Cairo Codex: Colophon

I, Moses Ben Asher, wrote this holy book of the Bible, dictated by myself, in accordance with the good hand of the Lord upon me [see Nehemiah 2:18], very clearly (Deuteronomy 27:8), in the province of Maaziah [see Nehemiah 10:9, 1 Chronicles 24:18], which is Tiberias, the renowned city (Ezekiel 26:17). Upon gaining understanding, the company of prophets—the chosen of the Lord, holy ones of God, who comprehend all secret matters, and who disclose the secret of wisdom, the mighty ones of righteous ness and men of faith—did not omit one word of what was handed down to them, nor did they add one saying to what was bequeathed to them. They strengthened and increased the Bible to twenty-four books, which they established through their faith, with sound accents, with a commentary to aid pronunciation, with sweet palate and beautiful speech. May it be our Creator’s will that He enlighten our eyes and illuminate our heart in His Torah, to learn, teach, and act, with a perfect heart and with a willing soul (1 Chronicles 28:9), and for all Israel. Amen.

It was composed at the end of the 827th year after the destruction of the Second Temple [897]—may the fashioner of souls [i.e., God] speak of it and return to it in compassion, and build it with carbuncles, sapphires, and rubies [see Isaiah 54:11–12], a perfect building, a lasting building, a building that shall neither be plucked up, nor thrown down, nor demolished [see Jeremiah 31:39], forever and for eternity, speedily, in our days, and in the days of all Israel. Amen.

Whoever alters a word of this holy book or of this text, or erases a letter from it, or tears a leaf from it—unless he understands and knows that it contains something in which we have erred, in writing, or in punctuation, or in the Masorah, or in defective or complete spelling—let him have neither pardon nor forgiveness, nor let him behold the beauty of the Lord [see Psalm 27:4], nor let him see the good that is stored up for those who fear Him. Let him be like a menstruating woman and like a leprous man, locked away, [so that] his limbs are crushed, the pride of his power broken [see Ezekiel 33:28], his flesh consumed until it cannot be seen, and his bones corroded to unsightliness [see Job 33:21]. Amen.

Whoever reads shall hear, whoever hears shall understand, and whoever sees shall become wise. Peace.