Copied in Úbeda, Spain, in 1290, this extraordinary manuscript preserves Avodah Zarah, the section of the Babylonian Talmud concerning idolatry and relations between Jews and non-Jews. Christian authorities frequently censored this text, deleting phrases and entire passages they considered offensive. This manuscript, the Úbeda Codex, escaped that censorship, preserving wording lost or altered in many other copies.

The scribe, Shelomo ben Shaul ben Albagali, recorded when and where he completed the book. Its distinctive wording offers a direct connection to Talmud study in medieval Spain. Scholars have argued that the scribe copied the text from a much older manuscript, preserving traces of the Talmud’s orginal transmission from Babylonia to Spain.

The volume combines paper leaves with protective outer sheets of parchment. Repairs and later notes reveal generations of use. Its final pages include a marriage document dated 1327, perhaps preserved as an Albagali family record or incorporated during a repair. The manuscript resurfaced during World War I, and JTS acquired it following negotiations for its purchase in Spain. After the Albagali family, JTS is the second owner of this 13th century Manuscript.