Abraham Firkovich and the dedication inscription of the Aleppo codex

The letters of Abraham Firkovich, the well-known Karaite leader and traveler, shed light on a strange historical affair, centering on the Dedication Inscription of the Aleppo Codex, written in the eleventh century. In the sixteenth century this inscription was copied, without indication of its origi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ofer, Yosef 1955- (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:English
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Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: College 2005
In: Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
Year: 2005, Volume: 76, Pages: 259-272
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Old Testament / Hebrew language / Handwriting
B Old Testament / Text history
RelBib Classification:BH Judaism
HB Old Testament
Further subjects:B Firkovič, Avraam S (1786-1874)
B Codex of Aleppo
Parallel Edition:Electronic
Description
Summary:The letters of Abraham Firkovich, the well-known Karaite leader and traveler, shed light on a strange historical affair, centering on the Dedication Inscription of the Aleppo Codex, written in the eleventh century. In the sixteenth century this inscription was copied, without indication of its origin, at the end of Tiqqun Sofrim (unvocalized Bible), sent to Krakow (Poland). The same inscription was copied at the end of another Bible Codex, which was in the Karaite synagogue in Jerusalem. But in this inscription the writing of the Bible was ascribed to the Karaite scholar Shelomo ben Yeroḥam, and not to Shelomo ben Buya'a, as in the origin. Some scholars have already assumed that the last inscription is a forgery, done by Firkovich. The way in which Firkovich formulated this inscription and his motivations are clarified in this article, by examining the wording of some versions of this inscription, the Hebrew press of the period and Firkovich's own sayings in his letters.
ISSN:0360-9049
Contains:In: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion