PHARISEES (Pcridda or Pertothho,separatists), a so-called "Jewish sect," more correctly, however, a certain Jewish school, which probably dates as a distinct body or party from the time at the Syrian troubles, and whose chief tendency it was to resist all foreigu, chiefly Greek, influences that threatened to undermine the sacred religion of their fathers. They most emphatically took their stand upon the law, together with those inferences drawn from its written letter which hod, partly from time immemorial, been current as a sacred tradition among the people. Out of the small hand of the Chasidim (q,v,), the Pharisees had taken their rise originally as Chaherim, friends, col leagues, scholars—in contradistinction to the Am-Haarez, or common people—and their chief object in life was the divine law, its study and further development. Principally distinguished by their most scrnpulous observance of certain ordinances relating to things clean and unclean, they further adopted among themselves various degrees of purity, the highest. of which, however, was scarcely ever reached by any member of their con immunity. For e"cry degree, a special course of instruction. a solemn initiation, and a novitiate was necessary; all of which, together with a certain distinction in dress. seems to have been imitated from them by the Essenes (q.v.). The name of Plmrisees or Perushim was probably at first bestowed upon them in derision by the Staidneces or Zadokites, the priestly aristocracy and their party, the Patricians, who differ( Flom them politically, and to some extent also in religious matters. The Pharisees laid no special "confession of faith," or articles of creed different from the whole body of Jews. The Bible, as interpreted by the traditional In•, was their only code. Olsedisnee to this law, strictest, observance of a11 religious and moral duties, submission to the divine will, full confidence in the wisdom and justice of Providence, firm belief in future reward and punishment, chastity, meekness, and forbearance—these were the doctrines inculcated in their schools. They were, in fact, nothing more or less than the educated piirt of the people, who saw in the rigid adherence to the ancient religion, such as it had developed itself in the course of centuries, the only means of saving and preserviess the commonwealth, notwithstanding all its internal and external troubles. Bence, they wished the public affairs, the state and all its political doings, to be directed and measured by the standard of this same divine law; without. any regard for those aristo cratic families who ruled, or at all events greatly influenced the commonwealth. These consisted of the priestly families, the Zadokites (Stlducees, q.v.), and of the valiant heroes and sagacious statesmen, who had brought the Syrian wars to a successful i.sue, and had, by prudent. negotiations with other courts, restored the nation to its ioniser greatness, and, on their own part. had acquired wealth and fame, and freer and wider
views of life and religion. The latter held the modern doctrine, that religion and state were two totally different things: that God had given man the power of taking his matters into his own hands; and that it was foolish to wait for a supernatural inter ference, where energy and will were all that were required. Naturally enough, the political difference between the two parties by degrees grew into a religious one, since the Jewish state was one still completely pervaded by the religious element—as indeed it had hegira as a theocracy, and could still, to a certain extent. be called by that name. And the more the Sadthicees lost their influence—the people siding with the Pha•isees the more the religious gulf must have widened between them; although the divergence between them, as far as our authorities--Josephus, the New Testament, and the Talmud —go. does seem to have been of a very grave nature. Thus. the Pharisees assumed the dogma of immortality. chiefly with a view to a future reward of good and evil deeds in this world; while the Saddneees, without rejecting—as we are erroneously informed by Josephus—this dogma in the least, Sset held that there was nothing in the Scripture to warrant it, and, above all, that there was no need of any future reward; at any rate, that a pious life with a view to this was not meritorious. While the Pharisees held all the traditional ordinances in equal reverence with the Mosaic: ones. tracing, in fact. most of the former to Sinai itself, the Sadducces rejected, or rather varied Tome of these accord ing to the traditions of their own families: these ordinances chiefly relating to priestly and sacrideial observances, certain laws of purity. and sonic parts of the civil law. It may perhaps even lie assumed, with the most recent investigators (chiefly Geiger), that the Pharisees were the representatives of a newer Halacha, dictated by an oppositional and religious and national zeal which carried them far beyond the original boundaries. Certain legal differences between the two parties, such as the application of the laws of inheritance to daughters, or of the responsibility of the master for limy servants, are nothing more than political party-views in it religious mask, which were meant to meet certain special isolated cases only. In general, the Pharisees handled justice m much milder manner than their antagonists, who took their stand upon the rigid letter, and would hear of no mercy where a violation of the code was clearly made out. Out of the midst. of the Pharisees rose the great doctors and masters of the law (enferim, scribes: nonicalidaska/oi, teachers of the -law), and to them were intrusted by the later rulers the most important offices.