What Are You So Afraid of?

Scare Tactics and Redemption in the Micrography of MS Paris, BnF Heb. 9-10

Abstract

Corpus Masoreticum Working Papers 20

This article examines the micrographic art in Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France héb. 9-10, a three-volume Ashkenazi Hebrew Bible produced in 1304, highlighting how the micrography convey themes of fear and violent conflict with the gentile surroundings. The artistic plan reflect the precarious position of Jewish communities in medieval Ashkenaz, following traumatic events like the Rintfleisch Massacres of 1298. Through intricate visual metaphors of danger and divine protection, the masorator juxtaposes physical peril with spiritual resilience, embedding communal fears and aspirations within the manuscript‘s artistic and textual program. Situated within the broader context of medieval Jewish-Christian relations, the article argues that the manuscript’s micrography serves as both a commentary on the challenges faced by Jews and a testament to their enduring faith in divine safeguarding.