REL_05a.GIF Scroll parts (640 X 378, 16 grayscale)
MDBO Some Torah Precepts
Miktsat Ma`aseh ha-Torah
Copied late 1st century BCE_- early 1st century CE
Fragment A: 8 x 12.9 centimeters; Fragment B: 4.3 x 7 centimeters; Fragment C: 9.1 x 17.4 centimeters
Some Torah Precepts, in Hebrew Miktsat Ma`aseh ha-Torah (=MMT), is a sectarian polemical document, of which six incomplete manuscripts have been discovered. Together, these fragmentary texts provide a composite text of about 130 lines, which probably cover about two-thirds of the original text; the initial part of the text is completely lacking.
The document, apparently in letter-form, is unique in language, style and content. The majority of the manuscripts are inscribed on parchment, though several papyrus fragments have also survived.
It appears that originally MMT consisted of four sections: (1) The opening formula, now lost; (2) a calendar of 364 days; (3) a list of over twenty rulings in ritual law (Heb. halakhot ), most of which are peculiar to the sect; and (4) an epilogue, that deals with the separation of the sect from the multitude of the people and attempts to persuade the addressee to adopt the sect's legal views. The halakhot are the core of the letter - the remainder of the text is merely the framework. The calendar, although a separate section, was probably also related to the sphere of halakha . These halakhot deal chiefly with the Temple and its ritual. The author states that disagreement on these matters caused the sect to secede from the community.
As the beginning of the text is lost, the identities of both the author and the addressee are missing. However, a commentary (Heb. pesher ) to Psalm 37 relates that the Teacher of Righteousness (the leader of the sect?) conveyed a letter to the Wicked Priest (his opponent). This may well be a reference to MMT, which is addressed to `the leader of Israel'.
The name of the work, Miktsat Ma`aseh Ha-Torah , comes from the letter's epilogue, and means "some Torah precepts."
In general, the script belongs to the semi-formal tradition of Herodian times. It is noteworthy that several letters, formal and semi-formal, exhibit early and late typological forms at the same time.
The original text is one of the earliest works of the Qumran sect. There are some linguistic and theological considerations which corroborate an early date for MMT.
