The origin of the two great parties of Pharisees and Sadducees has already been traced. [1490] They mark, not sects, but mental directions, such as in their principles are natural and universal, and, indeed, appear in connection with all metaphysical [1491] questions. They are the different modes in which the human mind views supersensuous problems, and which afterwards, when one-sidedly followed out, harden into diverging schools of thought. If Pharisees and Sadducess were not sects' in the sense of separation from the unity of the Jewish ecclesiastical community, neither were theirs heresies' in the conventional, but only in the original sense of tendency, direction, or, at most, views, differing from those commonly entertained. [1492] Our sources of information here are: the New Testament, Josephus, and Rabbinic writings. The New Testament only marks, in broad outlines and popularly, the peculiarities of each party; but from the absence of bias it may safely be regarded [1493] as the most trustworthy authority on the matter. The inferences which we derive from the statements of Josephus, [1494] though always to be qualified by our general estimate of his animus, [1495] accord with those from the New Testament. In regard to Rabbinic writings, we have to bear in mind the admittedly unhistorical character of most of their notices, the strong party-bias which coloured almost all their statements regarding opponents, and their constant tendency to trace later views and practices to earlier times.
Without entering on the principles and supposed practices of the fraternity' or association' (Chebher, Chabhurah, Chabhurta) of Pharisees, which was comparatively small, numbering only about 6,000 members, [1496] the following particulars may be of interest. The object of the association was twofold: to observe in the strictest manner, and according to traditional law, all the ordinances concerning Levitical purity, and to be extremely punctilious in all connected with religious dues (tithes and all other dues). A person might undertake only the second, without the first of these obligations. In that case he was simply a Neeman, an accredited one' with whom one might enter freely into commerce, as he was supposed to have paid all dues. But a person could not undertake the vow of Levitical purity without also taking the obligation of all religious dues. If he undertook both vows he was a Chabher, or associate. Here there were four degrees, marking an ascending scale of Levitical purity, or separation from all that was profane. [1497] In opposition to these was the Am ha-arets, or country people' (the people which knew not, or cared not for the Law, and were regarded as cursed'). But it must not be thought that every Chabher was either a learned Scribe, or that every Scribe was a Chabher. On the contrary, as a man might be a Chabher without being either a Scribe or an elder, [1498] so there must have been sages, and even teachers, who did not belong to the association, since special rules are laid down for the reception of such. [1499] Candidates had to be formally admitted into the fraternity' in the presence of three members. But every accredited public teacher' was, unless anything was known to the contrary, supposed to have taken upon him the obligations referred to. [1500] The family of a Chabher belonged, as a matter of course, to the community; [1501] but this ordinance was afterwards altered. [1502] The Neeman undertook these four obligations: to tithe what he ate, what he sold, and what he bought, and not to be a guest with an Am ha-arets. [1503] The full Chabher undertook not to sell to an Am ha-arets' any fluid or dry substance (nutriment or fruit), not to buy from him any such fluid, not to be a guest with him, not to entertain him as a guest in his own clothes (on account of their possible impurity) - to which one authority adds other particulars, which, however, were not recognised by the Rabbis generally as of primary importance. [1504]