על אופייה של מגילת תענית לאור חגי ספר היובלים ומגילת המקדש

Full title
על אופייה של מגילת תענית לאור חגי ספר היובלים ומגילת המקדש
Research notes

reader checked|21/01/2012 AL

Reference type
Author(s)
Eshel, Hanan
Editor(s)
Bar-Asher, Moshe
Dimant, Devorah
Year
2005
Journal / Book Title || Series Title
מגילות: מחקרים במגילות מדבר יהודה ג [ Meghillot: Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls III ]
Translated title
Megillat Ta'anit in Light of Holidays Found in Jubilees and the Temple Scroll
Publisher
Haifa University and Bialik Institute
Place of Publication
Jerusalem
Pages
253-257
Work type
Language
Label
05/12/2005
Abstract

Two holidays mentioned in Megillat Ta'anit fall precisely on the same dates as holidays of a biblical nature found in the Book of Jubilees and in the Temple Scroll, respectively. The first is a holiday celebrating a Hasmonean victory on the 15th and 16th of Sivan when "the men of Bethshean and of the Plain were exiled". This is the date of the Festival of Weeks (Pentecost) according to Jubilees and the Qumran scrolls. The second is a holiday announced for the 22nd of Elul because "we returned to kill the apostates". According to the Temple Scroll, this is the date on which the Feast of the First Fruits of Oil should be celebrated. The fact that, for Megillat Ta'anit, these are half and not prominent holidays shows that its author followed a calendar different from that of Jubilees and the Temple Scroll. Evidently, the author of Megillat Ta'anit adhered to the lunar calendar and was most likely a Pharisee.