Oxford’s Bodleian library is known for its rare collection of Hebrew manuscripts including some of the most important manuscripts of the great Jewish legalist and philosopher Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, known as Maimonides or by his Hebrew acronym Rambam (1138-1204). One of these Oxford manuscripts includes Maimonides’ own handwritten work of his Commentary to the Mishnah, known as Pirush Hamishnayot, written in Judea Arabic (MSS 1655).
This manuscript was brought to Oxford by the great collector of Hebrew and Arabic manuscripts in the East, Professor Edward Pococke, who was born and passed away in Oxford (1604-1691). Prof. Pococke was appointed to the professorship of Hebrew at Oxford in 1647 and had a valuable c… Read More »