2. What is it?
TheAleppo Codex is known to be the oldest and
most accurate manuscript of the Hebrew Bible.
Reflecting the Masora.
It is a medieval bound, full manuscript, of the
entire Hebrew Bible.
It is the most authoritative document of
Scriptures that have been preserved from
generations to generations.
3. How was it made and by whom?
Connected with the name of the city ofTiberias, was
the creation of vocalization and cantillation marks
and the preservation of the text of the Bible.
In 895, Moshe Ben Asher wrote “a codex of the
Bible…in the town of Ma’aziaTiberias the famous
city”.
This manuscript was found in Cairo where Rabbi
Aharon revised, vocalized, added cantillation
marks, and transmitted the most important Bible
manuscript.
4. Historical Moment
In 1947, after the State of Israel was established, the Aleppo
Codex was damaged in riots that broke out in Syria.
In 1958, the remaining 295 pages of the Aleppo Codex that was
kept in secret hiding were smuggled out of Syria to Jerusalem.
The Aleppo Codex had reached Israel in 1958 and was
delivered to the President of the State of Israel, Izhak Ben Zvi.
In 1975, it was moved to the basement repository for
manuscripts in the Jewish National and University Library in
Jerusalem because they believed it was the best place to keep it.
5. Historical Moment Cont.
In 1976 a photography edition of theAleppo Codex
was published and 2 years later it was exhibited to the
public in an exposition called “Writing, Scroll, and
Book”.
In 1986 it was decided to transfer theAleppo Codex
for restoration which was completed and exhibited in
the Shrine of the Book along with the Dead Scrolls.
In 2004, the Shrine of the Book was reorganized and
theAleppo Codex was given a central place.
6. Reflection on Culture
The entire manuscript was preserved for more than a
thousand years in the following important Jewish
communities:Tiberias, Jerusalem, Egypt, and in
Syria.
The Masoretes’ goal was to guard and preserve the
text of the Bible that had been handed down orally
from generation to generation.
The Masoretes are responsible for the text of the
Bible.They determined the proper way of writing
and reading the Bible.
7. Important values
Connected with the name of the city ofTiberia.
Creation of vocalization and cantillation marks and the
preservation of the text of the Bible
TheAleppo Codex originally contained 491 pages of
parchment, written on both sides; however, only 295
pages have survived.
Masoretes contributed to inserting the vocalization and
cantillation marks in the text.
8. History of writing and literature
Compared with other religious writings, there
are 3 columns rather than 2
Helped determine the proper way of writing and
reading the Bible.
Vocalization (help reader to read the letters by
indicating the vowel).
Cantillation marks (help convey the tradition of
the melody of the reading).
