Subject: tc-list OT Hebrew mss #

From: "Harold P. Scanlin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 19:19:11 -0400

Brotzman's estimate of 3,000 manuscripts refers only to the number of
post-1100 manuscripts that were collated and studied by Kennicott and de
Rossi.  The total number would be signifcantly larger, including the 200+
Qumran biblical mss, the very extensive Cairo geniza mss, and the other
pre-1100 mss.

In his _Manuscritos hebreos y arameos de la Biblia_ (Rome: "Augustinianum",
1971) Alejandro Diez Macho offers the following guesstimate:  59,000 Hebrew
mss, both biblical and non-biblical, and there may be as many as 207,000
fragments of Hebrew mss [the bulk of which would undoubtedly be the Geniza
material].  Diez Macho then estimates that about 10% are biblical mss.

In attempting to come up with a total, one needs to remember that the
religious practice of producing torah scrolls is still active.  Undoubtedly
the vast majority of these torah scrolls are copies of the Rabbinic Bible
text, although there is a project in Paris under the direction of C. Sirat
and G. Biezunski to study the typology of torah scrolls.

There is a great deal of information out there, though with significant
gaps, regarding Hebrew manuscript collections.  Unfortunately, there is
nothing as yet approaching the thoroughness of the Gregory-Aland list.  A
good starting point for anyone interested in obtaining an overview of
Hebrew mss is Benjamin Richler's _Guide to Hebrew Manuscript Collections_
(Jerusalem: Israel Academy, 1994, with at least one update on their
website).  Richler's guide is related to the extensive work that JNUL is
undertaking.

Of course, none of this covers the Old Greek mss.  For these we have the
old Rahlfs list, but the Goettingen edition project maintains an up to date
list, with reference numbers.  I have heard rumors that they may be
planning to publish a new list.

Harold P. Scanlin
United Bible Societies
1865 Broadway
New York, NY  10023
[email-masked]

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From: Joseph Crea <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 20:18:51 -0500

Hello everyone!

    Here I am again showing off my ignorance (and lack of manners by asking
off-topic questions).  I recently encountered a couple of gentlemen who
mentioned that, besides the customary references to the Testimonium Flavium
(Antiq. xviii.iii.3) and the passing reference to James  (Antiq. xx.ix.1),
Josephus had written a statement to the effect that a plaque had been
attached to the Temple walls proclaiming that "JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS PUT TO
DEATH FOR PROPHESYING THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS HOLY PLACE".  When queried as
to the location of this remarkable bit of evidence they told me it was to
be found in the "Slavonic Additions" to the  __Jewish Wars__ of Josephus.
I'll freely admit that until this point in time I had never even heard of
these "Additions", and am at a loss to locate any references to this
extraordinary addendum  -- a quick search of the 'Net has turned up zilch.
Can anyone enlighten me as to the status and bona fides of this document?
Thanks in advance.

With Mettaa,

Joseph Crea
<[email-masked]>

With Mettaa

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From: "Mr. Gary S. Dykes" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 22:42:42 -0700

> material].  Diez Macho then estimates that about 10% are biblical mss.

Yes, the Brotzman estimate needed defining, and your post prompted me to
reply, perhaps I can add to your knowledgeable input.

E. Tov suggest 6,000 Hebrew manuscripts of just the MT tradition. Of these
about 2,700 are dated, all being prior to 1540. He mentions an additional
100 or so "oriental" type codices of the Hebrew OT.  Add to this number the
Qumran material, and we have a large number.

Yes, it would be nice to see an exhaustive list of all extant Hebrew MSS of
the Bible made before the printing press era, and a complete one, not just
the MT MSS.

at your service,
Mr. Gary S. Dykes   [email-masked]

Tov's estimates from his, TEXTUAL CRITICISM OF THE HEBREW BIBLE, 22ff.