From a strictly Karaite or Tanakh-only perspective, the Book of Daniel is the "problem child" of the Hebrew canon. While it is included in the Ketuvim (Writings), it presents radical departures from the theology found in the Torah (Genesis–Deuteronomy).
The question of whether Daniel "adds to the Law" (violating Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32) is central to why experts and Tanakh-purists view it with such scrutiny.
1. The Historical Context: The Greek Influence
Most modern secular scholars and critical historians argue that while the setting of Daniel is the Babylonian Exile (6th Century BCE), the composition of the book—especially the second half—likely dates to the 2nd Century BCE (around 167–164 BCE) during the Maccabean Revolt.
The Hellenistic Pressure: During this time, the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes was brutally Hellenizing Judea, outlawing the Torah and desecrating the Temple.
The Shift in Theology: Prior to this Greek "clash of civilizations," Hebrew thought was focused on national survival and earthly rewards. However, when righteous Jews were being tortured and killed because they obeyed the Torah, the old theology (where the righteous always prosper in this life) was pushed to its breaking point.
The "Solution": Scholars suggest that the concepts of a literal resurrection, individual judgment, and a binary Heaven/Hell-style afterlife were introduced or emphasized to provide hope to those dying for the Law. If you die for the Torah now, you will be raised to "everlasting life" later (Daniel 12:2).
2. Problems Identified by Experts
A. Linguistic Clues
Daniel contains several Greek loanwords, specifically for musical instruments (like kitharos and psalterion in Daniel 3:5).
Expert View: These words did not exist in the Babylonian or Persian vocabulary of the 6th century. Their presence suggests the book was written after Alexander the Great conquered the East and spread the Greek language.
B. Historical Inaccuracies
Experts point to "Darius the Mede" (Daniel 5:31), a figure who does not exist in the extensive Babylonian or Persian historical records.
Expert View: History shows that Cyrus the Great took Babylon, not a "Darius the Mede."
This suggests the author was writing long after the events and confused historical figures, which is unlikely for a high-ranking Babylonian official like the "historical" Daniel.
C. The Evolution of Angels
In the Torah, "angels" are unnamed messengers of God. In Daniel, we suddenly see named archangels (Gabriel, Michael) and a complex "celestial hierarchy" with "Princes" over nations.
The Greek/Persian Link: This "Angelology" mirrors Zoroastrian and Hellenistic ideas of intermediary spirits, which experts say were absorbed into Jewish thought during the late Second Temple period.
3. Adding to the Law: Heaven and Hell
The Torah is famously silent on the afterlife.
The Torah's Motivation: Do the Commandments so that you may live long on the Land and your days may be prolonged (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).
Daniel's Motivation: Do the Commandments because there is a "Book of Life" and a "Resurrection" (Daniel 12:1).
Is it a violation of Deuteronomy 12:32?
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it."
From a strict Tanakh-only view, if the reward for the Covenant was meant to be an afterlife in "Heaven," God would have been legally obligated to define it at Sinai. By introducing a reward that is not in the original contract, Daniel (or its later editors) effectively amends the Covenant.
4. The Resulting Syncretism
The "experts" emphasize that the resurrection language in Daniel 12 provided the "bridge" for Christianity to later build its entire theology. Without Daniel, the idea of a "dying and rising" savior or an eternal Hell has no foundation in the Hebrew Bible.
| Feature | The Mosaic Torah | The Book of Daniel |
| Focus | The Nation of Israel on Earth. | Individual fate in the Cosmos. |
| Justice | Measure-for-measure in this life. | Delayed justice after death. |
| Language | Pure Hebrew / Early Aramaic. | Late Aramaic / Greek Loanwords. |
| Concept of God | Incomparable and Solitary. | Seated on a throne with "Ten Thousand" attendants (Dan 7:10). |
🛡️ The "Tanakh-Only" Verdict
For a purist, the "Heaven/Hell" and "Resurrection" language in Daniel is viewed as theology born of crisis. It was a way for Jews living under Greek persecution to make sense of their suffering.
However, because it introduces a spiritual reality never mentioned by Moses, it is technically an addition. The Catholic Church then took these late, Greek-influenced "additions" and turned them into "Universal Truths," further distancing people from the grounded, land-based, Law-based reality of the Sinai Covenant.
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