Judaica in Leiden

An exhibition in Leiden University Library at the occasion of the Congress of European Association of Jewish Studies, Amsterdam 21-25 juli 2002.

Inhoud

Introduction

VII. CHRISTIANITY AND HEBRAISM

Tehillim
Manuscript on parchment, 12^th century, England.
Or. 4725, ff. 27v-28r.
¶ The Hebrew Psalter partly accompanied by exegetical remarks taken from the Glossa Ordinaria in Latin. As research has pointed out, this early Anglo-Hebrew manuscript was written by a non-Jew. The Hebrew script makes a slightly awkward impression. The vocalisation is highly inconsistent, unusual and lacks the accents. Most probably the scribe tried tocapture the sounds of Hebrew as he heard them from a Jewish informant. Contrary to Jewish scribal practice, the scribe introduced illuminated initials.

Polyglot Psalter
Manuscript on parchment, 12^th century, Northern Europe.
BPG 49a, ff. 1b-2a.
¶ The Psalms in Hebrew, Latin (‘iuxta Hebreaos’), Greek and Latin (Psalterium Gallicanum). The Hebrew is vocalised according to a peculiar simplified system and lacks the accents. The text follows the divisions of the Greek and Latin translations.

Even Bohan
Shem Tov ben Isaac ibn Shaprut (14^th century). Manuscript on paper, 1584. Semi-cursive Sefardi script.
Or. 4766, p. 413.
¶ Ibn Shaprut’s anti-Christian polemic Even Bohan (1385). Ibn Shaprut’s summation of Jewish apologetics circulated in several versions. The present version in sixteen books is proven to be a revision of the original. This version includes a discussion on the articles of Christian belief. The thirteenth book, exhibited here, (incorrectly called the twelfth book) is a translation and a critique on the Gospels, starting with Matthew.

Stricturae ad Origines
Albert Schultens (1686-1750). Manuscript on paper, vol. 1 of 4, mid 18^th century, Leiden.
Or. 1459a, ff. 7b-8a.
¶ Albert Schultens’ unedited Hebrew Lexicon. The study of Oriental languages started early in the history of Leiden University and at first focussed on Hebrew, which was considered an indispensable tool for the study of the Bible and for theology. It relied heavily on Rabbinic sources. Later, under the influence of Albert Schultens (1686-1750), the focus shifted towards
Arabic as the key for understanding the difficulties of
Biblical Hebrew and the use of Jewish sourcesdeclined sharply. In 1729,Albert Schultens became the first curator of a separate department of Oriental manuscripts and printed books at Leiden University. His son Jan Jacob Schultens (1716-1778) leaned more towards theology,but also intended to produce an Arabic lexicon, which as in his father’s case, never appeared. The last in the line was Hendrik Albert Schultens (1749-1793) who devoted himself to Oriental philology.

Hebrew Psalms in classical metres
Egbertus Joannes Greve (1754-1811). Manuscript on paper, late 18^th century, Netherlands.
Or. 3148a, f. 15r.
¶ E. J. Greve’s work on the metrical system of the Psalms. Greve devoted his life to the discovery of the metrical system of Biblical poetry. This manuscript deals with part of the Psalter. Greve gives a Latin translation and forces the Hebrew text into a straightjacket of dactyls and spondees. His work met with little acclaim, although similar works on the Prophets were published.

Colophon
Assistance and advice: dr. Hannah Neudecker
Texts: Prof. Albert van der Heide & Gerrit-Jan Bouwman
Editing and language correction: Ms. Liesbeth Kanis
Digital photography: Gerrit-Jan Bouwman
Editor web version: Prof. Jan Just Witkam
Web technician: Hans Tisseur
Completed: July 10, 2002