Scrolls, seclusion, and serious spirituality—the Essenes were the mystery sect of Second Temple Judaism. In The Essenes in 10 Minutes, we'll explore this ascetic community that withdrew from mainstream Jewish life to pursue purity, prayer, and strict discipline. Some lived in desert settlements like Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, giving us an incredible window into their beliefs and daily life. They emphasized communal living, ritual baths, and apocalyptic expectations of a final battle between light and darkness. Though never as numerous or politically powerful as the Pharisees or Sadducees, the Essenes left a lasting mark through their writings and radical devotion. Ten minutes, one desert sect, and a story that shows just how diverse—and dramatic—Jewish life was in the Second Temple era.