{"id":110,"date":"2024-05-24T14:54:16","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T12:54:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/?p=110"},"modified":"2024-05-24T14:54:16","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T12:54:16","slug":"a-footnote-from-the-gotha-research-library-written-with-effort-and-acuratesse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/2024\/05\/24\/a-footnote-from-the-gotha-research-library-written-with-effort-and-acuratesse\/","title":{"rendered":"A footnote from the Gotha Research Library, written with \u201ceffort and acuratesse\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Annett Martini<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gotha Research Library holds a beautifully calligraphed instruction for copying Torah scrolls and haftarot. The writing instruction was recorded in 1726 by the converted Jew Christoph Wallich (1672-1743). On a large sheet of paper 50 cm high and 35 cm wide, the former professional sofer STaM and trained Hazan offers a non-Jewish readership insight into the writing of the texts to be used in the Jewish rite. Both sheets are headed with a few explanatory remarks in German, whereby most of the capital letters of the short introduction are decorated with skillfully crafted, intertwining ornamental patterns.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sheet 1 reads:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nach dem (\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05df \u05e1\u05d5\u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd) verordnung der Schreibern wird die \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 Sepher Thora auf z. bis 66 grosse H\u00e4ute von Kalb Pergamen auf der Haar Seite vor 300 thlr. in einem Jahr geschrieben.<\/em><\/p>

[According to the (\u05ea\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05df \u05e1\u05d5\u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd) decree of the scribes, the \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 Sepher Torah is written on up to 66 large skins of calf parchment on the hair side for 300 thalers, written in a year.]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As an illustrative example, the verses Genesis 1:1-19 are cited below, as they were written by Wallich with his characteristic love for detail just beneath the lines previously drawn with a pencil. The Ashkenazic square script is decorated with fine lines running upwards or downwards at the left corners of the letter bodies; in almost all cases, the lamed<\/em> features two lines extending upwards at the higher end of the neck, and occasionally the lamed<\/em> also receives a slightly curved hairline at the lower end. Eventually, the seven letters shin, ayin, teth, nun, zayin, gimel<\/em> and zade<\/em> are adorned with three small crowns, as already recommended in the Talmud. Wallich sometimes adds an additional stroke to the shin<\/em> or zade<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below this impressive writing sample, Wallich provides us with some insight into several of the fundamental requirements of a ritually pure Torah scroll that the scribe ought to know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mit dieser art h\u00f6he u. breite der Hebr\u00e4ische Buchstaben wird die gr\u00f6ste Thora geschrieben. Die Zierlichkeit u. sch\u00e4rffe wird auf dem Pergamen viel besser u. sauberer. Der Schreiber h\u00fctet sich laut sein schwehr getahnes Eyd folgenden Namen Gottes als \u05e9\u05d3\u05d9,\u05d0\u05dc, \u05d0\u05d3\u05e0\u05d9, \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05dd, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4 nicht die buchstaben radirt, denn es darf \u00fcberhaupt kein Buchstab den anderen anr\u00fchren. Auf etlichen Litteren als \u05e9\u05e2\u05d8\u05e0\u05d6 \u05d2\u05e5 m\u00fc\u00dfen die \u05ea\u05d2\u05d9\u05dd Drei strichleim auf die K\u00f6pffe, u. wo ein \u05e4 mit ein Dagesch Forte komt, mu\u00df ein Pe Kefula gemacht werden als \u05d5\u05d9\u05e4\u05d7. Am schwehrsten ist, da\u00df der Schreiber folgende W\u00f6rter gewi\u00df oben auf dem Pergamen Zum anfang bringen mu\u00df als Genesis XLIX.8 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4, Exodus XXXIV.11 \u05e9\u05de\u05e8 \u05dc\u05da, it. Exod. XIV.29 \u05d4\u05d1\u05d0\u05d9\u05dd, Levit. XVI.8 \u05e9\u05e0\u05d9, Numeri. XXIV.5 \u05de\u05d4 \u05d8\u05d1\u05d5 u. Deuter. XXXI.8.[sic.]\u05d5\u05d0\u05e2\u05d9\u05d3\u05d4. Ohne die sehr viele Observationes, die der Schreiber (wo ers \u05db\u05d5\u05e9\u05e8 dichtig u. acurat machen will) Observiren mu\u00df, alle hierher zu setzen, will Zeit und Raum nicht gestatten. Auf Linien (die nicht mit der Bley Feder, sondern (\u05d1\u05e9\u05d9\u05d8\u05d5\u05ea) mit einer ritze mu\u00df gemacht werden) mu\u00df der Schreiber der verordnung gem\u00e4\u00df schreiben. Die Zusammenhefftung der H\u00e4ute darf mit keiner Seide noch Zwern sondern geschieht mit Seyten.<\/em><\/p>

[With this kind of height and width of the Hebrew letters the largest Torah is written. The delicacy and sharpness is much better and cleaner on the parchment. The scribe is careful not to erase the following names of God as \u05e9\u05d3\u05d9, \u05d0\u05dc, \u05d0\u05d3\u05e0\u05d9, \u05d0\u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05dd, \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4, according to his own oath, because no letter may touch another. On some letters, such as \u05e9\u05e2\u05d8\u05e0\u05d6 \u05d2\u05e5, the tagin must be made of three strokes on the letter heads, and where a \u05e4 comes with a Dagesch Forte, a Pe Kefula must be made such as is the case with \u05d5\u05d9\u05e4\u05d7. The most difficult thing is that the scribe must certainly put the following words at the top of the parchment, at the beginning [of the column], as Genesis XLIX.8 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4, Exodus XXXIV.11 \u05e9\u05de\u05e8 \u05dc\u05da it. Exod. XIV.29 \u05d4\u05d1\u05d0\u05d9\u05dd, Levit. XVI.8 \u05e9\u05e0\u05d9, Numbers. XXIV.5 \u05de\u05d4 \u05d8\u05d1\u05d5 u. Deuter. XXXI.[2]8. \u05d5\u05d0\u05e2\u05d9\u05d3\u05d4. Without the many observations which the scribe (where he wants to make them dense and accurate) has to observe, time and space will not permit to place them all here, [the scroll is] not kosher. The scribe should write on lines (which must not be made with a plumb quill, but (\u05d1\u05e9\u05d9\u05d8\u05d5\u05ea) should be scrached) according to the regulations.The sewing together of the skins must not be done with silk or twine but with strings made of sinew]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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Forschungsbibliothek Gotha, AG 24a<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Wallich summarizes for a layperson the most important requirements for a ritually pure Torah scroll: the obligatory parchment, the line drawing, and the sewing of the leaves with sinew are all mentioned, as are the tagin, the repairing of the names of God, and the scribal tradition. The latter is referred to with the acronym \u05d1\u05d9\u05d4 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5- bejah \u0161emo, suggesting that six columns of a Torah scroll should begin with a specific word. Here Wallich refers to the Ashkenazi tradition, according to which the beit<\/em> stands for bere\u0161it (Gen 1:1), the he<\/em> for habba’im (Ex 14:28), and the vav<\/em> for the word wea’idah (Deut 31:28). The yud <\/em>refers to the first letter of the word yehudah (Gen 49:8), the \u0161in<\/em> to the first letter of the word \u0161emor<\/em> (Ex 34:11), and the mem<\/em> stands for mah tobu<\/em> (Num 24:5).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These explanations do not probe the depths of the Jewish writing practice, but rather are intended to give an impression of the expert knowledge that is required for this demanding work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wallich proceeds in a similar way on the second sheet, where the copying of the haftarot is described, likewise accompanied with a writing sample. This is remarkable since rabbinic literature as well as scribal manuals are primarily concerned with the writing of the STaM and \u2013 if at all \u2013 with the copying of the megillot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wallich first notes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Die (\u05d4\u05e4\u05d8\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea) HAPHTAROTH werden mit Puncten u. Accenten geschrieben dahero erforderts eine gro\u00dfe m\u00fche und Acuratesse. Die anfangs W\u00f6rter werden ohne Figur Gravirt.<\/em><\/p>

[The (\u05d4\u05e4\u05d8\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea) haftarot are written with punctuation and accents, so it requires great effort and accuracy. The initial words are engraved without figures.]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This brief remark is followed by another writing example, drawn from the Haftarah Yeshayahu to the Parashah Genesis 1:1-6:8, which corresponds to the prophetic passage Isaiah 42:5-25. Wallich manages to transmit the passage with just a few embellishments to the letters in the form of fine hairlines, for example, on the lamed<\/em> or the pe<\/em>. Yet, the first words of the haftarah \u2013 \u05db\u05b9\u05bc\u05d4-\u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b7\u059e\u05e8 \u2013 are enlarged and decorated with floral ornaments that are entwined with the first letters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wallich explains below the artistically written prophet section:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zu solcher schrifft brauchen die HAPHTAROTH 28 bi\u00df 30 v\u00f6llige Pergamen H\u00e4ute, Jedoch etwas kleiner als die bey dem Thora. Wegen der gar zugro\u00dfe M\u00fche u. Fleisses ist die Schreib-geb\u00fchr daf\u00fcr 150 Thlr. Von beyden St\u00fccken wird die helffte des Schreiber-Lohns gleich bey liefferung des Pergamends Praenumeriert u. die andere helffte bey der liefferung gezahlt. Sechs bis sieben Monathen ist die Zeit die Haptaroth zu schreiben u. Collationiren. Das Pergamen anlanget so kostet Jede gro\u00dfe Haut Zum Thora 16 gr. Und zu den Haphtaroth 12 gr. Sie werden vom Schreiber expresse dazu ausgesucht. Diese zwei St\u00fccke sind in eiener vornehmen Bibliothec h\u00f6chst n\u00f6thig u. n\u00fctzlich u. werden vor einen grossen raritet unter Christen gehalten, weillen kein Jude einem Chriften nicht vor viel Geld solche St\u00fccke weder verkauffen noch schreiben darf. Ich wei\u00df keinen bekehrten Juden, der eim Sopher u. (ohne ruhm) mir diese Schreibart nachthun wird, dathero nach meinem Tode meine Hebr\u00e4ischen Schrifften viel geld gilten werden. Christ. Wallich 1726.<\/em><\/p>

[With this script [size], the haftaroth require 28 to 30 complete parchment skins, but somewhat smaller than those of the Torah. Because of the great effort and diligence involved, the scribe’s fee is 150 Thalers. Half of the scribe’s fee is paid when the parchment is delivered, and the other half is paid when [the project] is completed. Six to seven months is the time [needed] to write the haftarot. The parchment costs 16 groschen for each large skin for the Torah, and 12 groschen for the haftarot. The skins are selected in advance by the scribe.
These two pieces are highly necessary and useful in a noble library and are considered a great rarity among Christians because a Jew may neither sell nor write such pieces for a Christian, not even for much money. I know of no converted Jew who is a sofer and (and without praising myself) can hold a candle to me in this art of writing, thus after my death, my Hebrew writings will be valued at much money. Christ. Wallich 1726.]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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Forschungsbibliothek Gotha, AG 24a<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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Finally, the question remains as to who Wallich wrote these sample pages and the corresponding explanations? These two representative sheets actually evoke the impression that Wallich was advertising his skills in the art of Jewish writing in order to impress Christian customers. Apparently, converted Jews like Wallich still benefited from the interest in the Jewish tradition shown by Christian scholars, an interest which had already emerged at the beginning of the 16th century. The Enlightenment also saw a growing interest in the customs and rituals of Jewish teaching. This was approached with historical source criticism and an emphatically rational perspective \u2013 often fueled by pronounced anti-Semitism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, another document held in the Gotha Research Library allows us to understand the intended purpose of these remarkable sheets. A letter written by Wallich on 29 August 1726 in Leipzig to Ernst Salomon Cyprian, a Gotha church councillor and vice-president of the High Consistory, reveals that Wallich had already written various manuscripts for the \u2018Meyersche Judenschule\u2019 a few years earlier. The \u2018Meyersche Judenschule\u2019 was a project initiated by Johann Friedrich Mayer (1650\u20131712) at the University of Greifswald. As part of it, Jewish ritual objects were installed in the synagogue as an educational exhibition for students. Wallich, who had been registered at the University of Greifswald since 1706, was actively involved in this project. He equipped this educational synagogue with ritual objects and also contributed the corresponding explanations. Once this educational synagogue had later become part of the university library\u2019s collection, Wallich enriched the exhibition in 1724, now called \u201cMayer’s Judenschule,\u201d with a selection of ritually relevant writings from the Jewish tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The abovementioned letter to Cyprian not only reveals which writings Wallich\u2019s copied for the synagogue. We also learn from this letter what the sample sheets discussed above were all about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[S. 1] \u2026 Man glaubet aber doch, da\u00df Ihro Hoch F\u00fcrstl. Durchl. noch bei denen gedancken sind, Deroselben Weltber\u00fchmten Bibliothec antweder mit einer richtig verfertigte Synagoga oder doch zum wenigsten mit die n\u00fctzlich u. vornemsten St\u00fccken (als die \u05e1\u05f4 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 Sepher Thora, \u05d4\u05e4\u05d8\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea Haphtaroth, \u05e9\u05dd \u05d4\u05de\u05e4\u05d5\u05e8\u05e9 Schem hamphorasch u. \u05de\u05d2\u05dc\u05d5\u05ea \u05d0\u05e1\u05ea\u05e8 Megilloth Esther etc.) zu versehen. Aus dieser Ursache habe ich bey [S. 2] Ewr Hochw. Magific. meine gringe Persohn bekannt zu machen gew\u00fcnschet. Ich habe schon ehede\u00dfen dieselebre Mayerische Synagoge u. vor 2 Jahr dem [\u2026] Rath der Stadt Leipzig binnen ein Jahrlang hier auf der anderen Seite gemelten n\u00f6thigen St\u00fccken in einer Extra Zierlichkeit \u2013 wie hibeyligenden Proben zeiget <\/strong>\u2013 geschrieben, wovon der vor kurtzer Zeit hier durch u. nach Warschau Passirter Frantz\u00f6scher Ambassadeur selbst gestehen m\u00fcssen, da\u00df seinem K\u00f6nig solche vortreffliche St\u00fccke in seiner Bibliothec fehleten.<\/em><\/p>

[(p. 1) It is believed, however, that Your Most Serene Highnesses are still thinking of providing this world-famous library either with a properly prepared synagogue or at least with the most useful and most important pieces (as the \u05e1\u05f4 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 Sepher Torah, \u05d4\u05e4\u05d8\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea haftarot, \u05e9\u05dd \u05d4\u05de\u05e4\u05d5\u05e8\u05e9 Shem Hamephorasch and \u05de\u05d2\u05dc\u05d5\u05ea \u05d0\u05e1\u05ea\u05e8 Megillot Esther etc.). For this reason I have wished to make my low person known to [p. 2] Your Reverend Magnificant. I have already built the \u2018Mayer’s Synagogue\u2019 and two years ago, within a year, I produced the abovementioned necessary pieces for the [\u2026] Leipzig City Council with a particular delicacy \u2013 as the enclosed samples show \u2013 of which the French ambassador, who recently passed through here and in Warsaw, himself had to confess that his king lacked such excellent pieces in his library.]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It appears that Wallich extended to Cyprian an offer to both set up a synagogue for the library of the sovereign of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, designated for teaching purposes in the style of the \u2018Mayerian Synagogue,\u2019 and to provide it with appropriate ritual texts. Wallich enclosed samples of the Sefer Torah and the haftarot with his letter so as to convince Cyprian and \u2013 through him \u2013 the sovereign of his expertise in the art of Jewish writing. Wallich also added a few details about his career to this \u201cletter of application,\u201d which should not be withheld here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[3] Meine gringe Person anlanget bin ich in Worms von reichen J\u00fcdischen Eltern gebohren u. habe unter dem (unter den Juden gewesenen ber\u00fchmten (\u05e8\u05d1 Rabh) Rabbi Ahron Darschon das Rabbnische Studirt. Und weillen ich lust zu Schreiberey hatte, hat mein (gottgebe Seelig) verstorbenen Vatter das Sophroth (\u05e1\u05d5\u05e4\u05e8\u05d5\u05ea) Schreibkunst mich verlernert lassen u. bin ein Examinirter ber\u00fchmter (\u05e1\u05d5\u05e4\u05e8) Schreiber geworden, auch viermahl das Thora, eben so viel Haphtaroth u. viele Mesusoth, Kameoth, Tephillin u. ein Scheide Brieff unten Juden gantz Koscher geschrieben.<\/em> (Leipzig, 29. August 1726)<\/em><\/p>

[(3) As for my minor person: I was born in Worms of rich Jewish parents and studied rabbinics under the famous (\u05e8\u05d1 Rabh) Rabbi Ahron Darschon. And because I had a desire to write, my deceased father (God rest his soul) taught me the art of writing and I became an examinated famous (\u05e1\u05d5\u05e4\u05e8) scribe, also writing the Torah four times, as many haftarot and many mezuzot, Kameoth, tefillin, and a get, which is kosher among Jews.
(Leipzig, 29 August 1726)]<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The two rather coincidental finds from our project week in Gotha lead deep into Jewish-German relations at the beginning of the 18th century and certainly merit closer examination.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Briefe an Ernst Salomon Cyprian, Bd.9, 1717<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Annett Martini The Gotha Research Library holds a beautifully calligraphed instruction for copying Torah scrolls and haftarot. The writing instruction was recorded in 1726 by the converted Jew Christoph Wallich (1672-1743). On a large sheet of paper 50 cm high and 35 cm wide, the former professional sofer STaM and trained Hazan offers a non-Jewish … \u201eA footnote from the Gotha Research Library, written with \u201ceffort and acuratesse\u201d\u201c<\/span> weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6986,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[476388,476389,476387,476390,476392,470563,476393,474570,476391,470363],"class_list":["post-110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein","tag-christoph-wallich","tag-convert","tag-gotha-forschungsbibliothek","tag-gotha-research-library","tag-haftarot","tag-materialisierte-heiligkeit","tag-stam","tag-tagin","tag-torah-scribe","tag-torah-scroll"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6986"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":123,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110\/revisions\/123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/torollblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}