Baraita of Samuel
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
Barak
the use of pledges entrusted to one's keeping, uncontrolled temper, discouragement of good deeds, and others. It is highly probable that the sources of Alfasi and the Baraita on Salvation are only two different versions of one and the same Baraita. This provides the latest possible date for the time of its origin, since it could not have been more recent than the beginning of the eleventh century. The Mahzor Yitry, ed. Horwitz, pp. 724, 725, gives the catalogue of sins as Alfasi has done in his version of the tractate " Derek Erez R. The narrative concerning the judgment of Solomon, at the end of the Baraita on Salvation, is a later addition having no connection with the real Baraita. J. sr. L. G.
BARAITA OF SAMUEL A
Baraita of Samuel
was known
(talDEH KJT'-O) to Jewish scholars
from Shabbethai Donolo in the tenth century to Simon Duran in the fifteenth century; and citations from it were made by them. It was considered as
when it unexpectedly appeared in print. In its present form, the Baraita is composed of nine chapters, treating promiscuously of astronomy and astrology. The first chapter deals with the form of heaven, of Orion, of the Pleiades, of Draco, and of the planets and their light. The second and third treat of the movements of the moon and the course of the Zodiac. At the same time directions are given for ad j listing the gnomon of a sun-dial. The fourth lost until quite recently,
defines the character of the seasons the fifth, the orbits of the planets.
and the planets Directions are
given for calculating Molad and Tekifah. The sixth imparts the teachings of the Egyptian sages on the original position of the planets and the diviThe seventh chapter mentions sion of the Zodiac. the exact distances of the planets from the earth the moon is considered the nearest; Saturn, the most distant. The eighth chapter deals with the altitudes The ninth chapter discusses the inof the planets. fluence of the heavenly bodies on earthly affairs. It is conceded that " the planets in themselves can not
make for good or evil, unless empowered by The older scholars considered the author
God.
of the
Baraita to be the amora Samuel b. Abba, who, according to the statements in the Talmud, was a great astronomer (it is doubtful whether "Cuzari," iv. 29, refers to an actual astronomical work of Samuel, or The editions have to his astronomical knowledge). Samuel ha-Katan as the author. This is hardly based on a tradition, but rather is due to a combination of the name "Samuel " with Samuel ha-Katan, who is mentioned as possessing knowledge of the Tbbur (Sank. 11a). These suggestions of names have no material value. The very contents and language of the Baraita contradict the assumption that Moreover, it is the work of amoraim or tannaim. ch. v. designates the year 4536 ( = 776 c.e.) as the one which, with but a slight difference, resembles the year of the Creation. The courses of the sun and moon, leap-years, and Tekufah will repeat themselves, and calculations must begin anew from this year.
The
earliest date, then, at
have been written
is
776.
which the Baraita could It is more difficult to
520
determine the latest date. This question is connected with that of the relationship of the Baraita to the Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer. Some have endeavored to conclude, from citations of the Baraita by Abraham b. Hiyyah and Judah ha-Levi, that the Baraita and the Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer originally formed one work. The portions of the Baraita now existing prove clearly that the two are fundamentally different; neither diction, subject, character, nor aim of the two works bearing any resemblance. There is, however, distinct kinship between the two astronomic chapters of the Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer (vi. and vii.) and the Baraita of Samuel; but it can not be decided which author borrowed from the other. In fact, there may have been a third source from which both drew. Zunz supposes that the astronomic chapters in the Pirke originally had a slightly varying form from that of the Baraita, and that portions from each found their way into the other. This would explain how Abraham b. Hiyyah came to designate a Baraita as being the work of Samuel and R. Eliezer. It is certain, however, that all that is known at present consists of fragments of the
Samuel
Baraita.
Steinsehneider correctly characterizes the Baraita as somewhat fantastic in its conception of the construction of the world, containing Talmudic elements, but uninfluenced by Greco-Arabic science. Its unscientific, half-mystic tendency caused it to be thrust aside in the Orient through the rising Arabic science while in Europe, especially in France
and Germany,
it
was regarded with
special respect.
Prom
constituents of the Baraita joined with various elements of mysticism originated the cabalistic cosmography, first presented by the Book of Raziel, and which appears in later works influenced by the latter
zer
(compare Calendar Raziel, Book of).
Bibliography
Editions
Pirke de-Rabbi Elie-
Salonica, 1861
Frankfort-on-tne-
Main, 18133; Luzzatto, in Kerem Hemed, vii. til et seq.; Oarmoly, in Jost's Ammleii, 1840, p.' 225; Epstein, in Mi-K«<imoniyoU PP- 18 et mq.; Philipowski, in his Introduction to Abraham b. Hiyyah's Sefcr hq^'lbbur, pp. 13-18; Sachs, in Jlnnatssehrift, i. 280 et seq. idem, in his Hev-TeMnah, i. 20 et seq.; A. Schwarz, Der JMcii.se/ie Kalender, pp. 20, 21; Steinsehneider, Hehr. BUil. xvii. 8 et seq.; Zunz, G. V. 2d ed., pp. 98 et seq.; idem, in Hehr. Bibl. v. 15-20; idem, Qesammclte Schrifteii, iv. 242 etseq. L. G. j. sr.
BARAITA DE-SIFRE
(i-fiD!
Nn ,, ~l2).
See
SlFRE, ZUTTA.
BARAITA OF THE THIRTY-TWO RULES (nnD ITnO)
KrVia usually written 2"bn giving the thirty-two hermeneu-
DTIE'I D'K'i'BH
A Baraita
tic rules according to which the Bible is interpreted. Abul-Walid ibn Janah is the oldest authority who drew upon this Baraita, but he did not mention it by name. Rashi makes frequent use of it in his commentaries on the Bible and the Talmud. He it the thirty-two rules (Hor. 3a) or designates it as the " Baraita (or sections ip-|Q) of R. Eliezer b. Jose ha-Gelili" (Gen. ii. 8; Ex. xiv. Also the Karaite Judah Hadassi, who incorpo24). rated it in his "Eshkol ha-Kofer," recognized in it
either briefly calls
work
of this R. Eliezer. has not been preserved in an independent form; and knowledge of it has been gathered only from the recension transmitted in the methodological work "Keritot," by Samson of Chinon. The beginning the
It
