The Aramaic Bible: Targums in their Historical Context

BETZ The Qumran Halakhah Text 4QMMT 187
(?), 26-27). In the Mishnah, too, we find criticism of the priests, even
of the high priest, because of their handling the tebul yom. We have to
turn to the Tractate Parah (3.7-8). There, however, the Sadducees,
represented by the high priest, are blamed for their rigorism. They
considered the tebul yom unclean till evening, exactly as in 4QMMT B
15. The Hakhamim, however, declared him fit for performing the
ceremony right after his immersion. 18
The passage Num. 19.7-10 was interpreted in a different way: the
Pharisees of the Mishnah related the term, 'ish tahor (Num. 19.9) to
the tebul yom in Num. 19.7 and concluded: he is clean after
immersion (m. Par. 3.7). 4QMMT and the Sadducees of the Mishnah
were more correct than the Hakhamim of the Pharisees. For the
sterotyped decision at the end of Num. 19.7 and 19.8 is quite clear:
'unclean (tame'} is (the priest) till evening'; see Targum Onqelos;
Wihe mesa'abkahana' 'adramsha' (Lev. 11.24, 25, 32). The meaning
is purposely changed in Pseudo-Jonathan, where the phrase qodom
tibuleh ('before his immersion') is inserted (Num. 19.7, 8, 10); this
means that the ritual bath renders the tebul yom pure right away. 19
4QMMT is quite consistent with regard to purity and with the
application of the formula 'unclean till the evening' (Lev 11.24, 25,
32). The case of the leper who was healed is dealt with in an analogous
way (B 64-72, see Lev. 14.7-9). The ceremony of his ritual
purification lasts seven days; but he cannot eat from the holy food
'until the sun sets on the eighth day' (B 72). Lev. 14.9 does not say
this explicitly; however, the rite of purification is continued by
sacrifices on the eighth day (Lev. 14.10-20).
E. 4QMMT, the Temple Scroll (llQMiqdash), and the Longer
Version of the Zadokite Fragments (CD) according to
some Fragments from Cave IV
We saw that 4QMMT and the Temple Scroll are in basic agreement on
the issue of the tebul yom. According to L.H. Schiffman, the same
holds true for other controversial themes (= ma'ase ha-torah),
brought forth in 4QMMT: (a) the Shelamim sacrifices must be eaten
on the day when they are offered (B 9-12); (b) the skins of cattle
18. See Albeck, Shishshah Sidre, pp. 457-58.
19. The Mishnah tells us how the 'Elders of Israel' enacted their more lenient
halakhah forcefully over against the priests and even the high priest (m. Par. 3.7).