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orion Qumran Tefillin



Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 09:01:26 -0400
From: David Goldman <davic@pop.erols.com>

Hi Tim. I have heard that Yigal Yadin had a book that discussed the Qumran
tefillin, and Lawrence Schiffman discusses them in a couple of pages in his
recent book, as does Norman Golb.

>From what I could tell the Qumran tefillin were tiny compared to what we
use today. This is interesting since the Yemenite Jews have had a tradition
of wearing Rashi Tefillin and Rabbenu Tam Tefillin together, requiring very
small boxes so that they both fit comfortably.

The issue of tefillin at Qumran would ostensibly bring into question the
idea that everything found there belonged to a local non-rabbinic sect,
since it was the rabbinic tradition that identified "ot" and "totafot" in
the Torah as referring to little leather boxes and straps with verses of
parchment placed inside. Of course, they could reflect some group loosely
affiliated with rabbinism, who required very small tefillin to possibly be
placed on the forehead as close to the middle of the eyes as possible.

David Goldman
davic@erols.com

>Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 19:57:40 -0400
>From: TL Phillips <tiphillips@infoave.net>
>Subject: orion qumran tefillin
>
>Hi,
>
>My reference resources are a little limited, so if anyone
>can help....
>
>I have seen pictures of several tefillin found at Qumran,
>and they indeed are different than the modern equivalents,
>though following the idea of four division or compartments
>within the case.
>
>What I was wondering were any found with all four scripture
>passages intact; if they are the same as the passages of
>modern tefillin sets; and was there any set order within the
>compartments?
>
>Feel free to elaborate. I am aware of Yadin's book, and if
>anyone would like to buy it for me and send it ;-), I'll
>give you the address.
>
>Tim Phillips
>tiphillips@infoave.net
>
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