Jalkut

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Jalkut (also: Jalqut , " flower picking "; actually: Hebrew "bag", "container"; cf. I. Sam. 17,40: the "shepherd's bag" in which David put the pebbles in order to share the Goliath with one of them to defeat) denotes a genre of rabbinical literature : compilations, especially midrashim compiled into anthologies in the Middle Ages .

The three best-known (probably independently created) of these compilations are: Jalkut Schimoni, Jalkut Hamechiri and Jalkut Re'ubeni.

Jalkut Schimoni

Also: Schimeoni ; usually simply called Jalkut : classical anthology and Midrashian thesaurus, first attributed by Zunz (which was confirmed) to the medieval author Simon (Simeon) Kara (Schim'on ha-Darschan) (French rabbi, 12th century, according to other sources from Frankfurt am Main, already in the 11th century; probably not until the 13th century).

This compilation, which also serves as a convenient reference work and is composed of more than 50 works, accompanies the biblical books according to their order (later reviews, however, confuse things) and provides a valuable selection of the associated midrashim. The work is divided into two parts:

  • 1) Jalkut to the Torah (963 paragraphs / Remasim);
  • 2) Jalkut on the other books (1085 paragraphs / Remasim).

The lengths of the paragraphs vary greatly (very short: a few lines to extremely long: many pages).

The Jalkut Shimoni is also particularly valuable because it uses some sources that are otherwise partially or completely lost ( Sifre Zuta , Jelamdenu, Midrash Abkir, Midrash Taje, Midrash Esfa), and because it provides important readings that must nevertheless always be checked Provides textual criticism of still existing works.

Jalkut HaMechiri

Also: Jalqut ha-Makhiri , a compilation similar to Jalkut Shimoni, but less complete (only for the prophetic writings and the three great hagiographs), compiled by Machir ben Abba Mari (also: ben Makhir ben Todros ) about which one knows next to nothing with certainty (14th century, uncertain: Provence, Spain); but there are many scientific theories, some speculations, about him.

The author of this Jalkut had a large number of different, later Midrash manuscripts (on Job, Proverbs, Seder Elijahu Rabba ) and some of those that were otherwise not preserved, some several times, which makes its readings all the more valuable.

Jalkut Re'ubeni

First published in Prague 1660. A mystical-aggadic Pentateuch commentary in the Hebrew-Aramaic language with references to works from the old Kabbalah that follows on from the weekly sections (Sidrot) .

Its author, Re'uben ben Hoschke (Josua Hoeschel) hakohen (Ruben Höschke; Höschke = Polish diminutive for Yehoshua), is attested as a celebrated Kabbalist in Prague in 1673 .

The version Jalkut Re'ubeni hagadol (the great) with extensive excerpts of rare Kabbalah works, also arranged in the order of the readings, was the most popular.

Sources and literature

  • Jalkut Schimoni: First printing Saloniki (part I. 1526 f., Part II. 1521), reprints Jerusalem 1968 (part I.), 1973 (part II.)
  • Jalkut Schimoni: most important, only almost complete manuscript: MS Oxford 2637
  • AB Hyman, The Sources of Yalkut Shimeoni , 2 volumes, Jerusalem 1965–1974 (Hebrew)
  • J. Spira, The Yalkut on Isaiah of Machir ben Abba Mari , Berlin 1894 (print edition, following Codex Leiden)
  • S. Buber , Jalkut Machiri to the 150 Pss. , Berdyczew 1899
  • L. Grünhut, Sefer ha-Jalqut ha-Makhiri al Mischle , Frankfurt am Main 1902
  • Gerschom Scholem , Die Jewish Mystik ... , 34 f. (for Jalqut Reubeni)