Nusach Ha-mikra – Accuracy of the Biblical Text

The Masoretic text is the most complete and most accurate extant testimony for the Tanakh, nevertheless, there are many other ancient textual witnesses, which contain numerous instances of different versions of words or verses. The first group consists of the ancient Hebrew textual witnesses, first and foremost among them the Dead Sea Scrolls. Until the discovery of these scrolls, many biblical scholars had dismissed the significance of the Masoretic text owing to its relatively late appearance. The scrolls brought about a change in attitude, since they demonstrated that the Masora preserved a tradition that was older by a millennium or more, and that had been passed down meticulously.