Aaron ben Moses ben Asher lived and worked in the city of
Tiberias, on the western shore of the
Sea of Galilee. He was descended from a long line of
Masoretes, starting with someone called Asher, but nothing is known about them other than their names. His father, Moses ben Asher, is credited with writing the
Cairo Codex of the Prophets (895 CE). If authentic, it is among the oldest manuscripts containing a large proportion of the
Hebrew Bible.
Was ben Asher a Karaite? Scholars have long debated as to whether Aaron ben Asher was a
Karaite. While many modern scholars lean toward this being true, there is no clear consensus, and so the question remains open. The idea was first suggested in 1860 by
Simhah Pinsker, who argued that Masoretes in general should be ‘suspected’ of being Karaites since they seem to have devoted all of their time to the Bible and showed no interest in rabbinic Midrash or Talmud, which at times contradicts the Masoretic Text. Numerous other pieces of circumstantial evidence were presented to make a strong case, however not strong enough to tip the scales and end the debate. Some examples of evidence for this assertion include: • Strong parallels to Karaite theology in the way both Aaron and his father Moshe write about all three parts of the Hebrew Bible being equally authoritative in terms of
halakha (a classic Karaite position); • The Masoretic Text does not follow the order set down in the
Talmud (
Isaiah after
Ezekiel), which was accepted as authoritative by
Rabbanites, but rejected by the Karaites (the Masoretic Text also differs from verses quoted in the Talmud); • The Codex contains a prayer for the protection of a temple (presumably referring to the Karaite temple, as the Rabbanites did not have a temple at the time); • Writings of the time refer to the Ben Ashers with honorifics more typically used by Karaites (such as
melamed (teacher) and
maskil ('enlightened one'); • Indications that the
Codex Cairensis, thought to have been written by his father, was sponsored by a Karaite (based on language used by the sponsor); • The Codex was in the possession of the Karaites since the time of its inscribed dedication (even before they ransomed it from the
crusaders). as well as the fact that ben Asher became accepted as relations between the Karaites and Rabbanites improved. Aron Dotan has dealt with many of the arguments, including Klar's, and also argued that the approval of Maimonides is evidence against the claim. However, according to Zer, few researchers have expressed their support for Dotan's position. == Works ==