The Codex Sassoon Hebrew Bible, one of the world’s oldest and most complete copies of the Hebrew Bible, was auctioned off by Sotheby’s in New York on Wednesday for $38 million. The manuscript, which dates from the early 10th century, was acquired by the American Friends of the ANU Museum of the Jewish People in Jerusalem.
The Codex Sassoon is a leather-bound, handwritten parchment volume containing all 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, and is considered to be one of the most important manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible. The manuscript is written in the Masoretic text tradition, which is the oldest and most authoritative text of the Hebrew Bible.
People have intensively studied, analyzed, and meditated on Scripture to attain spiritual enlightenment and wisdom. This legendary Hebrew Bible dates back to roughly 900 CE and presented on 792 sheepskin-bound pages. It weighs 26 pounds. According to legend, it was created by a Jewish scribe in Egypt or the Levant. It has been remarkably preserved for over a millennium, and before its last public display 30 years ago, it had been hidden from view for centuries. The 24 volumes are divided into three categories: Torah (Pentateuch), Prophets, and Writings.
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The Codex Sassoon was first acquired by David Solomon Sassoon, a wealthy Iraqi Jewish businessman, in 1929. After Sassoon’s death in 1942, the manuscript was inherited by his son, Solomon Sassoon. In 1978, the manuscript was sold at auction to the British Rail Pension Fund. In 2018, the manuscript was sold again, this time to the American Friends of the ANU Museum of the Jewish People.
The acquisition of the Codex Sassoon by the ANU Museum is a major coup for the museum. The manuscript will be displayed alongside other important Jewish artifacts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Cairo Geniza. The Codex Sassoon will be a valuable resource for scholars and researchers, and it will also be a source of pride for the Jewish community.
The auction of the Codex Sassoon Hebrew Bible is a reminder of the importance of Jewish manuscripts. These manuscripts are not only valuable historical documents, but they are also important religious texts. The Codex Sassoon is a treasure trove of information about the history of the Hebrew Bible, and it is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Jewish people.
The Codex Sassoon: A Brief History
The Codex Sassoon is a 1,100-year-old Hebrew Bible that is one of the world’s oldest and most complete copies of the Hebrew Bible. The manuscript was written in the early 10th century in Tiberias, Israel, and is considered to be one of the most important manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible. The Codex Sassoon is written in the Masoretic text tradition, which is the oldest and most authoritative text of the Hebrew Bible.
The Codex Sassoon was first acquired by David Solomon Sassoon, a wealthy Iraqi Jewish businessman, in 1929. After Sassoon’s death in 1942, the manuscript was inherited by his son, Solomon Sassoon. In 1978, the manuscript was sold at auction to the British Rail Pension Fund. In 2018, the manuscript was sold again, this time to the American Friends of the ANU Museum of the Jewish People.
The acquisition of the Codex Sassoon by the ANU Museum is a major coup for the museum. The manuscript will be displayed alongside other important Jewish artifacts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Cairo Geniza. The Codex Sassoon will be a valuable resource for scholars and researchers, and it will also be a source of pride for the Jewish community.
The Codex Sassoon is a treasure trove of information about the history of the Hebrew Bible. The manuscript contains a number of unique features, including:
- A detailed commentary on the text of the Hebrew Bible
- A list of variant readings from other manuscripts
- A glossary of Hebrew words and phrases
- A map of the ancient world
The Codex Sassoon is an invaluable resource for scholars and researchers who are studying the history of the Hebrew Bible. The manuscript provides a unique glimpse into the world of the ancient Israelites, and it helps us to better understand the development of the Hebrew Bible.
The Codex Sassoon is also a source of pride for the Jewish community. The manuscript is a reminder of the rich cultural heritage of the Jewish people, and it is a testament to the importance of Jewish scholarship. The Codex Sassoon is a valuable treasure that will be cherished for generations to come.
