posted on Sep, 29 2009 @ 12:00 PM
Hi Selahobed--
Actually in 2nd Temple Judaeism there were more than 2 sects according to Josephus, there were Pharasim (PH-R-S to separate), Tsaddukim (sons of
Zadok, from Tz-D-Q 'righteous ones') and 'Ossim (Gk. Essenoi, i.e. Essenes). There were also alot of other splinter groups in addition (e.g. the
Theraputae in Alexandria who were Essenoid, and the dead sea scroll covenanters who were also Essenoid). There were also persons identified as Sofrim,
i.e. heads of the synagogues who could 'read and write' (S-F-R = scroll-book, or '=to write'); it is estimated that in 2nd temple times, only 8%
of the total population could read and write among everyday Jews. During the middle ages, especially after AD 800 this number shot up to about 50% or
more literacy rate among Jewish males.
The 2nd Temple Tzaddukim (aka Saduccees) were the reigning priestly caste in Jerusalem Temple who performed the sacrifices in the 2nd Temple after the
Macabbean Revolt of BCE 163, who were in bed with Rome who hand-appointed their high priests: they ONLY believed in the Torah (their version) as
'defiling the hands' i.e. sacred writ. Prophets, Psalms and Writings were only marginally inspired and had no legal weight for them. Most of these
24 priestly families were killed off during the 1st Jewish War against Rome in AD 66-72 when Jerusalem and its temple were ground to powder by Roman
Armies. They did not believe in the Resurrrection of the Righteous Dead, or in Martyrdom.
The Pharasim (aka Pharisees) were teachers of the Torah who expounded the meaning for everyday persons outside of the priestly caste. They were the
prototype for today's non sacrificial, non temple related 'rebbes'. They also expounded the 'oral law' which the Tsaddukkim only applied to the
Torah but also the midrashim expansions on other books the Tsadukkim did not revere. They believed in the Resurrection of the 'Righteous Dead oin the
last days' a theme borrowed from Zoroastrian Persians (PRS, notice how Pharasee and Persians are etymologically related (for resurrection belief in
the OT, see the scroll of the book of Hezekiel chapter 39, the socalled valley of dry bones etc. Some were Messianic and believed in Martyrdom.
The 'Ossim (Essenes) --some were celibateand liv4ed at the monastery at Seccacah (=Qumran) --other married and lived in the 'camps' located all
around Palestine, : were Apocalyptic-End of Days Messiah-hopeful descendents of certain anti-Gentile Reactionary, anti Roman Occupation, ultra
conservative legalistic breakway torah loving priests who had 'separated themesleves off' from the Jerusalem Sadukkim in BC 153 following their
Teacher of Righteousness (they even called themselves 'sons of Zaddok in the Last Days') when they noticed that the heirs to the Macabbean Revolt
priests were not properly doing the sacrifices according to traditions they knew (see MMT, miqsat ma'aseh haTorah, some 22 precepts of the Torah that
they disagreed with the 'priests that are at the Camp of Jerusalem, which is the Head of all the camps of Yisro'el').
So there were at least (3) main groups in Palestine before the Jewish War of 66 CE and as we approach that dreadful date when all hell broke loose in
palestine, (the time when the Apocalypse was originally compiled, 66-72 CE), there grew other anti-Roman pro-zionist splinter groups e.g. the Zelotim,
who carried knives and 'were zealous for the Torah' and hated the occupying gentiles, who were looking for a Warrior Messiah to lead them back to
the promise land for 1000 generations without occupation..but look how all that turned out !