Bidspirit auction | Manuscript, Rosh Mashbir by Rabbi

Manuscript, Rosh Mashbir by Rabbi Moshe Berdugo, the Mashbir – Original Manuscript of the Work, Written During Lifetime of Author, Handwritten and Annotated by His Disciples Rabbi Chaim Toledano, Rabbi Yaakov Toledano and Others – Unpublished Glosses - Manuscript, Rosh Mashbir – Talmudic novellae by R. Moshe Berdugo, the Mashbir. [Meknes, Morocco, ca. early 18th century]. Western script, by several writers. The present manuscript is an original manuscript of the work written in the circle of the author – the Mashbir, handwritten and annotated by his disciples – leading Torah scholars of Meknes – R. Chaim Toledano (Maharchat), his brother Rabbi Yaakov Toledano (Maharit) and other disciples of the Mashbir. The present volume includes the novellae on Tractates Eruvin, Pesachim, Chagigah, Beitzah, Moed Katan, Rosh Hashanah, Taanit, Sanhedrin, Horayot, Shevuot, Makot, Bava Metzia, Gittin and Megillah (as well as one leaf with beginning of novellae on Tractate Shabbat). The hands of different scribes alternate frequently throughout the volume, and the novellae seem to have been written during the course of study at the yeshiva of the Mashbir. The two main scribes appear to be his disciples R. Chaim and R. Yaakov Toledano. In addition, autograph glosses of the disciples appear on the margins. On p. 12b: ”…Novellae of… R. Moshe Berdugo”. At the beginning of the novellae on Tractate Gittin (p. 105a; caption faded and partially lacking): ”Tractate Gittin [---]… R. [---] Moshe Berdugo who… [---] for a society of Torah scholars studying Torah all day”. On p. 89b, decorated inscriptions of ”Moshe Berdugo” (apparently imitations of the signature of the Mashbir). Additional inscription ”Moshe Berdugo” on p. 104b. The work is written in two formats: 1. Most of the volume (leaves 1-89) is written in two columns per page, in alternating hands. In margins, glosses of R. Yaakov Toledano, R. Moshe Toledano and others (some of these glosses have not been published; see below). 2. Beginning with Tractate Bava Metzia until the end (also including Tractates Gittin and Megillah; leaves 90-117), the manuscript is written in one column per page, in alternating hands. In this part, the students' novellae are at times incorporated with the main text as part of the discussion. For example, on p. 105b: ”…Avraham ibn Chasin answered this question… and Maharam Berdugo answered this…”. Next appears a section in a somewhat different handwriting, ending ”so it seems to me, Moshe”, followed by another section signed ”Avraham ibn Chasin”, immediately followed by another section signed ”Yaakov Toledano”. Further on the same leaf, another section ending ”Avraham ibn Chasin”, and then ”And to me Yaakov Toledano it seems…”. Throughout the volume appear autograph glosses on the margins of the pages, some signed, including many glosses by R. Yaakov Toledano (usually signed with his initials, and in two places just ”Yaakov”), R. Yehudah Berdugo (signed with his initials), R. Moshe Toledano (son of R. Yaakov Toledano, signed ”Moshe Toledano”, or with surname abbreviated or omitted), and other glosses by unidentified writers. On p. 8a, gloss by R. Yaakov Toledano (signed with his initials), followed by another gloss by his grandson R. Moshe Maimran (with his signature at end) disagreeing with his grandfather and supporting the Mashbir. In one place, gloss by R. Yaakov Toledano (signed ”Yaakov”) written after the passing of the Mashbir, who is mentioned with the blessing for the deceased (p. 13b). On p. 108b, copying of the words of the author: ”From here on diligence has decreased, because of our sins which caused the death of the bright candle, the pious one, who was killed along with his brother… From this point on I write without leisure and without concentration here and there. So says the occupied and young Moshe Berdugo” (with representation of his calligraphic signature). In novellae on Tractate Eruvin, several illustrations (pp. 14a, 15b). Rosh Mashbir was first printed in Livorno, 1840, from one of the many copies of the work produced in Morocco. It has recently been printed in a new edition (Haifa, 2012), based on several manuscripts. The present manuscript is one of the earliest, written by the author's disciples during his lifetime, while studying under his tutelage. This manuscript provides evidence for the formation process of the work, during joint study sessions of the Mashbir and his disciples. Some of the glosses in the present manuscript have not been printed in the Livorno edition or in the new edition. A small number of glosses printed in the Livorno edition were mistakenly incorporated within the main text of the work, whereas one can discern from the present manuscript that it was the gloss of a student (for example, in Pesachim 55a, the printed edition incorporates a passage that appears to continue the Mashbir's commentary, while the present manuscript has it as a marginal gloss signed by R. Yaakov Toledano).