Where is Maimonides mentioned in Tosafos?

Torah Bibliography Trivia

A “certain relative” was driving my ears off with an unending stream of odd arcana. ‘Water is known as “Di-hydrogen Monoxide” (i.e. H2O)’, ‘Many more face muscles are required to frown than to smile’, ‘Over 90 percent of the DNA in your body is not yours, but microbes’…

I’ll stop now. You know the type.

I came up with the idea of doing something similar, this time as relates to Torah Bibliography. I asked some confreres what they thought, and received support for the concept.

So here are ten statements of fact and opinion cobbled together; some are arcane, others possibly apocryphal. I hope you enjoy them. You may even find something meaningful and relevant to your current studies.

Ready or not, here I come:

1. A cute name used by many Achronim for parentheses (also referred to as “brackets, round brackets, curved brackets, oval brackets, or, colloquially, parens” – Wikipedia), is “Half Moons”. It appears in Rashash Berachos 9b and other places.
2. A common saying goes as follows: Three continuous generations of the Sofer rabbinic dynasty; the Chasam Sofer (R’ Moshe), the Kesav Sofer (R’ Avraham Shmuel Binyamin) and the Shevet Sofer (R’ Simcha Bunim), all served as Rabbi of Pressburg for 33 years until their demise. I assume this entails following the Jewish calendar because the secular dates are: Chasam Sofer 1806 to passing 1839; Kesav Sofer 1839 to passing 1871; Shevet Sofer 1872 to passing 1906.
3. As I see it, there are four kinds of punctuation common in Torah literature. One, unusual like responsa “Shevet Halevi” by Rabbi Shmuel Wosner, Two, readable like “Even Ha’ezel” and “Ohr Sameyach”, Three, lackadaisical (or partial) like most Achronim, Four, modern (or at least decent attempts) found in modern authors.
4. There is an ancient Jewish grimoire named “Charva Demoshe”. Literally translated as “Sword of Moses”, the title is actually part Hebrew, part Aramaic. Methinks it should either be rendered “Cherev Moshe” or “Charva Demohi”. “Mohi” is the accurate translation of Moses in Aramaic; see Rabbenu Nissim on Nedarim 10b. Am I missing something?
5. The English insult “Idiot” is derived from the Greek idiotes, meaning ‘layman’. The known Tannaic word “Hedyot” (as in “Kohen Gadol / Kohen Hedyot”) is one of many expressions Chazal borrowed from Greek. I read the above in a column by Asher V. Finn, Ami Magazine July 24, 2013.
6. There is quite a long list of books that are considered auspicious (a “Segula”) to keep in the home for mystical protection (e.g. Raziel Hamalach). On the other hand, Kabbalistic “Shoshan Sodos” here (http://www.hebrewbooks.org/19655) is supposed to be dangerous to keep in the home (Source: a tradition).
7. Rabbi Elyashiv zatzal, I am told, was chief copy critic of “Otzar Haposkim” on Even Ha’ezer, volume 4.
8. The popular work “Even Ha’ezel” on Mishneh Torah by Rabbi Meltzer was typed up and edited by Rabbi Meltzer’s wife. I assume he edited it all himself later. Um, did you know that one already?
9. “Nireh li” or “It appears to me” is a ubiquitous expression in Torah literature. The term is intended as an expression of humility. This is based on Sifra Parshas Metzora 5:10 –

נגע מה תלמוד לומר כנגע אפילו תלמיד חכם ויודע שהוא נגע ודאי לא יגזור ויאמר נגע נראה לי בבית אלא כנגע נראה לי בבית

10. Where is Maimonides mentioned in Tosafos on Shas? See here for the answer. http://www.bhol.co.il/forum/topic.asp?cat_id=38&topic_id=3019270&forum_id=19616

OK, that’s it. I was just leaving!