very strong biblical influence, without losing for all that their oral traditions. The composition of the book of Nehemiah illustrates very well what took place, at least in regard to Deuteronomy. They were more biblical (and less given to activism) than Judas Maccabeus himself, but were very similar to the book of 2 Maccabees, with a vision of the Temple as a divine dwelling and with an efficacious desire to influence the Diaspora, as the festal letters show. We must then situate their appearance