Legend of Nahman bar Shemu'el, between 1910 and 1930.
מעשה נורא דרב נחמן בר שמואל

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Ostropoler, Samson ben Pesaḥ, -1648, attributed name.

Contributor:

Luria, Avraham ben Yeḥiʼel, Cabalist (Brest-Litovsk, Belarus), scribe.

Karp, Abraham J., former owner.

Abraham J. and Deborah Karp Collection of Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)

לוריא, אברהם בן יחיאל, מקובל (בריסק דליטא).

Language:

Hebrew

Subjects (All):

Rashi, 1040-1105.

Bible.

Jews.

History.

Allegorical interpretations of sacred works.

Ukraine--Kremenet︠s︡ʹ.

Belarus--Brest.

Bible. Genesis, XXXVII-XLI--Allegorical interpretations.

Rashi, 1040-1105. Perush Rashi ʻal ha-Torah--Allegorical interpretations.

Rashi.

Rashi, 1040-1105--Legends.

Cabala.

Midrash.

Jews--Belarus--Brest--20th century--History--Sources.

Jews--Ukraine--Kremenet͡sʹ--19th century--History--Sources.

Genre:

Sources.

Legends.

Copies (documents)

Penn Provenance:

Formerly in the collection of Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Karp.

Physical Description:

1 item (1 leaf) : paper ; 206 x 260 mm

Place of Publication:

between 1910 and 1930.

בין 1910-1930.

Language Note:

In Hebrew.

Biography/History:

Scribe and copyist Avraham Luria from a prominent family of rabbis and preachers in Lithuania and Belarus; likely a close relative of Enoch Zundel Luria (died in Brest-Litovsk, 1847), author of a number of works on Biblical interpretation; Luria family descend from Solomon ben Jehiel Luria (1510?-1573?).

Summary:

This is a manuscript bifolium of a copy of a cabalistic text (likely for an archive of cabalistic correspondence and documents); the copyist, Avraham ben Yeḥiʼel Luria of Brest-Litovsk, writes in the final paragraph that the letter was the text composed by “Shimshon” (Samson Ostropoler) and written in Brest-Litovsk, copied from an ancient book housed in Kremenets'. The story recounts a tale about Nahman bar Shemu'el, a cabalist, who was revealed secrets about Rashi's commentary on the Pentateuch from a revelation experienced while at Rashi's grave (including revelations of Rashi drawing secrets from heaven by fasting; the episode is cited in Azulai, Shem ha-gedolim letter ש, no. 35, quoting Menahem Azariah da Fano, Ma'amar ha-ʻitim, ed. Dyhernfurth, p. [23]-[24]). Written in a Lithuanian-Ashkenazic cursive script; written in three paragraphs (opening and closing paragraphs smaller, with central paragraph longer).

Cited as:

UPenn Karp BV.22a.

OCLC:

1293738488