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The Essenes (Issi'im) were a Hasid Jewish religious sect of Zadokites that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. Many scholars today believe there were a number of different related groups that were referred to as Essenes. They were supposed to have come into existence as a protest following the purchase by Yehoshua Ben-Shimon II (pop. Jason) of the high priesthood from Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 175 BC. Subsequently the Essenes referred to Yehoshua ben Shimon and his genealogically unqualified successors as The Wicked Priest (Kohein ha-Resha lit. bad priest, instead of Kohein ha-Jadol). However, others have suggested that Queen Salome Alexandra's son Hyrcanus II ( 63 BC-?) and the other Roman collaborators that succeeded to him are the best qualified for the Wicked Priest appellation. Either way the new illegitimate priesthood became known as sadducees. It is thought that the memories of a certain Yeshu Ha-Notzri ( 110- 70) in the mishnah may refer to one who the Essenes called Matif ha-Kaza (the babbling preacher of lies). Likewise the man of lies (Ish ha-Kazav) has been identified variously as his contemporary Shimeon ben Shetah ( 80- 50) or the later R. Shammai ( 40 BC-AD 20). It is thought that to secure the position of Av Beth Din, Shammai drove his predecessor Menahem, his & Hillel's followers to become Essenes. The aged Shammai attained complete ascendancy until AD 30 after Hillel died in AD 20 and Shammai passed the 18 measures . That day is compared to the day the golden calf was built (Shabbat 17A).

The Essenes are discussed in detail by Josephus and Philo. Many scholars believe that the community at QumranQumran is located on a dry plateau on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea in Israel. It is best known as the nearest centre to the hiding place of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Since the discovery of the scrolls, extensive excavations have been done. Jewish ri that allegedly produced the Dead Sea Scrolls was an offshoot of the Essenes; however, this theory has been disputed by Norman Golb and other scholars.

The Essenes were the followers of a group of priests who had essentially rejected the Second TempleThe Second Temple was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem which stood between 515 BC and 70 CE. During this time, it was the center of Jewish worship, which focused on the sacrifices known as the korbanot''. The first Temple was destroyed when the Jews. They argued that the Essene community was itself the new Temple, and that obedience to the law represented a new form of sacrifice. Accordingly, the destruction of the Second Temple in 70Alternate uses, see Number 70 Centuries: 1st century BC 1st century 2nd century Decades: 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s 120s Years: 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 Events The building of the Colosseum starts (approximate date). Pliny the Elder was of no consequence to them. With this came the end of the sadducees (who had replaced the Zadokite priesthood) and the end of the house of Shammai, hence also the reason for protest ceased, and the Essenes merged with the house of Hillel out of which was born the tradition of rabbinical Judaism. Although their lack of concern for the Second Temple and its destruction alienated them from the great mass of their contemporary Jews, their notion that the sacred could exist outside of the Temple was shared by two other Jewish sects, Christians and PhariseesThe Pharisees (from the Hebrew perushim from parash meaning "to separate") were, depending on the time, a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era ( 536 BCE 70 CE). After the destr, which evolved into modern ChristianityChristian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. Although Christians generally chara and JudaismJudaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and the first recorded monotheistic faith. The tenets and history of Judaism constitute the historical foundation of many other religions, including Christianity and Islam. Star of David, a common s.



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