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Children Confined in the House of Darkness

An Akkadian Incantation Ritual of the Stillborn
  • Réka Esztári
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Understanding Texts in Early Judaism
This chapter is in the book Understanding Texts in Early Judaism

Abstract

The unique mention of the stillborn foetus in 11QTa L, 10-12 shows very well how much the Qumran Community was apprehensive of this uncategorized entity. For a better understanding for this awareness which is observable in every ancient culture, I examine an Akkadian ritual text. Thus far, the first ritual of the Akkadian compendium KBo XXXVI 29, unearthed in Hattuša (modern Boğazköy) was considered an enigmatic magical procedure involving the creatures called kūbū, the souls of stillborn foetuses and infants well known from various other types of Mesopotamian sources. The following discussion of this ritual, dedicated to the loving memory of Géza, a dear friend and colleague amins to reveal that actually, this text proves that according to Mesopotamian beliefs even the smallest ones who never really experienced life, live on in eternity and can be called to help those who still walk the earth. In other words, this very ritual is nothing else but the true testimony of the love of life and of faith in a higher power donating the eternity of the soul and allowing us to meet again with our loved ones - regardless to historical space and time, or religions and denominations. Although all these seem to be the vital needs of the human soul, at times there is still hard to believe in life itself or in the promise of continuity - and that is what I truly owe to Géza, to the eternal shine of his mind and to all his enthusianism, as he taught to me how to escape from darkness, and how to have and keep faith.

Abstract

The unique mention of the stillborn foetus in 11QTa L, 10-12 shows very well how much the Qumran Community was apprehensive of this uncategorized entity. For a better understanding for this awareness which is observable in every ancient culture, I examine an Akkadian ritual text. Thus far, the first ritual of the Akkadian compendium KBo XXXVI 29, unearthed in Hattuša (modern Boğazköy) was considered an enigmatic magical procedure involving the creatures called kūbū, the souls of stillborn foetuses and infants well known from various other types of Mesopotamian sources. The following discussion of this ritual, dedicated to the loving memory of Géza, a dear friend and colleague amins to reveal that actually, this text proves that according to Mesopotamian beliefs even the smallest ones who never really experienced life, live on in eternity and can be called to help those who still walk the earth. In other words, this very ritual is nothing else but the true testimony of the love of life and of faith in a higher power donating the eternity of the soul and allowing us to meet again with our loved ones - regardless to historical space and time, or religions and denominations. Although all these seem to be the vital needs of the human soul, at times there is still hard to believe in life itself or in the promise of continuity - and that is what I truly owe to Géza, to the eternal shine of his mind and to all his enthusianism, as he taught to me how to escape from darkness, and how to have and keep faith.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface: In memoriam Géza G. Xeravits (1971–2019) VII
  3. Contents IX
  4. Part 1: Old Testament and Early Judaism
  5. “From the Heavens, From the Earth” 1
  6. Different Texts and Different Interpretations of “Exile” 29
  7. Effaced and Naturalized Modes of Jewish Reading: The Judah and Tamar Story (Genesis 38), the Book of Jubilees, and Robert Alter 45
  8. Part 2: Qumran
  9. The Two Spirits and the Origin of Evil 63
  10. Reading Instruction as a Sectarian Composition 75
  11. Thoughts on the Way towards “Prolegomena” to an Introduction to the Writings of the Dead Sea Scrolls 93
  12. Levi, Levites and Worship in Qumran 107
  13. Children Confined in the House of Darkness 119
  14. Part 3: Deuterocanonica
  15. “Narrate omnia mirabilia eius” (Tob 12:20 Vg) 153
  16. The Rhetorical Function of Burying the Dead in the Book of Tobit 161
  17. Das Wortfeld „Sterben“ im 2. Makkabäerbuch 177
  18. The Topic of Intercession in Second Temple Judaism 189
  19. What’s in a Name? 207
  20. Des Menschen Wohltat und Gottes Wohlwollen 223
  21. “Better”–Proverbs in the Book of Ben Sira 241
  22. “When the Lord created his works from the beginning” (Sir 16:26a) 255
  23. “Pillars of Gold on Plinths of Silver. . .” (Sir 26:18) 265
  24. Ben Sira 36:18–37:15: the Art of Choosing 283
  25. The Enigma of the Judges in Ben Sira 46: 11–12 315
  26. Bethesda in Sirach 50 revised 335
  27. Is Wisdom in Baruch 3:9–4:4 Combined with Torah? 351
  28. Part 4: Cognate Literature
  29. Good and Bad Angels in the Vitae Prophetarum 371
  30. “All Is Vanity, Saith the Preacher” 389
  31. Part 5: Antique Synagogue
  32. An Evolutionary Perspective on Temple, Synagogue, and Ekklēsia with Special Focus on Paul 401
  33. Bibliography of Géza G. Xeravits 433
  34. List of Contributors 441
  35. Index of Modern Authors 443
  36. Index of Sources 451
  37. Index of Subjects 477
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110768534-008

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface: In memoriam Géza G. Xeravits (1971–2019) VII
  3. Contents IX
  4. Part 1: Old Testament and Early Judaism
  5. “From the Heavens, From the Earth” 1
  6. Different Texts and Different Interpretations of “Exile” 29
  7. Effaced and Naturalized Modes of Jewish Reading: The Judah and Tamar Story (Genesis 38), the Book of Jubilees, and Robert Alter 45
  8. Part 2: Qumran
  9. The Two Spirits and the Origin of Evil 63
  10. Reading Instruction as a Sectarian Composition 75
  11. Thoughts on the Way towards “Prolegomena” to an Introduction to the Writings of the Dead Sea Scrolls 93
  12. Levi, Levites and Worship in Qumran 107
  13. Children Confined in the House of Darkness 119
  14. Part 3: Deuterocanonica
  15. “Narrate omnia mirabilia eius” (Tob 12:20 Vg) 153
  16. The Rhetorical Function of Burying the Dead in the Book of Tobit 161
  17. Das Wortfeld „Sterben“ im 2. Makkabäerbuch 177
  18. The Topic of Intercession in Second Temple Judaism 189
  19. What’s in a Name? 207
  20. Des Menschen Wohltat und Gottes Wohlwollen 223
  21. “Better”–Proverbs in the Book of Ben Sira 241
  22. “When the Lord created his works from the beginning” (Sir 16:26a) 255
  23. “Pillars of Gold on Plinths of Silver. . .” (Sir 26:18) 265
  24. Ben Sira 36:18–37:15: the Art of Choosing 283
  25. The Enigma of the Judges in Ben Sira 46: 11–12 315
  26. Bethesda in Sirach 50 revised 335
  27. Is Wisdom in Baruch 3:9–4:4 Combined with Torah? 351
  28. Part 4: Cognate Literature
  29. Good and Bad Angels in the Vitae Prophetarum 371
  30. “All Is Vanity, Saith the Preacher” 389
  31. Part 5: Antique Synagogue
  32. An Evolutionary Perspective on Temple, Synagogue, and Ekklēsia with Special Focus on Paul 401
  33. Bibliography of Géza G. Xeravits 433
  34. List of Contributors 441
  35. Index of Modern Authors 443
  36. Index of Sources 451
  37. Index of Subjects 477
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