Israeli museum unveils ancient Jewish prayer book

Associated Press ^ | Sep 18, 2014 3:00 PM EDT

[Olog-hai]

An Israeli museum on Thursday unveiled what it says in the oldest known Jewish prayer book in the world, dating back to the 9^th century A.D.

The prayer book, about 10 centimeters (four inches) long and seven centimeters wide, is written in Hebrew, contains about 50 pages, and is still in its original binding. It was donated to the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem by Oklahoma businessman Steve Green, a devout Christian and owner of one of the largest collections of rare biblical artifacts in the world.

Green’s family controls the Hobby Lobby crafts store chain, which won a closely-watched U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that allows it to assert religious beliefs to avoid covering contraceptives in employee health plans. …

[a fool in paradise]

Ping

[Bullish]

You seen one ancient Jewish prayer book you've seen them all.

[Red Badger]

Unless someone finds an even older one!.........................

[JimRed]

That donation can be a nice tax write-off, but how do you appraise something that unique and rare?

[colorado tanker]

I wonder where it was found? This would have been after the Jewish War and the diaspora.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Facetious huh... prayers have undergone changes over the centuries. Changes in theology, changes in current needs.

[HiTech RedNeck]

It would surely not be the oldest extant document containing Jewish prayers, but perhaps the oldest entire intact book extant. This was before acid free paper, climate controlled museums, and all the modern advantages. People never expected any physical book to last forever.

[SJackson]

Open to correction by FR’s CPAs and lawyers, but I would presume the value of the donation is closely related to his purchase cost. Presuming it was a recent purchase.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

Needless to say AP finds it necessary to include the donors religious beliefs about abortion in an article about a charitable donation.

[left that other site]

I love Christ, The Bible, Israel, Antiquities, Old Books, Prayer, Hobby Lobby, and Antiques, so this is a win,win,win,win,win,win,win news story for me! :-)

[SJackson]

Yes, it is.

[left that other site]

:-)

[Nachum]

Love it.

[Jewbacca]

There are bits and pieces of this same book dating back to 150 BC (the Nash Papyrus). Nothing changed in what has been found.

[Red Badger]

The scribes were very, very careful to copy every little jot and tittle exactly as it was given unto them......................

[Red Badger]

I’m still waiting for someone to find Jeremiah’s Deed, buried in a sealed clay jar. It should be somewhere near his hometown, in a field. He bought it from his cousin while under house arrest in the courtyard of the king’s palace. It was witnessed by those present as being a legal transaction for the price given..................

Jeremiah 32..................

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks a fool in paradise.

It was donated to the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem by Oklahoma businessman Steve Green, a devout Christian and owner of one of the largest collections of rare biblical artifacts in the world. Green’s family controls the Hobby Lobby crafts store chain...