Folklore of the Karaites in Lithuania: the Yehuda Bezekowicz Manuscript from Troki, 1873
PDF

Keywords

Karaite folklore
Hebrew divination and magic literature
practical cabbala
Troki
Yehuda Bezekowicz

How to Cite

Muchowski, P. (2014). Folklore of the Karaites in Lithuania: the Yehuda Bezekowicz Manuscript from Troki, 1873. Karaite Archives, (2), 75–89. https://doi.org/10.14746/ka.2014.2.04

Abstract

The Heb 8°3652 manuscript from the National Library of Israel is among a collection of rare manuscripts from 19th-century Lithuania containing unofficial Karaite literature. These manuscripts, including the Abkowicz 3 and JSul.I.05 manuscripts, contain a vast collection of texts relating to the practical cabbala. Some of them are typical of divination and magic literature, and many resemble parallel texts from the Cairo Geniza in their form and contents. Their presence in Karaite manuscripts is exceptional for theological reasons. The Karaite translations of these texts were presented by professor Ananiasz Zajączkowski in the inter-war period as representative evidence of Karaite folklore and folk literature. This article includes an introductory presentation of the Heb 8.3652 manuscript.
https://doi.org/10.14746/ka.2014.2.04
PDF

References

[Anonymous]. 1926. B. p. Bogusław Firkowicz. Z powodu 10-ej rocznicy zgodnu. Myśl Karaimska 3, 17–18.

Aharon ben Eliyyahu of Nicomedia. 1867. Sep̄er Keter Tora, Gözleve.

Bashyatchi, Eliyyahu ben Moshe. 1834. Sep̄er ham-Miṣvot han-Niqraʾ Adderet Eliyyahu. Gözleve.

Bohak, Gideon. 2013. Rabbanite magical texts in Karaite manuscripts. Karaite Archives 1, 17–34.

Gottlober, Abraham, Beer. 1865. Bikkoreth ŁeToldoth Hakkaraim. Fünn et Rozenkrancz: Wilno.

Hadassi, Yehuda. 1836. Sep̄er ʼEshkol hak-Kop̄er. Gözleve.

Harari, Yuval. 2007. Leadership, Authority, and the “Other” in the Debate over Magic from the Karaites to Maimonides. The Journal for the Study of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewry 1, 79–101.

Mann, Jacob. 1935. Texts and Studies in Jewish History and Literature. Volume II: Karaitica. Philadelphia: Hebrew Press of the Jewish Publication Society of America.

Muchowski, Piotr. 2012. Notes on two Karaite texts edited by Ananiasz Zajączkowski. Folia Orientalia 49, 327–337.

Muchowski, Piotr. 2013. Folk Literature of the Polish-Lithuanian Karaites: Abkowicz 3 Manuscript, Part 2. Editions Suger Press, Revue Européenne des Etudes Hébraïques: Paris.

Zajączkowski, Ananiasz. 1929. Wróżby z drgań części ciała. Myśl Karaimska 2/1, 23–31.

Zajączkowski, Ananiasz. 1935–1936. Z dziejów literatury wróżbiarskiej: I Objaśnienia drgań części ciała, II Księga losów. Myśl Karaimska 11, 24–39.

Zajączkowski, Ananiasz. 1938. Teksty i studia folklorystyczne: I Wykładanie snów, II Lecznictwo ludowe. Myśl Karaimska 12, 41–59.