"סרך היחד": תעודה יהודית-נוצרית מתחילת המאה השניה לספה"נ (בצירוף דיונים על מגילת ברית דמשק)

These studies are chiefly concerned with the "Manual of Discipline" but whenever necessary, the discussion has been expanded to include important sections of the Damascus Document as well as the rest of the Dead Sea Scrolls, most of which, in the author's opinion, were written at the begnining of the Second Century C.E. In this summary only the most important conclusions of the analysis can be noted. After a small chapter of inauguration the "Manual" describes a great act which can be interpreted as the foundation of the community (יחד, ἑνότης, ἕνωσις) or the initiation ceremony for novices. The blessings and words of thanksgiving recited on this occasion by the "Priests" and "Levites" appear to allude to more complete formulas of the Christian liturgy, to be found in the Constitutiones Apostolorum (lib. VII—VIII). After the words of blessing and thanksgiving, the "Levites" recount the transgressions of the Children of Israel through the domination of Belial. According to the author, these words refer to a detailed text of an "historical" review in the first pages of the Damascus Document. Vigorously attacking the Jewish sages in the spirit of Christian apologists, this text relates the history of Israel under the "domination of Belial", viz. a history of the Jews' apostasy from the "natural religion" of the fathers. At the end of this narration all who enter the Covenant confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors. A confession of this sort ils also made in the Damascus Document by those who have become guilty of the sin of idolatry during the persecutions (which were inflicted on them — as the author assumes — by the Roman emperors). The author compares this confession to the well-known Exhomologesis of the Christian Church. The curse which the Levites of the "Manual" utter against Belial and those who share his lot recalls the formula of abrenuntiatio Satanae which the Christian katechumeni declare before baptism. According to the author's view, it is impossible to attribute exorcistic ceremonies of this kind to a Jewish sect at the time of the Second Temple. There are also obvious signs of a Christian influence in the chapters of the "Manual" which deal with the discipline of repentance and penitence, the "pneumatic" structure of the community, the doctrine (recited by the "maskil" [didascalos]) of the "two spirits" and the progress of man's history as a struggle between the "prince of Light" and the "Angel of Darkness", and the salvation of God's elect. After these preparatory acts, the "Manual" enumerates the various degrees through which the new volunteer wishing to join the sect must pass. First of all, he must commit himself by a binding oath to return to the "Torah of Moses" according to the spiritual interpretation given to it by the "sons of Zadok" (the priests) and the majority of the sect and to keep apart from the "men of wrong" who interpret and practise the laws of the Torah in conformity with their plain textual meaning. The author supposes that these words are directed against persons observing the Torah in accordance with Jewish practices (cf. Didascalia!). Then follow several stages of admittance: a) a first chapter on examining the "spirit" (pneuma) of the new brother and inscribing his name in the sect's register; b) a short paragraph imposing fraternal discipline on the novices as well as mutual reproof (in accordance with the evangelical tradition); c) an isolated paragraph (the details of which are obscure) which deals with common meals and joint studies; d) a final chapter on examining the "spirit" of the new brother and his acceptance as a full-fledged member with all rights and obligations. The author compares these two degrees (a and d) to the entrance requirements of the katechumeni established in the Church Order of Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome. At the close of these chapters, the author discusses the nature of the laws pertaining to ritual purity and uncleanliness cited in the "Manual of Discipline" and comes to the conclusion that they are not to be compared to the Halakhot of the Jewish sages or the customs of the Essenes (as described by Josephus), but that the concepts of ritual purity and uncleanliness referred to in the "Manual" are identical with the traditional concepts current in the Christian Church in the second and third centuries. The writer of the "Manual" then cites disciplinary laws and penalties imposed on recalcitrant members of the sect. These laws reflect the sociological character of the sect which seems to be a group cut off from national elements, like the Christian Church and unlike the Essenes. This impression is strengthened by the last words of the "Maskil" cited later on in the "Manual" which enjoin the believers to submit (like slaves) to the yoke of their masters and wait for the day of reckoning. The community of Yahad, perfect in its structure and organization, is described by attributes which prove the Christian character of the Qumran people, as the author endeavours to demonstrate by a number of details. It may be assumed that the community prepared to go to the desert at the same time at which the sect of the Damascus Document had decided to transfer its center to the city of Damascus. The "Manual" ends with words of prayer and thanksgiving. The author once more attempts to prove the similarity of these hymns to formulas from the Christian liturgy.