Archival History:

The origin of this document is not clear, but probably it might belong to a private collection, to some archives which keeps religious documents or to some Jewish institution which keeps historical documents. Thanks to the "Servicio de Recuperación de Documentos", it has been in the "Archivo Histórico Nacional" since the end of the 30's, becoming part of the Codex Section.

Biography / Administrative history:

Name of other related agents:

Archivo Histórico Nacional (Madrid, España) - Coleccionista

Scope and Content:

The Book of Esther is a text in the Old Testament whose main characteristic is its historical nature and its role during the Purim, the Jewish celebration in which they read it. The story takes place in Persia in the 6th century BC, where the large Jewish population which lived there depended on their religious and political leaders' will. The King of Persia, Assuero, had dethroned his spouse and had ordered their ministers to look for a substitute. They did it through a contest to choose the most beautiful lady.

At the meantime, Amán, one of the King's minister, who was a deeply Anti-Jewish man, accused the Jewish people of betraying the Empire, and was preparing a decree in order to wipe them out. Amán did not tolerate Mardoqueo, a Jewish close to the King, since he did not bow before the minister. For its part, Mardoqueo persuaded his niece, Esther, to enter the beauty contest from which the spouse of the King would be picked up, on the condition that she would not reveal her Jewish origin. Finally, Esther was chosen as the future queen. Immediately, during a banquet, Esther disclosed her Jewish origin to the King, asking for her protection and also for the rest of Jewish people's protection. On 15th day of Adar, the King suspended the decree against the Jewish, and from that moment on, this day became a holiday for the Hebrew people.

Content Structure:

Son 6 fragmentos de pergamino cosidos en forma de rollo

General accessibility conditions:

©MCD. Archivos Estatales (España). La difusión de la información descriptiva y de las imágenes digitales de este documento ha sido autorizada por el titular de los derechos de propiedad intelectual exclusivamente para uso privado y para actividades de docencia e investigación. En ningún caso se autoriza su reproducción con finalidad lucrativa ni su distribución, comunicación pública y transformación por cualquier medio sin autorización expresa y por escrito del propietario.

Image accessibility condition:

Some images/documents have restrictions

Language and Scripts:

Hebreo (Alfabeto hebreo). 
Escritura sefardí cuadrada

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements:

Manuscrito

Description Indices:

Judaísmo

Lengua aramea bíblica

Purim

Religión

Servicio de Recuperación de Documentos (España)

State of conservation:

Good

Existence and Location of Copies:

Microforma en Institute of Microfilmed Hebrew Manuscripts, Jerusalén

Medium/Archival Material:

Microfilm  Digitized 

Fuentes:

Bravo Lledó, Pilar. El libro de la Reina Ester. Siglo XIV-XV . Archivo Histórico Nacional.

Publication Notes:

Guía de la Sección de Códices, Redactada por Pilar León Tello y Mª Teresa de la Peña. - Madrid, 1950-1952.
Allony,"Lista II", nº 1087.