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Re: Multiplicity of Scribal Hands



Asia Lerner wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 29 Oct 1996, Robert Kraft wrote:
> 
> > After my undergrad DSS class the other day, one of the senior
> > associates, Al Perlstein, and I were thinking out loud about possible
> > ways to explain the multiplicity of "scribal hands" represented in the
> > DSS.

	Considering a YAHAD of pious at Qumran...one that "boarded"
children..what was their means of support?  Aside from some enterprise
(tentmaker, baker, candlestick maker), certainly donations were made
by the wealthy religious or other Essenes in Jerusalem and
Palestine/Syria who were engaged in commerce.  Is it not possible that
Essenes about the Middle East may have earned their daily bread copying
and selling scripture?  Wouldn't there have to be an "exemplar" library
somewhere?  Is this why we see two very different Psalms Scrolls?

	Perhaps Essene Yohanon, living in the Essene Quarter of the
Upper City, may have gotten a commission to provide a copy of the
scroll of Isaiah to Gamaliel.  Old John then be-bops down to the
"mother house" to do the job using the copy in the library as the
exemplar..or perhaps even "checking it out" to do the job at home.
Copies ultimately not sold could have been placed in the motherhouse
library.  Other Essenes and "benefactors" may have donated scrolls
to this enterprise.

	The question has been asked before...what did the "ASSAYA" do
for a living?  They made scrolls!

Jack Kilmon
jpman@accesscomm.net