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Re: orion-list guilty corpses



     Thanks very much to Judy Barr (I hope I have the name right) for her 
very helpful and erudite comments.  I had entirely missed 4Q491=4QM(a) 1-3 13 
with its reference to troops finishing off the "guilty wounded", although I 
note that although the grammatical construct is the same, the Hebrew is 
chalal (wounded, pierced) rather than peger (corpse).  This seems to indicate 
that the guilt attaches to the unslain enemy, and is thus the result of 
corpse impurity in the War Scroll.  However, IMO questions remain regarding 
the guilty corpses of Pesher Nahum.
    I also note, having dived into the Mishnah, notably Parah ("The Red 
Heifer"), that the seven days uncleanness resulting from contact with a 
corpse is not incurred by contact with minor quantities of blood (per Ohol. 
3.5 -- which seems counterintuitive to me, but that's the statute).  It would 
appear in the War Scroll troops were expected to encounter blood in battle 
and in finishing off the wounded but not routinely touch enemy corpses, and 
were thus purified by a simple washing and -- though not explicitly stated -- 
red heifer sprinking, per 1QM 14.3.  (Despoiling the bodies of the enemy, 
which would incur a seven days uncleanness, was a special duty of the 
non-combatants, age 25-30, per 1QM 7.2-3.)  This appears to resolve one of my 
earlier questions.

    Best to all, 
    Russell Gmirkin
For private reply, e-mail to RGmyrken@aol.com
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