The Aleppo Codex is a thousand year old manuscript originally created to help Jews properly interpret their religious texts. For the six hundred years prior to 1947, it resided in a synagogue in the Syrian town of Aleppo. In the riots following the vote to create the State of Israel, however, its secure home was breached and the book thought to be destroyed.

The good news is that this priceless ancient book actually survived the riots. Today, 60% of it is in the hands of the Israeli government. When he first started writing about the Codex, journalist Matti Friedman was under the common impression that the missing 40% was destroyed in the riot fires. But as he began looking into the history of the Codex in more depth, he discovered a story much more convoluted and sinister.

In this book, Friedman traces the path the Codex took from its original grotto to its current home. Along the way, he considers which of the men in its path may not have cared for it as well as they should have and the battle for its ownership between the Aleppo Jews and the new government of Israel.

This is a compelling book, rich in historical detail and fascinating discussions about how a dispersed people retain their traditions. It is also a tragedy, one in which a literary work of art designed to teach humans how to behave falls victim to the very impulses it was written to prevent.