From People of The Book to People of a book

The term “People of the Book” is often used to refer to Jews. It originates from the Quran, where it is used to describe those who received divine scriptures from God.

I love Jewish holidays because each of them has some specific dishes we eat. But before we eat we always read. A chapter or two from The Scripture or Tanakh. Today we celebrate the holiday of Purim and read the Scroll (Book) of Esther.

We do it for the last 2500 years — this is when that event took place, was recorded, and given to the generations to read, remember, commemorate, analyze, and be inspired from. We read it by following the kantor, which requires quite a reading and comprehending skills.

Every year we read that same scroll. Every time I find something new — an emphasis, a meaning, a thought. Today, I had a side-thought that all generations of Jews, from scholars to peasants, for tens of centuries, were required to be literate, to be book-readers, and book-owners.

Isn’t it amazingly inspiring, especially for a book-printer like myself?

N.B. At the picture there’re two scrolls of Esther, exactly the same text.

One is from circa 1485, born on the Iberian Peninsula (where one of my ancestor lines is from), stored in National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.

Another one born in the war-stricken Ukraine, my motherland, in 2023. I use it and will pass it on, to be read for centuries to come.