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Nick: Protected "Aaron ben Moses ben Asher" [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed]

2011-07-09T06:04:43Z

Protected "Aaron ben Moses ben Asher" [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed]

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	~~{{Redirect\|Ben Asher}}~~
	'''Aaron ben Moses ben Asher''' (in [[Hebrew language\|Hebrew]] אהרון בן משה בן אשר; in [[Tiberian Hebrew]] ʾAhărôn ben Mōšeh benʾĀšēr) (10th century, died circa 960) was a [[Judaism\|Jewish]] [[sofer\|scribe]] who refined the [[Tiberian vocalization\|Tiberian system]] for writing down vowel sounds in [[Hebrew alphabet\|Hebrew]], which is still in use today, and serves as the basis for grammatical analysis. For over a thousand years he has been regarded by Jews of all streams around the world as having produced the most accurate version of the [[masoretic text]]. Since his day, both handwritten manuscripts of the [[Tanakh]] and printed versions strove to emulate his achievement and continue to do so. He lived and worked in the city of [[Tiberias]] ([[Hebrew language\|Hebrew]] טבריה) on the western shore of the [[Sea of Galilee ]] ([[Hebrew language\|Hebrew]] ים כנרת).		'''Aaron ben Moses ben Asher''' (in [[Hebrew language\|Hebrew]] אהרון בן משה בן אשר; in [[Tiberian Hebrew]] ʾAhărôn ben Mōšeh benʾĀšēr) (10th century, died circa 960) was a [[Judaism\|Jewish]] [[sofer\|scribe]] who refined the [[Tiberian vocalization\|Tiberian system]] for writing down vowel sounds in [[Hebrew alphabet\|Hebrew]], which is still in use today, and serves as the basis for grammatical analysis. For over a thousand years he has been regarded by Jews of all streams around the world as having produced the most accurate version of the [[masoretic text]]. Since his day, both handwritten manuscripts of the [[Tanakh]] and printed versions strove to emulate his achievement and continue to do so. He lived and worked in the city of [[Tiberias]] ([[Hebrew language\|Hebrew]] טבריה) on the western shore of the [[Sea of Galilee ]] ([[Hebrew language\|Hebrew]] ים כנרת).

Nick: New page: {{Redirect|Ben Asher}} '''Aaron ben Moses ben Asher''' (in Hebrew אהרון בן משה בן אשר; in Tiberian Hebrew ʾAhărôn ben Mōšeh benʾĀšēr) (10th ...

2011-07-09T06:04:25Z

New page: {{Redirect|Ben Asher}} '''Aaron ben Moses ben Asher''' (in Hebrew אהרון בן משה בן אשר; in Tiberian Hebrew ʾAhărôn ben Mōšeh benʾĀšēr) (10th ...

New page

{{Redirect|Ben Asher}}
'''Aaron ben Moses ben Asher''' (in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] אהרון בן משה בן אשר; in [[Tiberian Hebrew]] ʾAhărôn ben Mōšeh benʾĀšēr) (10th century, died circa 960) was a [[Judaism|Jewish]] [[sofer|scribe]] who refined the [[Tiberian vocalization|Tiberian system]] for writing down vowel sounds in [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew]], which is still in use today, and serves as the basis for grammatical analysis. For over a thousand years he has been regarded by Jews of all streams around the world as having produced the most accurate version of the [[masoretic text]]. Since his day, both handwritten manuscripts of the [[Tanakh]] and printed versions strove to emulate his achievement and continue to do so. He lived and worked in the city of [[Tiberias]] ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] טבריה) on the western shore of the [[Sea of Galilee ]] ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] ים כנרת).

He was descended from a long line of [[Masorete]]s, starting with someone called Asher, but nothing is known about them other than their names. His father, Moses ben Asher, is credited with writing the [[Codex Cairensis|Cairo Codex of the Prophets]] (895CE); if authentic, it is among the oldest manuscripts containing a large proportion of the [[Hebrew Bible]]. [[Umberto Cassuto]] used this manuscript as the basis of his edition of the Hebrew Bible. Aaron ben Asher himself added vowelization and cantillation notes, and mesorah to the [[Aleppo Codex]], correcting its letter-text according to the masorah.

[[Maimonides]], by accepting the views of Ben-Asher (though only in regard to open and closed sections), helped establish and spread his authority. Referring to a Bible manuscript then in Egypt, he wrote: "All relied on it, since it was corrected by Ben-Asher and was worked on and analyzed by him for many years, and was proofread many times in accordance with the masorah, and I based myself on this manuscript in the Sefer Torah that I wrote".

Aaron ben Moses ben Asher was the first to take Hebrew grammar seriously. He was the first systematic Hebrew grammarian. His ''Sefer Dikdukei ha-Te'amim'' (Grammar or Analysis of the Accents) was an original collection of grammatical rules and [[masoretic]] information. Grammatical principles were not at that time considered worthy of independent study. The value of this work is that the grammatical rules presented by Ben-Asher reveal the linguistic background of vocalization for the first time. He had a tremendous influence on the world of Biblical grammar and scholarship.

A rival system of note was that developed by the school of [[Ben Naphtali]].

==Was Ben Asher a Karaite?==
Most of the secular scholars conclude that Aaron ben Asher was indeed a [[Karaite Judaism|Karaite]] though there is evidence against this view (see suggestions for further reading). One of the strongest arguments against it is that it would be astonishing if [[Maimonides]], famously opposed to the Karaites, had followed the authority of a Karaite, even in the matter of open and closed sections.

In his critiques of Karaites, [[Saadia Gaon]] mentioned a "Ben-Asher." Until recently, it never occurred to scholars to associate this "Ben-Asher" with the famous Aaron ben Asher of [[Tiberias]]. Recent research indicates, however, that it is probable. This may explain why he preferred the "Ben Naphtali" system.

In his work ''Sefer Dikdukei ha Te'amim'', Aaron ben Asher wrote, "The prophets... complete the Torah, are as the Torah, and we decide Law from them as we do from the Torah." This belief is known to have been held by Karaites. Documents found in the [[Cairo Geniza]] also indicate that ben Asher was a Karaite.

If Aaron ben Asher was indeed a Karaite, it may be argued that he was the most influential Karaite in world history.

==Further reading==
*Aaron Dotan, "Was Aharon Ben Asher Indeed a Karaite?" (Hebrew), in [[Sidney Z. Leiman|S.Z. Leiman]], ''The Canon and Masorah of the Hebrew Bible: An Introductory Reader'' (New York: Ktav, 1974).
*Aaron Dotan, "Ben Asher's Creed" (Missoula, Montana: Scholars Press, 1977).
*Rafael Zer, "Was the Masorete of the Keter a Rabbanite or Karaite?", ''Sefunot'' 23 (2003) Pages 573-587 (Hebrew)

==External links==
*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/benAsher.html Aaron ben Moses ben Asher]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_ben_Moses_ben_Asher Wikipedia Article on Aaron ben Moses ben Asher]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aaron ben Moses ben Asher}}
[[Category:Medieval Hebraists]]
[[Category:Karaite rabbis]]
[[Category:10th-century rabbis]]
[[Category:Jewish scribes (soferim)]]
[[Category:People from Tiberias]]

Aaron ben Moses ben Asher - Revision history

Beza 1598: /* External links */

Nick: Protected "Aaron ben Moses ben Asher" [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed]

Nick at 06:04, 9 July 2011

Nick: New page: {{Redirect|Ben Asher}} '''Aaron ben Moses ben Asher''' (in Hebrew אהרון בן משה בן אשר; in Tiberian Hebrew ʾAhărôn ben Mōšeh benʾĀšēr) (10th ...