Shemen Afarshimon
Encyclopedia
The oil of persimmon or oil of balsam (Hebrew שמן אפרסמון shemen afarsimon) is an oil that in some rabbinical sources is identified with the "precious ointment" of Psalm 133 in the Hebrew Bible. It is to be distinguished from the Holy anointing oil
of the priests.
which may occur once in the Hebrew Bible as Hebrew basam (בָּשָׂם) in Song of Songs 1.
was known for its cultivation of the afarsimon. In modern Hebrew, the word afarsimon is translated as persimmon
. However, some doubt that, although traditional among as food for Jewish New Year in the Diaspora
, persimmon
s would not have been known to the peoples of the Bible. According to Adin Steinsaltz
the Talmud afarsimon was considered very valuable, and worth its weight in gold.
No one today knows exactly what plant was used to produce the biblical oil. According to one theory, it is the plant Commiphora opobalsamum - a small shrub, 10 to 12 feet high, with wandlike, spreading branches. The oil extracted from the seeds or branches of this plant has been used as a medicine, but more commonly as incense or perfumed oil.
discovered a small jug of oil in the Qumran
region that Jones announced was the oil used in the Temple. The find was announced by the New York Times on February 15, 1989, and a feature article was published in National Geographic Magazine
in October of that year. After testing by the Pharmaceutical Department of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, the substance inside the juglet was said be the shemen afarsimon hinted at in Psalm 133. According to Jones, it was the first artifact discovered from the First Temple Period, and one of the treasures listed in the Copper Scroll
. However, this identification remains controversial.
Holy anointing oil
The holy anointing oil , formed an integral part of the ordination of the priesthood and the high priest as well as in the consecration of the articles of the tabernacle and subsequent temples in Jerusalem...
of the priests.
Hebrew Bible basam
The Hebrew Bible does not mention persimmons, but the Talmud and Midrash Hebrew term afarsimon may also stand for balsamBalsam of Mecca
Balsam of Mecca is a resinous gum of the tree Commiphora gileadensis , native to southern Arabia and also naturalized, in ancient and again in modern times, in ancient Judea/Palestine/Israel. The most famous site of balsam production in the region was the Jewish town of Ein Gedi...
which may occur once in the Hebrew Bible as Hebrew basam (בָּשָׂם) in Song of Songs 1.
Talmud afarsimon
The ancient Jewish community of Ein GediEin Gedi
Ein Gedi is an oasis in Israel, located west of the Dead Sea, near Masada and the caves of Qumran.-Etymology:The name En-gedi is composed of two Hebrew words: ein means spring and gdi means goat-kid. En Gedi thus means "Kid spring."...
was known for its cultivation of the afarsimon. In modern Hebrew, the word afarsimon is translated as persimmon
Persimmon
A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family . The word Diospyros means "the fire of Zeus" in ancient Greek. As a tree, it is a perennial plant...
. However, some doubt that, although traditional among as food for Jewish New Year in the Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
, persimmon
Persimmon
A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family . The word Diospyros means "the fire of Zeus" in ancient Greek. As a tree, it is a perennial plant...
s would not have been known to the peoples of the Bible. According to Adin Steinsaltz
Adin Steinsaltz
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz or Adin Even Yisrael is a teacher, philosopher, social critic, and spiritual mentor, who has been hailed by Time magazine as a "once-in-a-millennium scholar". He has devoted his life to making the Talmud accessible to all Jews...
the Talmud afarsimon was considered very valuable, and worth its weight in gold.
No one today knows exactly what plant was used to produce the biblical oil. According to one theory, it is the plant Commiphora opobalsamum - a small shrub, 10 to 12 feet high, with wandlike, spreading branches. The oil extracted from the seeds or branches of this plant has been used as a medicine, but more commonly as incense or perfumed oil.
The April 1988 find of a jug of oil near Qumran
In April 1988, archeologists working with the former Baptist minister Vendyl JonesVendyl Jones
Vendyl Miller Jones was an American Noahide scholar who has directed archaeological searches for Biblical artifacts such as the Ark of the Covenant.-Biography:Vendyl was born in Sudan, Texas...
discovered a small jug of oil in the Qumran
Qumran
Qumran is an archaeological site in the West Bank. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near the Israeli settlement and kibbutz of Kalia...
region that Jones announced was the oil used in the Temple. The find was announced by the New York Times on February 15, 1989, and a feature article was published in National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded...
in October of that year. After testing by the Pharmaceutical Department of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, the substance inside the juglet was said be the shemen afarsimon hinted at in Psalm 133. According to Jones, it was the first artifact discovered from the First Temple Period, and one of the treasures listed in the Copper Scroll
Copper Scroll
The Copper Scroll is one of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in Cave 3 near Khirbet Qumran, but differs significantly from the others. Whereas the other scrolls are written on parchment or papyrus, this scroll is written on metal: copper mixed with about 1 percent tin...
. However, this identification remains controversial.