Jewish Magic and Superstition, by Joshua Trachtenberg, [1939], at sacred-texts.com

p. 265

APPENDIX II

MS. SEFER GEMATRIAOT, pp. 43a-44b, ON GEMS

(Notes on pp. 267-268)

This passage closely parallels Baḥya b. Asher's comment on Ex. 28:17, both apparently being derived from a common source. They were composed at about the same time, so that one could hardly have drawn from the other; each lacks passages present in the other; the language of the two is very similar, but Baḥya's text is longer and more wordy, while the present text contains several additional details about the use of the gems; and there are some interesting differences which illustrate the different environments (Spain and Germany) in which they were composed.

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p. 266

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p. 267

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NOTES TO APPENDIX II

1. Cf. Gen. R. ch. 98, 7; Rashi on Gen. 35:22.

2. Rubino, ruby; Baḥya continues with a long description of this gem which is lacking here.

3. Gen. 30:14.

4. See p. 182 above. From here to the end of the paragraph not in Baḥya.

5. Fels, mhd. vels, velsch; cf. Grimm, Deutsches Wörterbuch, s. v. Fels.

6. Gen. 37:21.

7. Gen. 42:22.

8. Gen. 41:42.

9. Perhaps this is the prasinum, a species of smaragd (cf. Ducange, s. v.); Baḥya: ‏ונקרא פראש״מא והיא מין נופך שהוא מרק״די שהוא גם כן ירו׳ ככרתי‎.

10. Then this should read ‏סמרלדא‎, smiraldus, smeraldus, another species of smaragd. This word does not appear in Baḥya.

11. Nu. 25:14.

12. Job 28:19.

13. Gen. 29:33.

14. Carbuncle.

15. Gen. 6:16.

16. Is. 54:12.

17. Deut. 33:50.

18. Ecc. 8:1.

19. Cf. Sotah 12a; Pirke de R. Eliezer, ch. 48.

20. Ex. 34:35.

21. From here to end of paragraph not in Baḥya.

22. Deut. 34:7.

23. Smaragd. Baḥya has here a discussion of the Arabic etymology of this word, and comments ‏והוא ממין פראש״מא‎.

24. Cf. Gen. 38.

25. Gen. 37:33.

26. Gen. 49:9.

27. Preceding six words not in Baḥya.

28. Gen. 49:8.

29. I Chr. 12:32; Baḥya's name for this stone is ‏שפי״לו‎.

30. Prov. 3:8; this paragraph is much longer in Baḥya.

35. Perla, pearl; the suggested reading is confirmed in Baḥya.

32. Gen. 30:20.

33. Topazia, topaz; Baḥya: ‏אשטכסי׳‎.

34. Cf. Jud. 18.

p. 268

35. Turkiska, turquoise; Baḥya: ‏טורקיזא‎.

36. Gen. 30:8.

37. Cristalo, crystal; Baḥya: ‏קריסטא״ל‎.

38. Deut. 33:20.

39. Diamanti, diamond; Baḥya: ‏ליאמן‎.

40. Job 39:4.

41. Is. 38: 16.

42. From here to end of paragraph not in Baḥya.

43. I have not succeeded in tracing this word.

44. Yakint, jacinth; Baḥya: ‏קריאוליק׳‎.

45. Gen. 49:20; from here to end of paragraph not in Baḥya.

46. I Chr. 7:31.

47. Nichilus, nichilinus lapis, achetae species (Ducange, s. v.); Baḥya: ‏אוניקלי‎.

48. Gen. 39:2.

49. Ibid.

50. Jasper; Baḥya: ‏ישפיז‎.