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Their spiritual attitudes and their performance are to be reviewed, however, year by year, some being
then promoted by virtue of their (improved) understanding and the integrity of their conduct, and
others demoted for their waywardness.
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Of Accusations And Grudges (v, 24—vi, 1)
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When anyone has a charge against his neighbor, he is to prosecute it truthfully, humbly and humanely.
He is not to speak to him angrily or querulously or arrogantly or in any wicked mood. (48) He is not to
bear hatred [towards him in the inner recesses] of his heart. When he has a charge against him, he is to
proffer it then and there (†) and not to render himself liable to penalty by nursing a grudge.
Furthermore, no man is to bring a charge publicly against his neighbor except he prove it by witnesses.
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[†] Heb. 'on the selfsame day'.
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Of Communal Duties (vi, 1-8)
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This is the procedure which all members of the community are to follow in all dealings with one
another, wherever they dwell.
Everyone is to obey his superior in rank (49) in all matters of work or money. But all are to dine
together, worship together and take counsel together. (50)
Wherever there be ten men (51) who have been formally enrolled in the community, one who is a
priest is not to depart from them. When they sit in his presence, they are to take their places according
to their respective ranks; and the same order is to obtain when they meet for common counsel.
When they set the table for a meal or prepare wine to drink, the priest is first to put forth his hand to
invoke a blessing on the first portion of the bread or wine. (52)
In any place where there happen to be ten such men, there is not to be absent from them one who will
be available at all times, day and night, to interpret the Law (Torah) (53) each of them doing so in turn.
The general members of the community are to keep awake for a third of all the nights of the year
reading book(s), (‡) studying the Law and worshiping together. (54)
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[‡] Or, 'the Book (of the Law)'.
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Of The General Council (vi, 8-13)
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This is the rule covering public sessions.
The priests are to occupy the first place. The elders are to come second; and the rest of the people are
to take their places according to their respective ranks. This order is to obtain alike when they seek a
judicial ruling, when they meet for common counsel, or when any matter arises of general concern.
Everyone is to have an opportunity of rendering his opinion in the common council No one, however,
is to interrupt while his neighbor is speaking, or to speak until the latter has finished. (55) Furthermore,
no one is to speak in advance of his prescribed rank. Everyone is to speak in turn, as he is called upon.
In public sessions, no one is to speak on any subject that is not of concern to (§) the company as a
whole. (56) If the superintendent (57) of the general membership or anyone who is not of the same
rank as the person who happens to be raising a question for the consideration of the community, has
something to say to the company, he is to stand up and declare: I have something to say to the
company; and only if they so bid him, is he to speak.
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[§] Or, 'to the liking of.
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Of Postulants And Novices (vi, 13-23)
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If any man in Israel wish to be affiliated to the formal congregation of the community, the
superintendent of the general membership is to examine him as to his intelligence and his actions and,
if he then embark on a course of training, he is to have him enter into a covenant to return to the truth
and turn away from all perversity. Then he is to apprise him of all the rules of the community.
Subsequently, when that man comes to present himself to the general membership, everyone is to be
asked his opinion about him, and his admission to or rejection from the formal congregation of the
community is to be determined by general vote.
No candidate, however, is to be admitted to the formal state of purity enjoyed by the general
membership of the community (58) until, at the completion of a full year, his spiritual attitude and his
performance have been duly reviewed. Meanwhile he is to have no stake in the common funds. (59)
After he has spent a full year in the midst of the community, the members are jointly to review his
case, as to his understanding and performance in matters of doctrine. If it then be voted by the opinion
of the priests and of a majority of their co-covenanters to admit him to the sodality, they are to have
him bring with him all his property and the tools of his profession. These are to be committed to the
custody of the community's 'minister of works'. They are to be entered by that officer into an account,
but he is not to disburse them for the general benefit.
Not until the completion of a second year among the members of the community is the candidate to be
admitted to the common board. (**) (60) When, however, that second year has been completed, he is
to be subjected to a further review by the general membership, (61) and if it then be voted to admit him
to the community, he is to be registered in the due order of rank which he is to occupy among his
brethren in all matters pertaining to doctrine, judicial procedure, degree of purity and share in the
common funds. Thenceforth his counsel and his judgment are to be at the disposal of the community.
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(**) Heb. 'drink'.
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Of False, Impudent And Blasphemous Speech (vi, 23-vii, 5)
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And these are the rules to be followed in the interpretation of the law regarding forms of speech.
If there be found in the community a man who consciously lies in the matter of (his) wealth, he is to be
regarded as outside the state of purity entailed by membership, and he is to be mulcted of one fourth of
his food ration.
If a man answer his neighbor defiantly or speak brusquely so as to undermine the composure (††) of
his fellow, and in so doing flout the orders of one who is registered as his superior [ ], (‡‡) he is to be
mulcted for one year.
If a man, in speaking about anything, mention that Name which is honored above all [names], (§§)
(62) or if, in a moment of sudden stress or for some other personal reason, he curse the (i.e., the man
who reads the Book of the Law or leads worship), (*) (63) he is to be put out and never to return to
formal membership in the community.
If a man speak in anger against one of the registered priests, he is to be mulcted for one year, placed in
isolation, and regarded as outside the state of purity entailed in membership of the community. If,
however, he spoke unintentionally, he is to be mulcted only for six months.
If a man dissemble about what he really knows, he is to be mulcted for six months.
If a man defames his neighbor unjustly, and does so deliberately, he is to be mulcted for one year and
regarded as 'outside'.
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[††] Heb. 'shake (or, disturb) the foundation'.
[‡‡] An imperfectly preserved phrase follows in the text Possibly, it means, 'And if his hand act
wickedly against him', i.e., if he bodily assaults him.
[§§] I.e., the name of God.
[*] This, gap and all, is how the text reads in the original. It is apparent that the scribe found in the
archetype (or heard from dictation?) a rare word which he did not understand fully. He therefore left a
blank, but added a gloss giving the approximate sense. The word must have been a technical term for
something like 'precentor' or 'deacon'.
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Of Fraud (vii, 5-8)
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If a man speak with his neighbor in guile or consciously practice deceit upon him, he is to be mulcted
for six months. If, however, he practices the deceit [unintention-ally], (†) he is to be mulcted only for
three months.
If a man defraud the community, causing a deficit in its funds, he is to make good that deficit If he lack
means to do so, he is to be mulcted for sixty days.
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Dobre pomysły nie mają przeszłości, mają tylko przyszłość. Robert Mallet
De minimis - o najmniejszych rzeczach.
Dobroć jest ważniejsza niż mądrość, a uznanie tej prawdy to pierwszy krok do mądrości. Theodore Isaac Rubin
Dobro to tylko to, co szlachetne, zło to tylko to, co haniebne.
Dla człowieka nie tylko świat otaczający jest zagadką; jest on nią sam dla siebie. I z obu tajemnic bardziej dręczącą wydaje się ta druga. Antoni Kępiński (1918-1972)
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