2025.01.02 | Thea Gomelauri (with a contribution by Joseph Ginsberg). The Lailashi Codex: The Crown of Georgian Jewry (Oxford, UK: Taylor Institution Library, 2023). 

Review by Teófilo Correa, Adventist International Institute of Advance Studies (AIIAS) 

The Lailashi Codex is an ancient Hebrew manuscript, considered the earliest nearly complete surviving medieval version of the Pentateuch (Ori Z. Soltes’ foreword). In light of its historical significance, Gomelauri offers a pioneering scholarly examination of the Lailashi Codex’s complex historical trajectory. The research chronicles the manuscript’s journey from a Jewish settlement in Svaneti, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, followed by its relocation to Lailashi village, and subsequent custodianship within the local Jewish community. The study further documents the codex’s requisition during the Soviet era and its ultimate repository at the National Centre of Manuscripts. 

In her analysis, Gomelauri elucidates the Lailashi Codex’s multifaceted importance, demonstrating its value beyond its liturgical function as a testament to the historical interconnection of Georgian and Jewish cultural traditions. The publication also reveals a notable finding in manuscript studies: identifying formerly missing folios of the Lailashi Codex by Joseph Ginsberg, currently preserved in the National Library of Israel collections.

It is noteworthy that the Lailashi Codex is an early, complete Masoretic Pentateuch manuscript featuring Tiberian vocalization, Masora Magna, and Masora Parva. Additionally, the manuscript is distinguished by its intricate ornamentation and illustrative micrography. Thus, Gomelauri’s work represents a long-awaited contribution to Jewish scholarly research.

The book consists of two parts. Part I – Historical narrative covers the history of the codex during the last three centuries. It reveals the vicissitudes suffered under communist rule, and the miraculous survival of the codex. Part II describes the manuscript’s textual and para-textual details and offers a comparative analysis with other early biblical codices. 

The initial two chapters of Part I provide a comprehensive examination of Jewish settlement patterns in Lailashi, a remote community situated in the Caucasian mountains. The text meticulously documents the village’s demographic composition, examining its diverse ethnic constituencies, their historical origins, and patterns of intercultural relations. The author presents a novel scholarly analysis of previously unexamined archival materials. Of particular significance is the detailed documentation of Joseph Judah Chorny’s expedition to Lailashi, including his observations upon examining the manuscript and his impression on the socio-cultural and religious practices of the local Jewish population. Chorny’s critical assessment reflects the underlying tensions between the scholar and his hosts, who demonstrated a marked reluctance to relinquish custody of their valued manuscript. 

Chapter 3 examines the socio-political dynamics of Soviet governance and anti-religious ideological frameworks that precipitated the Lailashi Codex’s confiscation. The analysis traces the manuscript’s subsequent transfers through various custodians, notably documenting instances where caretakers demonstrated unfamiliarity with Hebrew script conventions.

Chapters 4 and 5 delve into a fascinating story about rescuing the greatest Georgian historical and cultural treasure – the fresco of the Georgian National Poet Shota Rustaveli, which was preserved in the Georgian Monastery of Cross in Jerusalem. The research confirmed the Lailashi Codex’s crucial function in the successful completion of the Georgian mission after negotiations between the Georgian delegation and the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem broke down. The chapter includes the analysis of Giorgi Tsereteli’s scholarship-a member of the above-mentioned Georgian delegation. Through meticulous documentary analysis, the author identifies substantial methodological deficiencies in Tsereteli’s research. In response, Gomelauri reconstructs the codex’s historical trajectory and further challenges attempts to remake it.

Chapter 6 narrates the history of rescuing the Lailashi Codex from criminals who wanted to smuggle it out of the country.  Chapter 7 examines the diplomatic tensions that emerged following the abrupt termination of planned United States exhibitions at the dawn of the second millennium. These exhibitions were intended to present the Lailashi Codex, alongside other significant Georgian cultural artifacts, to Western scholarly and public audiences.

Chapters 8, 9, and 10 trace the predicament of the manuscript in a post-Soviet era, including the unfulfilled Presidential decree about the restitution of Jewish artifacts plundered by the Soviet government. The author documents the public tensions surrounding the manuscript, highlighting the current custodian’s efforts to retain possession of it, often at the expense of its rightful owners.

Part I concludes with biographical notes on the Lailashi Rabbis and explores the enigmatic provenance of the Codex. Gomelauri challenges prevailing assumptions regarding the Sephardic origins of the manuscript and addresses the myths surrounding the codex’s previous name. However, she refrains from drawing definitive conclusions until the completion of a comprehensive study.

The historical section includes a contribution by Joseph Ginsberg, who identified three leaves of the Lailashi Codex housed in the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem, cataloged as Ms. Heb. 4°5941.

In part II, the book provides a detailed examination of textual and para-textual components of the codex.

Chapters 1 and 2 offer extensive palaeographical and codicological insights. The Lailashi Codex is compared with the Aleppo and Leningrad codices, as well as BL Or. 4445, enabling readers to understand the manuscript’s dimensions and volume (p. 97). Additionally, it provides a detailed list of the missing leaves.

Chapter 3 addresses the problematic issue of the codex’s foliation and its discrepancies with Tsereteli’s records. The graphic illustrating the manuscript’s composition, with color-coded indicators, provides the most effective representation of its current condition (p. 104). Chapter 4 examines the paratextual elements, such as mid-point markers for each book and the whole Torah text. The author analyses these unique features vis-à-vis Talmudic stipulations and Masoretic traditions.

Chapter 5 details the codex’s proofreading history, derived from meticulous analyses of the notations under weekly Torah reading portions. Gomelauri traces the collaboration between two scribes across 172 leaves, identified by their unique ‘signatures,’ and provides a comprehensive account of the order and sequence of their joint proofreading. The chapter includes a table listing all weekly Torah portions with their scriptural references, corresponding folios, number of verses, notations, and comments. 

Chapters 6 and 7 present mnemonic phrases and vertical inscriptions found on the margins of two leaves. Gomelauri examines the atypical spellings of these mnemonic terms, providing a detailed list and transcription. She proposes that the vertical inscriptions on the manuscript margins require further investigation.

Chapters 8, 9, and 10 explore the manuscript’s unique features, ranging from orthographic peculiarities to Puncta Extraordinaria and micrographic images. The author catalogs 50 different spellings in the Lailashi Codex compared to the Leningrad Codex (p. 142). Additionally, ten words from Genesis to Deuteronomy with ‘extraordinary points’ are compared with their counterparts in Masorah Magna, with noted discrepancies. Chapter 10 displays beautiful micrographic images and reviews various patterns employed by the Lailashi scribes.

Chapter 11 highlights a visual presentation of the codex’s poetic passages, particularly the Song of the Sea. When compared to the Lenignradensis, the Lailashi Codex demonstrates superior scribal skills. Chapter 12 is particularly valuable for future research, offering a comprehensive index of scriptural texts with detailed folio information, including the missing passages. This section serves as an essential resource for any scholar pursuing further study.

The concluding chapter of Part II provides Joseph Ginsberg’s description of the newly identified leaves in the National Library of Israel, along with a detailed analysis of their contents, including an examination of the Song of Moses.

The book features maps that highlight key locations associated with the Lailashi Codex, along with detailed imagery of micrography, complete manuscript pages, and other illustrations prepared for an exhibition celebrating the publication of this exceptional manuscript.

Gomelauri’s book enhances our comprehension of the Lailashi Codex. It offers a captivating historical narrative, uncovers the latest information about its missing sections, and situates the manuscript within its wider cultural and religious framework. By illuminating the Codex’s tumultuous history, the book ensures that this priceless piece of Georgian-Jewish heritage is acknowledged and valued by future generations.

Building on its historical insights, the present edition significantly expands our understanding of early biblical codices and scribal traditions. It lays a solid foundation for further research in several key areas, including Jewish manuscript production, Masoretic textual transmission, the role of illuminated manuscripts in medieval scholarship, and the material culture of Georgian Jewry. This work will prove to be an invaluable resource for scholars in Jewish Studies, Masoretic Studies, Medieval History, Manuscript Studies, and related fields, offering new avenues for exploration and scholarly inquiry.

Professor Teófilo Correa
Chair of the Department of Biblical Studies
Adventist International Institute of Advance Studies (AIIAS) 
ORCID  0000-0003-2954-7846
tcorrea [at] aiias.edu