Liturgical Perspectives—Prayer and Poetry in Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls : Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium of the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead

Fourteen papers from a January 2000 symposium sponsored by the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature are presented by Chazon (Hebrew literature, Hebrew U. of Jerusalem, Israel and director of the Orion Center). They examine the recent Scroll publications and the Qumram prayers within the context of Second Temple Judaism and the biblical and rabbinic periods. Some of the topics include the place of poetics in public communal prayer, the relationship between mysticism and magic, the formal difference between teacher prayers and community prayers in the Qumram Hodayot (Thanksgiving Hymns), and a comparison between sectarian and nonsectarian prayers for peace vis-a-vis the Priestly Blessing and its use in Temple service. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Esther G. Chazon, Ph.D. (1992), The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is Director at the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Hebrew Literature, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.Ruth A. Clements, Th.D. (1997), Harvard University Divinity School, is Chief of Publications at the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.Avital Pinnick, Ph.D. (1996), Harvard University, is Indexer at NDS Technologies, Jerusalem.