Ben Naphtali - Ben Naphtali and Ben Asher

Ben Naphtali and Ben Asher

ben Naphtali wrote a Bible with vowels, accents, and Masorah, wherein he differed in some respects from his contemporary and rival, Aaron ben Moses ben Asher. This Bible codex has not been preserved, but the differences between its author and ben Asher are found in more or less complete Masoretic lists and in quotations in David Ḳimḥi, Norzi, and other medieval writers. These lists are printed in the rabbinical Bibles, in the texts of Baer-Delitzsch and of Ginsburg, and in the latter's Masorah, vol. iii. The differences between ben Naphtali and ben Asher number about 875, nine-tenths of which refer to the placing of the accents מתג and געיא. The remaining ones have reference to דגש and רפה, to vowels, accents, and consonantal spelling. For a list of differences between ben Naphtali and ben Asher, see ben Naphtali at the Jewish Encyclopedia.