Observances
4QCal=4Q327, 4QMMTa4Q394
Paraphrase and comments by Kirsty Antosy
Introduction
4Q327 is part of the scrolls known as the calendars. In the
calendars, the festivals of the year and the rituals are
determined, using priestly rosters. The manuscripts were found
in very bad condition. They were also found with several other
fragments making it difficult to determine what the remains
actually were. Because 4Q327 is in the same handwriting as one
manuscript of A Sectarian Manifesto, it is sometimes argued that
it should be considered part of that document. Abegg argues
against this on the basis of the structure of the latter
document. (Wise, Abegg, & Cook, p 319)
4Q394 was found in Cave 4 manuscripts. 4Q394 is part of the
Halakhic Letter. The Halakhic letter is very important, for it
outlines the rules and rituals found in a particular
interpretation of the Old Testament. The rest of the works were
lost, leaving it unfeasible to determine the true meaning of the
Halakhic Letter. (Martinez, p 77) Some believe that it was
composed as a way to contrast the Qumran group from the rest of
Judaism. Each line of the composite text is numbered
consequently, for easier reference to the fragments, which have
been preserved.
Paraphrase
4Qcalendrical Document (4Q327)
Frag. 1 col. I[1]
The sixteenth of the month is a Sabbath. On the twenty-third of
the month is a Sabbath. On the thirtieth is a Sabbath.
Frag. 2 col. II[2]
On the twenty-first of the month is a Sabbath. On the twenty-
second is the feast of oil[3]. There is an
offering after the Sabbath. On the twenty-eight of the month is
a Sabbath. The month continues with Sunday the day after the
Sabbath, Monday the second day after the Sabbath, and an
additional day, Tuesday.
Frag. 2 col. III[4]
On the fourth of the month is a Sabbath. On the eleventh of the
month is a Sabbath. On the eighteenth of the month is a Sabbath.
On the twenty-fifth of the month is a Sabbath. The second of the
fifth month is a Sabbath. On the third of the month is the
festival of wine.[5]
4Qhalakhic Letter (4Q394 [4QMMTa])
After the Sabbath, there are three days added and then the year
is complete, three hundred and sixty-four days. There are some
rules concerning God, which are part of the works we are looking
at and they all relate to the purity laws. When wheat is
offered, Gentiles cannot touch it. No one should accept wheat
from the Gentiles. No wheat touched by the Gentiles will be
allowed in the temple.
The flesh of the scarifies should be
cooked in bronze canisters. Both the meat and the broth of the
sacrifices should be taken outside into the courtyard. The
sacrifice is of the Gentiles, what we think is a sacrifice is an
offering of thanks, which is postponed from one day to the next.
Concerning this sacrifice, it should be a man of stature who has
a woman with him.
The cereal should be eaten with the fats
and the meat on the day of sacrifice. Sons of priests shall
oversee this meal so that the sons of Aaron do not lead the
people to sin or bother them with it. The priests shall oversee
the purity of the red calf, so that all purity laws are followed.
Whoever slaughters, burns, collects and sprinkles the ash does so
by the purity rituals. This should all be completed by sunset,
so that those who have sinned can be forgiven for their sins.
This shall be done for the sons.[6]
Footnotes
[1] This is the calendar of the feasts
for the second month (WAC 319).
[2] This is the calendar of the feasts
for the third month (WAC 319).
[3] One of the extra-biblical feasts found
among the Dead Sea Scroll calendar texts (WAC 319).
[4] This is the calendar of the feasts
for the fourth-fifth month (WAC 319).
[5] The year is complete after 364 days.
[6] Assumed to be the sons of Aaron
Bibliography
Martinez, Florentino. The Dead Sea Scrolls
Translated. New York: 1996
Vermes, Geza. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in
English. 1997
Wise, Abegg and Cook. The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New
Translation. 1996
12/98
prepared for
Intro. to the Hebrew Bible
by Kirsty Antosy
AntosyK@albnet.alb.edu