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Re: orion "Pure food" in 1QS



Reply to Dave Washburn's question. 
   Dave, Jastrow has as an entry for HRHT: "Esp. HRHT or SDVQH TRHT
observance of levitical rules originally prescribed for the handling of
sacred food; also (mostly in pl.) secular food so prepared or pretended to
be so prepared." [Marcus Jastrow, _A Dictionary of the Targumim, the
Talmud Babli and Jerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature_ (New York:
Judaica Press, 1989), 520.]

-- Sarah Melcher
   Ph. D. candidate, Emory University


> During my recent re-reading and transcription of 1QS, I noticed that WAC
> and Vermes consistently translate +HRT "pure food" (WAC) or "pure Meal"
> (Vermes). This translation puzzles me.  In the Hebrew Bible, the word
> consistently means "purity," "purification" or "cleansing."  Occurrences
> are in Lev 12:4 (twice); 12:5; 13:7, 35; 14:2, 23, 32; 15:13; Num 6:9; Ezek
> 44:26; Neh 12:45; 1 Chr 23:28; 2 Chr 30:19.  I can't find a single instance
> of the word that connotes anything approaching a meal.  However, a couple
> of contexts of 1QS where it appears also speak of drinking.  I wonder: is
> this the rationale for translating +HRT as "pure food" or "pure meal"?  Or
> did it take on this more specific meaning in later Hebrew? I don't have my
> Jastrow with me here in Arizona yet, so I can't check it for usage in
> post-first-century Hebrew.  I would appreciate help in understanding why
> the word is translated this way in 1QS.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dave Washburn
> http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur/
> 
>