מידת החכמה בדמות הצדיק שבסרך היחד

Wisdom is the most accentuated trait in the list of virtues of the righteous man listed in the Manual of Discipline (14:2, 4). Those who identify the Judean Desert Sect with the Essenes and see in this the influence of the Greek culture, will find in this emphasis of wisdom by the sect a corollary of the Greek concept which considers wisdom as the highest rung of virtue. However, this explanation for the emphasis on wisdom is not plausible, for several reasons : Josephus, who described the Essenes within a Hellenistic setting, does not indicate any Greek influence. Philo expressly states that the Essenes rooted their doctrine of wisdom in the framework of ethics. Besides, while wisdom is the ultimate perfection in Greek philosophy, it is only the means toward good deeds, praise of God and understanding of His wonders, according to the Judean Sect. Indeed, the Sect glorified wisdom, but saw its end in religio-ethical deeds. The stress on the righteous man's wisdom in the Manual of Discipline can be understood in the light of the positiveness of this trait in the Tenakh and Apocrypha as it relates to the righteous man. During the period of the Second Commonwealth the study of Torah and fulfillment of its commandments were dependent on wisdom. It seems, as well, that the Manual underscored the Zaddik's wisdom since it enabled him to grasp God's wonders, which is granted to only God's select. Since the Zaddik is the ideal man, the Manual ascribes to him a perfect wisdom.