That which is most of interest to the Biblical critic, in connection with this story, is the reply of the Gaon or Rector of the academy at Sons to the inquiry of the Jews at Kairwan, to whom Eldad related all this, and who felt perplexed by his assertion that the Talmud which the other tribes pos sessed was different from theirs. Mar-Zemash b. Chajim, the Rector (889-898 A.D.), after stating to the Kairwan Jews that he knew Eldad from the highest authorities, and that they were to believe without hesitation the description of the Hebrew speaking tribes, goes on to say Marvel not at the differences which Eldad told you exists between the oral traditions of those tribes and yours, since the very text of the Bible which is written down, and is plain, differs in Babylon from the text of Palestine in the orthography, divisions of chapters and verses, the Massora, and other points, how much more easily will differences arise in the oral law, which is very profound ?' This shews us most unquestionably that the text of Hebrew Scrip tures was not definitely settled in the ninth century [BEN-AsHER]. Eldad is quoted as an authority
on lingual difficulties by the greatest Hebrew gram marians and lexicographers (Ibn Ganach, Ibn Coreish, Kimchi, etc.) Whatever we may think of his lucubration on the ten tribes, be it remem bered that the greatest Jewish writers of his time and afterwards implicitly believed these stories and many others far more marvellous about their lost brethren. Graetz, is, therefore, too severe upon Eldad.
The above epitome of Eldad's account has been made from the two different recensions of his work published by Dr. Adolph Jellinek in the Beth Ha-Mia'rash, vol. ii. p. Ion, etc., and vol. iii. p. 6, etc., Leipzig, 1853-1855. Comp. Bartoloccii, Bib liotheca Magna Rabbinica, vol. i. 101-130 ; Fiirst, Bibliotleeca yuclaica, i. p. 30, etc.; Steinschneider, Catal. Libl. Heb. in Bibl. Bodleiana, col. 923-925 ; and Graetz, Geschichte der 5uden, vol. v.288-294; 522-529.—C. D. G.