Moses The Punctuator
Moses The Punctuator [1]
( ר משה הגקרן ) , or The Cantor ( חזן ), a Jewish exegetist, lived in London about the middle of the 13th century, and is noted as the author of the well-known Treatise embodying the rules about the points of the Hebrew Scriptures, called דרכי הניקוד והנגינות , or כללי הניקוד , also in the MSS. הוריית הקורא . Excerpts of this treatise, made by Jacob ben- Chayim, were first printed with the Massora in The Rabbinic Bible (Venice, 1524-25), and since in all the editions of the Rabbinic Bible. The treatise has also been published separately with a short commentary by Zebi ben- Menachem (Wilna, 1822), and with corrections and German notes by Frensdorff (Hanover, 1847). Those who recognise the real importance of the Hebrew vowel-points and accents will find in this unpretentious treatise a useful guide. R. Moses was thoroughly acquainted with and quotes the grammatical and exegetical writings of his predecessors, as Chayug, Rashi, Ibn-Ganach, Ibn-Ezra, Parchon, etc. See Steinschneider, Bibliographisches Handbuch, page 95; Zunz, Zur Geschichte und Literatur, page 111; Ginsburg, in Kitto, Bibl. Cyclop. s.v.
