The Missing Square Books of the Kaifeng Jews

 


On two separate trips to Kaifeng in 1850 and 1851, the Chinese Delegates bought manuscripts and scrolls from the Kaifeng Community.  They procured six Torah scrolls, and sixty-four manuscripts for various occasions, and thirty-three  Square Scriptures (Fang Xing) used during services for the purpose of correcting Hebrew pronunciation during Torah chanting.  I have never seen a list of missing Square Sections.  They Chinese Delegate did not bring back all the parshayiot required for a full year of Torah readings.  Were their more?  Or did they by what was in the synagogue?  It seems unlikely that these small books, at 7.5 by  7 inches, will ever  be found.  


951 - 31 - B'reisheet - Genesis  1-6:8



The Royal Ontario Museum also has six leaves from this parshah:


Interestingly, these were still in possession of Kaifeng Jewish descendants sometime during White's stay in the city from the beginning of the twentieth century until the Japanese occupation in the 1930s.  It is difficult to discover who provided White with these leaves.


Noach - Genesis 6:9-12 Missing

952 - 33 - Lech Lecha - Genesis 12:1 - 17:27 - In his inventory of these books, Pollak incorrectly writes that this portion begins in Genesis 12:3



Vayera - Genesis 18:1 - 11:32 Missing

953 - Chayei Sarah - Genesis 23:1 - 25:18




954 - 34 - Toldot - Genesis 25:19 -  28:9 




Vayetze - Genesis 28:10 - 32:3 Missing

Vayishlach - Genesis 34:4 - 36:43 Missing

Miketz - Genesis 41:1 - 44:17 Missing

955 - 35 - Viyigash - Genesis 44:18 - 47:27. 


Vayechi - Genesis 47:28 - 50:26 Missing

956 -  36 - Shemot - Exodus 1:1 - 6:1


957 - 37 - Va'era -  Exodus 6:2 - 9:35



Bo - Exodus 10-1 - 13:16 - "Museum" of the Bible.  Was MS 38



Beshalach - Exodus 13:17 - 17:16 - Missing

958 - 39 - Yitro - Exodus 18:1 - 20:23 - Pollak writes that this parshah ends at verse 26, but it does not


959 - 40 - Mishpatim - Exodus 21:1 - 24:18



960 - 41 - Terumah - Exodus 25:1 - 27:19




Tetzaveh - Exodus 27:20 - 30:10 - "Museum" of the Bible.  Was MS 42




Ki Tisa - Exodus 30-11 - 34:35 - Missing

961 - 43 - Vayakel - Exodus 35:1 - 38:20



962 & 963 - Pedukdel - Exodus 38:21 - 40:38 - there are two separate books for this parshah.

961 - 44 - Pedukdel


with Rabbi Pinchas colophon:




More on Rabbi Pinchas HERE and HERE

963 - 45 - Pedudel 


964 - 46 - Vayikra - Leviticus 1:1 - 4:20


965 - 47 - Tzav - Leviticus 6:1-8:36



Shemini - Leviticus 9:1 - 11:14 - Missing

Tzaria - Leviticus 12:1 - 13:59 - Missing

Metzora - Leviticus 14:1 - 15:33 - Missing

Acharei Mot - Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30 - Missing

966 - 48 - Kedoshim 19:1 - 20:27 - see more on this parshah here



Emor - Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23 - Missing

Behar - Leviticus 25:1 - 26:2 - Missing

Bechukotal - Leviticus 26:3 - 27:34 - Missing

967 - 49 - Bamidbar - Numbers 1:1 - 4:40



968 - 50 - Naso - Numbers 4:21 - 7:89



Behaalotecha - Numbers 8:1 - 12:16 - Missing

969 - 51- Shelach - Numbers 13:1 - 15:41 


Korach - Numbers 16:1 - 18:32 - Missing

970 - 52 - Chukat - Numbers



971 - 53 - Balak - Numbers 22:2 - 25:9  (HUC names this MS Sefer Goralot ha-Hol, which is incorrect)



972 - 54 - Pinchas - Numbers 25:10 - 30:1


973 - 55 - Matot - Numbers 30:2 - 32:42



974 - 56 - Masei - Numbers 33-1 - 36:13



975 - 57 - Devarim - Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22


Eikev - Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25 - Missing

977 - 58 - Re'eh Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17.  There are versions of this book.




976 - 59 - Re-eh - Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17 - 976 - Pollack lists this as 9:26 - 16:17 which is incorrect.  Here, the HUC and Chinese manuscript number are out of order.



60.  Shoftim - Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9 - "Museum" of the Bible



978 - 61 - Ki Teitzei - Deuteronomy 21:10 - 25:19


Ki Tavo - Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8 - Missing

979 - 62 - Nitzavim - Deuteronomy 29:9 - 31:30 



Vayelech - Deuteronomy 31:1 - 30 - Missing

980 - 63 - Haazinu - Deuteronomy 32:1 - 52 


Out of fifty-four volumes that may have come of out Kaifeng, seventeen books are missing:

Noach - Genesis 6:9-12 Missing

Vayera - Genesis 18:1 - 11:32 Missing

Vayetze - Genesis 28:10 - 32:3 Missing

Vayishlach - Genesis 34:4 - 36:43 Missing

Miketz - Genesis 41:1 - 44:17 Missing

Vayechi - Genesis 47:28 - 50:26 Missing

Beshalach - Exodus 13:17 - 17:16 – Missing

Ki Tisa - Exodus 30-11 - 34:35 – Missing

Shemini - Leviticus 9:1 - 11:14 - Missing

Tzaria - Leviticus 12:1 - 13:59 - Missing

Metzora - Leviticus 14:1 - 15:33 - Missing

Acharei Mot - Leviticus 16:1 - 18:30 - Missing

Behaalotecha - Numbers 8:1 - 12:16 - Missing

Korach - Numbers 16:1 - 18:32 – Missing

Eikev - Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25 – Missing

Ki Tavo - Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8 – Missing

Vayelech - Deuteronomy 31:1 - 30 - Missing




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