Don Vidal di Tolosa of Spain. Maggid Mishneh [commentary on Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah]. Hilchoth Eiruvin, Chapter 3, halacha 16-25 and Chapter 4, halacha 15-23]

(MAGGID MISHNEH)

(Spain)

Late 14th-century

Hebrew Manuscript on vellum. Spanish semi-cursive script. Two leaves, folded.

The Maggid Mishneh is accepted as the standard commentary to Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah and has been published alongside every edition since Constantinople, 1509. Although the author’s real name was Don Vidal di Tolosa of Spain (second half of the 14th century), he is universally cited with the greatest respect as “HaRav HaMaggid”. Joseph Karo in his introduction to his commentary Keseph Mishneh states: “I heard that the name of the author of the Maggid Mishneh was Invidal di Tolosa, a colleague of Rabbeinu Nissi.” The name ‘Invidal’ as heard by Karo is surely a corruption of Don Vidal. Karo calls him a “holy man” and indeed decided to prepare his own commentary since “we have merited to receive his light only to parts of the Mishneh Torah.” See M. Waxman, History of Jewish Literature, Vol. II, pp. 154-55. The present manuscript contains some minor variances; adding a phrase for more clarity and changing the gender of certain words. In addition, many abbreviations in the standard published text are here spelled out. Manuscripts of the Maggid Mishneh are extremely rare . Only two incomplete copies and a small number of fragments are known. The Jewish Theological Seminary Library has a manuscript of 27 leaves on Hilchoth Shabbath and Eiruvin.