A birthday with uncertainty: RNL Evr Arab I 4816

Dr Nadia Vidro is back with Cambridge University Library's Fragment of the Month for July 2024

A birthday with uncertainty: RNL Evr Arab I 4816 

Author

Dr Nadia Vidro

Summary

The text describes the birth record of David ha-Levi, noting the unusual mention of uncertainty regarding the exact date. This uncertainty, expressed in Hebrew as על דרך פוגה, is linked to the Qaraite Jewish calendar, which relied on lunar observations and the state of barley crops in Palestine to determine months and years. This method often led to ambiguities, especially in the Diaspora, where timely information was hard to obtain. The text suggests that David’s birth date uncertainty likely pertains to the month rather than the day, due to the complexities of the Qaraite calendar system.

Reference

Vidro, Nadia. 2024. "A birthday with uncertainty: RNL Evr Arab I 4816 " Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit.

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