The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls: The ... - josephprestonkirk

196 DUALISM IN THE ESSENE COMMUNITIES
K)lm rwsy h#m trwt l) bw#l w#pn l( #y)h Myqy r#) Mwybw
M) wyrx)m hm+#mh
1 .wt(d Mwyb Mhrb) lwmyn Nk l( wyrbd t) Myqy
And when a man swears to return to the Law of Moses, the angel of persecution
will leave him alone, provided that he keeps his obligation.
Therefore, Abraham circumcised himself on the day that the law became
known to him.
The idea that each individual belongs either to the lot of God or to the
lot of Belial is frequently found in the Dead Sea Scrolls and has been discussed
by some of the finest scholars. Yet, most of these discussions have
ignored the practical aspect of the idea. For example, the connection
between this idea and the covenant with God has not always been clearly
indicated. Several passages imply that a person belongs to the lot of God
as long as he does not violate his obligation to observe God’s commandments.
Evidently, those who intentionally transgress are expelled from
the community of God 2 and consequently are consigned to Belial. Thus,
practical procedures were needed in order to decide who should be
expelled and who could rightfully remain in the community. In principle,
only those who intentionally transgressed would be expelled, while those
who did so unintentionally would remain. Yet, this distinction was difficult
to put into practice and bothered the legislators of the community.
It should be emphasized that no one who rebels against God (namely
against His commandments) can remain in the community. There is a
sense of mutual responsibility in the community (which is symbolized by
the sharing of the property and the common meals). Of course, the community
cannot be responsible for intentional transgressions committed surreptitiously.
The oath by the Holy Name, taken by those who first join the
community in the annual ceremony, is aimed to put the responsibility in
such cases on the transgressor alone. This is inferred from CD 15.12–13:
My)yqn #pn lkbw bl lk h#m trwt l) bw#l wyl( Myqy r#)kw
l(my M) wnmm Mh
And when one imposes upon himself an oath to turn back to observe the
Law of Moses with all (his) heart and all (his) soul, the Community’s members
are not responsible any more for his sins. 3
1. The covenant is compared here to Abraham’s circumcision, which protected him
from Belial.
2. See 4Q266 (Damascus Document Fragments) 11.5–18.
3. The verb l(m should be taken here in its original meaning “to cover,” cf. the
noun ly(m;. This meaning of the root is found in several biblical passages, e.g., Num