The Vanishing Verses: Curious Cases of Textual Tampering in Our Machzor
In this class, we will analyze four beautiful piyutim that we chant on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, uncovering some structural oddities along the way. As we raise questions and examine older prints and medieval manuscripts, we’ll uncover a story of mysterious censorship. While we’ll piece together what happened, understanding why it happened will prove to be more challenging.
Links:
Machzor, Lublin 1551
https://www.nli.org.il/en/books/NNL_ALEPH990011638640205171/NLI
Bodleian Library, MS. Michael 619
Bodleian Library, MS. Heb. e. 39 (Geniza)
https://hebrew.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/fragments/full/MS_HEB_e_39_4b.jpg
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Hébreu 631
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105392732/f25.item
Bodleian Library MS. Laud Or. 321
Bodleian Library, MS. Michael 627
Bavarian State Library, Cod. Hebr. 69
Basel University Library, MS. R II 2
Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Hébreu 621
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105420719/f70.planchecontact
State Library Berlin, MS. OR 4200
The Vanishing Verses: Curious Cases of Textual Tampering in Our Machzor
