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Re: Yachad ostracon
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1996 07:52:06 +0200 (IST)
From: avigdor horovitz <victor@bgumail.bgu.ac.il>
To: orion@pluto.mscc.huji.ac.il
Subject: Re: Yachad ostracon
Dear Fellow covenanters,
I have no intentions of casting aspresions or doubts on the suggestions
of Esti Eshel- a former student, a good friend, and a young scholar who
is developing admirably. But I can't help but thinking that the idea of
the Qumaran community calling itself Yahad was propounded many years ago
by her teacher and mine Shemaryahu Talmon in an article in Vetus
Testamentum (?). As I remember he related the term to Deuteronomy 33:5
wayhi bishurun melek behit'asef rashey am YAHAD shivtey yisrael. He (YHWH)
became king in Jeshurun (=Israel) when the heads of the people gathered
together// the YAHAD of the tribes of Israel". This verse was not
construed to be reflective of the sectarian term yahad but either served
as or somehow was related to the linguistic precedent of the Sectarian YAHAD.
So the ostracon, if read properly, would support Talmon's suggestion. If
the reading is not correct it is most likely dependent of Talmon's
influential theory. What ever the, esty can be relied upon to present
the evidence in the most objective and expedient way possible. We will
not have long to wait, and the material presented will be legible to all
and left for all to read, judge, and fight about (especially the last!)
Shanah tovah!
Avigdor Hurowitz