B"H

EXCERPT FROM RABBI YOSEPH QAFIH's INTRODUCTION
to his Commentary on Maimonides' Mishne Torah:
(Translated by Michael J. Bohnen)

"When in my youth I studied the Mishneh Torah with my grandfather of blessed memory, most people used printed books, each with his own edition, but my grandfather and several of the others had manuscripts which were several hundred years old, each scroll of a different age. Almost every halacha had annotations with variant readings. Some were passed over quickly because of their simplicity and some aroused debate on the subject and its consequences, whether relating to a halacha that will not be applicable until the time of the Messiah, or practical matters relating to the customs of our day. These debates were unending daily activities. The errors and deficiencies of the printed texts were well known. So much so that the printed books were used to characterize a mistaken person -- when someone said something incorrect on some subject, they would respond 'you are like a printed text,' and point out the correction. These matters were inscribed on my heart, and I grew up with the assumption that there were two types of Maimonides texts in the world: that of the Yemenite manuscripts and that of the printed book. With study and investigation over time, I realized that there were very many differences of various kinds between the Yemenite manuscripts and the printed texts, although the differences were narrowed in the case of the older printed texts like the Roman edition.

We have a tradition from our ancestors, and my grandfather wrote about it in one of his letters, that even during the life of Maimonides, the Jews of Yemen sent expert copyists to Egypt to make copies of his manuscripts. And from time to time they sent for updates and corrections to their books according to the most recent emendations and reconciliations of Maimonides, including the very latest. It has already been shown in the publications of Prof. S. D. Gotein and in my own publications, that there was active two-way traffic between Yemen and Egypt at that time, but this is not the place to repeat these matters. This is not just a matter of oral tradition, but there is a provable reliable basis for it. As I have demonstrated in my edition of the Commentary on the Mishnah, and also with regard to the Mishneh Torah, the changes that Maimonides made over time in the Commentary on the Mishnah, after completing the Mishneh Torah, he then inserted in the Mishneh Torah. These are all found in our manuscripts, but some are not found in the printed texts."


The Yemenite Manuscript of Maimonides' MISHNE TORAH
(With samples of the changes or omissions made in the Printed texts highlighted in red.)

· (Seder Ahava, H. Sefer Torah, ch. 8, Sefer Vayiqra)
The Yemenite Ms.
"...וידבר דזה קרבן, וידבר דדבר אל אהרן, וזאת תורת האשם, וזאת תורת זבח, וידבר דדבר אל בני ישראל, וידבר דקח את אהרן, כולן פתוחות, והן שש."

" 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'This is the offering, [etc.]' (Lev. 6:12); 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'Speak unto Aaron, [etc.]' (Lev. 6:17); 'And this is the law of the guilt-offering, [etc.]' (Lev. 7:1); 'And this is the law of the sacrifice, [etc.]' (Lev. 7:11); 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'Speak unto the children of Israel, [etc.] [all suet, etc.]' (Lev. 7:22); 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'Take Aaron, [etc.]' (Lev. 8:1) - all of them are Open sections, and they are [altogether] six."

The Printed Texts:
"...וידבר דזה קרבן. וידבר דדבר אל אהרן. וזאת תורת האשם. וזאת תורת זבח. וידבר דדבר אל בני ישראל המקריב. וידבר דקח את אהרן - כולן פתוחות והן שש."

" 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'This is the offering, [etc.]' (Lev. 6:12); 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'Speak unto Aaron, [etc.]' (Lev. 6:17); 'And this is the law of the guilt-offering, [etc.]' (Lev. 7:1); 'And this is the law of the sacrifice, [etc.]' (Lev. 7:11); 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'Speak unto the children of Israel, [etc.] He that offers, [etc.]' (Lev. 7:28); 'And the Lo-rd spake, [etc.]' which belongs to [the verse], 'Take Aaron, [etc.]' (Lev. 8:1) - all of them are Open sections, and they are [altogether] six."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
· (Seder Zemanim, H. Hanukka, ch.3 vs.14)
The Yemenite Ms.
"...הוא אומר אנא יי' הצליחה נא, והן עונין אנא יי' הצליחה נא. הוא אומר ברוך הבא, וכל העם אומרים בשם יי'."
"…He says, 'We beseech thee, O Lo-rd, Please bring prosperity!' And they answer, 'We beseech thee, O Lo-rd, please bring prosperity!' He says, 'Blessed be He that comes!' And all the people say, 'In the name of the Lo-rd!' "

The Printed Texts:
"...הוא אומר אנא ה' הצליחה נא והם עונים אנא ה' הצליחה נא. הוא אומר ברוך הבא וכל העם אומרים ברוך הבא."
"…He says, 'We beseech thee, O Lo-rd, Please bring prosperity!' And they answer, 'We beseech thee, O Lo-rd, please bring prosperity!' He says, 'Blessed be He that comes!' And all the people say, 'Blessed be He that comes!'"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

· (Seder Ahava, H. Sefer Tefillin, ch.1 vs.7)
The Yemenite Ms.
"ואם לקחו העור אחר שהעבירו שערו וחלקו אותו בעביו לשנים כמו שהעבדנין עושין עד שייעשה שני עורות אחד דק הוא שממול השער, ואחד עבה והוא שממול הבשר, ועבדו אותו במלח ואחר כך בקמח ואחר כך בעפצא וכיוצא בו, זה החלק שממול השער נקרא דוכסוסטוס וזה שממול הבשר נקרא קלף."
"Now if they should take the leather after removing its hairs, and split it into two at its thickness, just as the tanners do, until he is left with two pieces of leather; one which is thin (which is opposite the place where the hairs grew), while the other is thick (which is opposite the place which was attached to the flesh), and [if] they should treat it with salt, and afterwards with flour, and afterwards with a gall substance, or anything which is like unto it, that part which is opposite the place where the hairs grew is called 'Doksustos.' And that [part] which is opposite the place which was attached to the flesh is called 'Kalaf.' "

The Printed Texts:
"ואם לקחו העור אחר שהעבירו שערו וחילקו אותו בעביו לשנים כמו שהעבדנין עושין עד שיהיו שני עורות. אחד דק הוא שממול השיער ואחד עבה והוא שממול הבשר ועבדו אותו במלח ואח"כ בקמח ואחר כך בעפצא וכיוצא בו. זה החלק שממול השיער נקרא קלף וזה שממול הבשר נקרא דוכסוסטוס."
"Now if they should take the leather after removing its hairs, and split it into two at its thickness, just as the tanners do, until he is left with two pieces of leather; one which is thin (which is opposite the place where the hairs grew), while the other is thick (which is opposite the place which was attached to the flesh), and [if] they should treat it with salt, and afterwards with flour, and afterwards with a gall substance, or anything which is like unto it, that part which is opposite the place where the hairs grew is called 'Kalaf.' And that [part] which is opposite the place which was attached to the flesh is called 'Doksustos.' "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

· (Seder Ahava, H. Sefer Torah, ch. 8, Sefer Eleh Ha-Devarim)
The Yemenite Ms.
"צורת שירת האזינו - כל שטה ושטה יש באמצעה ריוח אחד כצורת הפרשה הסתומה, ונמצאת כל שטה חלוקה לשתים, וכותבין אותה בשבע וששים שטות. ואלו הן התבות שבראש כל שטה ושטה..."
"The form of the Song Ha'azinu - Every line has at its center a space, similar to the section which is Closed. We find, [therefore], that each line is parted into two [halves], and they write it on sixty-seven lines. And these are the words at the beginning of each line…"

The Printed Texts:
"צורת שירת האזינו כל שיטה ושיטה יש באמצע ריוח אחד כצורת הפרשה הסתומה. ונמצא כל שיטה חלוקה לשתים, וכותבין אותה בשבעים שיטות ואלו הן התבות שבראש כל שיטה ושיטה..."

"The form of the Song Ha'azinu - Every line has at its center a space, similar to the section which is Closed. We find, [therefore], that each line is parted into two [halves], and they write it on seventy lines. And these are the words at the beginning of each line…"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

· (Seder Ahava, H. Berakhos, ch.6 vs.3)
The Yemenite Ms.
"כל את המלח צריך נטילת ידים באחרונה שמא יש בו מלח סדומית ..."

"[If] one has weighed salt, he requires a hand washing at the end, lest there be in it the salt of Sodom…"

The Printed Texts:
"כל פת שהמלח בו צריך נטילת ידים באחרונה שמא יש בו מלח סדומית ..."

"All bread where salt [is served] with it, one requires a hand washing at the end, lest there be in it the salt of Sodom…"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

· (Seder Mada', H. Teshuvah, ch. 3 vs. 8 )
The Yemenite Ms.
"...וכן הכופר בפרושה והיא תורה שבעל פה, והכחיש מגידיה כגון צדוק ובייתוס, והאומר שהבורא החליף מצוה זו במצוה אחרת, וכבר בטלה תורה זו, אע"פ שהיא היתה מעם יי' כגון הנוצרים וההגרים כל אחד משלשה אלו כופר בתורה."
"…Likewise, he who denies its interpretation (that is to say, the Oral Law), and he who has denied its transmitters (such as Saduq and Boethus), and he who says that the Creator has exchanged this commandment for another, or that this [Divine] Law was already cancelled even though it was once from G-d, like as the Christians and Higreans [will say], each one of these three types have denied the [Divine] Law."

The Printed Texts:
"...וכן הכופר בפרושה והוא תורה שבעל פה, והמכחיש מגידיה כגון צדוק ובייתוס, והאומר שהבורא החליף מצוה זו במצוה אחרת וכבר בטלה תורה זו אע"פ שהיא היתה מעם ה' כגון (הושמט) הההגרים כל אחד משלשה אלו כופר בתורה."

"…Likewise, he who denies its interpretation (that is to say, the Oral Law), and he who has denied its transmitters (such as Saduq and Boethus), and he who says that the Creator has exchanged this commandment for another, or that this [Divine] Law was already cancelled even though it was once from G-d, like as the Higreans [will say], each one of these three types have denied the [Divine] Law."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

· (Seder Ahava, H. Tefillah, ch. 7 vs. 10)
The Yemenite Ms.
"...הערב נא יי' אלהינו את דברי תורתך בפינו ובפיפיות עמך כל בית ישראל. ונהיה אנחנו וצאצאינו וצאצאי עמך כל בית ישראל לעולם יודעי שמך ולומדי תורתך לשמה ברוך אתה יי' נותן התורה."
"…We pray thee O Lo-rd our G-d to make pleasant the words of thy Law in our mouth, and in the mouths of thy people, the entire house of Israel. And let us forever know thy name, as well as our progeny, and the progeny of thy people, the entire house of Israel, and [become] the learners of thy Law for its own sake. Blessed art thou, O Lo-rd, who giveth the Law (Torah)."

The Printed Texts:
"...והערב נא ה' אלהינו את דברי תורתך בפינו ובפיפיות עמך כל בית ישראל. ונהיה אנחנו וצאצאינו וצאצאי עמך כל בית ישראל לעולם יודעי שמך ולומדי תורתך לשמה ברוך אתה ה' המלמד תורה לעמו ישראל."
"…And we pray thee O Lo-rd our G-d to make pleasant the words of thy Law in our mouth, and in the mouths of thy people, the entire house of Israel. And let us forever know thy name, as well as our progeny, and the progeny of thy people, the entire house of Israel, and [become] the learners of thy Law for its own sake. Blessed art thou, O Lo-rd, who teaches the Law (Torah) to His people Israel."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

· (Seder Shofetim, H. Melakhim, ch.11 vs.4)
The Yemenite Ms.
"ואם יעמוד מלך מבית דוד הוגה בתורה ועוסק במצוות כדוד אביו כפי תורה שבכתב ושבעל פה, ויכוף כל ישראל לילך בה ולחזק בדקה, וילחם מלחמות ה'. הרי זה בחזקת שהוא משיח. אם עשה והצליח ונצח כל האומות שסביביו ובנה מקדש במקומו, וקבץ נדחי ישראל הרי זה משיח בודאי. ואם לא הצליח עד כה או נהרג בידוע שאינו זה שהבטיחה תורה עליו. והרי הוא ככל מלכי בית דוד השלמים והכשרים שמתו ולא העמידו הקדוש ברוך הוא אלא לנסות בו רבים שנאמר ומן המשכילים יכשלו לצרף בהם ולברר וללבן עד קץ כי עוד למועד. אף ישוע הנצרי שדמה שהיה משיח ונהרג בבית דין כבר נתנבא בו דניאל שנאמר ובני פריצי עמך ינשאו להעמיד חזון ונכשלו. וכי יש מכשול גדול מזה? שכל הנביאים דברו שהמשיח גואל לישראל ומושיעם ומקבץ נדחיהם ומחזק מצותן וזה גרם לאבד לישראל בחרב ולפזר שאריתם. ולהשפילם ולהחליף התורה ולהטעות רוב העולם לעבוד אלוה מבלעדי ה'. אבל מחשבות בורא עולם אין כח באדם להשיגם. כי לא דרכינו דרכיו ולא מחשבותינו מחשבותיו. וכל הדברים האלו שלישוע הנצרי ושלזה הישמעאלי שעמד אחריו אינן אלא לישר דרך למלך המשיח ולתקן העולם כולו ולעבוד את יי' ביחד שנאמר כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ה'. ולעבדו שכם אחד. כיצד? כבר נתמלא העולם מדברי המשיח ומדברי התורה ומדברי המצות. ופשטו דברים אלו באיים רחוקים ובעמים רבים ערלי לב. והם נושאים ונותנים בדברים אלו ובמצוות התורה. אלו אומרים מצוות אלו אמת היו וכבר בטלו בזמן הזה, ולא היו נוהגות לדורות. ואלו אומרים דברים נסתרים יש בהם ואינן כפשוטן, וכבר בא המשיח וגילה נסתריהם. וכשיעמוד המלך המשיח באמת, ויצליח וירום וינשא מיד הם כולם חוזרים ויודעים ששקר נחלו אבותיהם ושנביאיהם ואבותיהם הטעום."
"Now if a king from the house of David will stand up, reading in the Law, and going about the business of [G-d's] commandments, as his father, David, according to [both] the written and oral Laws. And [if] he shall bring Israel into submission, to walk in them and to strengthen their breach, and shall fight the wars of the Lo-rd, behold, such a one is assumed to be the Messiah. [Yet], if he shall do so, and be prosperous, and be victorious over all nations which surround him, and build the Temple in its place, and gather in the exiles of Israel, behold, such a one is definitely the Messiah! But if he has not prospered until now, or was killed, it is obvious that he is not the one whom the Law has promised. And, behold, he is like unto all of the kings [who ever came] of the house of David, who died [while they were] whole and virtuous. And G-d did not raise him up except to try many persons by him, as it is written: 'And from those who had been enlightened, they shall stumble, in order that they be brought through the refiner's pot, to be cleansed [from all impurities], and to be tempered, [even] unto the end, for the time is yet to come.' (Daniel 11:35) Even Jesus of Nazareth who thought he was the Messiah and was killed by the Court, Daniel [the prophet] has already prophesied concerning him, as it is written: 'the sons of those who go unrestrained of thy people, will lift themselves up in order to establish the vision, but they shall fail.' (Daniel 11:14) Now, is there an obstacle greater than this!? For all of the prophets have spoken that the Messiah redeems Israel, and delivers them; And that he gathers in the exiles, and augments their commandments, but he caused the loss of Israel by the sword, and the scattering of their remnant. And [he caused] that they would be brought low, and that the [Divine] Law should be replaced. And [he caused] that most of the world should be misled into serving a god other than the Lo-rd! But man has not the power to fathom the thoughts of Him who created the world. For our ways are not His ways, and our thoughts are not His thoughts. Now all of these things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and concerning that Ishmaelite who stood up after him, were not [meant for anything] except that [by them] the way of the King [who is our] Messiah may be straightened, and to emend [thereby] the world entirely, and to serve G-d together, as it is written: 'Then I shall reverse unto the nations a clear language, that they might call out, all of them, by the name of the Lo-rd [and] to serve Him all together.' (Zeph. 3:9) How [was this to be done]? The world is presently filled with the concept of a Messiah, and with the concept of the Law, and with the concept of commandments, and these matters have spread to far-off isles, and among many peoples uncircumcised in heart. And they discuss these matters, and the commandments [given] in the [Divine] Law. There be those who say these injunctions [in the Law] are true, but that they have been eradicated in this [present] age, never being intended for future generations. There be others who say there are things concealed in them, and that they are not [to be understood] in their plain & ordinary sense, and that the Messiah has already come and revealed their mysteries. However, when the King [who is our] Messiah comes, and shall prosper, and be extolled, and be uplifted, forthwith, all of them shall repent, and shall know that their fathers inherited a lie, and that their prophets and forefathers caused them to err."

The Printed Texts:
"ואם יעמוד מלך מבית דוד הוגה בתורה ועוסק במצות כדוד אביו. כפי תורה שבכתב ושבעל פה. ויכוף כל ישראל לילך בה ולחזק בדקה. וילחם מלחמות ה'. הרי זה בחזקת שהוא משיח. אם עשה והצליח ובנה מקדש במקומו וקבץ נדחי ישראל הרי זה משיח בודאי. ויתקן את העולם כולו לעבוד את ה' ביחד שנאמר כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרוא כולם בשם ה' ולעבדו שכם אחד. (הושמט)"
"Now if a king from the house of David will stand up, reading in the Law, and going about the business of [G-d's] commandments, as his father, David, according to [both] the written and oral Laws. And [if] he shall bring Israel into submission, to walk in them and to strengthen their breach, and shall fight the wars of the Lo-rd, behold, such a one is assumed to be the Messiah. [Yet], if he shall do so, and be prosperous, and build the Temple in its place, and gather in the exiles of Israel, behold, such a one is definitely the Messiah. And he must emend the world entirely, that [men might] serve G-d together, as it is written: 'Then I shall reverse unto the nations a clear language, that they might call out, all of them, by the name of the Lo-rd [and] to serve Him all together.' (Zeph. 3:9)" (ENTIRE SECTION OMITTED HERE, due to the censor in Europe.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



NOTE: There are, literally, hundreds of differences between the Printed Texts and the Yemenite manuscripts. Yet, these were written only as a sampling of those differences that exist. Rabbi Yoseph Qafih, of blessed memory, published his edition of the Mishne Torah, based after the Yemenite handwritten manuscript. These volumes can be read by all at the Hebrew University National Library in Jerusalem (Giv'at Ram Campus).

Rav Kapach's edition of the Rambam with out his commentary is now also available in one volume.