Sun Sep 15 14:13:07 UTC 2024: ## Rare $7 Million Shem Tov Bible to Be Made Public

**New York, NY** – A rare and intricately decorated Hebrew manuscript, known as the Shem Tov Bible, was sold at auction for nearly $7 million on September 10th. The ancient mystical Jewish tome, which features gilded and colorful pages blending Jewish, Christian, and Islamic artistic traditions, was purchased for $6.9 million at Sotheby’s in New York.

The manuscript, completed in 1312 by Rabbi Shem Tov Ibn Gaon, is considered a treasure of Spain’s Golden Age. Its artistic and historical value is further enhanced by its kabbalistic elements, including unique letters and crowns containing hidden mystical meanings.

The Shem Tov Bible is one of only four known copies of the Sefer Tagei and is highly valued for its connection to the legendary Codex Hilleli, believed to date from around 600 CE. It is also noted for its close transmission of the ancient Hebrew text.

The book features around 2,000 “anomalous” letters, marked as either smaller or larger than the standard size, holding secret meanings according to Kabbalah. Sotheby’s International Senior Judaica Specialist Sharon Liberman Mintz explained the book’s cultural significance, stating, “This was written in Christian Spain in 1312, but the Christians and the Jews are living with all this Islamicate mudéjar [Moorish] architecture, and they’re seeing all of the cultural aesthetics of Islamic Spain around them still.”

The Shem Tov Bible has a fascinating history. After surviving numerous wars and religious upheavals, it was rediscovered in Tripoli in the 19th century and acquired by renowned Hebrew manuscript collector David Sassoon in 1909. The book remained private until the 1980s, when it began changing hands.

Now, thanks to the new owners’ commitment to making it accessible to the public, the Shem Tov Bible will soon be available for viewing. Mintz highlighted the book’s unique value, quoting a reference from the late 1860s: “Because, aside from being a truly precious object, it is a tried and true talisman, for a woman experiencing a difficult labor will be saved from her birth pains when the book enters her home.”

Read More