The Mystery of the Miniature Sefer Torah – Francis MOISI

In an exciting inquiry akin to a detective story, the author set out to discover the unknown origin of a Sefer Torah, the most sacred Jewish work. How could the Moïsi family have been unaware of the existence of such a rare item in its midst? Why had Francis’ parents, and especially his father, never spoken of it? How had the scroll, dedicated to his paternal grandfather, come into the possession of the Moïsi family in the first place?

This singular work stems from a double mystery which led Francis Moïsi to conduct a two-pronged investigation — first was a fervent quest into the past of the miniature Sefer Torah discovered in his family in 2011 and into their history. And second, a systematic investigation into the realm of miniature sacred scrolls to illuminate the geographical and historical origin of his own.

The author met with many eminent figures in the small world of experts in Sifreh Torah, scholars and rabbis from different Jewish religious traditions, and university professors. He examined relevant documents in libraries and archives in several countries and corresponded with historians specialized in the field. His goal was to uncover the past of the miniature Sefer Torah, which is unsigned and undated.

The challenge here was to resolve a mystery and, in doing so, the author has given us a glimpse of the life and genealogy of a 20th century European Jewish family, while shedding light on the sacred book so central to Judaism as a whole.

This book was first published in Paris in November 2016 (french – Éditions du Palio – store 1 – store 2).
This modified version was translated into English by Monica Berger Moïsi.

Book Details : The Mystery of the Miniature Sefer Torah – Francis MOISI

• Language: English (January 24, 2019)
• ISBN-10: 1792776365
• ISBN-13: 978-1792776366
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• 224 pages
• FIND IT on Amazon : kindle – paperback

More about :

Francis Moïsi worked in public transportation, and he held Executive positions  at the RATP (the Paris Transportation Authority). He was trained as a Civil Engineer at the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in France and at the University of California at Berkeley.

Francis Moïsi is a fourth-generation Parisian,  born into a French Jewish family of Romanian and Lithuanian origin. He was raised in an observant Jewish household and has been a long-time member of the MJLF, a Reform congregation in Paris, where he is now a member of the Executive Board and a Vice President.