54 Huub van de Sandt moral codes in the Derekh Erets tractates (47). Oral tracts with subjects concerning Derekh Erets existed as early as the second century CE and part of these writings reflect the teachings of the pious on moral behaviour (48). These men constituted a concrete group within the society of the rabbis, practising charities, performing deeds of lovingkindness, and possessing virtues of dedication to humility and modesty. The treatise Yir’at Het (“fear of transgression”), a separate denotation of chapters I-IV and IX of the Derekh Erets Zuta, probably dates from Tannaitic times (49). It states: Keep aloof from everything hideous and from whatever seems hideous (50) (wl hmwdh ˆmw rw[ykh ˆm qjrh) lest others suspect you of transgression (Yir’at Het I,13) (51). (47) Cf. G. KLEIN, Der älteste christliche Katechismus und die jüdische Propaganda-Literatur (Berlin 1909) 69: “Die kürzeste Formel für Derech erez lautet: Halte dich fern von der Sünde und von dem, was hässlich ist”. (48) The early layer reflects a life-style which is called “derekh hasidut”, the way of the pious. It reveals the teaching of the early Hassidim who “placed extreme stress on self-deprival and the performance of good deeds and acts of loving kindness in lieu of pure academic ‘ivory tower’ scholarship”; M. B. LERNER, “The External Tractates”, The Literature of the Sages (ed. S. SAFRAI) (CRI II/ 3; Assen – Maastricht – Philadelphia 1987) I, 367-404; esp. 380. See also S. SAFRAI, “Teaching of Pietists in Mishnaic Literature”, JJS 16 (1965) 15-33; esp. 25-28; ID., “Hasidim we-Anshei Maase”, Zion 50 (1984-1985) 133-154; ID., “Jesus and the Hasidim”, Jerusalem Perspective 42-44 (1994) 3-22; ID., “Jesus and the Hasidic Movement” (Hebr.), The Jews in the Hellenistic-Roman World. Studies in Memory of Menahem Stern (eds. I.M. GAFNI – A. OPPENHEIMER – D.R. SCHWARTZ) (Jerusalem 1996) 413-436. See also VAN DE SANDT – FLUSSER, The Didache, 165-169 and 172-173. (49) The early (Tannaitic) part of Yir’at Het is identical with Massechet Derekh Erets Zuta, Chaps. I–III (minus I,18-20), edited by M. VAN LOOPIK, The Ways of the Sages and the Way of the World (TSAJ 26; Tübingen 1991) 172-251 (with commentary) = Massekhet Derekh Eretz, Chaps. I–II, edited by M. HIGGER, The Treatises Derek Erez: Masseket Derek Erez; Pirke Ben Azzai; Tosefta Derek Erez (New York 1935; repr. Jerusalem 1970) I, 55-96 (Hebr.) and II, 33-42 (English translation). Cf. VAN LOOPIK, The Ways, 9 and 16-17. (50) The rule of refraining from anything hideous (rw[yk) reflects a strongly ethical approach, an attitude that is inspired by a deeply rooted fear of sin. For the term rw[yk (“ugliness”) as ethically offensive, see the warning in Seder Eliahu Rabba, Chap. 2: “for ugly things (µyr[wkm µyrbd) that aren’t fitting” (cf. M. FRIEDMANN, Seder Eliahu Rabba and Seder Eliahu Zuta [Jerusalem 1969] 13); cf. also SER, Chap. 25 (cf. ibid., 139); Chap. 7 (cf. ibid., 32); Chap. 14 (cf. ibid., 67); Chap. 18 (cf. ibid., 104). The term corresponds with the literal meaning of its Greek counterpart in Jas 1,21: dio; ajpoqevmenoi pa'san rJuparivan (“therefore, having put away all filthiness…”). (51) According to VAN LOOPIK, The Ways, 194-197 (with commentary) =