DSS.950314 Class Minutes #15 (14 March 1995), Dead Sea Scrolls
University of Pennsylvania, Religious Studies 225, Robert A. Kraft
Cara Weinstein, recorder; Lisa Bronowitz, editor

Business:  We discussed a few basic features of the CD-ROM as a source 
for particular types of material and pieces of information:

1. Files are identified as such:  ".txt" == text file
                                  ".pct" == picture file
                                  ".qt"   == movie file 
		         		(stands for "quick time")
   Each file type is accessed by a different type of software --
   text by almost any wordprocessing or text display program,
   "*.pct" by graphics displayers that handle PICT files,
   "*.qt" by software that can show motion clips.
   (See the instructions sent with the first installment of the index.)

2. Sample file name:  d:\text\a000[0]040.txt       (brackets mine)
   The number in brackets denotes the type of visual that will appear:
   0 = informational text, 1 = picture (various sorts), 
   3 = picture of (portion of) a scroll, 4 = English translation of "3"

More business:  Those who have not yet submitted their reviews should do
so.  Book Store report:  The Book Store claims to have copies of Gaster,
Vermes, and Garcia Martinez.  Also, RAK has reordered VanderKam and
Fitzmyer through the Book Store. 

For reference:  RAK will refer to Garcia Martinez in the future as GM.

Assignment:  For next class, read the "Rule of the Community" = "Manual of 
Discipline" from cave 1 (1QS), and after that look at the fragments from 
caves 4 and 5 (which come next in GM). Note that GM does not attempt to 
synthesize the various fragments into one text, but does provide some 
cross-referencing to assist the reader. After 1QS (etc.), we will move on 
to the Damascus Document (CDC or CD). 

We passed around pictures of some of the scrolls, including the Habbakuk
commentary and the Manual of Disciple. A few interesting things can be
noted in the pictures: Inter-linear corrections can be seen in some of the
photos -- most likely comments and interpretations (the copiers and/or
users of some of the scrolls apparently took the liberty to make such
corrections/comments after the scrolls were written). Also, stitch marks
can be seen joining some of the columns.  This is logical, as an animal of
normal size would be hard pressed (no pun intended) to provide a
sufficiently lengthy continuous piece of hide on which to write. Lastly, a
couple of (to us) mysterious symbols, which one contemporary investigator
would have us believe may be "Chinese" (a theory not widely embraced) are
found in the margins of 1QS. 

Discussion of the comparison of the cave 4 fragments of the Manual to the 
more complete copy from cave 1:

Dating based on handwriting analysis (paleography) suggests that at least
some of the cave 4 fragments of the "Manual" are from the "Herodian
period" (refers to Herod and his successors, in the last third of the
first century BCE into the first century CE).  This would place them
within the last century or so in which Qumran was occupied.  In contrast,
the cave 1 manuscript has been dated to the "Hasmonean period," prior to
about 63 BCE. Thus it may be possible to catch a glimpse of some
adjustments and modifications taking place among the users of the much
copied "Manual" materials. 

Parallelism, which is typical of early Israelite poetry, is apparent in
the language of much of the poetry at the end of 1QS --
ideas/constructions are repeated or echoed in contiguous or nearby lines,
such as: "I shall bless his name / I shall extol him." Some themes that
appear frequently in 1QS include relationship to God's "covenant," ideals
and requirements for daily living, eschatological world view, and the
struggle with satanic forces ("Belial"). 

After this background discussion, we read aloud the first 15 lines of the
the Manual, a section called "Introduction" by Fitzmyer. Notice the
particular terms used for the attributes of the people of the Community:
"righteous," etc.  RAK noted out that in examination of the scrolls,
interpreters viewing things from traditional Jewish perspectives have
tended to have their attention drawn initially to the concrete terminology
denoting law and/or obedience, whereas those operating from traditionally
Christian perspectives tend to notice more quickly the more abstract
ideals such as "justice" and "grace." Both aspects seem clearly present. 
 
To keep in mind: the first thing to do is to try to get an overview of the
entire text. What does it seem to be trying to accomplish?  What is the
literary "form" chosen for the task?  (Note that poetic "form" does not
necessarily manifest itself in an obvious pattern of writing -- the lines
can be run together in the same manner as narrative, and the poetic
qualities only become apparent by analysis of the contents; this can be
seen at the end of 1QS.)

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