É. Apor (ed.): David Kaufmann Memorial Volume: Papers Presented at the David Kaufmann Memorial Conference, November 29, 1999, Budapest.

ORMOS, István: David Kaufmann and his Collection

ISTVÁN ORMOS of Passover and at the termination of Sabbath add up to an expression which lends itself to a Jewish German interpretation as an acronym: Yayin [wine], Qiddush [sanctification], Ner [light], Havdalah [distinction], Zeman [time] > YaQeNHaZ > Jag'n Has' > Jag' den Has' = Chase the rabbit! The acceptance of this interpretation in our case is seriously hindered by the fact that it works only in a Germanicspeaking context, unless we assume that it was already a popular motif that found its way from one community to the other."

2 In the Rylands Haggadah the motif of the hare-hunt and the hunter aiming with his arrow at an owl appear in fact on the same page (fol. 29v)."

3 In Roth's opinion, the hare-hunt may be "no more than a pictorial echo of the widespread European practice of a hare-hunt at this season of the year, at Eastertide: a practice itself doubtless rooted in pagan antiquity. (The hare was in fact the sacred animal of the Teutonic goddess of the spring Eostre or Ostära, from which derives the name Easter, and in Continental Europe is still as characteristic of the season as the egg, which likewise survives in the Jewish Passover observances)."

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4 The hare is of course a well-known symbol of fertility too. Similar decorations are widespread in the margins of Christian manuscripts, too."

5 Staghunting and similar motifs may perhaps allude to the persecution of Jews in Hebrew manuscripts while the hare pursuing the hunter and the dog is a popular motif of the world turned upside down (monde renversé).'

9'' Incidentally, in Christian manuscripts, owls are frequently used as symbols of the Jews, who - just like the birds of the night - prefer the darkness of error and sin to the light of the Gospel."

7 Young and old are also captivated by the cockfight with the strange semi-nude grotesques riding on them (fig. 18), or the illustration of Pesach: a bareheaded man is leading a lamb on a lead with a knife in his left hand (fig. 19)."

8 The fact that the figure of the wicked son is represented by an armed soldier, a mercenary (fig. 20), probably reflects the sad experiences of mediaeval Jewry."

9 On the other hand, the wise son is represented by the beautiful figure of a scholar in a green mantle (fig. 21). 19

2 MÜLLER - VON SCHLOSSER, Bilderhaggaden 1

898. 133-134. VON SCHLOSSER, Bilderschmuck 1898. 237. METZGER 1973. 98-103. 19

3 ROTH 1960. ill. opposite page 137, 140-141. "'Ibid. "

5 Ibid. 347-348. ""

S

CHEIBER 1957. 26-27. 1,

7 RÉAU 1955-1959. I. 126. 19

8 MÜLLER - VON SCHLOSSER, Bilderhaggaden 1898. 196 (ad p. 64). NARKISS - SF.D-RAJNA 1988. Kaufmann Haggadah. Card No. 38. METZGER 1973. 183. l9

9Cf. also KAUFMANN, Bilderzyklen. In: KAUFMANN 1908-1915. III. 237 (ad F. 9a. 35). SCHEIBER 1957. 26. METZGER 1973. 149-156. NARKISS 1982. 43. 166