| The Alba Bible | |
|---|---|
| The House of Alba | |
| Also known as | Arragel Bible |
| Type | Old Testament |
| Date | 1430 |
| Place of origin | Spain |
| Scribe(s) | Rabbi Moses Arragel |
| Size | 404 x 288 mm; 515 folios |
The Alba Bible also known as the Arragel Bible, was created to foster understanding between Christians and Jews. It is an illuminated manuscript containing a translation of the Old Testament made directly from Hebrew into mediaeval Castilian. The translation was completed under the supervision of Moses Arragel, who was rabbi of the Jewish community of Maqueda in the Spanish province of Toledo. This was done at the request of Grand Master Luis González de Guzmán of the Order of Calatrava.[2][3][4] During the antisemitic riots of 1430, the Alba Bible was created.[5] 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.[6]
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.[1]
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.[1]
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 miniatures, six are full-page works.[7] The Bible's uniqueness stems from its incorporation of Christian and rabbinical texts, and accompanying images.[1] 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.[1]
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.[1] There is also a significance in the way it was written using the vernacular or common language instead of an overly formal language.[8]
- ^ a b c d e f Carl-Otto Nordström, The Duke of Alba's Castilian Bible: A Study of the Rabbinical Features of the Miniatures (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
- ^ Finn Business Services Pty. Ltd (1997–2006). The Alba Bible: Rabbi Moses Arragel's Testament Archived 2006-08-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
- ^ Fathom Knowledge Network (2002). The Sephardim: Jews in Spain from Antiquity to Exile Archived 2006-10-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
- ^ Noticiasdot.com (2004). El fabuloso patrimonio de los Alba, Grandes de España pero de con Mayúsculas Archived 2010-02-03 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
- ^ University of Wisconsin (2001). The Bible. The Classic Text: Traditions and Interpretations Archived 2006-09-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
- ^ Old Manuscripts & Incunabula (2006). Facsimile Editions London: The Alba Bible. Retrieved October 19, 2006.
- ^ "Home - Facsimile Editions". facsimile-editions.com. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page).