Causes, Methods, and Manifestations of the Destruction of Hebrew Manuscripts
From Firenze University Press Journal: CROMOHS
Mauro Perani, Università di Bologna
This study attempts to explain the multiple reasons for the destruction of Hebrew manuscripts. The reuse of medieval Hebrew, Christian, or non-religious manuscripts is part of an epochal phenomenon caused by the spread of the printingpress. While the phenomenon is general, however, in the case of Hebrew manuscripts it reacheda tremendous Jewish-only conjuncture, namely the persecution and burning of Jewish books by the Inquisition andthe burning of the Talmud ordered by Pope Julius III in 1553, followed by the Church’s policy change towards Jews under Pope Paul IV’s ruthless rule.
- Aspects of the Reuse of Medieval Hebrew Manuscripts
The dismemberment and reuse of medieval Hebrew manuscripts represents an epochal phenomenon, a consequence of the ever-increasing spread of the printing press (figs. 1–2). Moreover, Hebrew books faced a particularly tragic conjunction: the intentional destruction and burning of sacred texts, including the Talmud, under Pope Julius III in 1553. This occurred alongside economic and religious restrictions as well as the degradation of personal freedom for Jews under Pope Paul IV; formerly known as the fiercely ruthless cardinal of the Inquisition, Gian Pietro Carafa was elected pope from 1555 to 1559. These measures led rabbis to cease teaching their disciples due to a complete lack of copiesof the Talmud.Megillat Vienetz, a text describing a pogrom against the Jews of Frankfurt launched in 1614, informs us of the seizures and looting of Jewish books that occurred on that occasion. It is reported that those handling the books on their way to destruction were in the habit of separating the paper books, destined to be burnt, from those in parchment, as selling parchment to bookbinders proved to be a lucrative affair.2It should also be noted that, while the Church was responsible for destroying a vast number of Hebrew books, at the same time Christian intellectuals and ecclesiastics saved numerous Hebrew manuscripts from destruction by acquiring them for their libraries. Notable among these guardians of the Hebrew written heritage are Giovanni Bernardo De Rossi, whose library was acquired by the Palatina Libraryof Parma after his death; Cardinal Domenico Grimani, who acquired the Pico della Mirandola Library; Cardinal Casanate; Cardinal Federico Borromeo; and several others.
2. Causes of the Destruction and Consequent Scarcity of Medieval Hebrew Manuscripts
Throughout history, the reuse of cultural heritage materials has been a continuous and common practice. When any cultural good was no longer of interest, reusing its material support for other purposes was considered a normal practice enacted in all civilisations. Historical sources tell us that, among the vast amount of confiscated and looted Hebrew books destined for the stake, those on parchment were removed and taken to be soldto bookbinders.4According to Colette Sirat, only 5 percent of the manuscripts produced by Jews in Europe between the beginning of the second millennium C.E. and the Middle Ages still exist today.5The scarcity of medieval Hebrew manuscripts can be attributed to a multifaceted set of factors. Firstly, the intense and exhaustive use of manuscripts for study and prayer contributed to their wear and eventual destruction. Unlike in the Christian world, the absence of scriptoriain the Jewish community limited the systematic reproduction and preservation of these texts. Moreover, manuscripts not held in secure abbeys faced precariousness in terms of their preservation. The deliberate and systematic destruction by the Church and the Inquisition, aimed at suppressing Jewish culture, further contributed to this loss. Additionally, the reuse of parchment codices, both Hebrew and non-Hebrew, in bookbinding processes as part of market circuits played a role in diminishing the availability of original manuscripts. Lastly, the legislation of the Genizah, a repository for sacred Jewish texts, also had implications for the preservation and scarcity of Hebrew manuscripts. Together, these factors form a complex narrative pointing to the challenges and deliberate actions that led to the diminished presence of medieval Hebrew manuscripts. Below, I delve more deeply into some of these dynamics.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/cromohs-14237
Read Full Text: https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/cromohs/article/view/14237
