The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

186 The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context
the heifer, who collected the ashes and sprinkled the water of
purification, became unclean through this ritual and therefore had to
immerse themselves and to wash their garments. Afterwards they
could return to the camp of the Israelites, but remained unclean until
sunset (Num. 19.7-10; see Lev. 11.32). We have similar regulations in
the Temple Scroll (HQMiqd 45.7-10) and in the War Scroll (1QM
7.5.): a man who became unclean by a pollution during the night was
forbidden to join the camp of the holy warriors (see Deut. 23.11) or
to enter the sanctuary (HQMiqd 45.7-8). According to the Temple
Scroll, the status of uncleanness lasted for three days instead of only
one in Deut. 23.11-12. Moreover, immersion was not sufficient; the
washing of the garments was required too (45.8-9). The model for
this new regulation was Israel's preparation for the coming of the
Lord at Mount Sinai (Exod. 19.10-14). We also find that the prescription
for the lepers are stricter in HQMiqd and in 4QMMT than in the
Mishnah. The latter excludes them from holy places (m. Kel. 1.7);
according to 4QMMT B 71-72; HQMiqd 45.17-18; 46.16-17; 48.14-
15 they are forbidden to enter the holy city and have to dwell at a
place three miles east of it.
In a similar way 4QMMT is more severe in the case of the tgbul
ydm than the Mishnah. Our letter introduces its prescription with the
noun tahdrdh (ritual purity, B 13). This means, that the author is
mainly concerned about the purity of the red heifer and the effectiveness
of the water sprinkling (B 13.16). This purity, which renders
unclean those who had to produce the ashes, is very strong. That is
why the priests who had to slaughter and to burn the heifer and to
collect its ashes will be pure at sunset, not before that (B 15). The difference
between tahor and tame' is strongly emphasized—as in 1QS
3.4-9—: 'The pure should sprinkle upon the unclean' (B 16; see Num.
19.19). But the Tractate Tebul Ydm in the Mishnah is mainly interested
in determining the degree of impurity of the Tebul Ydm during
the somewhat awkward period between his immersion and sunset, and
especially in the possible damage he could do by touching holy things
such as terumdh or halloth. I therefore think that one should not
introduce the technical term tebul ydm into 4QMMT.
The author of 4QMMT makes it very clear that the neglect or
incorrect usage of the laws of purity by the priests is sinful and brings
guilt upon Israel: 'the priests ought to beware in this matter, so that
the [sons of Aaron] do not cause the people to bear guilt!' (B 12.17