New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19

later surface writing This has proved TO b
especially the case with the liturgcal frag.
ments, among which the earliest. and perhaps
the most important. pAhmiscsts have been
found Personally | quite satisfied with
their appearance. II they restore 90 US the Ode,
form. Of the "OrlRinal prayers. A. some u
them indeed do they need. Il course, no furths
"raison d'ttrc" for the Jewish student, this be-
Ing the only means u supplying Us with thai
history Of our ancient liturgy which is still 6
drsideratum But even II they represent only
Some hymn u tho later Psamsts ~ The synS
gogue. | am not. on closer acquaintance par
ticularly anxious TO see them improved upon
The majority - student would look rather
askance upon The contents II the Sahbslca
hymn under which the remains Of Aqula w.c
buried for nearly nine centuries.
AorrLAs PAINFULLY LITERAL VERSION
The story - AqullA COR Akylas) is a famllU
one lie nou.isned In the first de- aies Of Ia
second century after Christ. vas Greco Roman
by birth. ami was brought up in he Pagan
religion u his ndtit" place -Sinope In Asia
Minor sent iy H1drisn % Jerusalem 10 super
intend the rebuilding II the city which ~
Emperor purp Sod at thai time. lie there mar
according o. q church tradition The lcqualnt
ance = the disciples 81 the Apostles. and Tu
converted To- the Christian talfh. mis- how
ever. he soon eft to Join the synagogue. Find.
ing the text 2 The Septuaslnt greatly dshgWe
both by wiiful Interpretations and hy blunderv
ignorance. he undertook the preparation OF
new Greek version Of the Old Testament Wnn
famous rabies It's main chlia.te rSuc ~
llteraness II = such awkward Greek thai
somebody has laid. II j. almost good tleDre"
With the decay Of the Jewish H"Nen'suc coT
nics FOR who's" use chiefly 1t was prepared
Aquila's Greek version alSo disappeared. In IN
synagO gUcs of Palestine and Babylon Whes
the people ire NOR" or less a"luainiei VIZ
the Hebrew Language. there WAS little room N
Aquiia's version. though the R@bblnlc literstuS
has preserved few citations from It, whs
the Church had little inclination 10 perpe'aS~
the work OF a man whom she accused OF Sp''
tasy.
The fragments discovered In thu Genizah az
written IN Greek uncials. stated by specialso
10 date from the beginning OF the sixth century
They are tho first continuous pieces cOmas
not through the medium Of quotations. out "
rectly from Aqula's work. and must once G m.r
formed portion OF Bible used in some ~
lenistic Jewish synagogue for the purpose
public reading. The TetraSrammaton Is s" ~.
in the archaic Hebrew characters touhu ~ M
Sloan Inscription. Considering mat Agu am
version Is So literal that the original Is away
transparently visible through IT, these -
ments will prove an important coutr!Ouu0..
our knowledge OF the state OF the Hebre" IN, M
during the first centuries Of our era ana u ~
mode OF itS Interpretation.
THE POETRY or THE SYNAGOGUE
Under the head OF liturgy We might aisV
cludc the didac:ic poetry of the synagogue rd II
il a peculiar mixture OF devotional pdSs"set =, II
sHoTt sentences l'P''NN IN ii
a certain extent. the Wisdom literature ,tr II
synagogue in the Middle Ages. Sometimes II
are written. not unlike the Book If Proverbs II
the old Bible manuscripts, in two coluninS' II
column giving hemistch II the verse
The eXamin:tio OF this class ot trae iHon ~, II
quires great caution and close attention. n .us
much on account Of their own merits A. go, II
OF their strong resemblance t. ltcclosa.sns s. II
both II form and IN matter You dare n lsns i
lect the former lest some piece ~ the IN
might escape yoL The Identification "a I'M u
Ecclesiasticus fragments IL indeed a We! nsr II
GUS task, since our knowledge OF this aporsMh ID
has been till now only attalnable throusnt
Greek or Syriac disguise. which anoui'S, ~ rsl l
times to n mere defaced carcature Oh ~"
work OF Sirach. ,hsr+
But | hardly need to point out 'i Una. 'rrhL /
,overy OF even tho smallest scrap OF thr tbc l
Hebrew compensates richly for All .e ehanc
spent on il. Apart from its semi -sacreu IA th
ter, these Sirach discoveries restore "pSysap
,nly genuine document dating from inc n, 10
Greek period (frOm about 400 III n.' of VI
3. CO, the most obscure in the "n0''
Jewish history.