Friday, February 27, 2009

Valmadonna leftovers

Last week, Bray promised to post replies to some questions he had sent to the tour guide who escorted him around the Valmadonna library. Bray hasn't yet followed through, which I presume means he's gotten no answer, lost interest, or received replies he didn't like. Meanwhile, another friend of the blog (HT on request) emailed me some pics, and some questions, two of which appear below.

At the right is what I'm told is one of the first haggadot ever printed. Like the ones, I have it home, it appears to be covered with wine stains. Am I right, or are those reddish brown splotches something else?

Other famous haggadot: Sarejevo Haggadah , Szyk Hagaddah, Two Minute Haggadah, Sixty-second Haggadah

At the left is one of two very old Pentatuch manuscripts held by the library. As reported on this blog, back when it was hip, cool, and relevant, Aaron ben Moses ben Asher, the best known of the Masorites, and the man thought to be responsible for the most magnificent Torah manuscript of them all, may have been a Karaite. Indeed, many of the old codices were either commissioned or owned by Karaite communities. Is this also true of the Valmadonna scrolls? Were they also originally the property of Karaites?

Other famous Hebrew bible codices: Aleppo Codex, Codex Cairensis, Leningrad Codex

Related: Vamdonnarama-palooza

No comments: