masoretic text' when none ever THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
existed, it would seem possible in
Friday, January 13, 1967-9
theory to produce a Hebrew text
of the Bible with the claim that
it is derived from 'a masoretic
text' . . . but in that case, the
of the Bible with the fixing of text of the manuscript that is
the Hebrew text of the Bible. reproduced should either be left
The Bible was fixed as far as the wholly unchanged or else every
S
three main Divisions (Torah, single change that is introduced,
Prophets, Writings) and the no matter how slight, should be
Books in them were concerned. indicated clearly, and justified—
Even if only 22 Books were as is done, e. g., when the Sep-
canonized shortly after the mid- tuagint is edited on the basis of
first century and the other two Codex Vaticanus, or Codex Alex-
andrinus, etc. . . ."
Books, Koheleth and Esther,
The numerous codifiers and their
recognized only subsequently—
We didn't say this about the Shera-
ton-Tel Aviv. Hundreds of visiting
as argued persuasively by S. roles are reviewed in the scholarly
tourists did when polled by a lead-
Zeitlin—the fact is that the Canon study by Dr. Orlinsky. Ginsburg's
ing Israeli newspaper!
of the Bible was closed by the four-volume work on the Masora—
Sheraton-Tel Aviv: enjoy its private
time th a t the Mishna was the Hebrew tradition as to the cor-
beach beside the Mediterranean, air-
codified, not to be reopened or rect form of Scriptures—receives
conditioned rooms, superb food,
enlarged, or reduced, thereafter." thorough review a n d enriches
nearby golf, spectacular entertain-
He explains further that the biblical studies.
ment in the hotel's own night-
order of the last division's in-
club. For insured Reserva-
dividual Books "was never really
tions at Guaranteed
fixed," that there were three
Rates, see your
sequenced of the Five Scroll some
Travel Agent. Or
lapses from the sequences.
call WO 1-8000.
There is the added admonition
by Dr. Orlinsky that: "While it is
impossible a priori to achieve 'the
Prof. Orlinsky Edits Library of Biblical
Studies; Ktav Re-Issues Mas soretic Work
Ktav Publishing House, 47 Canal,
New York, has undertaken an
important task in producing "The
Library of Biblical Studies" edited
by Prof. Harry M. Orlinsky, pro-
fessor of Bible at Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Reli-
gion.
The initial publication list of
this library includes the re-issue
...
Text is a highly critical evaluation.
It reviews the history of printed
editions of the Bible and describes
the Bibles that have been des-
ignated as "masoretic."
Reference is made to "Yehoash's
Yiddish Translation of the Bible
and to a masoretic text accom-
panied it.
Credit is given Ginsburg's work
for the vast interest it created in
the subject and for its vast con-
tributions to the studies in this
area.
The Christian divisions of the
Bible are explained and analyzed,
and Dr. Orlinsky asserts in his ex-
planation of the "masoretic" texts:
"There never was and there
never can be a single fixed
masoretic text of the Bible! It
is utter futility and pursuit of a
mirage to go seeking to recover
what never was.
"What scholars have done is
to confuse the fixing of the Canon
I SRAEL
tay at the hotel
in a class
by itself"
SHERATON TEL AVIV
DR. HARRY ORLINSKY
of notable standard works which
have long been out of print.
consists of 45 pages of notes. He
,touches upon the important ques-
tion "The Masoretic Text: Fact or
Fiction?", and critically traces the
manner in which allegendly de-
finitive masoretic Bibles were
presented during the periods of
the 16th through the lath cen-
turies. He thereupon analyzes the
most recent efforts to produce the
Hebrew Bible's masoretic text.
Ktav's reissue-of the important
biblical works has met with an
enthusiastic reception and with ac-
claim by scholars from many lands.
Included in the republished
works will he C. G. Montefiore's
"The Synoptic Gospels•" R. Butin's
"The Nequdoth of the Torah," with
an introduction by Prof. Talmon
of the Hebrew University; G.
Friedlander's "The Jewish Sources
of the Sermon on the Mount," with
an introduction by Prof. Solomon
Zeitlin of Dropsie College; W.
Madden's "History of Jewish Coin-
age and Money in the Old and
New TeStament," with an intro-
duction by Prof. Michael Avi-Yonah
of the Hebrew University; I.
Abraham's "Studies in Pharisaism
and the Gospels;" G. B. Gray's
"Forms of Hebrew Poetry;" R.
Kittel's "Great Man and Move-
ments in Israel," and many other
important titles.
Especially significant in the
new Ktav program is the repro-
duction of the Jewish Quarterly
Review, 1889-1908, including its
famed collection of essays on
every aspect of Jewish life. Lead-
ing universities and the impor-
tant world Jewish organizations
have endorsed the project.
High tribute is paid by the Jour-
nal of Biblical Literature to Dr..
Orlinsky's role in the reproduction
of "Introduction to the Massoretico-
Critical Edition of the Hebrew
Bible." The magazine stated:
"It is no compliment to 20th-
century Hebrew scholarship to
state that Ginsburg's work is no
museum piece and that Prof. Or-
linsky was able to render it a con-
temporary masterpiece not by re-
vising the text itself but by writing
a prolegomemon!"
Prof. Orlinsky's scholarly Pro-
legomenon to Ginsburg's Masoretic
SEA OF GALILEE
HAIFA
Of special interest is the re-
publication of "Introduction to
the Massoretic-Critical Edition
of the Hebrew Bible" by C. D.
Ginsburg, the prolegomenon to
which was written by Dr. Orlin-
sky. This volume, having made
its appearance in the heyday of
biblical philology and textual
criticism, marked the climax of
an epoch in masoretic studies
conducted by the world's most
noted scholars.
Prof. Orlinsky's prolegomenon
TEL AVIV,
:'' JERUSALEM
I
KING SOLOMON'S
MINES
EILAT
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Starting January 1st, a roundtrip to Israel will cost you only $399.
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