Seforim Online is a digital manuscript repository with a horde of absolutely incredible Hebrew manuscripts in PDF format freely available for download. One of these is a high quality scan of the entire Leningrad Codex (Codex Leningradensis) B19a taken directly from a facsimile edition of the Masoretic text which is the basis of nearly all modern–day bibles. Nothing can replace working with a manuscript itself and this is just like having access to the real thing, but with the added bonus of being able to instantly flip to and zoom in on any portion. Because of the size, however (713 MB), it could take time to locate certain sections, so I’ve put together this table of contents, based on the page numbers of the PDF itself. If anyone can verify what the specific contents are in the End Matter of the MSS other than what is indicated below, please update this TOC with a comment.
Torah
- Genesis — p. 7
- Exodus — p. 67
- Leviticus — p. 117
- Numbers — p. 151
- Deuteronomy — p. 201
- masorah for Torah — p. 244
Prophets
- Joshua — p. 247
- Judges — p. 276
- Samuel — p. 304
- Kings — p. 372
- Isaiah — p. 445
- Jeremiah — p. 495
- Ezekiel — p. 557
- The Twelve
- Hosea — p. 612
- Joel — p. 619
- Amos — p. 622
- Obadiah — p. 628
- Jonah — p. 629
- Micah — p. 631
- Nahum — p. 635
- Habakkuk — p. 637
- Zephaniah — p. 639
- Haggai — p. 641
- Zechariah — p. 643
- Malachi — p. 653
- masorah for the Prophets — p. 656
Writings
- Chronicles — p. 659
- Psalms — p. 736
- Job — p. 798
- Proverbs — p. 823
- Megillot
- Ruth — p. 846
- Song of Songs — p. 850
- Qoheleth — p. 854
- Lamentations — p. 864
- Esther — p. 869
- Daniel — p. 879
- Ezra–Nehemiah — p. 899
- masorah for Writings — p. 930 – 951
End Matter
- graphic designs — p. 952 — 963, 982 – 985
- The Song of the Vine, Moses ben Asher’s original composition — p. 986
Nick Says:
Is the pdf form of the codex legal or does it violate copyright laws? I know you can buy the print version for $190. Not looking to get anyone in trouble. I just want to stay out of it myself.
slaveofone Says:
I’m not certain, but I believe it is an older version that may have fallen out of copyright when they rephotographed the codex for a new facsimile edition that is now sold in its place.
Aldo Zamudio Says:
As far as I know, it is not illegal to reproduce images of manuscripts in the US. The scan has been cleverly left without the introduction made by scholars, which I think, would get the person who posted it into trouble.