USE OF BLANK SPACES IN THE DSS (part 1)
by Mark P. Berman, with Chanan Tigay (5 May 1995)

     After closely examining all of the available copies of The Damascus
Document, The War Scroll, The Hymns, The Book of Jubilees, The Book of
Enoch, The Rule of the Community, The Pesharim, and the Apocryphal Psalms,
it becomes clear that their words and the blanks within them are not
canonical.  Many sections of the fragments overlap with each other but add
words, omit words, or paraphrase.  We have concluded from our research of
the blanks in the above- mentioned manuscripts that there was no
formalized method of format to be followed when writing the material. 
While there seems to be a rational reason for the blanks left before topic
changes, the various fragments of overlapping material do not contain all
of the same blanks and do not always follow a consistent pattern within
themselves. 
     The bulk of our research can be found in the appendix to this work. 
The purpose of this paper is to extract from this exhaustive list all of
the interesting and noteable examples which illustrate important patterns,
or lack thereof, in the scrolls.  As we address each document we will
attempt to draw conclusions regarding the locaton of blanks in the scroll
material. 

The Damascus Document:
     In the overlapping fragments of the Damascus Document material there
are about 104 blanks.  Of these blanks there were only 11 matches.  There
are three other matches which are results of blanks filled in by Garcia
Martinez.  It is interesting to note that CD-A col.  VII line 6 has a
blank matched by CD-B col. XIX line 1 which is followed by a quote not
included in CD- A.  Both scrolls continue with the same text.  It is also
worth mentioning that the blank in 4QD^d frag. 4 col. 2 line 5, while
equal to the blank in 4QD^b frag. 6 col. 1 line 10, has scroll missing
after the blank and then continues with the same text as the text
immediately following the blank in 4QD^b. 
     There are two times when one fragment will have a blank in between
two sentences (4QD^b frag.3 col. 4 line 11 and CD-B XIX line 4) while
another fragment (CD-A VII line 21 - VIII line 1 and CD-A VII line 7) with
the same words will not have a blank, but will combine the two sentences
into one. 
     There are also two times when an extra phrase is added in one
fragment (CD-B XIX lines 31-32 and 4QD^b frag. 2 col. 2 line 3) where a
blank appears in its parallel fragment (CD-A VIII line 18 and CD-A II line
3). 
     There are four times when one fragment will have blanks surrounding a
sentence or two when it's parallel omits the blanks and the sentence or
sentences.  In CD-A VIII there is a blank in the beginning of line 20
before a sentence and a blank in the middle of line 21 after that
sentence.  CD-B XIX line 33 omits the blanks and the sentence.  In CD-A
XIV there is a blank in the middle of line 17 before a sentence and a
blank in the middle of line 18 after the sentence.  4QD^b frag. 18 col. 3
either line 10 or 11 (GM does not have a line 11) omits the blanks and the
sentence.  In CD-A XI there are three blanks in lines 10 through 12
surrounding two sentences.  4QD^c frag. 3 col.1 line 6 or 7 (GM does not
have a line 7) omits the blanks and the sentences.  In CD-A XI there is a
blank in the middle of line 14 before a sentence and in the middle of line
15 after the sentence.  4QD^e frag. 10 col. 5 line 18 omits the blanks and
the sentences.  It is interesting to note that each time that there is an
extra phrase in one of the fragments it is matched by a blank in CD-A. 
But each time CD-A has an extra sentence surrounded by blanks, they are
not matched by the fragments. 
     Aside from the cases previously mentioned there are 30 times when a
blank in one fragment is not matched in another fragment containing enough
material with which to compare.  There are 42 times where blanks from one
fragment can not be matched in overlapping fragments due to missing
scroll.  Many of these, however, are cases where only a few words are
missing and where there is not enough room for a matching blank to appear. 
     CD-A XI and CD-A XII both contain numerous blanks which separate
commandments and their explanations from each other.  4QD^c frag. 3 col. 1
covers almost all of the same material as CD-A XI and some of the material
in CD-A XII but without the blanks.  4QD^c is very fragmentary but does
not seem, according to the way GM compiled the material, to have space for
these blanks. 
     The following case is a good illustration of the fact that there was
no set regulation for the placement of blanks.  In 4QD^e frag. 10 col. 4
there is a blank in the beginning of line 20 preceding a new topic which
is covered by a few sentences.  These same sentences appear in CD-A X
beginning with line 10 which is not proceeded by a blank.  There is a
blank, however, in the beginning of line 12 before a sentence dealing with
the same topic.  This blank, therefore, seems unnecessary. 
     There are approximately 95 blanks in CD-A,the most complete
manuscript of The Damascus Document, most of which separate topics or
commandments.  There are three instances when there is a blank before a
quote which relates to the previous sentence.  While several blanks seem
unnecessary, there are other instances in which blanks could have been
utilized to differentiate topics but were not.  There is one case where a
blank follows a semi- colon in the English translation.  The semi-colon
probably indicates that this blank is in the middle of a sentence.  If
this is the case, then this is the only instance in which this phenomenon
appears. 
     It has become clear to me, after having compared all of the
overlapping fragments of the Damascus Document and having carefully read
its most complete text, that, while most of the blanks break up different
subjects, there is no definite pattern of placement observed by any of the
fragments and that most of their blanks do not coincide (of the 104
possible matching blanks there are only 11 matches while there were well
over 50 places where we are almost certain that matches do not exist). 

The War Scroll:
     In 1QM, the most complete manuscript of The War Scroll, there are 38
blanks.  Of all the blanks 24 precede topic changes.  Eight of these
precede the word "And,"  five precede the word "Rule, " and two precede
the word "You" -these are all words which serve the purpose of introducing
new subjects.  Ten blanks are followed by missing scroll.  Four blanks are
in the middle of sentences and therefore seem completely out of place.  It
is interesting to note that all of these four blanks appear in the poetry
sections of this scroll while the sentences of the prose are never broken
by a blank. 
     Of the overlapping fragments of War Scroll material with 1QM, there
are 12 blanks.  Two of the blanks are in equivalent locations.  There are
four places in which a blank in one fragment is not matched by a blank in
the overlapping material of the second fragment.  There are six instances
in which blanks from one fragment can not be matched with overlapping
material from a second fragment due to missing scroll. 
     Examination of The War Scroll manuscripts has led me to the same
basic conclusions as those previously mentioned regarding The Damascus
Document.  While most of the blanks divide different subjects, there is no
explanation for the four blanks in the middle of sentences.  At least
one-third of the overlapping blanks do not match while only one-sixth
definitely do.  It is therefore safe to say that the manuscripts do not
follow any formal pattern. 

     The Hymns: 
     There are 70 total blanks from seven different copies of The Hymns. 
Fifty-one of the blanks are followed by the same seven phrases or words
which serve the purpose of introducing new subjects.  Of these fifty-one,
27 are followed by either "I thank you Lord, " or "I give you thanks,
Lord."  Eight of these phrases are filled in by GM.  Seven of the fifty
one blanks are followed by "And;" seven others are followed by "But;"
five are followed by "For;" three are followed by "You;" and two are
followed by "These."  Seven of the 71 blanks appear before topic changes
that do not begin with one of the words or phrases listed above.  Ten of
the blanks are followed by missing scroll too vast to determine
surrounding material and whether the blanks precede topic changes.  One
blank appears before (?) and one blank is in the middle of a sentence. 
     There are only three overlaps of material containing blanks of which
only one match exists.  One of the other two blanks is in the middle of a
sentence in one fragment (4QH^e frag. 1 line 7) and is not matched in the
parallel fragment (4QH^a frag. 7 col 2 line 8).  The last blank appears in
the middle of line 10 of 4QH^a frag. 7 col. 2 in between two sentences. 
4QH^e frag. 1 line 9 lacks the blank but contains one continuous sentence. 
     The pattern of using blanks to separate different subject matter is
clear in The Hymns, but there once again does not seem to be any definite
pattern.  The blanks could have been used more often to introduce new
topics and there is no explanation for the presence of a blank in the
middle of the sentence in 4QH^e. 

The Book of Jubilees:
     There are 19 total blanks from twelve different copies of The Book of
Jubilees.  Fourteen of the blanks effectively seperate topics.  Eight of
these appear before phrases dealing with a day, week, or year and two
appear before the word "And."  Too much missing scroll surrounds five of
the blanks to determine whether or not they precede a topic change. 

The Books of Enoch: 
     There are 11 total blanks from the different copies of the Books of
Enoch.  Eight appear before topic changes including phrases such as "Then"
and"From there."  Three have too much scroll missing to make a conclusion
about the nature of the surrounding material. 
     The Book of Jubilees and The Books of Enoch are the only manuscripts
of the ones which I have examined that do not leave any questionable
blanks.  One cannot conclude, however, that these two texts follow
consistent patterns.  This is the case for two simple reasons.  One is
that blanks could have been used effectively in more places.  The second
is that these two manuscripts did not have many fragments with which to
compare blanks or lack thereof. 

(continued in part 2)