Essenes
Categories: Ancient Jewish Greek history | Ancient Jewish Roman history
The Essenes (es'-eenz) were a religious sect of Judaism that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD in Qumran, a plateau in the Judean Desert along the Dead Sea. The origin of the name Essene is debated. Some credible possibilities are either a version of the Greek word for "holy," or a Aramaic dialect term for "pious." In their writings, they refer to themselves as the "Sons of Light". Many scholars today believe there were a number of separate but related groups that had in common mystic, eschatological, messianic, and ascetic beliefs that were referred to as the "Essenes."
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History
The Essenes were supposed have come into existence as a protest following the purchase by Yehoshua Ben-Shimon II (pop. Jason) of the high priesthood from Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 175 BCE. Subsequently the Essenes referred to Yehoshua ben Shimon and his genealogically unqualified successors as The Wicked Priest (Kohein ha-Resha lit. bad priest, instead of Kohein ha-Gadol). However, others have suggested that Queen Salome Alexandra's son Hyrcanus II (63 BCE-?) and the other Roman collaborators that succeeded to him are the best qualified for the Wicked Priest appellation. Either way the new illegitimate priesthood became known as the Sadducees.
It is thought that the memories of a certain Yeshu (110-70) in the Talmud may refer to one who the Essenes called Matif ha-Kaza (the babbling preacher of lies). Likewise the man of lies (Ish ha-Kazav) has been identified variously as his contemporary Shimeon ben Shetah (80-50) or the later R. Shammai (40 BCE-AD 20). It is thought that to secure the position of Av Beth Din, Shammai drove his predecessor Menahem, his & Hillel's followers to become Essenes. The aged Shammai attained complete ascendancy until CE 30 after Hillel died in CE 20 and Shammai passed the 18 measures. That day is compared to the day the golden calf was built (Shabbat 17A).
Beliefs
The Essenes were the followers of a group of priests who had essentially rejected the Second Temple. They argued that the Essene community was itself the new Temple, although they did not reject the notion of the temple outright. Eventually, they believed, they would be triumphant, gaining control of the temple and remaking it according to their own ideals. Accordingly, the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 was for them a symbol of imminent victory. With this came the end of the Sadducees and the end of the house of Shammai. They also believed strongly in the end-times and wrote an entire scroll on that subject. The "Rule of War" detailed the battle plans for the "final" battle. When the Romans overran Jerusalem in 70 CE they believed that it was time to fight the last battle. They had been ready and prepared for it and therefore threw their entire beings and everything they had into it. They may have thought they were strong, but they were not strong enough to withstand the Romans. They were mercilessly and almost totally annihilated.
Dissolution
However, with the destruction of the temple and the chaos that embraced Judea at the end of the first century, the last few remaining Essenes were no longer able to maintain their identity, and they merged with the Hillelite Pharisees, out of which was born the tradition of Rabbinical Judaism.
Place in history
The Essenes are discussed in detail by Josephus and Philo. Many scholars believe that the community at Qumran that allegedly produced the Dead Sea Scrolls was an offshoot of the Essenes; however, this theory has been disputed by Norman Golb and other scholars. Some suggest that Jesus was an Essene, and that Christianity evolved from this sect of Judaism, with which it shared many ideas and symbols. The belief of modern day Essenes is that the Bible has been changed by various hands to censor Essene beliefs in the scriptures, such as reincarnation, the feminine aspect of God and vegetarianism.
Rules
The Essenes were known for their strict monastic life.
From what we can deduce, the Essenes' food was not allowed to be transformed (by being cooked, for instance). They were strict vegetarians, eating mostly bread, wild roots and fruits.
They practiced collective ownership, and were forbidden from swearing, sacrificing animals, making weapons, having slaves or trading.
After a two to three year noviciate, the new joining members would renounce all earthly pleasures and start a monastic life. They would take an oath pledging to be truthful, pious, and just.
References
- Briggs, Curtis. 1998. The Dead Sea Scrolls (VHS). Discovery Channel Video
- Falk, Harvey R. 1985
- Golb, Norman. 1985. "Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls? The Search for the Secret of Qumran". Scribner
- Sanders, E.P., 1992. "Judaism: Practice & Belief 63BCE - 66CE" Minneapolis: Fortress
- Schiffman, Lawrence H. 1991. "From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple & Rabbinic Judaism". Ktav Publishing House
- Smith, Enid S., Ph.D., 1959, The Essenes Who Changed Churchianity
- The Essenes are an important part of H. Rider Haggard's Pearl-Maiden: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. [1]
External links
es:Esenios fr:Esséniens ia:Essene it:Esseni he:איסיים nl:Essenen ja:エッセネ派 pl:Esseńczycy pt:Essênios sk:Eséni fi:Essealaiset sv:Esséer