One thing that distinguished an Essene community like the one at Qumran from a typical community is that the Essene (or Therapeutae) communities operated for the benefit of the whole community.  Of course, these were spiritual communities, so that also makes them different, but even when it comes to the physical, the material, these communities simply did not accept into them those who were concerned only about themselves and only helped others when they saw a clear benefit to themselves is doing so. 
    When a person joined an Essene community, he was required to sell all personal property and give the money to the community treasury.  That money was used for the benefit of the whole community, not the one individual. Further, when an Essene traveled to another town, or even another country, he would be welcomed by any local Essene community as if he was one of them, which he was because geography is not important in being part of a community. 
    Also, those accepted into an Essene community were expected to work for the community.  They were expected to not only participate in prayer and other spiritual or religious ceremonies, but also in the mundane activities necessary to keep a community functioning.  They were expected to grow crops, to grind the grains into flour, to build the buildings, to make clothes, etc.  Just as a person who refused to follow the instruction of his spiritual teacher would be rejected from the community at the end of the trial period, so would one who refused to do mundane work within his abilities.  So everyone in an Essene community contributed to the community, and did so above his own personal desires and concerns, or he was asked to leave.
    What is hard for many to understand though, is that by concentrating on what was good for the community, they actually benefited themselves more than selfish people who always put themselves first.