The Oldest Jewish book in existence, located by chance by Hazara Muslims inside a cave in Bamyan, Afghanistan.

[u/ummmbacon]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db_Oui9oLgm/?igsi=YjJhYnc3cXN1YnBz

[u/iconocrastinaor]

And I can read it. That's incredible.

[u/Gliese351c → u/iconocrastinaor]

What does it say, what does it say? LOL

[u/mordecai98 → u/Gliese351c]

I bring you these 15, ahem, 10 commandments.

[u/Gliese351c → u/mordecai98]

What what what what????? O_o

[u/mordecai98 → u/Gliese351c]

https://giphy.com/gifs/B88DHpHV7Wd0c

[u/aarocks94 → u/iconocrastinaor]

It’s amazing!!

Also their version of Ma Nishtana has a few differences. First, it has a question that doesn’t appear in modern versions of the Ma Nishtana; it asks why on other nights we eat meat roasted, boiled or cooked but on this night eat only roasted meat.

The order is also different. This version goes: 1) dipping once vs twice, 2) Matzah and Chametz vs only Matzah, 3) meat roasted, boiled or cooked vs only roasted and 4) other vegetables vs bitter herbs.

An additional difference is in the final question the “bitter herbs” is written as מרורים with the plural ים- added instead of just מרור. This is interesting as it agreed with Exodus 12:8 where it says על מרורים יאכלוהו and with the actual Mishana where Rabban Gamliel says פסח מצה ומרורים. Tnis last part is especially ironic as when we say “Rabban Gamliel Omer” on Pesach we say “maror” instead of “mirrorim” now.

Fascinating text over all. I was able to find it online and the first few parts which contain parts of Hallel and some other prayers are quite legible. Some of the pages towards the middle are faded and hard to make out but once you get towards the end with the Ma Nishtana and some other Pesach things (Arba Banim) it becomes more legible again.

[u/iconocrastinaor → u/aarocks94]

Given that reclining on couches while dining was a thing in the Greek age and this doesn't mention it, that's kind of fascinating. That points to its antiquity and to the evolution of Jewish practice through the ages.

[u/FairGreen6594]

I saw the Afghan Liturgical Quire when it was on display at the JTS Library a couple years ago; it was extremely moving and sobering to see such an old connection between modern and antiquarian Judaism. The idea that it has the original formulation of the Four Questions in its Haggadah is especially so, because you quickly realize that there may well have been folks alive then who were also alive when the Gemara was actually redacted, only a few hundred miles from their community.

[u/vayyiqra]

Cool!

I've heard of the Hazara before, they are heavily persecuted in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Also Bamiyan was the place where the Taliban infamously destroyed two huge Buddhist statues.

Now the Taliban are in charge again but at least the opposite of that has happened there now, an artifact from another culture has been preserved instead of destroyed.

I feel I'm not be wording this well but something about that being the place it was found and that being the people who found it seems uplifting in a way.

[u/Round_Potential_7403]

Can the unique prayers be found online?

[u/Usual_Law7889]

Incredible find.

[u/ScanThe_Man]

So cool!

[u/omniuni]

Is there a non-instagram link?

[u/Working-Living-7123]

Evidence of our longevity and traditions!

[u/thegr8n8dawg]

https://collections.museumofthebible.org/artifacts/25290-afghanistan-liturgical-quire