Subject: The Sound of the Word (was: A Challenge)

From: "Henry T. Carmichael" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 1997 08:17:43 +0000

Vinton Dearing wrote:

> ... -- Silva and Kirsopp used to
> collate manuscripts by reading aloud to one another, and she
> reported that often a monk studying nearby would "correct" what
> she was saying. Such correction by memory must have been
> possible as soon as people set a high value on the sacred
> texts.

I recall reading (Alfred Edersheim's "History of the Jewish 
Nation") that before the "Oral Law" was written down, there were 
men who had memorized the said law, and would be called on to 
recite a portion under discussion to help elucidate the meaning 
of the law.  Apparently, the scholars found it easier to grasp 
the meaning of a passage on hearing it spoken than trying to 
recall the words themselves.

Henry Carmichael
[email-masked]