Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Pennsylvania

Unpublished Geniza Fragments of Pirke Aboth in the Antonin Geniza Collection in Leningrad
Author(s): Abraham I. Katsh
Reviewed work(s):
Source: The Jewish Quarterly Review, New Series, Vol. 61, No. 1 (Jul., 1970), pp. 1-14
Published by: University of Pennsylvania Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1453585 .
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 UNPUBLISHED GENIZA FRAGMENTS
OF PIRKE ABOTH
IN THE ANTONIN GENIZA COLLECTION
IN LENINGRAD

BY ABRAHAMI. KATSH, Dropsie University

THE ANTONINGENIZACOLLECTIONin the Saltykov-Shchedrin

Library in Leningrad contains significant material from the
Cairo Geniza, comparable in quality to the much larger col-
lections in Great Britain and in the United States of America.
Antonin Kapustin, a Russian Archimandrite, lived in
Jerusalem from I865 until his death in I894. His field of
study was archaeology and upon learning of the Cairo Geniza
discovery 1 he traveled to Cairo and succeeded in selecting
a choice collection of fragments.
The entire collection consists of II89 numbers.2 Six hun-
dred items deal with Biblical material, some on parchment and
others on paper. The rest of the material covers a variety of
subjects, such as Talmud, Responsa, liturgy, philosophy,
history and medicine. Every Talmudic tract is represented
there. Most fragments consist of a few pages but some have
as many as thirty-four pages. Seder Tohoroth3 and Pirke
Aboth are almost complete. Pirke Aboth Geniza contains
also some additional fragments on the same material by other
scribes.
Following are 2I examples of Pirke Aboth Geniza variants

1 Cf. Solomon Schecter, Studies in Judaism, 2nd Series, Philadelphia,

I908, pp. I2-30.
2 Cf. A. I. Katsh, The Antonin Geniza in Saltykov-Shchedrin State
Library in Leningrad, N.Y.U. Institute of Hebrew Studies, N.Y. I963.
3 Cf. A. I Katsh, The Mishna Geniza from the A'ntonin Collection,
Jerusalem, Mossad Harav Kook, I970.
2 THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

as comparedwith the printed text, the printed Mishna,Lowe,4

Kaufmann,5Taylor 6 and others.7

EXAMPLE I

I: 3 Printed Text:
O81 1pltj r X
8 1W lltt 9 8n e5s...

But be like servants who serve the master without a view

of receivingrecompense.

Geniza
10 ... ,z>b:pb x5t nit nW;7 ne trw7mmm tr-rvz rn t v...

But be like the servants who serve the master with a view of
not receivingrecompense.
G agrees with the commentaries of Gerondi, Aboth D'R.
Nathan (Schechter ed.) 11

4 W. H. Lowe, The Mishna on which the Palestinian Talmud Rests,

Cambridge, I883.
5 Mishnah-Handschrift Codex Kaufmann Facsimile Ausgabe, besorgt
von Prof. Dr. Georg Beer, Haag, I930.
6 Charles Taylor, Sayings of the Jewish Fathers, Cambridge. I897.
I Rashi, Maimonides, Jonah Gerondi, Aboth D'R. Nathan, etc.
Heretofore referred to as L (Lowe), K (Kaufmann), T (Taylor), P.
(Printed Text, Baer Edition ,:T1-1V[V flpfl nflT1 ,V7 ro
Tfll, M (Printed Mishna (nrnn ,3X: 11X21fl ,t7" ,fl1V1) and
G(Geniza).
8 \IV according to M.
9 TIMMWIaccording to M.
10 Cf. Isaac B. Solomon of Toledo n?n: 5W tw* nwpw ...
t lil vin litt zvnwn 11'.1x"x51r
.44-ii
trino
nnmpstf ,?W 74wle
4) 0v
TI?b,rnt nt x* lt 13tmn
1* .'rn
% 0i'x0
rrmw nvlxr tn
*ex v" Int.) tnwim'n mon -n-mv wnzt In *wtv5
,=4 -ri57 vwtn 5571-74510 nn5v '.1 rMs" 11,1"I "W11n) ... + 11 XM5u

(., ':n n"t,vrtr".t II=

" See also Midrash David Hanagid on Aboth rnu ;lrrn X'x
'O"rni--p7 1-52 71
no) : w t tw nin 55tW n
(andn,Bh Ib,Prr
andBahiyaJbnPakuda 7 2J1?3t:f;NSW ,nntI7;l1 n1fl
 ANTONIN COLLECTION-KATSH 3

EXAMPLE 2
I: 5 Printed Text:

Who so engages in much gossip with a woman brings

harm to himself, for he neglects the study of the Torah and
will in the end inherit Gehinnom.
The Genizarendersit
4-iz-rn ~~~vizi
insr~~nri tnu;r -i wnwz nown

Who so engages in much gossip with a woman when she

menstruates (Lev. i8: I9), brings harm to himself, for he
neglects the study of the Torah and will in the end inherit
Gehinnom.
K, L & T follow the printed Text. Rashi quoting Aboth
D'R' Nathan agreeswith G. So does Gerondi.

... 7x9, n WrIn

-i rnv 1:1n
EXAMPLE 3
I:7 Printed Text:
Nittai of Arbel said *... nw :n 13 "M
Accordingto the Genizathe name is Mattai ""M
K, L and T follow G.
EXAMPLE 4
i: 8 Printed Text:
- 15 1,,7',n,52nnV= ":
1 Z' r?7Z15 14 :!71"85:135 5nb

Do not (as a judge) play the role of an advocate."7

When the
parties in a lawsuit are standing before you, regard them
12 =Vz t3l= IM 7n according to M.
13 xnU1according to M.
14 'In1s7 The same in M
(Y'IV ,= n=11n:0 Ill,17i
15 Z"'T according to M.
16
} according to M.
17 nt343 ,> a 111147 Z31' otIAI (lI
"nl'1:)1JX m)t""n"8
4 THE JEWISH QUARTERLYREVIEW

both as guilty (convicted); but when they leave you after

having submitted to the judgment, regard them both as
innocent.
Geniza:

Do not (as a judge) play the role of ChiefJustice. When the

parties in a lawsuit are standing before you, regardthem both
as guilty (convicted); but when they leave you after having
submitted the judgment, regard them as acquitted(by court).
K, L and T agreewith G. So do Rashi and Gerondi.18

EXAMPLE 5
i:I8 Printed Text:
n*vrn55Vl
1" 55n
Vl n 55vtr"p:n5ln :nvn ,rwv
The world is established on three principles: truth, judg-
ment and peace.
The Genizachanges the order.
n*wt75n
nnVl
mAn 1"7l 557n"" jpn515vn t1 v 2
:n4.7 nv
The world is established on three principles: Judgment,
truth and peace.
M, K and L agree with the Genizabut T follows the printed
text.19

EXAMPLE 6

The end of 2:I Inn ;ri ;3 7 is omitted in the

Geniza.
18 Cf. Ber. R. 50 and s2b and Midrash David Hanagid, ibid.
ttovw3t1r3tt 17
Vown,1Et =wvm5
!Qn XRl7jtsv.5t -*r717mpn t7x
'1* T1"
171 11
IMn "n";D;trtl7157-T Xt7x "7I- 17"Rtt

19 ntt 1102 :n*vm:>t ,tt::;:T: :nftn 55wv

t3ns=w nmrp-m vinn" inx: tr mnzrm n5nszz n*wr "tr ,nv i= 5
,in j,'-r5 m1p; Ix n51llm n;nx ritmi vnm;x^m1rns";nmo= t "n t3rx
 ANTONINCOLLECTION-KATSH 5

EXAMPLE7
: z Printed Text:
"INnl7*= WNI... t:"m :t3 nnnv t"rpol In"n-1.zn t3 tsn"rpolw bz
inn"m ninnn*: W' v *n
n
Let all who occupy.themselveswith the community do so
for the sake of Heaven (for an ideal)....... "I credit you
with great reward (God says) as if you accomplished it all
yourselves."
The Genizarendersthe Mishna
n3N;ri5v nnml- t3,17 t3vb t3,;:5= Inr -Ilzsn tw t"r5>nv rnl
nn,'75V

Let all who toil for the community do so for the sake of
Heaven (for an ideal) ....... I credit you (God says) as if you
had accomplished it all yourselves." This agrees with M,
Aboth D'R. Nathan, K, L and T but the latter includes also
reward.6| 7 20

EXAMPLE8
3: z Printed Text
iw>n vir rim.trimnx-i x5t7*v rnn:bt
"= nvi5n n ;1vnnftz bornnn1...
Pray for the welfare of the government; since were it not
for the fear of it, men would swallow each other alive.
According to the Geniza, the words lr55 ;vjp x;v= follows
?nflIn which would render the sentence as follows: Pray for
the welfare of the government, since were it not for the fear
of it, thoughit is a great hardshipfor us, men would swallow
each other alive.
K, L and T agreewith the printed text.21

20 Cf. Rashi ... t3M ZMV7

W;MVW =
21pCf. Geondi 'nI *mz t3n"s n z3v'5w " n

21 Cf. Gerondi, ibid. o o * 13ll75 ;7vp m;7m ;7x8"i3 X5237*

6 THEJEWISHQUARTERLY
REVIEW

EXAMPLE9
3:3 Prin/ed Text
, pon =rv>
11-1=%Vr7j1-1t l ntr" nx *5"DAV ~ -'8 I"N
7"Inm-lltv 18
. . .,nvS *b =17 Ali
Now this verse refers to two persons: Whence do we
know that if even one person diligently occupies himself
with the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, determines his
reward ?.....
The Geniza renders the reading

On who sits and lectures(discourses), the Scriptures imputes

to him as though he fulfilled the whole Torah.
In T the word naw (studies) is used for vrr7 (lectures). L
follows G and T but uses ;-!nrinstead of wbir. K omits it com-
pletely.22

EXAMPLEIO
3: I5 Printed Text:

... And shameshis fellow man in public and makes void the
covenant of Abraham our father.....
The Geniza reads lrnn 'n runni and he who turns red 23
K using 13""7A?reverses the order in the printed text.
in=nnn i7u8nni iru ,r= bv irnri m;nonn .... L and T
both render and ton
andm
EXAMPLEII
3: I8 Printed Text:
,ron7n,5n tvib Irimtri~
:nv-r arvirrrmn...n+ winant ="z ....

22 Cf. Ber. 6a; Maimonides Commentary on Aboth and Gerondi.

ibid.
23 Cf. B.M. s8b 7"ITX... 3'1?371t'1t *lA7n tl 2M
A-rnwi"INxIxjpnlo
See also Midrash David Hanagid ibid. 1V31 JOV 1z-1.1 'RZ and
1110t)II, ibid. nvlz:5 I"??eNll trn-ri "Ot7rn+",nmtr-mnt nt
Cf. Rashbam (Samuel b. Meir)
trlz
r"3o3v-7y
J";wu7n;: 1nD m-1:1n"3Xtr rl
 ANTONIN COLLECTION-KATSH 7

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-...<..8..a.'' *^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

....... .........

,'~%~ -#.. , ' WIk4S 1

.... .........4.

.......>*.... ....
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Fs! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~- -.

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.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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*' ';~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.:- ;.:.-:-Z.;;,
. ; .. ... . .. ..:: s....'.....
. . ......... . 0 .'....2
 8 THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

t w ~~ ~ .3 ~ ~ ~~s~
t ....9.. . ~ ~~ >t ~ ~~~~ t" ~

N.:S I ' >

* Sist1 >tS S o r y D w-y.. A tn .:,..~~~~~

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~~~~ St ^~~~~~~~~
->upa~~~~~~!9
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.. ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~4bg~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~ W
..t .p . .... . : . .

w
v F;
W~~~~~~..t.. ..._t... .v.--_t
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;.__iS
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t}.. q ..
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$eo
SAi 1 i. .V*.. ..
 ANTONIN COLLECTION-KATSH 9

- .
.. .b
.. .. . ..:.

. ......... ., * f

.....
... m5 7t 5 9 v o

YMN,
I W'mttr,&?
-..Ie K? 5
*W::?W1, g?7n !V?h1f - + 5
*w : : :.n ?nwnrr,t.
:.2 :

* ,8A t.:8.e ?.p~~O(y

D ,>13;A >nr! st?5wn*tn Kit :a

o: t 7 , L tt 5b>>mM
M.
;~~~AI sffl
w;5X:IN -2Ptt>bt vS2

tnt.~~~~~~~~~~4
....
......
t ...>"j
~~~~;. t

s*a:hfs
*
........<........................... - .;.
4,,
N~~ :7?*
*X
~
. <>f.i~a
tN 7ptte ~tA% v:pN46 uV4OO 3
at..> aca^.at.. At ..
:~~~T. mtvl Mj t Du., t

~~~~~~~l wR -,.? ..
....... ;, .

...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~p
:
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"4
7?., 2......
5 :.
 IO THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

5W
\i:: .,%.t :..tl*T'

nq1r * > ^ w *t B r *N1

50\tt5X< *

*rrr2~? D \4t~~
"nwS CArn

4r4
;~"vo nz; w-> a
2 0*1o
s
Jo~

w5e v. ^n> ,> ..

w.,X >8

.....~~~~~~~
.. ...
Rt
4
c ~*+*^
{nn
..............
uRm &,,,E *nt
.......
:.t-~~~~~~~~
h.ps,wEv) :e
:.:.:..^
>K.ffi*B.d..>>*S>e4~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
..>> .

WN
31~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
 ANTONIN COLLECTION-KATSH II

Beloved is man, for he was created in the image (of God); it

is by special (divine) love that it was informed to him that
he was created in God's image..... (beloved are Israel,
for) it was by a special love that it was made known to them
that the precious instrument through which the world was
created was given to them.
The Genizarendersit
tvlx7 7n3wt;vx7 n528f3ln
r-n"n nnenS n3 ntl>>

Beloved is man, for he was created in the image of God.....

An instrumentthroughwhich the world was created.
The word vn;x which is omitted in the printed text
appears in the Geniza and the word nnrrn(precious) which
appearsin the printed text is omitted in the Geniza.
K, L and T omit Godand precious.

EXAMPLE I2
3:2I Printed Text:

r-it 1-1- 7"t nx 'r-i 1-1- 7"et1-1-n 7"etnx :-nix 'r11V "n,1
I"nt -11Vs>'7
l'it nst: nx
7"et ,;finv litt .n lit e
nx nn itrnvi litt tu,t 7"tt

Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah said: "Where there is no Torah,

there is no proper conduct; where there is no proper conduct,
there is no Torah. Where there is no wisdom, there is no
reverence (fear of God); where there is no reverence (fear of
God), there is no wisdom. Where there is no knowledge, there
is no understanding; where there is no understanding, there
is no knowledge. Where there is no flour, there is no Torah;
where there is no Torah, there is no flour."
The Geniza arrangementdiffering from all other renderings
seems to be more logical:
nr
2"4 1nM"x the o dr. r 1 7"x n n;:1le " -
In -1vwhx

Ililn 7"Knw7nI"xnx
I"xn7:j I"xnx rnp:j
24 M reverses the order.
I2 THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

Rabbi Eazar ben Azariah said: Where there is no proper

conduct there is no Torah: where there is no Torah there is
no wisdom; where there is no wisdom there is no reverence
(fear of God), where there is no reverence (fear of God) there
is no understanding; where there is no understanding there
is no knowledge. Where there is no knowledge there is no
flour; where there is no flour, there is no Torah.

EXAMPLE I3
4:5 Printed Text:

The Geniza omits the last two words ntzn ri*nn and they
seem to be superfluous. The printed text reads: Whoever
profanes the name of God secretly is punished publicly,
whether the profanation is committed intentionally or un-
intentionally, in theprofanationof thenameof God.

EXAMPLE I4
4:6 Printed Text:
-T?n~ I-Ti=25 p"PDw8w n rwnn nwx II=5xrm ::
Rabbi Ishmael, his son, said: He who learns in order to
teach will be granted adequate means to learn and to teach ...
The Geniza reads:
-1?*75l rr=":I 7pvo
81;:711?* "r; I;:x7x nin 5:n;w1+.
n31?* '1t2;:w
Rabbi Ishmael said: He who learns in order to teach will
not be granted adequate means to learn and to teach.26

EXAMPLE I5
4: IO Printed Text:

27
If thou art idle in respect of the Torah, many idle things
25
I"PTOt according to M.
26 Cf. Rashi, Gerondi ibid. where the meaning is 88?* v"v
27 aclcoTrdn
'7'7?' 1oM.rmz1
M".
t"o"Don I-vn ": lln
111'1according to M.
,27
 ANTONIN COLLECTION-KATSH 13

will be before thee; but if thou toilest in the Torah, He has

abundant recompenseto give thee.
K, L and T follow the printed text. The Geniza, however,
quotes the first part and leaves out .n'7nr ne
EXAMPLE i6
4:20 The Geniza omits the entire Mishna w-in J= Itrnnn; "16

K, L & T follow the printed text with minor variants.

EXAMPLE I7
4:23 Printed Text:
28... *nn , n
And console him not in the hour when his dead lies before
him
The same in K, and T, but the Geniza substitutes *=R MMw
(in the hour of his mourning).See also Gen. 27:4I 521 ;t" TZIP"
"im and Isa. 6o:20-?1U "V1V*W1
Aboth D'R Nathan agrees with G. (Schechter Ed.)
(-11nII=It=:5
,P DINmoil)*u5nWr vi7nln;in bx
EXAMPLE i8
5:9 Printed Text:
The Geniza omits the entire Mishna .... 1 rvt.' 5 K, L
and T include it.
EXAMPLE I9
5:22 Printed Text:
in nr= 'W ; n tz'ln mm
n r
... An evil eye, a haughty mind, and a proud spirit are
the signs of the disciplesof Balaam the wicked.
The same in K, and L T.29
The Geniza substitutes .i-2'l voll impatience for ninrwr z
a proud spirit.30
28 'VVZ according to M.
29 7flM according to M.
30 cf. Rashi
e textM n
i Mda oDam
1v1id :
Hagidp ibid. fl njIsp
Wvt?1 M"
n1l1"ItZHI "MIMp tnX ":) WM "It 57 MV
: 811=: * 7"tti nimbil
And so is the text in Midrash David Hanagid, i'bid. ,np D31
14 THE JEWISH QUARTERLY REVIEW

EXAMPLE 20
5: 2 Printed Text:

... The disciples of Balaam the wicked inherit Cehenna

and descend into the nethermostPit ...

In the Geniza,the renderingis

The disciples of Balaam the wicked descend into Gehenna.

The same is in K, L and T but the word 57'V:1the wicked is
omitted.

EXAMPLE 2I
5:23 Printed Text:

The Geniza omits the last part of the Mishna: He used to

say: "The impudent is destined for Gehinnom,but the shame-
faced for paradise."34
31 According to M "1 aand 1n 7
32 1fl1 according to M.
33 The rest of the Mishna is omitted in G.
34 Mishna 5:24 is omitted in T, K, and L but not in G.