Where Does the Shekhinah Dwell? Between the Dead Sea Sect, Diaspora Judaism, Rabbinic Literature, and Christianity

Abstract

The Dead Sea sect denied the sanctity of the Temple of their time, perceiving the Council of the Community, as a spiritual substitute for the Temple in Jerusalem. The discovery of a Diasporan notion among a group living in Judea in Second Temple period makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the historical continuity of the manner in which the reality of the absence of the Temple was confronted. This chapter presents the development of this historical continuity, from its biblical beginnings to its later manifestations in rabbinic literature. According to the author, this perception must also be examined diachronically, namely as an inner progression of Diasporan Judaism. He focuses on two witnesses representing such a stance: one appearing in Hellenistic Jewish literature, and the other in rabbinic literature, and examines the content and meaning of the testimony within this continuity. Keywords:Christianity; Dead Sea sect; Diaspora Judaism; Hellenistic Jewish literature; rabbinic literature; Shekhinah; Temple