[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Dear Jeffrey,Yes, they are, thanks.This is of course based on Lev. 21:17-23, which is speaking of priests, but as is well known the sectarians applied the priestly laws to their community. One basic idea behind such laws was that these infirmities could somehow interfere with the proper practice of the law in various ways. It was assumed, for instance, that those who were blind could not read the requirements of the law. Similarly those with a stutter or a quiet voice were not permitted to read the law in meetings because a failure to enunciate clearly might lead others to misunderstand the law and stray into sin. I believe that there are some rabbinic parallels that help enlighten the reasoning behind some of these strictures. I think Schiffman or J. Baumgarten may have discussed these matters, but I don't have my sources in front of me.
The idea that impurity would drive away the angels from the camp is found in many sectarian texts (the Serekh texts, not the halachic texts). See for instance 1QSa 2:8-9; 1QSb 1:5; 3:6, 25-26; 4:23, 25-26; 1QM 1:10; 7:6; 9:15-16; 12:1-10; 4QMa 1-3 10; CD 15:17 = 4QDb 17 i 9.
I hope these general comments are somewhat helpful.
But now, what about the idea present in this text that those from whom the angels flee -- among whom are the "dumb/mute" will also be excluded from the Messianic banquet? Why stands behind the view (if such there is here) that the Messiah not only has no concern for these folk, but is apparently not expected to have any concern for them?
Yours,
Jeffrey
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Jeffrey B. Gibson, D.Phil. (Oxon.)
1500 W. Pratt Blvd. #1
Chicago, IL 60626
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
