76
Ed Metzler
§
10. There was writing on both sides
of the Tablets of the Law (Exodus 32,
15). The text of each tablet is equally
divided between front and reverse by
the other fold, which runs through the
Resh in Asher Hotzetikha "which
brought thee out" (Exodus 20, 2 =
Deuteronomy 5, 6), and through the sixteenth
letter of every line.26) Consequently, the ten lines
were not horizontal, but vertical columns
of letters passing over the top of
the tablets to their opposite sides
on each of the ten lines.27) Thus the Ten
Command- ments would begin in the lower
right-hand corner on the front of the
first tablet, running upward fifteen letters, one
on top, fifteen down on
the
末末末末末末末末
26) The sixteenth letter of the tenth
line is the Shin of Ed Shaker
"false witness" on top of the second
tablet, so that the subsequent letters
Kof and Resh are
in a vulnerable spot in the upper
left-hand corner on the front (cf.
Note 52 infra).
27) Here as elsewhere in the reconstruction
of the Tablets of the Law the
right hypotheses were prompted by
linguistics, and verified by mathematics:
The etymology of Davar
implied boustrophedon (cf. Note
22 supra), the expression
"from lip to lip" meant
a square (cf. Note 40 infra), and
the volume of a Manah
weight-stone proved identical with the
Manna in the Omer (cf.
Note 41 infra). The idiomatic
use of the Hebrew word
Ever "opposite side" suggested
passing (Avar "to pass") over the
top of the tablets
like a mountain-pass (Maavar).
|
|
16
![Next](../images/next.gif) ![Previous](../images/previous.gif)
|