An Open Letter to John Strugnell and Elisha Qimron

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Dear Professor Strugnell and Professor Qimron,

In some ways, you, who control access to the reconstructed text of MMT, are an odd couple—one an older, established scholar, the other a young, untenured teacher; one a professor of Christian origins from Harvard, the other a scholar of Hebrew linguistics from a university on the edge of the Negev desert; one fallen from the pinnacle of scholarly success, the other, no longer struggling in obscurity, now enjoys the perquisites of scholarly triumph.

The Dead Sea Scrolls have treated you very differently, although both of you are devoting your lives to these precious ancient texts. To one they have brought shame; to the other, honor. Professor Strugnell was forced to resign as chief editor of the official publication team when he called Professor Qimron’s Judaism a “horrible religion”; Professor Qimron now basks in the fame that his stunning legal victory over BAR has brought him.

Initially, the older man enlisted the younger as his assistant. According to the Jerusalem District Court, however, the senior scholar hit a wall he could not penetrate. The younger man solved the puzzle of MMT and restored the text. Almost inevitably, we recall that humiliating scene in Westminster Hall when Richard II gives his crown to Bolingbroke:

“Here, cousin, seize the crown;

Here, cousin,

On this side my hand, and on that side shine.

Now is this golden crown like a deep well

That owes two buckets, filling one another,

The emptier ever dancing in the air,

The other down, unseen, and full of water.

That bucket down and full of tears am I,

Drinking my griefs, whilst you mount up on high.”

More recently, differences have developed between you over the interpretation of MMT. On one thing, however, you both agree: The importance of MMT cannot be exaggerated. As you have written: “Our letter is one of the most important Qumranic works. Its contribution to the history of halakha [Jewish religious law] and of the Hebrew language, and to other fields, cannot be exaggerated.^a

You wrote that a decade ago. Even then it had been 30 years since publication of the text had been assigned to Professor Strugnell. Before you told the world about MMT a decade ago, no one even knew of its existence.

In the past ten years, you have shown the reconstructed text to your colleagues and friends. You have authorized some of them to write lengthy articles interpreting the text and telling of its importance.

But you have refused to show it to the world at large!

Recently, Professor Strugnell has decided that MMT is not a letter at all, as formerly suggested. Professor Strugnell has also decided that MMT has nothing to do with the Teacher of Righteousness, the leader of the Dead Sea Scroll sect at Qumran. Professor Qimron continues to maintain otherwise. You argue about it and give talks defending your respective positions at scholarly conclaves.

But you won’t let the rest of us see the reconstructed text!

It is not entirely clear whether access to the reconstructed text of MMT is in your joint control or whether Professor Qimron has sole rights. The Jerusalem court seems to have decided that the reconstructed text belongs to Professor Qimron. It is he who reconstructed the text after Professor Strugnell was stumped. It is he who owns the copyright.

But whoever controls this access, we plead with you to release the reconstructed text to the public now. We offer to print the text and your English translation in the pages of BAR with full credit to either or both of you.

Professor Qimron, you have triumphed. You have been victorious. You have recovered in your lawsuit against us more than twice your annual salary. You told the Jerusalem court that your honor required you to sue us. If money can restore your honor, it has been more than restored. Now win the gratitude of the world by releasing the text. The Jerusalem court held that you are the author of the reconstructed text of MMT. Why not make it a gift to the world?

Professor Qimron, you have threatened—in writing—to sue two fine American scholars if they make “any use” of your reconstructed text of MMT. Is that the way scholarship should work?

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Why not change your attitude and win the goodwill of the entire scholarly community by releasing the text and announcing that all may copy and use it for whatever purpose they may wish.

This will not bring you dishonor. Quite the contrary, you will be seen as gracious and beneficent.

I am aware that eventually you are going to publish your reconstruction of MMT in a book. But that is irrelevant for two reasons: (1) Publication is still months and probably a year or more away; (2) even after publication, under the Jerusalem court’s ruling, other scholars cannot copy it. That is why we are asking you to make this gift.

At the Jerusalem trial, Professor Qimron, you testified that when your wife complained about all the time you were spending working on MMT, you would tell her that your work would bring you fame. Indeed, it has. You are now famous worldwide. But you will only increase your fame in a positive way if you graciously release the text of MMT to everyone.

The text is not long. Both the Hebrew text and an English translation will take less than three pages in BAR. Let all scholars into the debate. We will all be grateful.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Dear Professor Strugnell and Professor Qimron,