Cambridge Genizah Studies102/17 the Art of Compilation. Midrash Pirqa de Rabbenu ha Qadosh in Popular Anthologies from Cairo

The art of compilation. Midrash Pirqa de-Rabbenu ha-Qadosh in Popular Anthologies from the Cairo Genizah investigates a numerical midrashic anthology from an interdisciplinary perspective and highlights the impact of compilatory structures on recent editorial thought and medieval book culture. Pirqa de-Rabbenu ha-Qadosh is a popular numerical anthology of Jewish maxims and is categorized to date as a medieval midrash. This book examines its earliest hitherto unedited manuscript finds in the Cairo Genizah (10-13th century), focusing on the fluid compilatory structures exhibited in them. The study investigates its medieval manuscript contexts and suggests a set of methodologies to capture its complexities, including the study of literary compilatory structures, editorial methodology and a holistic book historical approach.