Abstract
The Torah posits strong ties between the commandments and the land. The relationship between the two is presented (especially in Deuteronomy) in a twofold manner. On the one hand, the inheritance of the land is the reward for keeping God's commandments (Deut. 11:22-26); on the other hand, following the commandments is the condition for Israel's on-going existence in the land (Deut. 11:8-9). Nevertheless, the Qumranic understanding of the Pentateuch (like that of the Rabbis) recognizes that some of the Torah's commandments apply only in the land of Israel. In about twenty places in the Pentateuch a commandment is headed with the introductory phrase "When you come to the land" (and the like). The Qumranic understanding follows the plain reading of Scripture by restricting some of these pentateuchal laws to the land of Israel alone. One example is the law of the fourth-year fruits (Lev. 19:23) which MMT ascribes to "the trees for food planted in the Land of Israel." In my opinion, the law in 11QT 52:13-16 should be read in the same manner. Following the opening verse of Deuteronomy 12 - "These are the laws ... that you must ... observe in the land" - the author of the Temple Scroll understood that the law of centralization of the cult (which is the core of this chapter) applies only in the land of Israel, that is, to use the author's special expression: "three-day's journey from the temple."
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 126-138 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Dead Sea Discoveries |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1999 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Jerusalem, then the radius of a three-days' journey encompasses vir- tually all of Eretz-Israel (with the exception, perhaps, of the Upper Galilee).' This is indeed confirmed by another mishnah. "And for how long a period is one bound to proclaim [the finding of a lost arti-cle] ? ... R. Judah says, Until three Festivals have passed, and for seven days after the last Festival, in order that [the loser] might have three days to go to his house and three days to return, and one day to announce [his loss]." (m. B.M. 2:6). The Talmud (b. B.M. 28a) cor-rectly explains that three days is given here to the person who lost an * The research for this article was supported by the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. I wish to thank Mrs. Dena Ordan for preparing the translation of this paper. Unless otherwise noted, the following translations were used for biblical, Qum- ranic, and rabbinic material: Biblical citations: Tanakh: A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985); l1QT: Y. Yadin, The Temple Scroll (Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 1983); 4QMMT: E. Qimron and J. Strugnell (eds), Qumran Cave 4.V: Miq:jat Ma(a!;e ha7Torah (DJD 10; Oxford:C larendon Press, 1994); Mishnah: P. Blackman, Mishnayot (New York: Judaica Press, 1963-642); Babylonian Talmud: I. Epstein (ed.), The Babylonian Talmud (London: Soncino Press, 1948). 1 See M. Bar-Ilan, "Myth and Ritual in the Laws Concerning Jerusalem," Eshel Beer Sheva 4 (1996) 48 n. 12.
Funding
Jerusalem, then the radius of a three-days' journey encompasses vir- tually all of Eretz-Israel (with the exception, perhaps, of the Upper Galilee).' This is indeed confirmed by another mishnah. "And for how long a period is one bound to proclaim [the finding of a lost arti-cle] ? ... R. Judah says, Until three Festivals have passed, and for seven days after the last Festival, in order that [the loser] might have three days to go to his house and three days to return, and one day to announce [his loss]." (m. B.M. 2:6). The Talmud (b. B.M. 28a) cor-rectly explains that three days is given here to the person who lost an * The research for this article was supported by the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. I wish to thank Mrs. Dena Ordan for preparing the translation of this paper. Unless otherwise noted, the following translations were used for biblical, Qum- ranic, and rabbinic material: Biblical citations: Tanakh: A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985); l1QT: Y. Yadin, The Temple Scroll (Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 1983); 4QMMT: E. Qimron and J. Strugnell (eds), Qumran Cave 4.V: Miq:jat Ma(a!;e ha7Torah (DJD 10; Oxford:C larendon Press, 1994); Mishnah: P. Blackman, Mishnayot (New York: Judaica Press, 1963-642); Babylonian Talmud: I. Epstein (ed.), The Babylonian Talmud (London: Soncino Press, 1948). 1 See M. Bar-Ilan, "Myth and Ritual in the Laws Concerning Jerusalem," Eshel Beer Sheva 4 (1996) 48 n. 12.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture |