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Re: orion-list Leo's Objections - Essenes, Zias article, etc.
Dear George,
1. You did not get my point. I did not say that the manuscripts were not
essenian, I stated that they did not all belong to one group. Some of the
writings may have been essenian and some not.
I follow Prof. Norman Golb's suggestion that the manuscripts came from
the main library of the Temple in Jerusalem and that they were brought to
Qumran - and hidden in caves - for safekeeping.
As in all libraries, we find books from many different authors. That
would explain the diversity of the manuscripts.
2. There is no reference in the Community Rule to the obligation to go to
war against the Romans. The Zealots and many of the Pharisees, and
probably Saduccees, were engaged in that war, but not the Essenes, from
what we know. They were dreaming of an apocalyptic war between the
Children of Light and the Children of Darkness. That is quite another
matter.
You refer to the fact that Philo describes a group of 'Therapeutae' and
it just so happens that one of the main meanings of 'asa' in Aramaic is
healer or doctor!
3. Hippolytus most certainly confused the Hasmonean rulers and the
Essenes on the question of forced conversions. There would have been no
room for such converts in the Yahad community.
You cannot accept the authenticity of the Community Rule when it suits
you and ignore it when you are trying to justify its rejection.
As to the Copper Scrolls, no amount of far-fetched imaginary
interpretations will succeed in belittling their importance as to ignore
their presence as Father Roland de Vaux and many others did, calling them
'fairy tales'. It discredited their scholarly ability.
You are right, they must have belonged to the Sadduccees, the tax
collectors of the time.
Leo Abrami
For private reply, e-mail to leorose@juno.com
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