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Book/Printed Material "Ma'aseh Hoshev".

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About this Item

Title

  • "Ma'aseh Hoshev".

Summary

  • This manuscript of Ma'aseh ḥoshev (The art of calculation), one of the most valuable Hebrew codices in the Bavarian State Library, is arranged in 24 separate works or grouped fragments of texts on mathematics, geometry and astronomy, together with a great number of explanatory notes, glosses, and additions. It is hard to do justice in a few words to the very broad range of matters discussed, which, in the disciplines covered, reflect the state of scientific knowledge in the Middle Ages. The work was compiled and mostly written by Levi ben Gershom, also known as Gersonides and by the acronym Ralbag (1288-1344), in 1321. The largest part of the 265 paper leaves is taken up by the works of Euclid, including fragments of his treatises on optics and catoptrics, and especially the Elements, with commentaries by al-Farabi and Ibn al-Haitam translated by Mosheh Ibn Tibon. One of the most important texts is the Mishnat ha-Middot (Theory of measures), held to be the oldest Hebrew work on geometry, which dates from about 150. The manuscript also contains texts by other great Jewish scholars of the Middle Ages, such as Abraham bar Hiyya Savasorda (died circa 1136), Abraham ben Meïr Ibn Esra (1089-1164), Simon Motot (15th century), and Mordecai ben Eliezer Comtino (1420-circa 1487). The main part of the manuscript was transcribed in Constantinople in 1480 by a certain Moses ben David, who mentions his name on folios 100 verso and 173 verso. The manuscript came from the collection of Johann Albrecht Widmannstetter to the ducal court library in Munich, the present-day Bavarian State Library.

Names

  • Abraham bar Hiyya Savasorda, approximately 1065-approximately 1136 Contributor.
  • Alhazen, 965-1039 Commentator for Written Text.
  • Ben David, Moses Contributor.
  • Comtino, Mordecai ben Eliezer, active 15th century Contributor.
  • Euclid Contributor.
  • Fārābī Commentator for Written Text.
  • Ibn Ezra, Abraham ben Meïr, 1092-1167 Contributor.
  • Ibn Tibon, Mosheh, active 13th century Translator.
  • Levi ben Gershom, 1288-1344 Contributor.
  • Moṭoṭ, Shimʻon ben Mosheh ben Shimʻon, active 15th century Contributor.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1450 to 1500]

Headings

  • -  Turkey--Istanbul
  • -  900 to 1499
  • -  Astronomy
  • -  Euclid
  • -  Geometry
  • -  Mathematics, Greek
  • -  Science, Medieval

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  "This description of the work was written by Hans Striedl.|BSB shelfmark: Cod.hebr. 36"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
  • -  Original resource extent: 264 folios, paper.
  • -  Original resource at: Bavarian State Library.
  • -  Content in Hebrew.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021667539

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Abraham Bar Hiyya Savasorda, Approximately Approximately 1136 Contributor, 965-1039 Commentator For Written Text Alhazen, Moses Contributor Ben David, Mordecai Ben Eliezer Comtino, Euclid Contributor, Fārābī Commentator For Written Text, Abraham Ben Meïr Ibn Ezra, Mosheh Ibn Tibon, Contributor Levi Ben Gershom, and ShimʻOn Ben Mosheh Ben ShimʻOn Moṭoṭ. "Ma'aseh Hoshev". [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1500, 1450] Pdf. https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2021667539/.

APA citation style:

Abraham Bar Hiyya Savasorda, A. A. 1. C., Alhazen, 9. C. F. W. T., Ben David, M. C., Comtino, M. B. E., Euclid Contributor, Fārābī Commentator For Written Text [...] Moṭoṭ, S. B. M. B. S. (1450) "Ma'aseh Hoshev". [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1500] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2021667539/.

MLA citation style:

Abraham Bar Hiyya Savasorda, Approximately Approximately 1136 Contributor, et al. "Ma'aseh Hoshev". [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1500, 1450] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <aj.sunback.homes/item/2021667539/>.