UMD HIST 282 - Principal Texts of Rabbinic Literature

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1Principal Texts of RabbinicLiteratureFrom last time: Rabbinic Literature Texts organized around M ishnah Texts organized around Scripture (Midrash)For today: Jewish Religion in Late Antiquity Arguing from worldview (Jaffee) Arguing from practice (and gender) (Kramer)November 6, 2006Texts organized around Mishnah Tannaitic1. Tosefta (“the supplement”) Amoraic2. Palestinian Talmud3. Babylonian TalmudTexts organized around Scripture(Midrash) Tannaitic1. “Halachic”: includes concern with legal issues.*** Pentateuch (Exodus-Deuteronomy) only Amoraic (overwhelmingly “ aggadic”)2. “Exegetical” (verse-by-verse progression)3. “Homiletical” (clustering of interpretations aroundselect verses, probably beginning of a readingsection)*** Pentateuch and others.2Religion: Arguing from worldview(Jaffee)Jaffee focuses on worldview (ideology, what peoplethink and know about the world), analyzed along twoaxes: Vertical: God, Torah, IsraelFocus: Rightness with God, maintained through faithfulpractice. Wisdom traditions (e.g. Joshua (Jesus) b. Sira) Philo: experience of the divine through contemplation Horizontal: Exile, MessiahFocus: Historical experience (exile) to be repaired in time(expectation of a savior) Apocalyptic texts (end-time recapitulates beginnings; textsreveal previously secret knowledge) Attested messianic movementsReligion: Arguing from worldview:Rabbis Mishnah: emphasizes vertical, de-emphasizes horizontal (“as if” Temple stillstands, there is still a king, etc.) In later texts: greater emphasis on messianicexpectation (M idrash, Talmud) In addition: also cosmological aspects ofvertical axis (structure of the heavens e.g.),especially in developing mystical tradition.Religion: Arguing from practice(and gender) (Kraemer)Kraemer, writing on women, focuses on practicesrather than ideology Data: inscriptions ( product of day-to-day relations)rather than (or in conjunction with) literary texts Synagogues: prayer and study, but also e ndowmentsand l eadership Aspects of w omen’s piety (again as practice): certainfestivals, “m agic” For a few elite women, possibility of leadingcontemplative life (e.g. Therapeutae


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UMD HIST 282 - Principal Texts of Rabbinic Literature

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