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Re: orion "Pure food" in 1QS
To Dave Washburn:
I consulted the Clines Dictionary today to see what I could learn about
the use of +HRH for "pure food" and whether there might be a similar usage
prior to the scrolls. I also looked in the Theological Dictionary of the
Old Testament. My findings do not answer your question, unless it
reinforces your impression that there has been a semantic shift in regard
to the concrete "pure food" in the DSS that has no apparent semantic
precursor. Clines lists four meanings for the noun +HRH: "1. usu. (process
of) purification, purification ritual, perh. purification
regulation(s)...period of purification...2. purity...3. (ritually) pure
thing(s)...4. pure food, i.e. the meals of the elect (CD 9.21,23; 1QS
5.13; 6.16,25; 7.3,16,19,20(erased),25; 8.17-24; 4QSd 1.17; 4QDd 13.3;
4QDe 11.1 7; 4QTohA 1.1 2; 2.1 3 perh. 4QDe 7.21; 4QMMT B.23,65,68; 4QOrdb
2.2 1...." [Clines, David J. A., ed. _The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew,
vol. 3 (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993), 348.] As you can see,
there is no biblical reference for this 4th definition. An article by
Helmer Ringgren in TDOT doesn't shed any more light on your question
either, although he makes reference to an article that may be helpful.
Ringgren states: "On the one hand, the Manual of Discipline and sometimes
the Damascus document speak of "the purity of the many" (+hrt hrbym 1 QS
6:16,25; 7:3,16,19) or "the purity of the holy men" (+hrt 'nshy hqdsh 1QS
5:13; 8:17) or simply +thrh (1QS 6:22; 7:25; 8:25; CD 9:21,23) as
something outsiders are forbidden to touch. It is not clear whether these
passages refer to the ritual washing, the common meals, or something else.
In any case, the exclusivity of the Qumran community in its separation
from all outsiders is clearly expressed." [G. Johannes Botterweck
and Helmer Ringgren, _Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament_, trans.
David E. Green, Vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 295-296.]
Ringgren cites an article that might be helpful: H. W. Huppenbauer, "+HR
and +HRH in der Sektenregel von Qumran," _ThZ_, 13 (1957), 350f.
Good luck. If I run into anything I think might be helpful to you, I'll
let you know.
-- Sarah Melcher