Abstract
In a tightly argued, well documented study Alex Jassen investigates how late antique Jewish legal material is interpreted in the Dead Sea Scrolls. He takes a comparative approach, showing how Qumran’s exegesis finds its place in the history of Jewish legal interpretation, as well as in Jewish interpretation of Scripture in general (see especially chs. 2 and 3). Jassen’s research question clearly states the objective of his book: ‘In what ways did the sectarian community of the Dead Sea Scrolls adapt and expand legal content preserved in its collection of authoritative texts?’ (p. 247).
Chs. 4–8 treat in great detail the interpretation of Isaiah 58.13 (‘If you turn back your foot from the sabbath . . .’) in CD 10.17–21 and related texts. Chs. 9–10 treat Jeremiah 17:21–22 in CD 11.7–9 and related texts. Ch. 11 examines a number of non-Pentateuchal texts (with CD 11 once again coming into play). In ch. 12 Jassen suggests a number of conclusions.
Jassen’s study makes an important contribution to understanding how legal materials in Israel’s sacred tradition could be updated and applied in new ways. Jassen’s study is timely, for scholars now have ready access to the whole of the Dead Sea Scrolls that have survived from antiquity. The evidence leads Jassen to conclude that, although the sectarians of Qumran clearly preferred the Pentateuch for the development of their law, they did not hesitate to appeal to legal or quasi-legal materials found in non-Pentateuch texts, evidently making no distinction between the authority of the respective sources (i.e., Pentateuchal and non-Pentateuchal). ‘Through creative exegesis, scripture remains a viable and central text for Jewish law and practice’ (p. 252).