Commentary to the Haphtoroth.

TANCHUM BEN YOSEPH HAYERUSHALMI.

Orient

14th century

Manuscript written in Judeo-Arabic, on paper. The Biblical verses appear in larger square script, while the commentary is in smaller semi-square script.

An important early Judeo-Arabic commentary on the Haphtoroth of VeZoth HaBerachah (Joshua chap. 1) and of Yom Kippur (Isaiah ch. 57:14-58:14 and 59:20-1]. Contains otherwise unknown historical detail and a much broader commentary on these chapters than was previously known. The author has been identified as Tanchum Yerushalmi based upon the nomenclature used when citing previous authorities, also upon his stylistic expressions, plus a comparison to his commentaries published on other portions of the Bible (see A. Harkavi, Chadashim gam Yeshanim (Warsaw, 1897) Vol. X, pp. 25-28). The Firkovich Collection contains another 106 leaves of this manuscript, Russian National Library, St. Petersburg (Evr. Arab. I 4236). See Hadassah Shai, Peirushei R. Tanchum ben Yoseph HaYerushalmi LeTrei Asar (Jerusalem, 1992), especially her discussion on expressions used and authors cited (pp. 19-20, 41, 53). Oriental philologist and exegete of the 13th century, Tanchum ben Joseph Yerushalmi was a scholar of great merit and one of the last representatives of the rationalistic school of Biblical exegesis in the Orient, known as “the Ibn Ezra of the East.” He lived in Palestine, perhaps for a time in Egypt also, and had a son, Joseph, who maintained a correspondence with David, the grandson of Maimonides. Tanchum’s very existence was unknown to European scholars until the 18th century, when fragments of his works were discovered (JE). Accompanied by a detailed description by Prof. Shlomo Zucker discussing the importance of this manuscript.