Manhattan, NY – Local scribe, Rabbi Itzhak Reisman, has great news: “I acquired a Torah scroll, written on brownish parchment,” he said. “The moment I saw it, I recognized it as a Spanish scroll, which means it had to be written before 1492. My estimate was about 1480.”
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Reisman says he had a partner in purchasing this scroll, and the partner didn’t trust his expertise so much. So they sent a small sample for carbon dating. The estimate they received was that the scroll was about 1000 years old.
“But my partner was still suspicious, so he took it to another company, for a little more money,” says Reisman, “and they presumably gave a more accurate dating: Between 1290 and 1315.”
According to Rabbi Reisman, this is a complete Torah, in a near-kosher state (meaning that it requires very few repairs). “The most interesting thing about it are the cabalistic ‘tagin,’ the calligraphic flourishes adorning the Hebrew letters, which I have never seen before in a Spanish Torah.”
Reisman and his partner contacted an academic expert in Israel, who examined the text and sent them back a letter asserting that it was probably written by a scribe named Shemtov Ibn Gaon, the author of several manuscripts, one of which was on the art of Torah calligraphy. Ibn Gaon left Spain for Israel in 1310, which further dates the scroll, according to Rabbi Reisman.
“It’s a unique, beautifully written Torah,” he says.
Is it ready for use by a congregation? “Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it for any congregation to use it; it’s a historical document, which must be treated with great care. This is the oldest known complete Spanish Torah scroll. And the cabalistic flourishes make it an even more valuable relic.”
this is messianic btw do we learn anything new about kri ksiv nuschaos?
In the current economy, I fear that this sefer will end up being auctioned on Ebay to the highest bidder and it will end up in some goiyeshe museum.
It seems that the academician forgot to mention that Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Gaon was a disciple of the Rashba the author the known commentary on Rambam, “Migdal Oz”, and other Kabalistic works. A fact that will increase the value of the Sefer Torah.
Our family Which is BA”H quite numerous, traces their descent back to to Gedoley Gerush Sefarad, from Toledo and Cordoba, Spain. We were are not Marranos but Spanish Jews who left at the explusion and retained their Shemirat Mitsvot till this day openly,despite their wandering from country to country. Many of us have learned in the famous Yeshivot (of the Ashkenazim and others of the Sefardim) and some of us have become Rabbonim, Dayonim or plain learned Baaley Batim.. Many Minhogim have been preserved, while others have disappeared. The question of the old Spanish Ksav is something which most Jews of Spanish descent are not even aware of. The available Ksav Sefardi which is available today is not the Spanish Ksav at all. It is that of the Jews of the middle east who technically are not all of Spanish descent. It is interesting to note that Rabbi Ovadya Yosef Shlita once met King Juan Carlos the present King of Spain, wherepon in the course of their conversation The Spanish monarch asked Rabbi Yosef why do the middle eastern Jews call themselves Sefardim when so many actually do not have Spanish ancestry? The Rabbi’s immediate response was that the Jews of the Middle East unanimously accept the Rambam who was a true Sefardi as their prime Halachic Authority!
If the the scribe is indeed Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Gaon, this Sefer Torah is probably mentioned in his: מגדל עוז, הלכות ספר תורה, פרק ט, הלכה י: “הנה אני עשיתי בספר תורה שכתבתי ככל המדות האלה…”
What they mean are the Osiyos Meshunos that even many German sifrei torah had a tradition until the time of the Yad Remma when all minor differences between sifrei torah were abolished.
These letters are not extra or missing ones. They are strange ones that there were very ancient traditions for. In certain special places in the Torah some letters are purposely mis-shapen. A Peh with an internal spiral in certain places. A Nun with the foot facing backwards. A Chess with two horns etc.
There is an excellent essay with pictures in the miluimm of Torah Shlemah by Rav Kasher. This is an fascinating subject.
There is a rumor that a Gvir in Teaneck is having a Torah written now with all the Osiyos Meshunos included.
Since when is carbon dating accurate?
Hakol tuly bemazel. Afile syfer toro shbehychel
it’s not the oldest spanish sefer torah (complete) if it’s from 1480. there’s an older in Jerusalem which was written by the Ran himself. see all about it in the article by Prof.
shlomo zalman havlin, alei sefer, 12 (1986), pp. 5-36 (hebrew). he gave it to the barcelona shul on 5th sivan 1336 al tnai. read all about it.
Are the words clear?
Does anybody know if the Sefer Torah reportedly written by the RAN has been photographed?