PROLOGUE

What an ancient author of Comedies once declared—that he squandered his labor in writing prologues—I seem likely to do here at the threshold of this preface. I do this not to narrate the theme of the work, but to respond to the arguments of a recent German writer who diminishes the credibility of Samaritan coins. Indeed, once this volume was already printed and about to be published, the German book On the Coins of the Hebrews by the illustrious Olave Gerhard Tychsen (1) was finally delivered to me. I mentioned this book at the end of Chapter I, and it was provided to me through the kindness of friends in Spain (2) specifically regarding the section where he discusses Samaritan coins. I remained in doubt and uncertain as to where I might insert my opinion of it, since no empty space remained in the main text; for establishing a separate treatise at that stage would have been very inconvenient for my plans. Therefore, I decided upon the only remaining option: to run through the principal points of Mr. Tychsen in this place and respond to each as briefly as I can, lest I be said to have abandoned my legal obligation original: "vadimonium deseruisse" — A legal metaphor meaning to fail to appear in court or to forfeit a bail bond; essentially, "failing to show up for the fight.".

First of all, Mr. Tychsen asserts that before Rabbi Moses Nachmanides—that is, before the 13th century of our Salvation—he found no mention of Samaritan shekels shekel (siclus): an ancient unit of weight and currency used in Israel. He claims they certainly do not appear in the writings of Benjamin the Traveler original: "Beniaminum Ὁδοιπόρον" — Referring to Benjamin of Tudela, a 12th-century Jewish traveler who documented Jewish communities worldwide., Solomon Iarchius original: "Salomonem Iarchium" — Known today as Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Itzhaki), a preeminent medieval commentator on the Talmud and Tanakh., nor among the older Rabbis or the Fathers of the Church. I ask him to consider whether he has allowed himself to be deceived in this matter. Indeed, I believe I have discovered mention of them in Josephus, and even in Philo and Rashi. The shekel (says Josephus) a coin of the Hebrews, contains four Attic drachmas (3). It is clear, therefore, that Josephus was discussing the shekel as a coin, not merely as a weight. Now, which shekel must Josephus be believed to have understood, if not the one inscribed with Samaritan letters? For it is the only one that weighed exactly half an Attic ounce, or four solid silver drachmas—a fact supported not only by Nachmanides, but also by Philo (4) and Rashi, whom we have praised.

(1) Aulic Counselor of Mecklenburg, Professor of Oriental Languages, and Librarian of the Academy of Bützow.

(2) By the kindness of the learned and friendly man, Mr. Daniel Scheidenburg, chaplain to the Swedish Legation at the court of the Catholic King of Spain.

(3) original Greek: "Ὁ δὲ Σίκλος, νόμισμα Ἑβραίων ὢν, Ἀττικὰς δέχεταὶ δραχμὰς τέσσαρας." The shekel, being a coin of the Hebrews, contains four Attic drachmas. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book III, Chapter 8 (otherwise 9), section 2.

(4) On Special Laws, regarding the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Precepts of the Decalogue: in which place, instead of the 50 silver shekels mentioned in Leviticus 27:3, he substitutes 200 drachmas Since 1 shekel equals 4 drachmas, 50 shekels equals 200 drachmas; Bayer uses this mathematical equivalence to prove Philo was referring to the specific weight of the Samaritan shekel..