Teaching Team
I was in Prison...
The other day we received a peculiar package here at the First Fruits of Zion office in Missouri. It contained a book entitled Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. It is a Hebrew text of the Tanakh that is considered by many Jews and Christians alike as the most accurate edition of the Hebrew Scriptures. It contains an exact copy of the Massoretic text along with critical notes.
The strange thing was that we couldn't figure out who ordered this. It was certainly on our list of books to get for the library. The envelope contained no paperwork or sales receipt and was addressed to no one at the office specifically. Finally we discovered from looking at the return address that it had come from a prison. Putting two and two together we came to the conclusion that a prisoner had donated this to the First Fruits of Zion Beit Midrash.
It was not the first time that we have been sent books for the library, but our hearts were moved as we contemplated the generosity of a man who probably earns pennies a day. The book retails for around $70.00 and was certainly a widow's mite caliber donation that this prisoner had sent. It was truly a gift of love.
The Beit Midrash as a whole is coming together nicely but we have many more books that we wish to purchase to complete this reference library. Many of you might have been listening to our Scholar's Beit Midrash CD's and hearing us quote from some of the sources that we have already. These books help us stay connected with both the past as well as current Biblical scholarship. In many ways they keep us both balanced and accountable.
With God's help, through generous donations like this prisoner's, we hope to finish this project in due time. If you would like to help out in any way, please contact us here or go to our donations page. Thank you for your support.
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Visitor Feedback:
Holy Smoke! This is a great book to have on hand!
Another that J.B. Lightfoot constantly references is something he calls 'Leudsen's edition' presumably of the Talmud or Mishnah. Are you familiar with this?
**Toby's Response:** No I haven't. If you find a place that sells it, let me know.
Steve Petersen | September 16, 2008 11:12 AM
Where is Missouri are you?
**Toby's Response:** In the Springfield area.
David Ben Joseph | October 9, 2008 9:11 AM