Community Rules

Pages

  • Damascus Document — A Good Works Translation of the Damascus Document (CD-A / CD-B) from Hebrew. A community constitution combining theological history with detailed laws for life in the camps.
  • Halakha A — A Qumran halakhic ruling on Sabbath prohibitions (carrying, fire, livestock), the Omer count, and forbidden sexual unions — a companion text to the Ordinances and Miscellaneous Rules.
  • Miqsat Ma'ase Ha-Torah — A Good Works Translation of MMT (4Q394–399) from Hebrew. A halakhic letter — calendar rulings, purity law, and a hortatory conclusion addressed to the leader of Israel.
  • Miscellaneous Rules — A Qumran legislative text combining Sabbath prohibitions, congregation entry requirements, and the remarkable Eden passage — which grounds the post-partum purity periods of Leviticus 12 in Adam and Eve's delayed admission to the Garden.
  • Ordinances — A Qumran halakhic text ruling on the half-shekel census tax (once in a lifetime, not annual), witnesses, sha'atnez, and gleaning — Mosaic law read in the sectarian key
  • Rebukes of the Overseer — Cave 4 disciplinary record naming two Qumran community members rebuked by the overseer — the only Dead Sea Scroll that preserves individual names attached to specific rulings
  • Sefer ha-Milhamah — A Good Works Translation of the Sefer ha-Milhamah (4Q285) from Hebrew. Fragmentary war rule containing the Branch of David passage and eschatological blessings.
  • Sefer ha-Milhamah — Source Text — Source text: 4Q285 — Hebrew/Aramaic transcription for Sefer ha-Milhamah
  • The Community Rule — The Community Rule of Qumran — the founding charter of the Dead Sea sect, translated from Hebrew.
  • The Community Rule — Source Text — Source text for The Community Rule
  • The Rule of Benedictions — A Good Works Translation of the Rule of Benedictions (1QSb) from Hebrew. Liturgical blessings for the faithful, the priests, and the Prince of the Congregation.
  • The Rule of the Congregation — A Good Works Translation of the Rule of the Congregation (1QSa) from Hebrew. The constitution for all Israel at the end of days, including the messianic meal.
  • The Two Ways — Cave 4 Hebrew wisdom fragment presenting the Deuteronomic choice between two paths—the good way guarded by God, the evil way met with blight, snow, and hail.
  • Ways of Righteousness (4Q421) — A Good Works Translation of 4Q421 and 4Q421b, Cave 4 Hebrew wisdom texts — contrasting the servants of God with workers of wickedness, anchored in Isaiah 57:15 on God dwelling with the contrite
  • Ways of Righteousness (4Q421) — Source Text — Source text for Ways of Righteousness (4Q421)