JNS
The medieval Spanish manuscript showcasing Jewish law, mysticism and art is now on exhibition at the National Library of Israel.
The Shem Tov Bible, a monumental 14th-century illuminated manuscript authored by the kabbalist Rabbi Shem Tov ben Abraham Ibn Gaon, is now on public display at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.
The codex, an artistic and scholarly masterpiece, was unveiled on May 8, as part of the library’s “A Treasury of Words” exhibition in the William Davidson Permanent Exhibition Gallery.
Completed in 1312 in Soria, Spain, the manuscript reflects the intellectual and spiritual vitality of Sephardic Jewry.
Ibn Gaon, a great scholar of Jewish law and mysticism, immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1315 and continued his scholarly work until his death around 1330. The codex remained in the Middle East for centuries, later moved to North Africa, and was believed to have mystical properties, including easing childbirth.
In the early 20th century, it was acquired by collector David Solomon Sassoon, rebound, and later sold to prominent European collectors. In 1994, it was purchased by Swiss collector Jaqui Safra. The manuscript was auctioned at Sotheby’s in 2024 and acquired by Terri and Andrew Herenstein, who placed it on long-term loan to the National Library.
“Receiving this manuscript, especially at the time of Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Torah, is profoundly significant,” said Sallai Meridor, chairman of the National Library of Israel.
“Having traveled from Spain to Jerusalem, Baghdad, Tripoli, London and Geneva, the Shem Tov Bible has come full circle and is now back home, returning to the very place where Rabbi Shem Tov ben Abraham Ibn Gaon lived and intended for it to be, in the land of Israel, and now in Jerusalem. We are grateful to the Herenstein family for turning what might otherwise have been a dream into a reality.”
The Shem Tov Bible, also known as Sefer HaYashar, stands as a prime example of medieval Jewish bookmaking, blending biblical, Masoretic and kabbalistic traditions. It features illuminated arcades, Gothic arches, zoomorphic figures, gilded frames, and marginal notations referencing now-lost sources such as the Hilleli Codex of 600 CE. It also observes the Sefer Tagei, a traditional guide for sacred scribal practices.
Dr. Chaim Neria, curator of the Haim and Hanna Salomon Judaica Collection at the NLI, stated, “The Shem Tov Bible—also known as the Sefer HaYashar —represents the pinnacle of biblical and kabbalistic scholarship in the medieval period. Its addition to the NLI collection provides an unparalleled resource for studying the development of the Masorah, and Jewish textual and artistic traditions, in particular those of Spain.”
The Herenstein family noted, “The Shem Tov Bible stands as a unique cultural artifact, embodying the scholarship, calligraphic precision and artistic excellence that characterized the best of medieval Jewish bookmaking."
It added" "We are delighted to know that the Shem Tov Bible is incorporated into the Library’s permanent exhibition of its greatest treasures, and equally delighted that the manuscript will be digitized to the highest standard, making it available worldwide, for study, research, or to simply enjoy its beauty.”
