R. Gergely (ed.): Microcard catalogue of the rare hebrew codices, manuscripts and anciens prints in the Kaufmann Collection reproduced on microcards

Preface

MICROCARD CATALOGUE of the David Kaufmann Collection in the Ciiental Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences PREFACE The renowned and most valuable Kaufmann Collection, containing Hebrew codices, manuscripts and printed matter, is kept in custody of and administered by the Oriental Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The interest shown by the public towards this collection was so intense that it was found necessity to publish a microcard catalogue of the more important and best pieces of this collection. This gives the enumeration and description of the important pieces: several hundreds of manuscripts, codices and rarities. In this way the material of the collection is made available to the persons interested in the subject. The complete catalogue of the collection was compiled and published by Dr. M. Weisz as early as 1906,

1 that edition, however, was exhausted, its microcard copy is contained in our catalogue. David Kaufmann (1852—1899), Professor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of Hungary, was a world famous scholar of Jewish history, cultural history, and religious philosophy. The library of Professor D. Kaufmann can most worthily be described by publishing the English translation of the account of Professor Ignácz Goldziher, which he read in the sitting of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on 23 April 1906 and which appears here for the first time in a world language. (See Akadémiai Értesítő [Academic Recorder], Vol. XVII, Budapest 1906, pp. 306—314.) * * * 1 M. Weisz, Katalog der hebräischen Handschriften und Bücher in der Bibliothek des Prof. Dr. David Kaufmann $. A. Frankfurt afM. 1906. 11