Multi-Handed Bible Manuscripts: Masoretic Workshops in Medieval Ashkenaz?*

Abstract

Corpus Masoreticum Working Papers 8

The present study deals with two Ashkenazi Bibles, the Volterra Bible from 1294 (today in the Vatican) and the Berio Bible from around 1300, which has hitherto erroneously been dated to 1438 (today in the Biblioteca Civica Berio in Genoa). Both codices are of a monumental size, and each was copied by several masoretes. Designed to shed light on the work of medieval Ashkenazi masoretes, this study reconstructs how these manuscripts were produced, examines the division of copying tasks, and discusses a group of related masoretic Bibles copied by the same masoretes. Careful analysis of the ways in which these masoretes cooperated with each other suggests that there may have been workshops in medieval Ashkenaz that specialized in writing the Masorah and vocalization.