R

B"H

R. Yaakov Sapir's testimony on

the TRADITION OF ORTHOGRAPHY IN YEMEN (extract taken from the book, "Eben Sapir," in the chapter known as "Hadrei Teman," written in year 1859 C.E.)

And lo, in their books of the Law there are to be found several differences in defective and plene letters, for example: "Minaso" (Gen. 4:13), [in the verse, "My iniquity is greater than I can bear,"] lacks a "Waw;" [or] "Ma'ayanoth" (Gen. 7:11) [in the verse, "All of the fountains of the deep were opened,"] lacks a "Waw;" [as well as] "Wiyiheyu kol yamei Noah" (Gen. 9:28), [in the verse, "And all of the days of Noah were," etc., is written] with the addition of a "Waw" at its end; "Te'aseh" (Exo. 25:31), [in the verse, "Of beaten work shall the candlestick be made,"] lacks a "Yod;" "Hodsheichem" (Num.10:10), [in the verse, "Thy new moons," etc., is written] with the addition of a "Yod;" as also in the lay-out of the Song of the Sea (Exo.15: 1-ff.) and in certain closed sections [of the Law].[1] And I saw that all their ancient books were [written] in this way.

(A note appended later by R. Yaakov Sapir to the above section reads as follows:)

I do recall my faults this day. When I had taken with me a scroll of the Law [written] in the handwriting of the scriveners of Yemen, and when I had proofread it, I found in it the differences that I formerly mentioned, as well as other [changes] – besides that which can be attributed to scribal error, and I corrected it after the manner of our own books. Then when I happened to be, afterwards, in Paris during [the month of] Tishri, 5625 [anno mundi] (1865 C.E.), I saw a book in the library of that great personage, the savant and honourable teacher and Rabbi, Rabbi Hertz Ginzburg (may his light shine), which [library] stood under the supervision of my beloved friend, the wise and illustrious Rabbi, [even] our teacher the Rabbi, S. Zachs (may his light shine), a most dear manuscript made by the Rabbi [who is known as] "the Meiri," of blessed memory, [and which book was entitled], "Kiryat Sefer." [2]

Its name is derived from [its content, which treats on] all the laws governing the scroll of the Law, how it ought to be written, and how read, therein showing all of the defective [letters], and plene [letters],[3] open sections and closed sections, [etc., which scribes are wont to make in a scroll of the Law] – nothing being left undone, whether small or great, which he did not bring out in that book. He has withal done far more than what could ever have been expected, whether it were of any man who came before him, or who should come after him.

Now I shall copy here, in short, an outline of the matters from one of the chapters, being useful for the purport [of our discourse], and whose words are as follows:

"Now behold, herein, do I make a copy[4] of the writing which the forenamed Rabbi (i.e. Haramah,[5] of blessed memory) sent to the sages of Bourges [in France] who had belaboured themselves on this point (i.e. over the subject of proofreading the scroll of the Law) with a well-known Codex attributed to Hillel the elder, [and] which was called by them 'Halleujah.' "

The [author of the book] Yuchasin[6] wrote these words: "Now in the year 4956 anno mundi (1196 C.E.), on the 8^th of Menahem Av, there fell out a great religious persecution in the kingdom of Leon,[7] to the extent that they carried away from there a Codex containing the 24 canonical books of the Bible, called the Biblia, which R. Hillel had written, and from which they would proofread the texts of all the scrolls." Now I saw some of them (i.e. scrolls) that were sold in Africa, and at my time, they were nine-hundred years old since the time they were first written. The [same author of the book] Yuchasin, on the year 5250 anno mundi (1490 C.E.), wrote: "Hakimhi [8] said in his 'Piece on Grammar,' in the chapter 'Lema'an Tizkaru,' that the Codex was in Toledo [of Spain], and [that it was found written after its prescription] in the books [of the Law] left by the early Geonim, [particularly] by Rav Sherira [Gaon] and Rabbeinu Hai [Gaon.]. And when the books of Rabbeinu Moshe (i.e. Maimonides, of blessed memory) came amongst them and they saw his tradition of orthography[9] in this regard, they sent to him (i.e. to Haramah) and he answered them after [much] flowery speech and many praises, whose words were these: 'But presently I shall tell you the truth, that all the books that have reached us of those books written by Rabbeinu Moshe (Maimonides), may peace rest on him, with regard to open sections and closed sections, all of them were engrossed with different errors one from the other, since the words of the book were concealed [from understanding], and those copyists who copied from it made rash decisions on their own, and each one added [what he pleased], and diminished [from the true text] according to his own understanding, thus defacing the books with things that they imagined in their heart to be true, and which they gave their opinion to, but which I was compelled to investigate and make inquiry into, etc., etc. And so, I sent to Marseilles, to the most erudite man [there], Shemuel Ibn-Tibbun,[10] the physician, and I asked him to send me an [accurate] account of the closed and open sections from the Codex that was copied from the Codex of that Rabbi who came with him to Marseilles, and which said Rabbi (may his memory be blessed) had signed in his own handwriting; as also that which I, myself, had written down from the book (not that he was really before me), I am Moshe, the son of Rabbi Maimon the Sepharadi. And so did he do, sending them to me with due speed, and I found in the copy of the writing, etc. all the things that you brought to my attention for a decision [as touching the writings of Maimonides] that they were [indeed] true, etc. and that the other matters that were concealed [therein from our understanding] were not made clear unto me by that book until I was compelled to once again search and inquire [into them], etc., and it was revealed unto me their import[11] by the help of Him who favours man with understanding. Now, behold! They are written in this [leafed] booklet which is being sent to you, etc., [both] open and closed [sections], [and] that which is neither an open [section] nor a closed [section], but rather an arranged [section],[12] in my own handwriting. Likewise have I written to you the lay-out of the [poetic] Song Ha'azinu in two categories: one, containing the names of words that come at the beginning of each line; the other, containing the names of words that come at the end of each line. (Now there are altogether sixty-seven lines [in the Song Ha'azinu],[13] just as it is found in my handwritten Bible Codex, and in [copies of] Maimonides of [those made by the] early exponents of our laws…) … [Signed]: From him that has been afflicted with reproof of instruction, not with whips, per se, but with scorpions, until he was compelled to confess his sorrow unto many – perchance they will seek mercy upon him from Him who has mercy; [I], who writes to his friends and companions, Meir Halevi, the son of R. Todros.' "

And, there, the Rabbi who is "the Meiri," of blessed memory, writes more, [viz.], that in Toledo [of Spain] there was a book [of the Law] called "the book of Ezra," and a certain Codex that was copied from the Codex belonging to Haramah (i.e. Rabbi Meir Halevi, the son of R. Todros), whom we mentioned, which [latter] was proofread many times with utmost diligence by several scribes and wise men, in the forenamed city, with painstaking care and great expense, and came afterwards into his hand[14] with all the testimonies of the proofreaders and scribes, and, based on it, he wrote in this, his own book "Kiryat Sefer," every word which is either defective or plene, open and closed sections, in the year of the exile of France, which corresponds to the year 5,066 anno mundi (1306 C.E.). Unto here we have brought down his words. Now, behold! I have found [and] seen in this [book], "Kiryat Sefer," exactly as it is found written in the scrolls of Yemen! (q.v. supra, the treatise on Egypt, where I have elaborated to a greater extent about all their details.) And so in vain have I erased and made corrections. Now if I had seen it beforehand, I would not have touched it [with my own] hand! But He is merciful [and] atones for iniquity… END

המקור:

והנה בס"ת שלהם נמצא כמה שנויים בחסר ויתר כמו מנשא (בראשית ד' י"ג) ח"ו מעינת (נח ז' י"א) ח"ו ויהיו כל ימי נח (נח ט' כ"ח) בואו לאחרונה תעשה (תרומה כ"ה ל"א) ח"י חדשיכם (בהעלותך י' י') מ"י וכן בצורת שירת הים ובאיזה סתומות * וראיתי שכל ספריהם הקודמים כן הוא.

(המחבר הוסיף הערה זו בעת הדפוס)

את חטאי אני מזכיר היום כי הבאתי עמי ס"ת מכתיבת סופרי תימן וכאשר הגהתיה מצאתי בה השנויים הנז' ועוד (לבד איזה טעות סופר) ותיקנתיה עפ"י ספרים שלנו. ובהיותי אח"כ תשרי תרכ"ה בפאריז ראיתי בבית עקד הספרים של הגביר האדיר החכם הנכבד מו"ה הירץ גינצבורג נ"י העומדת תחת יד ידי"נ הרב החכם המפואר מוהר"ש זאקש נ"י ספר כ"י יקר להרב המאירי ז"ל קרית ספר. שמו על כל דיני ס"ת כתיבתו וקריאתו ומצויין בו כל החסרות ויתרות ופתוחות וסתומות לא הניח דבר קטון וגדול שלא העלה בספר הזה והוא מפליא לעשות מכל אשר לפניו ולאחריו. ואעתיק בזה בקיצור ריש מילין מפרק אחד הנצרך לענינינו וז"ל: "והריני כותב כאן כתב שלחו הרב הנזכר (הרמ"ה ז"ל) לחכמי בורגיש שטרחו על זה (בהגהת ס"ת) עם ספר הידוע להלל הזקן שנקרא ביניהם הללויה. [היוחסין כ' וז"ל: "ובשנה ד"א תתקנ"ו בח' למנחם הי' שמד גדול במלכות ליאון ואז הוציאו משם ספר הארבע ועשרים נקרא הביבליא שכתב אותם ר' הלל ומשם היו מגיהים כל הספרים ואני ראיתי חלק מהם שנמכרו באפריקא ובזמני הי' תשעה מאות שנה שנכתבו. (והיוחסין ה"א ר"נ) והקמחי אמר בחלק הדקדוק בפ' למען תזכרו שהחומש היה בטוליטולא.] ובספרים ישנים לגאונים הראשונים של רב שרירא ורבינו האיי וכשבאו ספרי רבינו משה (הרמב"ם ז"ל) אצלם וראו סדריו בענין זה שלחו לו (להרמ"ה) והשיב להם אחרי המליצית והשבחים כו' כו' וז"ל: "ועתה אמת אגיד לכם כי כל הספרים אשר הגיעו לידינו מספרי רבינו משה ע"ה בענין הפתוחות והסתומות כולם היו מוטעים טעיות משונות זה מזה מפני דברי הספר שהיו מסותמים והמעתיקים ממנו באו להכריע מדעתם והוסיף כל אחד וגרע כפי הכרע דעתו והשחיתו את הספרים בדברים אשר בדו מלבם ואשר הכריעו מדעתם ואני הוצרכתי לחקור ולדרוש כו' וכו' ושלחתי למארסילי' לחכם המובהק שמואל אבן תיבון הרופא ובקשתי ממנו לשלוח לי נוסח הפרשיות הסתומות והפתוחות מן הספר המועתק מספר הרב שבא עמו למארשילי' ושהרב זכרונו לברכה חתם עליו בחתימת ידו וגם זה מן הספר שכתבתי אני שלא בפני אני משה בר' מיימון הספרדי וכן עשה ושלחם אלי בזריזות ומצאתי בפתשגן הכתב כו' את כל הדברים אשר הכרעת דעתי כי אמת הי' כו' ושארי הדברים המסותמים לא נתבררו לי מן הספר ההוא עד אשר הוצרכתי לשוב ולחקור ולדרוש כו' ונתגלו לי שאריתם בעזרת החונן לאדם דעת והנם כתובים בקונטירס הזה השלוח אליכם כו' פתוחות וסתומות לא פתוחה ולא סתומה אלא סדורה כ"י וכן כתבתי לכם צורת שירת האזינו בשני סימנים אחד בשמות התיבות שבראש כל שטה ואחד בשמות התיבות שבראש כל שטה האחרון [א"ס והם בששים ושבע שיטין כמו בהתנ"ך כ"י שלי וברמב"ם כ"י הראשונים והארכתי בזה במ"א.] ... מאת המיוסר בתוכחת מוסר לא בשוטים כי אם בעקרבים עד שהוצרך להודיע צערו לרבים אולי יבקשו עליו רחמים מאת בעל הרחמים כותב לידידיו ורעיו מאיר הלוי בר' טודרוס."

וכותב עוד שם הרב המאירי ז"ל שבטולטילא הי' ספר נקרא ספר עזרא וספר אחד שנעתק מספר הרמ"ה הנז' והוגה פעמים רבות בחריצות נפלא ע"י כמה סופרים וחכמים בעיר הנז' בטרחה והוצאה מרובה והגיע אח"כ לידו עם כל העדיות של המגיהים והסופרים ועל פיו כתב בספרו זה קרית ספר כל מלה חסרה ויתרה פתוחות וסתומות בשנת גלות צרפת היא שנת חמשת אלפים וששים ושש לבריאת העולם עכ"ל. והנה מצאתי ראיתי בזה הקרית ספר כפי הכתוב בספרי תימן (ראה למעלה במצרים שהארכתי בכל פרטיהם.) ובחנם מחקתי ותקנתי ואם ראיתיו קודם לא נגעתי בה יד והוא רחום יכפר עון…"

[1] The reference here is to Lev. 10:28, which is a closed section in Yemenite tradition.

[2] Rabbi Menahem Ha-Meiri wrote his "Kiryat Sefer" shortly after the year 1306 C.E., which work quickly gave him high acclaim. He is quoted by R. Yoseph Karo.

[3] The sense here is to superfluous letters.

[5] Rabbi Meir Halevi, the son of R. Todros. He came from Bourges, in France, but moved to Toledo, in Spain, where he taught the Torah amongst many, and raised up many disciples. He wrote several commentaries on the different tractates of the Talmud. He died in 1244 C.E.

[10] He is the great philosopher and scholar who translated Maimonides' "Guide to the Perplexed" into the Hebrew language.

[11] Literally, "those things that remained of them"

[12] The arranged section (Heb. "parashah sedurah") is to be found also in the Yemenite tradition of orthography. It is believed to be those indentations that do not comprise in length the space made by nine letters, such as when a scribe concludes the writing of a section near the left margin, without extending the words unto the margin.

[13] This is in complete harmony and agreement with the Yemenite tradition of orthography.

[14] i.e. into the hand of Rabbi Menahem Hameiri, author of "Kiryat Sefer."