwriting (Even Sapir, II, Mainz 1874, pp. 232-233; see: Malachi Beit-Arié, A Colophon-Poem in Yemenite Pentateuch Manuscripts, Shai LeHeiman – A.M. Habermann Jubilee Volume, Jerusalem 1977, p. 37 [Hebrew]).

R. David's other known manuscripts include: a parchment Taj dated 1487 from the Alsheich synagogue in Sanaa, which is considered one of the most accurate manuscripts; a Taj dated 1485, regarding which several documents from 1536 and 1733 detailing its sale were discovered (see: Gavra, Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, I, pp. 2-3, 237, 445); a Taj dated 1510, also from the Alsheich synagogue in Sanaa, containing a record of its sale in 1570 (see: Gavra, ibid., p. 286); a Taj dated 1498, now held in the Westminster College Library in Cambridge (see: Gamlieli, Chikrei Lashon, p. 36); a Taj dated 1484 purchased by the famous traveler R. Yaakov Sapir, now held in the Cambridge library (Ms. Add. 1174; see above article by M. Beit-Arié, Shai LeHeiman, pp. 37-39 – who also lists other manuscripts scribed by R. David son of R. Benaiah, including a manuscript dated 1490, located in the British Library in London, Ms. Or. 2349); and more.

His father,
R. Benaiah son of Saadiah son of Zechariah – "the most renowned scribe in Yemen" (Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, I, p. 42), head of the famous family of scribes active in Sanaa. Colophons he scribed read: "The weak scribe… the least of scribes… Benaiah son of Saadiah son of Zechariah son of Benaiah son of Oded, known as Ben Margaz" (see: M. Beit-Arié, Asufat Ketavim Ivriyim MiYemei HaBeinayim, I, Oriental and Yemenite Scripts, Jerusalem 1988, plate 140). The famous traveler R. Yaakov Sapir, who visited Yemen in the 19th century, reports in his book Even Sapir: "…I did not find many early manuscript Bibles as I hoped, since their last exiles and tribulations did not leave much surviving; the oldest ones are some five hundred years old. The most accurate ones were produced by Benaiah, the expert and punctilious scribe, and unbelievably, he is said to have scribed four hundred books in his lifetime…" (Even Sapir, Lyck, 1866, leaf 102).

R. Yaakov Sapir also mentions Miriam the scribe, daughter of R. Benaiah, who also worked as a copyist: "He also had a daughter who was an expert scribe, and I was shown a manuscript Chumash concluding with the inscription: 'Do not condemn me if you find any errors, as I am a nursing woman, Miriam daughter of Benaiah the scribe' – and it is accurate, with neat, beautiful script" (Even Sapir, ibid.). R. Benaiah himself scribed books ca. 1450-1483, and he passed away ca. 1484, as evidenced by a colophon written by his son the scribe R. Yosef son of Benaiah, where R. Benaiah is mentioned as deceased (Ms. Jerusalem, Benayahu collection, quoted by: M. Riegler, Benaya the Scribe and His Descendants – A Family of Scribes from Yemen, ibid., p. 63).

As stated above, the present volume's colophon mentions him with a blessing for the living. According to Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, R. Benaiah son of Saadiah is "the most renowned scribe in Yemen… His fame is due to the dozens of manuscripts he, his sons and grandsons copied… According to one opinion, he served as head of the Sanaa Beit Din… The vast majority of books they copied are Bibles with Masorah and Machberet HaTijan… His copyings are considered most accurate, and he is viewed as the greatest Masoretic authority. The question of the relation of his Masorah to the Tiberian Masoretic school is greatly contested among scholars… Tradition holds that he and his family copied hundreds of manuscripts, of which dozens have passed down to us…" (Gavra, Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, I, pp. 42-43). See there for a partial list of his known extant manuscripts.

The Hebrew Paleography Project lists some 40 manuscripts from the family of Benaiah, located today in various libraries and collections (M. Riegler, Benaya the Scribe and His Descendants – A Family of Scribes from Yemen, ibid., p. 54).

[281] leaves. Approx. 26.5 cm. Varying condition – good to fair. Stains, wear and tears. Most leaves in good condition. First three leaves contain large open tears, heavily affecting text (repaired with paper). Marginal open tears to other leaves at beginning, middle and end of volume, affecting text in a few places (repaired with paper). Inscriptions. New leather binding.

Provenance:

1. Formerly of the collection of Dr. Israel Mehlman, no. 14 (see: Gavra, Encyclopedia LeChachmei Teiman, I, p. 82).

2. The Victor Klagsbald Collection (see: M. Riegler, cited above, pp. 61, 66).

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