Location: Qumran National Park (northern end of the Dead Sea)
Subject: Dead Sea Scrolls
Reference: Sefer Devarim Perek 4 Posuk 49
Written by: David Magence
The “Arava” is mentioned in Chumash four times, twice in Parashat Devarim and twice in Parashat Ve’atchanan.0
In modern terms, the boundaries of the “Arava” are defined as from the southern end of the Dead Sea (in our posuk “the Sea of the Arava”) to the Gulf of Eilat.0
However, it is clear that Tanach’s definition of the boundaries is much broader, beginning at the southern end of the Kinneret. Our posuk deals with the eastern Arava, however, the western Arava presents significant sites.0
The Qumran National Park is located opposite the northern end of the Dead Sea, and includes caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, as well as the remains of the ancient village of Qumran.0
The Dead Sea Scrolls include at least a fragment of every book of Tanach, except for Megilat Esther. The scrolls were written by the Essene Sect, which differed from the Perushim, and did not accept the Oral Law.0
Nonetheless, the scrolls are of great importance, since they were written approximately two thousand years ago. Prior to the discovery of the scrolls, the oldest manuscript of the Tanach was only about one thousand years old.0
