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their sinning stopped. The thought that the couple only died after the lance was dislodged made it clear that
Phinehas was free from sin, or any such wrongdoing. In both images, blood flows from the couple but does not taint Phinehas' clothes (this is a representation of his purity). While there are nine miracles in the story of this Bible, it changes from Bible to Bible, some saying anywhere from six, eight, or as high as twelve miracles happen. Only in the Alba Bible does it say that the blood fell up on the ground in this particular case. Due to a misinterpretation within the text, it is said that there was no blood upon Phinehas, though in many cases' it could be construed as there was no blood at all, that being one of the miracles on this occasion. But since it was thought that the illustrations had been drawn with the blood pouring on the ground before the Bible’s comments were made, there may have been adjustments to the tale.
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Arragel expressed his hesitancy for the project in these 25 folios, listing concerns about this project and how it may lead to his ruin, or even death. This hesitation may have been well founded as any record of him disappears after the creation of this Bible. It’s not just hesitation that he expressed within the first 25 folios; he also argued that this book should not be completed in the first place, expressing fears that this may even fan the flames of further unrest between the communities that it is intended to help. Eventually
Arragel gave in to the demands and agreed to working on the Alba Bible.
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been aware of classic works and activity such as
Aristotle without Christian intervention. His primary reason for work, however, was his rabbinical perspective which widely occupied space within the commentary. Though in isolated cases, these viewpoints were already present and part of Arrangles' plan and can be found in captions along side the miniatures. It is to be noted that many of the rabbinical illustrations have no corresponding features within the accompanying text.
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miniatures, six are full-page works. The Bible's uniqueness stems from its incorporation of
Christian and rabbinical texts, and accompanying images. More biblical contex can be found alongside rabbinical imagery. Some of the descriptions listed in this Bible are deeply connected with Jewish backgrounds and iconography. Such miniatures as the menorahs, the parting of the Red Sea, the Zeal of Phineas, and images of circumcision.
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410:. This is described in the Hebrew text that Cain, with snake-like intention, bit the neck of Able thus causing his death. This is depicted clearly in this manuscript being illustrated by one miniature, folio 29v, making it a perfect example of how the differences between this Bible, and many others that are not collaborative.
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A manager featured folio 108V, the spies, with a cluster of grapes which is described in the Bible in verse 23, as being carried by two men. The cluster of grapes is nearly the size of the men themselves. In the image, there are eight men carrying this large cluster of grapes which is carried between
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The second image on folio 128r shows
Phinehas lifting the couple with the strength given to him by angels (one of the nine miracles) to show their sinful coupling to onlookers. The couple only die when Phinheas dislodges his lance from them. After their deaths, the plague that God had created due to
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the people. There are mostly bearded men who are un-clothed from the waist down. One of these men is standing completely nude and facing forward, while the other is turned in profile view. His lower half is bleeding as he is being attended to by Joshua, who has a radiating halo of scalloped light.
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in three stories. Each level contains five rooms, with the ground floor room in the middle containing a seven-branched menorah. The scene also represents a sacrifice on the first floor and on top of this scene in another room that shows a high priest with two children. The archway in the middle of
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in three stories. Each level contains five rooms, with the ground floor room in the middle containing a seven-branched menorah. The scene also represents a sacrifice on the first floor and on top of this scene in another room that shows a high priest with two children. The archway in the middle of
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The work contains 515 folios. Inserted at the beginning of the work are 25 folios of correspondence between Rabbi
Arragel and Don Luís Guzmán as well as between the rabbi and various Franciscans involved in illustrating the translation and discussing matters related to the collaboration. The Rabbi
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Although Grand Master Guzman was not directly involved, he appointed two monks to assist Rabbi Moses. Brother Arias was from the monastery in Toledo and through their theological collaboration it is likely that
Arragle was able to understand the view of Grand Master Guzmán. Although he would have
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featured on folio 77r; the menorah is center of the page, the stem of which extends to the bottom parting text as it reaches down from there; there’s a beveled bowl stand with three legs. The color is primarily pale yellow. There are seven pale red flames. The text is parted yet again within the
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featured on folio 77r; the menorah is center of the page, the stem of which extends to the bottom parting text as it reaches down from there; there’s a beveled bowl stand with three legs. The color is primarily pale yellow. There are seven pale red flames. The text is parted yet again within the
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that illustrate passages from the religious text. Six of these occupy whole pages. Because this manuscript was the result of a collaboration between the
Abrahamic religions, there were significant differences to other Christian Bibles. An example of this would be the miniature depiction of the
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The Alba Bible’s significance is that it is a response to antisemitism, and its patron who initiated the creation of this bible for the purpose of extending an olive branch. There is also a significance in the way it was written using the vernacular or common language instead of an overly formal
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The first 25 folios were expressed in an argument made by
Arragels on his reluctance to accept the position. They worked on with a collaborative effort with Christians also involved in the making. The Bible was produced in the Spanish provinces of Toledo. The work has 334 miniatures. Of these
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makes a return in folio, 88v in a full-page image not featuring text. On this page, the colors are gray, yellow, red, and green pictures framed by the military tent. There are also depictions of ritual sacrifice of a horned animal, a chest of some kind, and individuals who do not interact.
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makes a return in folio, 88v in a full-page image not featuring text. On this page, the colors are gray, yellow, red, and green pictures framed by the military tent. There are also depictions of ritual sacrifice of a horned animal, a chest of some kind, and individuals who do not interact.
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During the 15th century, many people within
Spanish society held hostile views toward Jews. In the aftermath of a series of anti-Jewish riots centered in Madrid, Don Luis de Guzmán believed that he could help heal the rift and build a bridge of understanding between Christians and Jews by
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The Alba Bible is currently displayed in the House of Alba in Liria, Madrid. In 1992, five hundred facsimile copies were made to mark five hundred years since the expulsion of the Jewish population from Spain. The original has 515 folios while the facsimile editions contain 513 folios.
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Between 1918 and 1921, the Duke of Alba gave permission for a printed version of the Alba Bible to be issued. Printed in two volumes, the copies were created using a letter press instead of a facsimile. This was an advantage because it made the Castilian text easier to read. The
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and a turn of phrase popular at this time. As discussed, the type of language used in this Bible meant that it was to be seen by multiple people and there can be an argument made for the ambition of accomplishing a coexistence among the Jewish and Christian population. This common
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acted without restraint. was uninhibited and acted without restraint. Jews who refused to be baptized were compelled to leave the country that year. As a result, Jewish Old Testament translations into Castilian were burned on September 25, 1492. Around twenty Bibles containing
155:. During the antisemitic riots of 1430, the Alba Bible was created. Arragel initially hesitated due to the unrest, but ultimately chose to assist Guzman in translating and interpreting the manuscript. This collaborative process lasted eight years, from 1422-1430.
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After the fall of Granada in 1492, the Spanish Inquisition led to the expulsion of Jews from Spain and the destruction of many books. The Alba Bible was one of the few that was spared, hidden among society's elites and passed down through generations.
585:) and strikes the couple while they are together, being sure to impale them so that they stay connected. This way there could be no doubt of their sinning. The couple in question is Zimri, a man from Israel, and a Midianitish woman named Cozbi.
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depicts Abraham kneeling between two small, rounded trees and bushes, his right foot extended up against the trunk of the tree. He then proceeds to circumcise himself as blood is pouring from the appendage while he drags the knife upward.
240:, possessed at least four different translations. Although she was not the commissioner of the Alba BIble, it was common that such writings would be passed down generationally once in the royal collection.
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In 1992, to commemorate the five hundredth anniversary of the expulsion, Mauricio Hatchwell Toledano, President of the Fundacion Amigos de Sefarad published five hundred copies in an exact
482:. Compared with other Bibles that are likely using the Vulgate as a basis, the Alba Bible directly translates from Hebrew, meaning that the images are more authentically Jewish.
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It is unknown what convinced Rabbi Arragel to accept as he initially hesitated in an extensive reply letter to Guzmán. Nevertheless, eight years later the bible was completed.
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intended to create a conversation, in order to find a way towards an understanding, though this proved to be too ambitious. (citation #'s still need to be fixed)
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also contains a historical record of what these particular turns of phrases were at this time, and it is an excellent vessel for the study of that vernacular.
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beings, one with sword and wings in the right- hand corner and the other in the top middle of the page. The colors on this page are purple, red and yellow.
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Next to this miniature is a small mound of foreskins and it states that the collection of the sacrifice smelled so sweet that it brought joy to the Lord.
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SEFARAD: Asosiasion para la Konservasion i Promosion de la Kultura Djudeo-espanyola, en kolaborasion kon La Autoridad Nasionala del Ladino (2006).
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particularly, Midrash Numbers Rabbah XVI, in which there were also two poles but nothing said about the number of people carrying them.
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Meanwhile, the hunt for so-called heretical writings continued, and many copies were kept safe by the highest-ranking members of society.
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This Bible was made at a time when there were anti-Semitic riots by the Christian majority against the Jewish minority of Spain. The
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On April 5, 1422, Don Luis de Guzmán initiated his project by sending a letter to rabbi Moses Arragel inviting him to compose
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Although the text of the Alba Bible was the product of Rabbi Arragel, the elaborate artistic detail is wholly the product of
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outside the tent of a sinning couple engaged in licentious acts. He then takes his javelin (which was said to belong to
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294:. In 1922 an illustrated facsimile edition of three hundred copies was published by the scholar Antonio Paz y Meliá.
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After the fall of Granada on January 2, 1492, Spain's religious tolerance came to an end. Following this event, the
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shows Guzmán sitting in a Gothic courtyard, his left hand making a pointing gesture while his right hand holds a
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The Alba Bible contains a series of comments on the writing of both Jewish and Christian theologians, including
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740:(Uppsala, 1967), p. 12-14, 16, 24, 25, 28, 40, 56, 58-59, 90-92,100-104,110-112,112-116,119-120, 229,153-154
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also known as the Arragel Bible, was created to foster understanding between Christians and Jews. It is an
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two poles with sprouting leaves. It is likely that the inspiration for this image came from the
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Another significant part of this Bible was Rabbi Arragel’s use of common language, often using
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The Duke of Alba's Castilian Bible: A Study of the Rabbinical Features of the Miniatures
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this miniature has an inscription discussing the gates of heaven and righteous entry.
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was issued mandating the expulsion of all Jews from Spain. It resurfaced in 1622 at the
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this miniature has an inscription discussing the gates of heaven and righteous entry.
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During the history of this Bible it was once on display as a Spanish exhibition at the
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Folio 1v Discussion between Guzmán and Rabbi Moses on the creation of the Alba Bible
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Folio 183v of miniature depicting people drinking from a river with their hands.
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914:. Wallace S. Lipton MLN, Vol. 84, No. 2, Hispanic Issue (Mar., 1969), p. 298.
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as it is usually depicted in Christian art, with iconography influenced by the
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El fabuloso patrimonio de los Alba, Grandes de España pero de con Mayúsculas
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El fabuloso patrimonio de los Alba, Grandes de España pero de con Mayúsculas
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373:. There is also commentary taken from rabbinic literary sources such as the
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Between the Lines: Vol. 11, No. 1, Facsimile of Famed Alba Bible Acquired
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The whereabouts of the Alba Bible were unknown from 1492, the year the
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coming from the mouths and tails of two dragons. There are also two
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depicting Rabbi Moses handing over the manuscript to Luis de Guzmán
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A Blurred Encounter in Moses Arragel's Epistle on the Alba Bible
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center of the north menorah, putting the other two columns.
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center of the north menorah, putting the other two columns.
899:"Moses Arragel's vernacular Rabbinics in the Biblia de Alba"
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The Circumcisions of the Alba Bible (Fol. 37r and Fol. 167v)
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The Bible. The Classic Text: Traditions and Interpretations
279:. Copies of the five hundred were sold for US$ 44,000.
109:. The translation was completed under the supervision of
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The Sephardim: Jews in Spain from Antiquity to Exile
319:commissioned the facsimile for their personal use.
260:. The original Bible has been valued at 2.5 million
969:JTS — The Jewish Theological Seminary (2003–2006).
248:Today, the original Alba Bible is preserved by the
197:translation of the Old Testament from the original
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752:The Alba Bible: Rabbi Moses Arragel's Testament
545:The Spies with a Cluster of Grapes (Fol. 1008v)
516:Descriptions of Menorahs (Fol. 77r. 88v. 236v.)
486:Descriptions of Menorahs (Fol. 77r. 88v. 236v.)
140:. This was done at the request of Grand Master
536:Folio 236v is a full-page miniature detailing
507:Folio 236v is a full-page miniature detailing
306:starting in the winter of 1959 through 1960.
206:"vna biblia en rromançe, glosada e ystoriada."
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749:Finn Business Services Pty. Ltd (1997–2006).
458:The Parting of the Red Sea (Fol. 68v and 69r)
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466:Folio(s) 68v and 69r Parting of the Red Sea
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935:The Alba Bible: HISTORY OF THE MANUSCRIPT
851:Facsimile Editions London: The Alba Bible
848:Old Manuscripts & Incunabula (2006).
558:The Zeal of Phinehas (Fol. 127v and 128r)
520:A noteworthy image of this bible is the
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950:AKI YERUSHALAYIM #78 LA BIBLIA DE ALBA
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823:University of Wisconsin (2001).
446:In addition, this page features
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897:Wacks, David (July 23, 2023).
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982:. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
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854:. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
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762:. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
304:National Museum in Stockholm
252:and is on exhibition in the
868:"Home - Facsimile Editions"
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916:Digital abstract at JSTOR
423:First Miniature (Fol. 1v)
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796:Noticiasdot.com (2004).
397:. The work contains 334
81:404 x 288 mm; 515 folios
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236:of Spain, a devout
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359:Joseph Kimhi
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340:
313:
301:
281:
266:
247:
231:
215:
205:
203:
191:
169:
165:
161:
157:
136:province of
90:
88:
472:68v and 69r
402:killing of
391:Franciscans
323:Description
218:Inquisition
171:language.
145: [
114: [
1030:Categories
1001:Alba Bible
667:References
634:vernacular
605:Folio 167v
418:Miniatures
399:miniatures
355:Nahmanides
351:Maimonides
120:, who was
91:Alba Bible
598:Folio 37r
448:interlace
269:facsimile
227:Salamanca
223:heretical
195:Castilian
70:Scribe(s)
1008:(Ladino)
975:Archived
953:Archived
829:Archived
802:Archived
777:Archived
755:Archived
640:See also
579:Phinehas
577:depicts
568:Phinehas
452:humanoid
437:folio 1V
377:and the
238:Catholic
530:menorah
522:menorah
500:menorah
492:menorah
476:Red Sea
379:Midrash
188:Origins
175:History
151:of the
134:Spanish
132:in the
130:Maqueda
124:of the
877:May 5,
629:idioms
622:patron
552:Talmud
441:falcon
395:Toledo
375:Talmud
258:Madrid
199:Hebrew
138:Toledo
126:Jewish
103:Hebrew
583:Moses
262:euros
149:]
122:rabbi
118:]
105:into
65:Spain
879:2022
575:127V
528:The
498:The
408:Cain
404:Abel
336:Acra
89:The
78:Size
57:1430
54:Date
46:Type
406:by
393:of
264:.
256:in
1032::
923:^
887:^
870:.
859:^
841:^
814:^
789:^
675:^
381:.
365:,
361:,
357:,
353:,
349:,
147:es
116:es
1022:.
1013:.
901:.
881:.
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