Earliest, most complete Hebrew Bible sells for $38.1 million
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Earliest, most complete Hebrew Bible sells for $38.1 million
Discover the Bible's history and the family it belonged to
Hi ReligionUnplugged readers,
Sotheby’s — the art auction house located in Manhattan — sold the Codex Sassoon today for $38.1 million. The Codex is the oldest, most complete Hebrew Bible known, containing all 24 original books.
The other comparable codex is housed alongside the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Sotheby’s announced after today’s auction that the Codex Sassoon was purchased by the American Friends of ANU — Museum of the Jewish people. It will be donated to the museum in Tel Aviv and become a part of the main collection.
In the time leading up to this notable auction, ReligionUnplugged’s Jerusalem correspondent Gil Zohar reported on both the Bible and the Sassoon family. For more history on the significance of this Bible transcribed over 1,000 years ago, check out those stories below — and don’t miss our other stories from the past week.
Sotheby’s To Auction Off 1,000-Year-Old Hebrew Bible For Up To $50 Million
The Codex Sassoon has 24 books divided into the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Writings, abbreviated as TaNaKH in Hebrew. About 15 chapters are missing, including 10 from Genesis, but it is far more complete than the Aleppo Codex. Another medieval Bible text, the Leningrad Codex, is “entirely complete,” but is more than a century younger than Sassoon 1053, Sotheby’s said. by Gil Zohar
Sassoon Codex Part 2: The Narco Business And International Intrigue Of Sassoon And Sons
For a fraction of the cost of a comparable hotel in relatively expensive Bollywood, all Jews are welcome in the air-conditioned kosher guesthouse that operates thanks to the perpetual generosity of the Sir Jacob Sassoon Trusts. And the impact of the Sassoon family traces forward to 2023, when a valuable Hebrew Bible from 1,000 years ago, the Sassoon Codex, goes to auction at Sotheby’s this spring as previously reported by ReligionUnplugged.com. by Gil Zohar
This Jerusalem Ice Cream Shop Reaps Profits During Netanyahu Protests
Mousseline, a small gourmet ice cream shop directly across the street from the president’s residence on Hanasi Street, found itself swamped on Saturday nights, the regular night for the demonstrations in recent months. by Laura Esposito
5 Baseball Players Who Traded Their Gloves For The Lord And Became Pastors
Pro sports can be a demanding career path for many young men and women. Baseball, for example, has produced a number of talented stars, but many of them couldn’t handle the success and money that came with being a big-time ball player. As a result, many have used their post-playing careers to preach the gospel and help others in need. by Clemente Lisi
The Broken: ‘Dalit’ Sikhs Fight Back Against Land Discrimination In Punjab
The caste system's historical legacy has prohibited dalits from owning land nationwide, and this pattern remains prominent in India's Sikh-majority state of Punjab, which has a population of about 30 million. by Surabhi Singh
The Inside Story Of The King’s College Death Spiral Of 2023
The perilous state of The King’s College in New York City developed over decades, hit turbulence in the past two years, then turned into a stunning death spiral in the spring 2023 semester. by Melinda Huspen, Mandie-Beth Chau and Joshua Story
Pope Francis’ Secret Peace Mission In The European Stronghold Of Illiberalism
(ANALYSIS) Pope Francis’ recent apostolic journey to Hungary (my home) was at once exciting and disconcerting. A papal visit is always exciting, and like other Christians in Hungary (Catholic and not), I was encouraged by the Holy Father’s presence among us. Conversely it was hard not to be worried about the apparent imprimatur that might be given to the “political Christianity” championed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz government. by Balázs Gulyás
🚨 Another Week, Another Mass Shooting In America: Have We Had Enough? 🔌
In this week’s Weekend Plug-in, Bobby Ross Jr. covers God, guns and other faith angles after the mass shooting at a shopping mall in Allen, Texas. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Don’t forget! You can subscribe to receive Bobby’s column directly in your inbox on Friday mornings!
Thanks again for reading!
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