The Oldest Bible in the World

The Torah has been the bedrock of Jewish life, law and civilization for over 3000 years. Yet, the oldest nearly complete copy of the Hebrew Bible is only 1100 years old. It's known as the Codex Sassoon. You may have read about it recently. In May, Alfred Moses, super lawyer, diplomat, philanthropist, and Jewish communal leader, purchased this rare and magnificent copy of the Bible for the staggering sum of $38.1 million.

If that wasn't amazing enough, he immediately donated it to the ANU Museum of the Jewish People on the campus of Tel Aviv University (formerly known as Beit HaTzfu'tzot, the Diaspora museum) a "must stop" on any visit to Israel!

The Codex Sassoon is named for its most prominent modern owner, David Solomon Sassoon, a collector of Judaica and Hebrew manuscripts. The Codex Sassoon contains all 24 books of the Hebrew Bible and is only missing 12 2-sided pages (approximately 10 chapters of the Book of Genesis). According to scholars, it was written 100 years before what we believe to be the earliest entirely complete Bible, known as the Leningrad Codex.

The Codex Sassoon contains what are known as Masoretic notes, the notes of scholars that ensured the faithful transmission of the original text of the Bible from one generation to another. These include what we call the trop, the musical notes by which the Torah and Haftorah are chanted in the synagogue. These notes also serve as one of the earliest commentaries on the Bible itself. But it includes other notes as well, including one such note that refers to "the great teacher, Aaron Ben Moses Ben Asher, and his work on the Aleppo Codex,” suggesting that that the Masoretic sofer (scribe) who copied the Codex Sassoon may have consulted this work as well.  The Aleppo Codex is the earliest surviving manuscript of the Hebrew Bible, though only about 40% has survived.  The Aleppo Codex also has a rich history, and is displayed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, near the famous Dead Sea Scrolls.   

According to Sharon Mintz, the senior Judaica specialist at Sotheby’s, "In Codex Sassoon, a monumental transformation in the history of the Hebrew Bible is revealed. The Biblical text in book format (as opposed to scrolls) marks a critical turning point in how we perceive the history of the Divine word...and how the Hebrew Bible has influenced the pillars of civilization for centuries."

The Codex Sassoon has a fascinating history. Ancient notes attest to the sale of this work from an individual named Khalaf ben Abraham to Isaac ben Ezekiel al-Attar. In the 13th century the Codex was dedicated to the synagogue in Makisin (now called Markada) in northeastern Syria. When the town of Makisin was destroyed sometime in the 13th century, the Codex was entrusted to Salama ibn Abi al-Fakir who was required to return it once the synagogue was rebuilt. Fast forward to 1929 when the Codex was purchased by David Sassoon, who possessed one of the greatest private libraries of Judaica and Hebrew manuscripts.

After the death of David Sassoon, the Codex was sold (again by Sotheby's) in 1978 to the British Rail Pension Fund for $320,000, approximately $1.4 million in today's dollars, and sold again 11 years later to the Jacqui Eli Safra, for $3.2 million, about $7.7 million in today's dollars. I hope that your investments are doing as well.

Recently, surrounded by family and friends, Ambassador Alfred Moses saw the Codex for the first time, two weeks after he successfully competed with a handful of other potential buyers to purchase it. Despite its prominence and importance, the entire auction took just 6 minutes. At $38 million, it is often compared to the sale other foundational texts of civilization that have also recently commanded tens of millions of dollars. In 2021, a copy of the first printing of the US Constitution's final text sold for $43.2 million. The Codex Leicester, a journal containing the writings of Leonardo Da Vinci, sold in 1994 for $30.8 million (approximately $60 million adjusted for inflation). In 2007, a copy of the Magna Carta went for a cool $21.1 million.

The entire world owes a debt of gratitude to Alfred Moses for the purchase of this rare, precious and amazing manuscript and his donation of it to the ANU Museum, where it will be on permanent display. So many of these precious manuscripts remain in the hands of private collectors and libraries, removed from public view. This one, due to the vision and generosity of Alfred Moses, will now be available to all.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jesus Was Not A Palestinian

Among the most pernicious aspects of Israel’s current war against Hamas has been the assault on truth, facts, and memory. As we have painfully learned, this brutal war is waged not only with military weapons, but also through an extensive disinformation campaign waged by Israel’s enemies, and their willing accomplices throughout the western world. We see this daily in irresponsible reporting in the media, the tolerance and even acceptance of antisemitic rhetoric and behavior on college campuses, and mouthed by politicians. We are told that Israel is a colonial enterprise, denying the 4000 year history of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. We were told that Arab and Muslim narratives regarding Israel must be accepted uncritically lest we be accused of racism and Islamophobia, while Jewish and Israeli narratives are subject to a level of scrutiny unparalleled in modern history. We are told regularly that Gaza is under Israeli occupation when the truth is that Israel withdrew
Read more

Jim Harbaugh Is No Hero

I’m not much of a college football fan. But I wanted to say something about the College Football Playoff championship game last Monday night, which saw the University of Michigan defeat Washington, 34-13. This tremendous victory was Michigan’s first national title since 1997. The Wolverines, as the Michigan football team is known, have a national following that numbers in the millions. They boast one of the premier sports programs in all of college sports. 38 former students are currently playing in the NFL.   The university has the largest stadium in the United States at 107,601seats, larger than any stadium used by an NFL team, and the third largest stadium in the world.   (By comparison, the largest NFL stadium, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford NJ can seat 82,500.) They have sold out every game except one for the past 48 years.   The team deserves praise for their hard work, efforts, and stunning progress on the field.   Yet the Wolverines are not exactly a rags to riches sto
Read more

Farewell, Cantor Weiss

After 26 years as Cantor of the JCCP/CBT, and having been named Cantor Emeritus at his retirement last June in recognition of his unique contributions to our synagogue, Cantor Sam and Raisy Weiss will leave the community and relocate to New York City next week.   Before they go, I would like to offer one last tribute. The role of a Cantor is a unique one. Sometimes that role is to be a teacher, other times a scholar or a mentor, all while striving to create an experience of communal prayer that is enriching to all. Whether it was through his beautiful davening , his training of hundreds of B’nai Mitzvah , the esteem he enjoys among his colleagues, or his mastery of the Jewish tradition, Cantor Weiss found ways to help us give expression to the voices in our own Jewish hearts. For 26 years in our congregation, he set high standards for himself, and for our congregation, always striving to find the right blend between the old and the new, between traditional nusach and melodies and
Read more