Israel Travel

The Israel Museum unveiled a rare and never-before-exhibited Hebrew scroll fragment from what is known as the "silent era" – the six-hundred year period from the 3rd through 8th centuries CE from which almost no Hebrew manuscripts have survived. The fragment, dating from the 7th or 8th century, is believed to have been part of the Cairo Genizah, a vast depository of medieval Jewish manuscripts discovered in Cairo's Ben Ezra Synagogue in the late 19th century.

The manuscript is a fragment of a Torah scroll from the book of Exodus (13:19-16:1), which includes the Song of the Sea, widely recognized as one of the most beautiful examples of biblical poetry. The Song celebrates the Israelites' safe crossing of the Red Sea, praises the Almighty for vanquishing their enemies, and anticipates their arrival in the Promised Land.

"The Song of the Sea manuscript is one-of-a-kind in terms of its historical and literary significance," said James S. Snyder, Anne and Jerome Fisher Director of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. "It bridges the gap in the period of history between the Dead Sea Scrolls [1st-2nd century CE] and the Aleppo Codex [10th century], both of which are permanently housed in the Shrine of the Book."

The Song of the Sea manuscript provides a rare historical bridge. Written centuries after the last Dead Sea Scrolls (approximately 2nd century CE), the manuscript includes some examples of delicate lettering that resemble the Scrolls, while other letters recall examples from rare 6th century manuscripts. However, the text is also strikingly similar to the Masoretic (traditional) version familiar from such later Biblical codices as the 11th century Leningrad Codex in the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg. Many stylistic elements of the Song fragment link it to manuscripts originating in Egypt, including those found in the Cairo Genizah.

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