The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

BETZ The Qumran Halakhah Text 4QMMT 185
revealed by the prophets (1QS 8.15-16). Moreover, the great amount
of biblical fragments in Cave 4 confirms 4QMMT description of the
canon. People have to respect (lit. 'fear') the Torah (C 25) for it is the
law of God (tdrat 'el Bl). Above all, one has to search in it (biqqesh
ha-torah C 25); this means 'to seek God' (C 30). According to 1QS
1.1-2 the greatest commandment is 'to seek God with the whole heart
and with the whole soul'; this means 'to seek God in His
commandments' and 'to know the hidden things (nistaroth) in the
Law' (1QS 5.11). The miqsatma'ase ha-torah, presented in 4QMMT,
are the result of such a concentrated study in the book of Moses. The
well-being (tob) of Israel (C 29) and the salvation of humanity, their
justification in the judgment of God (C 33), depend on the correct
understanding and practice of the law. The success of humanity's
efforts to unveil the true meaning of the scriptures will become manifest
in the eschatological future: 'So that you may rejoice at the end of
time, as you find that some of our words are true' (C 32). In CD 6.10-
11 we find a similar expectation: 'There will rise a man who teaches
righteousness at the end of days'. The terminology of 4QMMT concerning
the Torah can sometimes differ from that of the other
Qumran scrolls: for searching we have biqqesh instead of darash; but
the former occurs in 1QS 5.11, too. The attitude toward the Torah
can be expressed by the verbs yare' = to fear (C 25) and bin - to
understand (C 10) for sekhal; but the love for God's law is the same.
D. The Case of the Tebul Yom and the
Concern for Purity in 4QMMT
According to L.H. Schiffman, G. Blidstein and others, the case of the
tebiil yom is dealt with in 4QMMT B 13.17, 59-67. This technical
term does not appear in our letter; it is taken from the Mishnah
Tractate Tebul Yom. 11 It designates the man 'who has immersed himself
during the day' (see b. Yeb. 74b), because he had become unclean
and therefore cleansed himself through a ritual bath before sunset.
This ceremony was important for a priest, because the status of
impurity prevented him from partaking of the sacred food, the
terumah. The biblical prescription for the tebiil yom is Numbers 19,
the pericope of the red heifer: the priests who slaughtered and burned
17. C. Albeck, Shishshah Sidre Mishnah, Seder Taharoth, Tractate Tebul Yom,
pp. 455-69. The case is discussed on, pp. 457-58.