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orion Sussmann on ALL THREE SECTS REVERED HALAKHA
At 09:01 18/07/97 -0400, Stephen Goranson wrote:
> To Y. Ben-David: I did not question that the groups all revered
>written torah but *oral torah*.
Please note Sussman's comment which I cited: "Observance of the Torah's laws
***and the milieu of the HALAKHA*** were the central factor in Jewish life
during this period. The assertion that 'there was no factor, force or event
which made so significant an impression on the history of the Jewish people,
molded its life and forged its character, as ***the HALAKHA'***, is
particularly appropriate with regard to the Second Temple period, not only
with respect to the Pharisees, but **also with regard to their opponents,
who scrupulously observed the law *ACCORDING TO THE SADDUCEAN TRADITION*.
Not only observance of the Torah's commandments, but ALSO PREOCCUPATION WITH
THE PROPER INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW IN ITS MOST MINUTE DETAILS, stood in
the center of their spiritual world. THE HALAKHIC MINUTIAE, CONCEPTS, AND
TERMS OF THE TALMUDIC SAGES THAT WE FIND IN THE MISHNA OF THE LATER TANNAIM
AND WHICH OCCASIONALLY APPEAR TO BE THE RESULT OF LATE, ABSTRACT RABBINIC
SPECULATION, ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN THIS PERIOD; THEY NOW COME ALIVE
IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AS A CONCRETE HISTORICAL REALITY... The people toiled
over THE HALAKHA and meditated upon it; they clashed over it and dividided
because of it." (Sussmann in Qimron, p. 197 AS CITED EARLIER).
The groups all revered Torah sheBa'al Peh (Oral Torah).
Yirmiyahu Ben-David
Paqid 16, Qehilat Ha-Netzarim (Nazarene Jews)
www.netzarim.co.il
Ra'anana, Israel