ment of early Christianity. This may one appearance of a word to a later not seem of much interest to Jews, but appearance of the same word; as a it is. Jesus lived and died a Jew. result, he accidentally omitted every- All scholars now agree that if you thing in between. The mistake was want to understand Jesus, you must copied and the paragraph was lost — understand the Jewish world in which until the 20th-century discovery of he lived. And that's where the scrolls the Dead Sea Scrolls. come in. In a way, the scrolls do under- In another instance, from mine a certain naive, simplistic view of Deuteronomy, scholars long suspected Jesus as someone who was only inci- that a certain mention of the "Sons of dentally Jewish and who came down Israel" was not the original because it and preached an entirely new message didn't seem to make sense in this con- that totally surprised his listeners text. The passage refers to a time when because no one had ever heard any- there was no Israel. A Greek transla- thing like this. No scholar today sub- tion of the text, however, has "Sons of scribes to this view. God" instead of "Sons of Israel." On the contrary, Christian doctrine Could this have been an embarrass- is deeply rooted in Jewish soil. ing original? Or was it a corrupt Concepts like "Messiah" and "Son of Greek text? The Qumran scrolls now God" are in Qumran Judaism, and provide the answer — a Hebrew text their use in Christianity is part of the of Deuteronomy from 2,000 years ago development of these concepts within has "Sons of God" Judaism. There are Jewish beatitudes The scrolls are, of course, central to among the scrolls. Jesus interpreted anyone interested in Second Temple Scripture just like other Jews of his Judaism. They are a treasure trove of time, as shown by the scrolls — original religious documents, many of understanding the holy books as them previously unknown. They con- applying to conditions in his own firm what scholars have long suspected: time rather than solely historically. There was a variety of Judaisms at the The scrolls also help us understand time, indeed such a dizzying number the development of the text of the that the division of Orthodox, Hebrew Bible. The scrolls include frag- Conservative, Reform and ments of every book of the Hebrew Reconstructionist seems small and their Bible except Esther and Song of Songs. relationships tame by comparison. Is this accidental or does this reflect The rhetoric of 2,000 years ago Essene culture? Esther is the only book makes a modern political debate of the Bible that does not contain the sound like a 1930s ladies' tea party. name of God, and Song of Songs con- The scrolls are also beginning to tains some pretty raunchy love poetry. answer another puzzle in Jewish histo- Transmission of the biblical text has ry: Only one form of Judaism survived been remarkably accurate over the the destruction of the Temple: rabbinic 2,000-year period for which we now Judaism. All modern Jewish move- have copies. Yet hundreds of small ments are rabbinic. The first great rab- changes are suggested by the scrolls. binic text is the Mishna, which forms More accurately, there are hundreds the core of the Talmud. The Mishna — really thousands — of differences dates to about 200 C.E. It contains an in the ancient texts, all of which were immensely complex, highly developed considered legitimate. legal system. Where did it come from? There is no single original. As the What are its antecedents? scholars say, pluriformity preceded Surely this fully developed halachic uniformity. system did not suddenly emerge fully Occasionally the differences are formed. The scrolls are opening a new important. The Book of Samuel chapter in the study of the early devel- includes an episode in which the opment of later rabbinic law. Ammonite king Nahash offers to lift a These are exciting times in the study siege of the Israelites of Jabesh-Gilead if of the scrolls. Since their release in 1991 they would allow him to gouge out the a whole cadre of scholars has entered right eye of the men of the city. Why the ranks of Qumran studies. A new this strange, horrifying condition? journal devoted exclusively to the Dead No explanation is offered in the bib- Sea Scrolls is now being published. lical text as we have it. It remains a Oxford University Press is about to puzzle. But it turns that out a whole publish an encyclopedia of the Dead paragraph in the text that provides the Sea Scrolls. New books about the scrolls explanation somehow dropped out (the are coming out almost weekly. explanation is too long to go into here). Who knows what future revelations How did it drop out? An ancient all this activity will bring? scribe's eye apparently slipped from ❑ Sunda_y Brunch Buffet 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Includes: Assorted Juices - Cranberry • Orange • Pineapple • Grapefruit • Apple Assorted Cold Salads - Tuna • Vegetable • Cucumber • Pasta Smoked Salmon • Smoked Fish • Bagels with Cream Cheese • Caviar • Capers Hot Dishes (including) - Pastas • Blintzes • Potato Latkes with Sour Cream • Fish Fresh Steamed Vegetables • Potatoes or Rice • Omelettes Pancakes or French Toast • Scrambled Eggs Assorted Desserts - Cobbler • Cakes • Tortes • Cookies Coffee • Assorted Herbal Teas and Soft Drinks $ 695 Children under 5 Children 6-12 Si 00 FREE Per Year Items are subject to change Make Your Pre-Passover Dinner Reservations 7295 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, Michigan 48322 Robins Nest Shopping Plaza 248-932-8934 Reservations Suggested- VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT: wwwladifference.com INN MIMI MIN IMO =I= MEI MIN COUPON ■ I =MN 1111 ■ - 1 FAMILY ITALIAN DINING & PIZZA "RATED #1 BY THE ONES WHO COUNT— OUR CUSTOMERS" 4033 W. 12 MILE, 3 Blks. E. of Greenfield, Berkley I 548-3650 I DAILY LUNCH & DINNER SPECIALS I PIZZA - RIBS - FISH SQUARE PIZZA ROUND PIZZA I I HOMEMADE GARLIC BREAD SMALL OR LARGE SMALL - MED - LARGE I I ON FOOD PURCHASES I OF $6 OR MORE I DINING ROOM, CARRY-OUT I 1 COUPON PER TABLE • ONLY ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE • NO SEPARATE CHECKS • COUPON NOT VALID WITH DAILY SPECIALS • EXPIRES 12-31-2000 JN I I 421 ■ I =MI I ■ 11 MN! MIMI MINN BEIM MIMI MIMI MINN NM IMM NMI ■ I This place is highly recommended by Marvin Q.Yagoda, the owner Quarters Free! MAL Musty: Mon. - Sat 10-1 Sun. Noon-9 With This Ad I Coupon Per Person % 1 3 1005 ORCHARD LAKE RD. BEHIND F&M, SOUTH OF 14 MILE • 626-5020 Free quarters for use only on games at 4_ livlorvin's Expires 4/30/2000 PRIVATE BANQUET FACILITIES FOR ALL OCCASIONr . r r '2 OFF gin $2 OFF SPECIALLY-TRIMMED RIBS ALL DINNERS INCLUDE: SALAD OR COLE SLAW POTATOES AND GARLIC BREAD L GOOD 7 DAYS! ■ Exp. 4-30-2000 JN BR CHICKEN FOR 2 WITH OR WITHOUT SKIN 1 ALL DINNERS INCLUDE: SALAD OR COLE 1 SLAW, POTATOES AND GARLIC BREAD I GOOD 7 DAYS! ■ Exp. 4-30-2000 JN L (.0 Brass Pointeo-odc-c-7( 1 . ,(.44, 24234 Orchard Lake Rd. , N • E • corner of 10 Mile • 476-117 4/7 2000 101