Metro
Window To The Past
Israeli scholars tell the story of the Dead Sea Scrolls — and beyond.
DIANA LIEBERMAN
Special to the Jewish News
r
orty years ago, the State of
Israel dedicated the Israel
Museum's Shrine of the Book,
the world's largest collection of Dead
Sea Scrolls and other archeological
treasures found in the Judean desert.
Two Israeli experts on these priceless
antiquities came to Metro Detroit
recently to speak about the signifi-
cance of the collection and of the
other artifacts discovered in the area
northwest of the Dead Sea.
From Jan. 28-30, Dr. Adolpho
Roitman, curator of the Shrine of the
Book, explored the historical, religious
and sociological context of the discover-
ies at a seminar sponsored by the
Birmingham Temple in Farmington
Hills. He also discussed the architecture
of the Shrine itself and the philosophy
behind the Jerusalem complex that
houses the museum, the Knesset (parlia-
ment building) and other secular land-
marks of modern Israel.
On Feb. 2, Dr. Hanan Eshel spoke to
the local Friends of Bar-Ilan University
about his own explorations in the caves
of the Judean desert, which began in
1986 and continue to this day. Dr. Eshel
is head of the department of land of
Israel studies and archeology at Bar-Ilan.
The Original Scrolls
ITN
2/17
2005
20
Perhaps the most unexpected slide Dr.
Roitman projected onto the
Birmingham Temple wall was one show-
ing a page from the classified advertising
section of the Wall Street Journal of June
1, 1954.
"The Four Dead Sea Scrolls: Biblical
manuscripts dating back to at least
200 B.C. are for sale," it read. "This
would be an ideal gift to an education-
al or religious institution by an indi-
vidual or group."
Yigal Yadin, a former Israel Defense
Forces chief of staff, was alerted to the
ad by friends in New York. In 1947,
Yadin's father, archeologist Eliezer
Sukenik, had purchased fragments that
make up three of the seven scrolls — for
$100.
Yadin, who'd left the army to study
archeology at Hebrew University in
Jerusalem, bought the remaining four
scrolls for $150,000, helped along by a
loan of $100,000 from the
Israeli government.
Today, all seven scrolls
discovered in 1947 form
the basis of the collection
at the Shrine of the Book.
More than 3,000 visitors
tour the museum every
day.
"The Bedouins argue
they discovered just by
chance the first seven
scrolls;" said Dr. Roitman,
an Argentinean-born
scholar who is also a
Conservative rabbi. "That
was not the case. They
Dr. Adolpho Roitman
were looking for treasure,
and, actually, they found
found, they
treasure."
told me," Dr.
The scrolls were likely hidden away in
Eshel told
66-70 C.E. by residents of the nearby
about 45 Bar-
town of Qumran, a splinter community
Ilan University Esti and Dr. Hanan Eshel
similar to the better-known Essenes,
supporters
at
who pursued a stricter, more ascetic
the
Bloomfield
lifestyle than that of other Jewish sects,
Ilan, she works with her husband trans-
Hills home of Rita and Dr. Stanley Levy.
notably the Pharisees and Sadducees.
lating Aramaic documents.
However, the young archeologist had
Between 1947 and 1965, fragments of
"When they went back, they wanted
his
own ideas. He took as his inspiration
825-870 separate scrolls were found in
to be able to get back their property or
Yadin's 1960-61 discovery of artifacts
11 caves. They include both secular and
get payment on their loans."
from the era of the Bar Kochba revolt,
religious writings. Forty percent of these
Other artifacts uncovered from the
132-135 C.E. — including letters from
religious writings are Masoretic, Dr.
time of the revolt included silver coins,
Bar Kochba himself. These findings and
Roitman said, referring to the Hebrew
on which Bar Kochba's insignia is super-
Talmudic passages about the revolt
text of the Bible approved for general
imposed on the original Roman motifs.
pointed to the existence of materials
use. Sixty percent differ from the
The sole of a Roman sandal proves that
from the same era, in a cave with two
Masoretic text.
some of those who fled to the caves had
entrances.
"This is very important, because peo-
been discovered.
In 1984, Dr. Eshel was shown a
ple feel, when they read the Bible, it's
Later, Dr. Eshel's team uncovered the
wooden comb found in Ketef-Jericho.
what God gave Moses on Mount Sinai,"
remains of 38 people, all smoked to
He recognized it as a relic from the time
Dr. Roitman told an audience of about
death by the Romans in the cave in
of
Bar Kochba.
80 at the Birmingham Temple.
which they'd been hiding.
"But, to get a license to excavate, you
Instead, he said, the scrolls show the
Dr. Eshel continues his explorations to
needed
a degree in archeology, a budget
sacred writings are human in origin.
this day and has found 21 documents in
and some kind of institute to back you,"
There are, and have always been, "many
all, from as early as the 4th century
he said. "I had none."
Judaisms."
B.C.E. He is considered a top expert on
By 1986, he had acquired everything
"Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes,
the Bar Kochba revolt.
but the funding. So he waited until
Kumranites — all these groups were
"We have no historical records of what
school vacations and recruited high
legitimate," Dr. Roitman said. "From
really happened during the revolt, so
a historical perspective, one group split school volunteers.
every coin and document is important,"
On the second day, they found a scroll
off from another group, but all are still
he said.
fragment written in Aramaic, in which
legitimate."
The revolt was a disaster for both the
the author promised to pay back a loan.
Jews and the Romans, Dr. Eshel said,
Another document stated that a farmer
Bar Kochba's Footsteps
with the conquering army losing a
wanted to sell "futures," asking for a
When Hanan Eshel was a student at
legion of 10,000 men. "The reason we
loan on dates that had not yet ripened.
Hebrew University in the 1980s, com-
have no book about it is that no one
"These people thought they'd go back
mon knowledge was that there was
won," he said. "The Romans ruled
to their homes one day," explained Esti
nothing of interest left to discover in the
before; the Romans ruled after."
Eshel,
the wife of the archeologist. In
Judean desert.
In 79 C.E., the historian Josephus
addition to teaching Bible studies at Bar-
"Everything that was there had been
completed his History of the Jewish War,