Phiri la Sinai—Mwala Wokongoletsa Chipululu

MMENE ndinaona Phiri lakale la Sinai linandichititsa kaso kwambiri moti sindidzaiŵala ayi. Kunali kotentha ndipo tinkayenda m’kanjira kafumbi kopita ku Sinai, ku Egypt, ndiye mwadzidzidzi galimoto yathu inatulukira m’chigwa cha mbee, chathyathyathya, cha m’chigawo cha er-Raha. Phirilo n’lochititsa chidwi kwambiri, linangotuluka pamalo a see n’kungoti njoo. Linali ngati mwala wokongoletsa chipululu. Mwina Chilamulo chimene Mose analandira kwa Mulungu anachilandirira m’phiri lomweli!

Ngakhale kuti anthu adakatsutsanabe za dera lenileni limene Phiri la Sinai lotchulidwa m’Baibulo liyenera kupezekako, alendo odzapembedza akhala akubwerabe kuno kwa zaka mazana ambiri chifukwa amakhulupirira kuti phiri lotchuka lija n’lomwelidi. Kale kwambiri, cha m’zaka za zana lachitatu C.E., anthu ena osadziŵa tanthauzo la kudzimana, anabwera n’cholinga chodzilekanitsa ndi anthu ena kuti azichita zachipembedzo basi. M’zaka za zana lachisanu ndi chimodzi, Mfumu Byzantine Justinian I, analamula kuti nyumba yaikulu ya amonke imangidwe pamenepo, kuti anthu odzimana mopambanitsawa azikhalamo, komanso n’cholinga chakuti Aroma akhalebe m’deralo. Nyumba ya amonke imeneyo, yomangidwa cha m’munsi mwa Phiri la Sinai, masiku ano imatchedwa kuti St. Catherine’s. Bwanji tipitire limodzi kokaona Phiri la Sinai limeneli?

Kukwera Phirilo

Titayendayenda m’chidikha chouma chonsechi, wotiyendetsa pagalimotoyo, m’Arabu, akutitula pafupi ndi nyumba ina ya amonke, ine ndi mnzanga amene ndinali naye. Malo onsewo azingidwa ndi matanthwe, ndipo mitengo imene yabzalidwa mphepete mwa khoma la nyumba ya amonkeyo limodzi ndi udzu wobiriŵira n’zochititsa chidwi. Koma pamenepa tikupapitirira, chifukwa chakuti cholinga chathu makamaka n’chokakwera nsonga ya kummwera n’kukamangako msasa n’kugona komweko. Nsonga imeneyi, yotchedwa Gebel Musa, kutanthauza kuti “Phiri la Mose,” kuyambira kale anthu amaiona kuti ndi mbali ya Phiri la Sinai.

Takhala tikukwera kwa maola aŵiri ndiye tafika pena pamene amati pa Chidikha cha Eliya, kachidikha kamene kadutsa pakatikati pa mtandadza wa timapiri wautali ngati makilomita atatu, mtandadza wa Phiri la Sinai. Malinga ndi mmene anthu amanenera, Eliya anamva mawu a Mulungu atakhala m’phanga lapafupi ndi chidikhachi. (1 Mafumu 19:8-13) Tikupuma pang’ono titakhala pansi pa mtengo wamkungudza umene wakhala kwa zaka 500. Pompanonso pali chitsime chakalekale. Pamene mwamuna wina wachiarabu akutipatsa madzi a mbee, ozizira bwino kuti timwe, tikusangalaladi!

Tikutsatira njira imene alendo ena onse amayendamo, kwa mphindi 20 tikukwera movutikira masitepe 750 a miyala mpaka kunsonga. Kumeneko tapezako katchalitchi. Amonke amanena kuti tchalitchicho chamangidwa pamalo enieni amene Mose analandira Chilamulo. Tchalitchicho chalumikizana ndi phanga limene anthu amati Mose anabisalamo pamene Mulungu anali kudutsa. (Eksodo 33: 21-23) Koma kunena zoona, palibe munthu amene akudziŵa malo enieni. Koma pano nkhani n’njakuti, malowo ukamawayang’ana utaima pokwezeka, sikukongola kwake! Tangoti maso dwii kuphedi, kuyang’ana mapiri a matanthwe ofiira, ooneka ngati akumka acheperachepera, atayalana pachigwa cha see. Kummwera cha kumadzulo, Gebel Katherina, kapena kuti Phiri la Catherine nalonso langoti tolo kutalika mpaka mamita 2,637, kuposeratu mapiri ena onse pamenepo.

Kukwera Nsonga Yoyandikana Nayo ya Ras Safsafa

Kutacha tinakakwera nsonga imene ili pamtandadza wotalika makilomita atatu umene palinso Gebel Musa. Cha kumpoto ndiko kuli nsonga ya Ras Safsafa, imeneyo n’njofupikirapo ndi nsonga ya Gebel Musa. Ras Safsafa inatundumuka m’chigwa cha er-Raha, mwina pamenepo mpamene Aisrayeli anamangapo msasa wawo pamene Mose anakwera kukalandira Chilamulo kwa Yehova.

Mmene tikukwerabe kunyanyamphira ku nsonga ya Ras Safsafa kudzera m’kachigawo kena ka nsonga zatimapiri ndi zigwa, tikudutsa mabwinja a matchalitchi, madimba a maluŵa, ndi zitsime zakale—umboni wakuti nthaŵi ina kale pano pankakhala amonke ndi ahemiti oposa zana, omwe ankakhala m’mapanga. Tsopano pangotsala m’monke mmodzi yekha.

M’monke ameneyu tam’peza ali m’dimba lozingidwa ndi mpanda wa waya. Akutilola kuloŵa ndipo akutifotokozera kuti wakhala akugwira ntchito m’dimba limeneli kwa zaka zisanu, ndipo amatsikira kunyumba ya amonke kamodzi kokha pamlungu. M’monkeyu akutisonyeza njira yopita kunsonga ya Ras Safsafa, ndiye tikuuyambanso ulendo wokwera pang’onopang’ono, mpaka tikufika pamwamba penipeni, moti nsonga zina zamapiri tikuzionera cha m’munsi. Tikuthanso kuona Chigwa chachikulu cha er-Raha pansi pathu. Makamaka mmene tafika pamwamba pano, ndikungoona ngati kuti mwina panopo mpamene Mose anakwera m’phirili kuchokera ku msasa wa Aisrayeli kudzaima pamaso pa Mulungu. M’maganizo mwangamu ndikuona Aisrayeli mamiliyoni atatu atasonkhana “pandunji pa phirilo” pa chigwa chachikulu chimenechi. Ndikuona Mose akutsikira m’chigwa chinachi atanyamula magome aŵiri patalembedwa Malamulo Khumi.—Eksodo 19:2; 20:18; 32:15.

Tsopano tasangalala chifukwa kukwera kwathu panopa sikunali kungowononga mphamvu pachabe, ndiyeno tikuyambaponso thebwathebwa kutsikira kumsasa wathu pamene dzuŵa likuthamangira koloŵa. Poti moto tasonkhawu ukuwalitsanso pang’ono, tikuŵerenga mawu ena a Eksodo ofotokoza zimene Mose anachita kuno, kenaka tikugona. Mmaŵa dzuŵa litakwera, tikugogoda pakhomo la nyumba ya amonke, ya St. Catherine’s.

M’nyumba ya Amonke

M’Dziko Lachikristu, tchalitchi cha St. Catherine’s amachiona ngati nyumba yakale yofunika kwambiri yachikumbutso. Amonke a ku Greece ndiwo amakhala m’menemo, komabe si kuti chatchuka kwambiri chifukwa cha malo amene chamangidwapo chabe, komanso chifukwa cha zithunzithunzi zimene zilimo ndi mabuku amene alimo. Kuyambira masiku akale, tchalitchi cha St. Catherine’s chinali kwachokha ndithu moti alendo ankangofikako kamodzikamodzi ndipo ankati ankafika ankalandiridwa bwino. Amonke ankawakupatira alendo awowo, kuwapsopsona ndipo mwinanso mpaka kuwatsuka mapazi. Alendowo ankatha kuyendayenda m’mene angafunire, kuloŵa m’nyumba zonse zili kuseri kwa nyumba ya amonkeyo, yomwe khoma lake lili mamita 15 kutalika. Amonkewo ankakonda kuwauza alendo awowo kuti ‘chezani mlungu wathunthu, mwezi wonse, khalani m’mene mungafunire.’ Komabe masiku ano, amonke pafupifupi 12 amene atsalapowo, ngakhale ali odziŵa kuchereza, akumachulukidwa ndi alendo kwambiri. Tsopano alendo okwanira 50,000 amabwera kudzaona nyumba ya amonkeyo chaka chilichonse.

Chifukwa chakuti anthu amachulukako kwambiri, alendo amangololedwa kuchezako maola atatu okha patsiku, masiku asanu pamlungu. Alendo angaone mbali yaing’ono chabe ya nyumba ya amonkeyo—bwalo lake, pamenenso pali Chitsime cha Mose (anthu amati mpamene Mose anakumana ndi mkazi yemwe anadzam’kwatira), Tchalitchi cha Kusandulika (chomwe ambiri amakhulupirira kuti ndi tchalitchi chogwiritsidwabe ntchito chakale kwambiri padziko lonse), ndiponso sitolo yamabuku. Alendo amaonetsedwanso Tchalitchi cha Chitsamba Choyaka Moto—amonkewo amawauza alendowo kuti amenewo ndiwo malo enieni amene Mose anaona ulemelero wa Mulungu. Popeza kuti amonkewo amaganiza kuti malowo ndiwo opatulika kwambiri padziko lonse, amauza alendo kuvula nsapato zawo, monga mmenenso Mulungu anauzira Mose kuvula nsapato.—Eksodo 3:5.

Takhumudwa chifukwa atiletsa ngakhale kungosuzumira m’layibulale yotchuka ya m’nyumbayo, pomwe n’zimene tinali kufuna kwambirinso. Titapempha kuti angotilola ife tokha, wotiyendetsayo akuti: “N’zosatheka! Posachedwapa tikutseka nyumba ya amonkeyi.” Komabe, pasanapite nthaŵi, pamene talekana ndi gulu la alendo ena, woyendetsa alendoyo akutinong’oneza kuti: “Tiyeni kuno!” Tikudutsa choŵerama pansi pazingwe, tikukwera masitepe, mpaka tikupambana m’monke wina wachifurenchi yemwe wadabwa kutiona, ndiyeno tangoona kuti tili m’layibulale yakale kwambiri, yotchuka kwambiri padziko lonse! Muli mabuku oposa 4,500, m’Chigiriki, Chiarabu, Chisiriya, ndi Chiigupto. Nthaŵi ina munalinso buku lofunika kwambiri la Codex Sinaiticus.—Onani bokosi patsamba 18.

Kutsazikana Titada Kukhosi

Ulendo wathu ukuthera kunja kwa makoma a nyumba ya amonke, pokaona nyumba yosungiramo mitembo kapena mafupa. M’menemo muli miyulumiyulu ya mafupa a mibadwomibadwo ya amonke ndi ahemiti, mulu wina wa mafupa a miyendo, wina mafupa a mikono, wina mafupa a zigaza. Zigaza zikutsala pang’ono kugunda denga. N’chifukwa chiyani malo oopsa ngati ameneŵa amawaona ngati ofunika? Amonkewo alibe malo aakulu oti angakhale manda. Ndiye mmodzi akafa, mwa mwambo wawo amakafukulanso mafupa m’manda akale kwambiri kuti momwemonso aikemo mtembo watsopano. M’monke aliyense amayembekezera kuti tsiku lina mafupa ake adzakaunjikidwa pamodzi ndi mafupa a anzake m’nyumba yosungiramo mafupayo.

Tacheza inde komabe tikuchokako titada kukhosi. Komabe si kuti tangowononga nthaŵi yathu. Takondwa kuona malo okongola ndi nyumba ya amonke yotchuka kwambiri. Koma pamene tikunyamuka, tikusinkhasinkha kwambiri kuti mwina tayendako m’njira zomwezo zimene Mose ndi ana a Israyeli anayendamo zaka 3,500 zapitazo pompano pa Phiri la Sinai—mwala wokongoletsa chipululu.—Yoperekedwa.

[Bokosi patsamba 18]

Kutulukira Chinthu Chamtengo Wapatali

Cha m’ma 1800, katswiri wa Baibulo wa ku Germany, Konstantin von Tischendorf anapeza Baibulo lachigiriki lolemba pamanja m’tchalitchi cha St. Catherine’s, lolembedwa m’zaka za zana lachinayi, lomwe tsopano likutchedwa Codex Sinaiticus. Muli Malemba ambiri achihebri, ochokera m’Septuagint yachigiriki, komanso muli Malemba onse achigiriki. Baibulo lolemba pamanja limenelo n’limodzi mwa mabuku akale kwambiri odziŵika m’Malemba onse achigiriki.

Tischendorf analitcha buku limenelo kuti “ngale yamtengo wapatali koposa,” ndipo ankafuna kulifalitsa. Tischendorf anauza amonkewo kuti apereke bukulo kwa wolamulira wa Russia, chifukwa chakuti iyeyo monga mtetezi wa Tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox, akanatha kugwiritsa ntchito udindo wakewo ndi kuthandiza amonkewo.

Pakhoma lanyumba ya amonkeyo pamatidwa kalata yotembenuzidwa m’Chingelezi yomwe Tischendorf anawasiyira, kuwalonjeza kuti ‘adzabweza Baibulolo lili losasakazika, kulibweza msanga ku Holy Confraternity of Mount Sinai (Bungwe Loyera la Phiri la Sinai).’ Komabe, Tischendorf anaona kuti amonkewo sankadziŵa kuti Baibulolo n’lofunika kwambiri ndipo sankadziŵa kuti n’loyenera kufalitsidwa. Silinadzabwezedwenso ku tchalitchi cha St. Catherine’s. Ngakhale kuti boma la Russia linapatsa amonkewo ndalama zokwanira 7,000 ruble kugula Baibulolo, amonkewo mpaka lero adakakayikirabe kuti mwina anthu ophunzira akuyesayesa kuwalanda chuma chawo. Baibulo la Codex Sinaiticus potsirizira linaikidwa mu Museum, (m’nyumba yoonetseramo zinthu zamakedzana) ku Britain, lero anthu amalionera kumeneko.

Chodabwitsanso n’chakuti mabokosi 47 a zithunzithunzi ndi zikopa zosalembedwa zinapezedwa mu 1975 pansi pa khoma lakumpoto la tchalitchi cha St. Catherine’s. Anapezanso masamba oposa 12 amene anasoŵa mu Codex Sinaiticus. Mmene tikunenamu, palibe munthu aliyense amene amaloledwa kukaona masamba amenewo amene akusungidwa ndi kagulu kenakake ka anthu ophunzira.

[Mapu patsamba 17]

Phiri la Sinai

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

NASA photo

Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Chithunzi pamasamba 16, 17]

Chigwa chathyathyathya cha er-Raha, ndi Ras Safsafa

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Zithunzi patsamba 18]

Gebel Musa ndi nyumba ya amonke ya St. Catherine

[Mawu a Chithunzi]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

Anajambula chithunzi ndi a British Museum