Tavnith HaMishkan. * AND: Chanukath HaBayith.

ASCHKENAZI, MALKIEL.

Mantua

Early 17th-century

Two volumes. Autograph Manuscript in Hebrew, written in cursive Italian hand on paper. With numerous text illustrations and diagrams.

AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT, FIRST VOLUME UNPUBLISHED. Two-volume work describing the building of the Tabernacle in the desert and on Jerusalem’s Temple and its holy vessels. Both volumes include numerous sketches by the author. Tavnith HaMishkan has never been published. In it, the author cites earlier sources such Shiltei Hagiborim (Mantua 1612) and Tosfos Yom Tov (Prague 1615), occasionally disagreeing with them. Chanukath HaBayith was first published by Avraham Sofer as an addendum to Biur al Masecheth Midoth (R. Moshe Kasis) in 1963, from a manuscript found in Municipal Library of Mantua. There are textual variances between the present autograph manuscript and the published version. R. Malkiel Aschkenazi (his Italian family name was Tadsaki, date of death unknown) was active in the years 1611-29 as recorded in the Archives of the Mantua Community Ledger. In 1617 he was elevated to the level of “Chaver” a title bestowed only upon a man held in great respect by the community (see Sofer, introduction).