Sadducéen

One generally designates by sadducéens the members of one of the four large Courants of the Judaism ancient of old the Judaea (with the Pharisiens, the Esséniens and the Zélotes), between the II E and the 1st century, but this definition is by no means exclusive. It also refers to the members of the Clergé at the time of the Prime Minister Temple of Jerusalem (whose Large Priest was Sadoq) and to a theological current without historical contextualisation called sadocite . For this reason, the Esséniens named themselves like Fils of Sadoq .

Etymology

The term sadducéen comes the French Translittération from the Latin Sadducaei , itself resulting from the Hebrew talmudic Tsadoukim . The largely widespread thesis would be that this substantive derives from בניצדוק (bnei Tsadok) or Wire of Sadoq, without there being however scientific consensus.

History

The history of the sadducéens is difficult to trace because the sources are rare and partial or not very reliable historically. Mixed with the legendary matter as with the history, they disappear to reappear during the centuries.

Legendary origins

There are only two passages of the Tanakh (the Hebraic bible) which designate by saducéens the members of the sacerdotal class related to the Large Priest Sadoq, component in fact a form of party (no matter what this term is anachronistic). It is in the book Ézéchiel (XLIII-19) that the reference emits a direct link between the partisans of the Large Priest and the Clergé. Repeated reference (XLVIII-11) where the prophet encense sadducéens like the guarantors of orthodoxy at the time of the Exile with Babylon.

To the II E

Apart from the biblical texts and speculations which one can make from them, the first explicit source which attests of a movement sadducéen is the mention of their existence under the reign of Jean Hyrcan I (134-104 av. JC) made by Flavius Josèphe (37-~100 a. JC). One can nevertheless date the appearance of this current at the beginning from the II E with the rise of Simon II at the time of the conquest Séleucide of the Judaea.

Supporting the domination Séleucide, a hostility of the sadducéens will be born against the dynasty hasmonéenne to adhere more largely to the reign of Hérode Ier Large the, no matter what this prospect which makes sadducéens the members for the hellenized aristocracy from now on is disputed by the Historiens.

At the 1st century

Rare sources speak about the sadducéens. Primarily resulting from the Christianity, they put forth only theological value judgments without high degrees of accuracy. The Acts of the Apostles, as well as the Gospel according to Matthieu, make mention of it.

From the 1st century until the 12th century

After 70 marked by the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, the sadducéens disappear. However, some bits drowned in the history survive. At the 7th century, one sees appearing in Perse a movement, directed by Abu Isa d' Ispahan, claiming oneself like sadducéen. The Karaïsme, in its stammerings with the 8th century, account among the partisans of Annan Ben David of known as “the sadducéens”. Sadoq will still make speak about him at the 10th century with the book Sefer Tsadok writes by wise the Karaïte Ya' akov Al-Qirqisani.

Ultimate discovered in 1910, whereas one believed the thought of the sadducéens for a long time disappeared since centuries, Solomon Schechter put at the day the Écrit of Damas dating from the 12th century. This one refers to a presence - or at best an influence - theses sadocites within the community Karaïte.

Beliefs

The sadducéens reject the interpretation of the Torah made by the Pharisiens and more exactly the Talmud which will be followed from there. The historian Flavius Josèphe summarizes this opposition thus: “ the Pharisiens transmitted to the people certain rules which they held their fathers, who are not written in the laws of Moïse, and which for this reason were rejected by the saducéens which consider that only would have beings held for valid the rules which are written there and which those which are received by the tradition of the fathers do not have to be observed. ” (Jewish Antiquities, XIII-297)

But it should not be believed that the sadducéens were literalistic. For this reason, the Talmud speaks about a “book sadducéen of the decrees”. Their spirituality is summarized as follows: “ while having their clean oral Interpretation, the sadducéens rejected certain extra-biblical traditions and as private individuals those of the other movements. ”

This spirituality led the sadducéens not to accept certain dogmas of the Judaïsme of the Pharisiens such:

the resurrection of dead the
life after death
the existence of the Angels

Moreover, the practices nun differed somewhat from those of the Pharisiens. For example:

the festival of Shavouot was celebrated after Shabbat
the rejoicing of the drawing up of water during the festival of Souccot was prohibited

Notes and references of the article

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