Miscellaneous Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library

Hebrew manuscripts on many subjects including theology, language, history and science, 471 BC-20th century.

The full shelfmarks of this collection are: MSS. Heb. a. 1-4, 5 (P), 6 (R), b. 1-18, 19 (P), 20 (R), c. 1-13, 14 (R), 15-56, 57-9 (P), 60 (R), 61-72, 73 (R), 74-5 (P), 76-7, d. 1-68, 69 (P), 70-82, 83-9 (P), 90-1, 95-100, 101 (P), 102-3, e. 1-51, 52 (R), 53-7, 58 (R), 59-83, 84 (P), 85-110, 111-13 (P), 114-17, 119, 120-1 (P), 123-51, 153-4, 158 (R), 160-2, 163 (R), 164, 166-85, f. 1-34, 35 (P), 36-113, 114 (P), 115-123, 126, 127-8 (P), 129, 131-5, g. 1-6, 7 (P), 8, 9 (R), 10-14, 15 (P), 16 (R), 17-18; MSS. Hebrew Rolls a. 1, 3, b.1-2, g. 1; MSS. Opp. Add. fol. 1-66, 68-72; MSS. Opp. Add. 4Octavo 1-194; MSS. Opp. Add. Octavo 1-21, 23-79.

Miscellaneous Hebrew manuscripts from various sources.

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk).

Most of the manuscripts in the 'MSS. Heb' and 'MSS. Hebrew Rolls' series were acquired between 1886 and 1930. Several were bought through Prof. Sayce in 1896, through J. Offord in 1906, and through Rev. G.J. Chester between 1890 and 1899. Others were bought from E. Deinard, 1886, S.J. Halberstam, 1888-9, R.N. Rabinowitz, 1888, Samuel Schnblum, 1890, S. Wertheimer, 1892-6, I. Sonne 1925-30, and S. Trkl, 1926. Manuscripts were also given by the Egypt Exploration Fund in 1890 and 1915, and by Sir A.E. Cowley in 1910 and 1927.

The manuscripts in the 'MSS. Opp. Adds.' series were acquired, mostly by purchase, between 1847 and 1885. Several were bought from M. Heidenheim, 1863, Samuel Schnblum, 1864-84, I. Fischl Hirsch, 1873-7, J. Saphir, 1875-9 and Isae Luzzatto (from his father Samuel David Luzatto's Library), 1869-70.

Between 1848 and 1885 manuscripts considered germane to the Oppenheimer collection were acquired by various Bodleian curators, and classified as 'MSS. Opp. Adds.' - there were some 345 manuscripts in the series when it was stopped in 1885. The series 'MSS. Heb.', the current receptacle for Hebrew acquisitions, replaced it in 1886. 'MSS. Hebrew Rolls' was formed in 1884, and closed in 1910.

Collection level description created by Susan Thomas, Department of Special Collections and Western Manuscripts.

Some of the manuscripts are in Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series, with references to the oriental and other manuscripts (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vols. II, V-VI nos. 2566, 27792-4, 28241-73, 29154, 29492, 29615, 29680, 29771, 29897, 30122, 30139, 30838, 30874-5, 30139, 31233, 31241-76, 31452-73, 31499, 31607-29, 31730-40, 31994-32005, 32357-63, 32374, 32498-534, 32590-2, 32833-8, 32850-2, 32916-20, 33025-9, 33071, 33352-3, 33455, 33543, 33711, 33986-8, 34683-4, 35266-96, 35485-6, 35491-514, 35847-57, 36349, 36812, 36985-90, 37014-26.

The manuscripts are also summarily described in the card catalogue, arranged by language, located in the Oriental Reading Room.

A. Neubauer and A.E. Cowley Catalogue of the Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian library, and in the College Libraries of Oxford, 2 vols., Catalogi Codd. MSS. Bibliothecae Bodleianae pars xii, (Oxford, 1886-1906). More recently, a 'Supplement of Addenda and Corrigenda', which has to be used in conjunction with Neubauer's Catalogue, was published (Oxford 1994). Descriptions of manuscripts placed in 'MSS. Opp. Adds.' are in the first volume; manuscripts acquired between 1886 and 1906 are described in the second volume.

Some fragments relating to the Cairo Genizah are included in a typescript by Cowley entitled 'additional Geniza Fragments', which is only available in the Oriental Reading Room.

The manuscripts have been microfilmed by the Institute for Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts in Jerusalem. They are also available at the Jewish Theological Seminary, New York.

Hebrew manuscripts may also be found in other Bodleian collections such as Canonici (MSS. Canon. Or. ), Huntington (MSS. Huntington), Kennicott (MSS. Kennicott), Laud (MSS. Laud Or.), Michael (MSS. Michael), Oppenheimer (MSS. Oppenheimer), Pococke (MSS. Pococke), Reggio (MSS. Reggio), and Selden (MSS. Selden).