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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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allusions to those <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Essenes. Thus^ <strong>the</strong><br />

Mishnah be^ns by prohibiting <strong>the</strong> public reading <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Law by those who would not appear in a<br />

coloured, but only in a wJdte dress. Again, <strong>the</strong><br />

curious statement is made, that <strong>the</strong> manner <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Chitsonim was to cover <strong>the</strong> phylacteries with gold<br />

—a statement unexplained in <strong>the</strong> Gemara, <strong>and</strong><br />

inexplicable, unless we see in it an allusion to <strong>the</strong><br />

Essene practice <strong>of</strong> facing <strong>the</strong> rising Sun in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

morning prayers.* Again, we know with what<br />

bitterness Rabbinism denounced <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

exteme luritings (<strong>the</strong> Sepliourim haChitsonini) to<br />

<strong>the</strong> extent <strong>of</strong> excluding from eternal life those who<br />

studied <strong>the</strong>m.^ But one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> b smh. x, i best<br />

ascertained facts concerning <strong>the</strong> Essenes is, that<br />

<strong>the</strong>y possessed secret, ' outside,' holy writings <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir own, which <strong>the</strong>y guaided with special care.<br />

And, although it is not maintained that <strong>the</strong><br />

Sephanim kaJDhitaorUm were exclusively Essene<br />

writings,^ <strong>the</strong> latter must have been included<br />

among <strong>the</strong>m. We have already seen reason for<br />

believ-

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