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Anybody on the Blood group diet has heard about the ESSENE BREAD. We have been inundated with questions about the Essene bread so here is some interesting information about the, little known of, Essenes. They where a religious brotherhood of plus minus 4000 members who existed in Palestine & Syria from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Its chief settlements were on the shores of the Dead Sea. The fundamental teachings of the Essenes were the love of God, love of virtue, love of one's fellow humans as well as respect of all life form. (They abstained from eating meat and cultivated their own crops of wheat and vegetables) Important features of the organization were community of property, strict observance of the Sabbath, and scrupulous cleanliness. Prohibited were swearing, taking oats (other than in the Essene order), animal sacrifice, the making of weapons, and trading. The order drew its recruits either from children it had adopted or from the ranks of those who had renounced material things. A 3-year probation was required before the novice could take oath of full membership. As a society, the Essenes were the first to condemn slavery as a violation of human fellowship. It is reported that they bought and freed slaves owned by others. In 1947 when the Dead Sea Scrolls where discovered, a manual of discipline was discovered amongst the scrolls (hidden by the Essenes) throwing light on their pattern of life.