Lost Rashbam Commentary Discovered in Moscow Library Archives
For many years, the walls of the State Library in Moscow held hidden secrets, silent testimony to dark periods when Jewish spiritual treasures were looted and concealed far from view. Today, as Russian Jewry is experiencing an unprecedented flowering and a broad spiritual building process from the ground up, with the voice of Torah echoing in yeshivas and synagogues across the country, the splendid treasures of the past are gradually being revealed as well. The sensational discovery uncovered in recent days in the heart of Russia’s capital once again proves that the Eternal One of Israel does not lie, and that the word of God will endure forever, even if it has been hidden for long years in the vaults of dark Soviet archives.
The historical discovery was made by researcher Israel Dovitsky during his intensive work on the Ginzburg Collection housed in the State Library. It is an ancient and rare manuscript containing a commentary on the Torah written by one of the giants of the early scholars, Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir, known as Rashbam, the grandson of the holy Rashi, who lived in France at the height of the early medieval period and was known for his clear commentaries, which placed special emphasis on the plain meaning of the text and drew unusually on the rules of Hebrew grammar and syntax. At times, as Torah students know, his interpretation even differs from that of his great grandfather.
The remarkable manuscript now discovered, known in the research community as Manuscript No. 103 from the Jewish Theological Seminary in Breslau, once served as the main basis for preparing the first printed edition of Rashbam’s commentary in 1881. But, surprisingly, after its publication, all trace of it was lost, and for many decades it was considered irretrievably gone. It is now clear that after the end of World War II, the precious document made its way into the Soviet Union and was absorbed into the archives. Researchers note that for decades the document was mistakenly classified as a commentary by Rashi, because it was missing its title page and because the text began in the middle of the Book of Genesis.
The heartening news made waves among Chabad rabbis and emissaries across the country, who work tirelessly under the direction and constant supervision of Russia’s chief rabbi, Rabbi Berel Lazar. The discovery of the manuscript is considered an extraordinarily important historical event for the study of the history of medieval biblical commentary.
Upon hearing the good news, Rabbi Lazar said, “Precisely in a fatherless generation like ours, we suddenly see such lights being revealed, a light that adds to our understanding of the Torah and gives us strength to live with the Torah, a Torah of life and a Torah of light that gives us light in life. Israel is not forsaken, and from above we are given a special light to encourage us and give us strength to continue working and spreading the Torah everywhere and to every Jew.”
The chairman of the Moscow Jewish Museum and head of the Lekhaim publishing house, Rabbi Baruch Gorin, referred to the discovery and said with satisfaction that it is a dramatic revelation for the entire Jewish people: “We are following with anticipation and curiosity in order to examine the findings closely. Every letter from the words of our early sages that comes to light is a cause for excitement, and we await the full details from the researcher in order to understand the size of the treasure that has fallen to our lot.”
As the moving news spreads throughout the world of Torah, communities in Russia are praying that just as they were granted the revelation of the hidden commentary, they will also merit expanded holiness and greater community life and educational institutions. The current discovery is a clear symbol that Torah will not be forgotten by Israel, and that the eternity of the holy letters continues to illuminate the path of the Jewish masses in Russia toward a bright future of days of light and joy.
