Dear Ian, If you are "aware of" my view--and the majority view, well restated and strengthened in J. VanderKam's 2004 High Priest book and in his article in the E. Tov FS-- on the Qumran pun against halakha, then I'm not having it two ways. Pharisees used it during second temple times and Qumran writers belittled it. No contradiction. "Halakha" was what *some* (non-Qumran) but not all Second Temple period Jews taught and observed.
best wishes, Stephen Goranson _______________________________________________ g-Megillot mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mailman.McMaster.CA/mailman/listinfo/g-megillot
