The masorah of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America Library Manuscript 232 (E. N. Adler Ms. 346)

This dissertation presents a transcription and analysis of the masorah notes of JTS Ms. 232, a Hebrew, Tiberian manuscript of the Latter Prophets. The transcription includes: cumulative masoretic notes from the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and all the masorah magna and parva notes of the Minor Prophets. The first chapter summarizes the manuscript's history, and offers a detailed description of its form and text. The second chapter introduces masoretic notes, giving emphasis to a special type of note, cumulative masoretic notes, which are found in high concentration in this manuscript. The third chapter provides evidence of Babylonian influence on the masorah of this manuscript: Babylonian masoretic terms, Babylonian system of counting, notes reflecting Babylonian textual traditions, and Babylonian vowels. The fourth chapter discusses the high density of rhyming cumulative notes in the manuscript. All of the above factors are strong indicators that the manuscript may be dated to the 9th or 10th century.