DSS.950221 Class Minutes #11, 21 February 1995
Religious Studies 225. Dead Sea Scrolls.
Primary recorder: Reuben Wetherbee;
    person to see if he screwed up: Jacob Jaffe

Usual Begining Clean-up Stuff:

1> Book Reviews due on Friday March 3. Try to have it in on time. Length 
should be about 2 type written pages. Submit electronically to RAK.

2> The weekly swim-team comment and repartee with Hunter by RAK.

3> The video of Ross Kraemer' class presentation and the audio tape of
Devorah Dimant's are available. Ask RAK if interested. 

4> The Garcia Martinez translations still have not been recieved in the 
Book Store. Coming in from the Netherlands. [Update 2/23 -- they have 
arrived!]

5> CD-ROM -- only place you can find a fully functioning set up is in 
During Wing. We will use this material more after the spring break.

Note on differing traslations of scrolls (with particular reference to the
translations provided by the CD-ROM): When looking at scrolls, it would be
good to check more than one translation.  For instance, the translation of
the copper plaque/scroll by Garcia Martinez is quite different from John
Allegro's (on the CD-ROM). In general, the translations in Garcia Martinez
could be somewhat flawed at times since they basically have been
translated into English from the original Spanish edition (1992), itself
made from the Hebrew and Aramaic. As we have noted before, Gaster's
translation avoids being woodenly literal in an attempt to render the
meaning as Gaster understood it -- this can be very useful, especially
when used in conjunction with a more literal approach. 

?Why is the Schiffman Hypothesis of Sadducean origins of the scrolls not 
more popular? [see VanderKam 93ff for details]

The Sadducean hypothesis is relatively recent, appearing in force only in
the past decade or so. The hypothesis primarily depends on the 4QMMT
document which has aquired various titles such as "Some Things from the
Torah." The official edition was published quite recently, and it was
first made widely available in a privately distributed version from a DSS
conference in Poland a few years ago. 

4QMMT appears to be a "halakhic letter" in which the author discusses some
ways in which he feels the scriptural laws should be interpreted.  About 5
of these disputed laws are identifiable as points of contention between 
Sadducees and Pharisees which were also mentioned in rabbinic literature.

Possibly that the name "Sadducees" itself is derived from the ancient
priestly family of Zadok or Zaddukim. The scroll people also speak of
themselves as "sons of Zadok." Whether this suffices to identify the
groups is problematic. 
 
Some have argued that the apocryphal work "The Wisdom of Ben Sirach" (also
called "Ecclesiasticus") was written by a Sadducee since there is no
mention of eschatological issues, which according to other sources were
not a Sadducean concern.  One problem with the Sadducean hypothesis is
that it doesn't match up with the evident eschatological nature of the
authors of the DSS. RAK supposes that Schiffman probably thinks the
community was rooted in an older Sadducean tradition, but could not be
termed strictly Sadducean in the sense found in Josephus and other such
sources. [See further VanderKam 94f.] 

Sources Referring to Sadducees:

Never mentioned in Philo and Pliny. Josephus treats them briefly in his
accounts of the Jewish "sects." New Testament and rabbinic writings
mention them in various connections.  Most accounts don't portray
Sadducees in a good light. 

?Do we know that all the documents originated in the same community?

At one level, clearly not. The biblical texts, for example, did not
originate with the DSS people, although they may have been copied by those
people. Emanuel Tov has attempted to ascertain if there are physical
characteristics shared by some of the texts that would indicate common
origin of those texts as copies -- how the tetragrammaton is handled,
spacing between words, etc. (scribal habits; see Fitzmyer 11b for
details). Others have looked for characteristic vocabulary and themes. 
The category "sectarian texts" attempts to identify those materials most 
probably generated by the group (not just copied by them).

It is still to early to tell if even the "sectarian texts" represent the
perspectives of a single, unified group, or whether we can reconstruct the
ideas and practices of such a group from the texts. It is also possible
that just because they had these texts in their library does not mean they
agreed with or followed the teachings contained in the texts, or for that
matter, that they interpreted the texts in the way we would expect them
to. (Modern examples abound.)

Roughly half of the DSS material was previously known (e.g. biblical or
apocryphal or pseudepigraphic). The remainder is not necessarily entirely
homogeneous or "sectarian." A good starting point for discussing
"sectarian compositions" is the Manual of Discipline (1QS), the Damascus
Document (CD) and other "initiation" texts that deal with the background
and the running of a community. But it is not impossible or unthinkable 
that even such texts might have been "imported" to the community.

?How did Devorah Dimant classify the documents?

According to an article read by Hunter for his review project, she views
the scrolls as a library with some sort of classification in terms of 
the subject treated. Sort of like an ancient Dewey Decimal system? RAK 
suggested that her interest in "para biblical" materials, for example, 
and in the Aramaic apocalyptic grouping, may contribute to this 
impression.  

Primary Theme of the Day: Three Primary Authors concerning Essenes

1. Philo

Philo lived in the first half of the first century. The year of his death is 
uncertain. General belief is that he died soon after 40 CE because that 
is the last we hear from him.  RAK suspects that he was still around 
(and writing) in 67-68 and described a crisis that occured in Alexandria 
around that time. He would have been in his 80's, probably.

Two accounts in Philo:
 
1."Every Good Man is Free" (EGMF) -- perhaps written pre 40. Philo is 
usually called a "philosopher" but his main interest seems to be 
concerned with inner states -- what we might call "psychology." He 
describes the Essenes as an example of true human freedom and virtue. 

2. "Hypothetica" (or "Apology for the Jews") -- not known directly but from
quotations by the early Christian writer Eusebius (4th century). Possibly 
this account of the Essenes was written earlier than the other.

Some characteristics of Essenes claimed in both works: the name denotes
their piety (Greek, hosios); they are older men, without children, not
holding property or slaves, pooling resources, engaged in agriculture and
crafts, common meals, care for their sick, with a structured community for
resource distributation.  Both accounts end with stating that even the
worst tyranical rulers held esteem for the Essenes. 

Of special interest in Hypothetica: 
Live in many cities and villages of Judea. Even clothing is shared. 
Occupations include herds and bee keeping.

Of special interest in EGMF: They live only in villages, not in cities, in
Syro-Palestine; about 4000 in number; they don't sacrifice living animals; 
they manufacture some products, but not weapons; nature is their parent;
they meet every 7 days in synagogues (note Philo's usually does not use
the term synagogue but does so for Essenes) to read and interpret
scriptures;  they refuse to take oaths. 

Something to think about: No weapons used but apparently some medicine.
The "Fallen Angels" in some traditions taught people how to use herbs and
how to make weapons. Is this significant? Let's watch for how weapons are
treated in the War Scroll (1QM). Also, one of the ancient sources mentions
that some Essenes travel armed, for protection. Note also that Philo does 
not place the Essenes in only one location (community).

2. Josephus

Two main sources
1. Jewish War - written probably in the late 70s ce.
2. Antiquities - written around 100 c.e.

Wants reader to believe that he writes about such things from personal
experience. Claims in "Vita" (autobiographical defense) that he had tried
out all three major sects as a youth. Even went to live in the wilderness
with someone named Banus.  Even before the DSS were discovered, J. Thomas 
(in French) argued that there were various "baptizing movements" in 
Syro-palesting at this time, of which Banus might have been an example.

War 2.120-161:
Describes all three sects (Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes) and in the 
process glorifies Essenes and trashes the Sadducees. Also says there is a 
subset of Essenes that marry. Never claims the Essenes are only in one 
place, but mentions that they reside in many cities.

Antiquities 13.172: Distinguishes the "sects" in terms of their views of
fate. Antiquities 18.18ff:  Sketches life of Essenes: God in charge of
destiny, soul is immortal, have disputes with temple in Jerusalem, engage
in agriculture, pool resources, have own priests, no wives, own no slaves,
number about 4,000 (Philo also mentions this, a common source is
possible).  In mentioning relationship with the temple he does not mention
that the temple has already been destroyed -- perhaps he is referring to 
an earlier standard account from before 70 ce.

3. Pliny Source: "Natural History" -- written about 77 ce (see Vanderkam
72). "Natural History" kind of like a travel guide for Palestine and other
areas. Essenes described as: No women, no money, just palm trees. Pick up
refugees and people who are tired of life and looking for something
different. 

Locates the Essene community on the west of the Dead Sea, with Engedi
lying "below" it. Dispute as to whether this means "to the south of" or
"down the hill from" (or something else).  Sequence from Essenes to
En-gedi to Masada suggest it is "to the south of," which would be
consistent with the location of Qumran.  Note that, unlike Philo and
Josephus, Pliny places Essenes strictly in one place. 


Connection of Essenes to Philo's Theraputae:

As we saw last class, the Theraputae are described by Philo in "On The
Contemplative Life".  He himself makes connection between his account of
the Essenes in EGMF and his account of the Theraputae.  States that
Essenes are in the "service" of God and interprets "Theraputae" to mean
"servants (of God)" or also "healers (of souls)." He claims that both
groups are found in many places but he describes one main location, near
Alexandria, for the Therapeutae. His descriptions of Essenes and
Theraputae show many features in common. Thus is is possible to argue 
that the Therapeutae are of the same "type" as the Essenes, and the 
evidence they provide can also be used, with caution. 

//end dss.950221//