Introduction: Issues in Jewish HistoryPutting random history into an orderSpecific Problems of Jewish Historical ResearchBiblical perspectivesLaws of religious causalityNineteenth-century innovationBible no longer the exclusive metaphor to God’s will and spiritual developmentTrend to study all Jews in all periodsHeinrich Graetz (1817-1891)The totality of Judaism can be understood only through its historyEvery vital idea must create for itself a tangible existence; it must emerge from its slumbering ideal state and assert its ruling principle in the pulsating world of realityThe Bible and Question of HistoricityLargest text that survived from middle east of historical narrativeFertile crescent cradle of western civilizationProblems:improbabilityLots of people live a very long time (for ex: Abraham lived 175)Bible is self contradictoryDon’t seem to be sure of facts (for ex: Genesis story of Joseph being sold)ChronologyNo evidence for the existence of the people mentioned down to the time and dateBible is a composite textCrucial Features of the AccountFamily—group definitionNon- Canaanite in originAttachment to the landImage of God: creator, involved with man; responds to claims for justice; covenantExodus:If exodus happened around 1250 BCE, that fits in with what was happening in Canaan at that timeTel el-Amarna tablets (~400) reveal tight Egyptian control over a backward Canaan in 14th centuryFlourishing cities destroyed by conflagrations in the 13th centuryJoshua-Judges-SamuelKingshipOpposition: Judges 8:23 and 9Saul becomes kingHouse of David, c.1000 BCESolomon c. 961-931 BCEThe Divided MonarchySolomon’s taxes had put a strain on kingdomSplitI Kings 122 Chronicles 10Northern Kingdomlasts till 722 BCE20 kings in 209 yearsunstable politicallyreligiously eclectic- made up of various groups, people from outsideJudah/Southern Kingdomhouse of David provides stabilitycult in Jerusalem gradually strengthened over rival local sitesHezekiah (d. 687 BCE)- descended from Daviddeeply religious, influence of Isaiahdestruction of local cult sitestunnel 1749 ft long and wall of Jerusalem strengthened against SennacheribLachish battleMenasseh (d. 642 BCE)At first a wicked and “rebellious” kingExile and returnBecame an ardent follower of YHWHJosiah & Josian Reform641-609 BCEII Kings 22-23 & II Chronicles 34Finding of the scroll of the Law (Torah – cf. Deuteronomy 1:5) in 622 BCEWas doing it all wrongDeuteronomy 4: opposition to representationsDeuteronomy 12: centralization of worshipDeuteronomy 16- emphasis on elaborating the festivals in a single place chosen by GodMake Josiah what they want, he’s 8Because of links told in story and what is mentioned in Deuteronomy the Judaism that we have is function of reformist movement at this timeNiditch: Ancient Israelite ReligionBiblical narrative imposes direction on historical varietyMonolithic/static?Symbols evolveTerms mean different things to different audiencesFour dimensions:ExperientialMythicEthical/legal—behavioral norms/social structureRitual—re-establish cosmic and social orderMoment of loss/crisis- destruction of temple, happens over and over again and Jews celebrate and get over it again2 Kings 24-25Exiles in stages597 Yehoyakhhin- did evil, king is taken by king of Babylon, only poorest people in land remained587 Zedekiah- emphasizes more physical destruction582 Gedaliah’s assassination- internal enemies560 restoration of King in Babylonfirst day of king’s reign he lets people out of jail, buys him favorsJeremiah 52similar account to Kingsnumber of deportees emphasizedsmall and diminishing verse 28-30same restoration of kingship endingreduces number even further of number of people takenfirst exile is worstII Chronicles 36emphasis on the vessels of the templebiggest emphasis on temple massacreend of the story is the restoration under CyrusEzra 1-6 continues the emphasis on rebuilding the TempleEmphasis on the religious meaning of exile70 yearsLeviticus 26:33-34MetaphysicalCultIsraelite MonotheismTendency was to stress radical differencePagan underlying assumptionPantheon of gods that shares divinityHierarchy leads to insecurity and changeMonotheism ends this anxietyImmigrants from Babylonia that come back and come into contactPersian PeriodJudahPoor archaeological evidenceJerusalem sinks back to pre-8th century BCE proportionsCoins etc. suggest a restricted area; rural; number of settlements has declinedAramaic replaces Hebrew as spokenHebrew retained for sacred Temple purposesPeriod of declineIsrael in conflict with old time settlers/Samaritans north of it (wall)Hellenistic PeriodAlexander 356-323 BCETakes Jerusalem and Judah 332Imperial control later split between Seleucid (northern) and Ptolemaic (Egyptian)Place of Judah between the twoHasmonean RevoltOpposition grows 167 BCERevolt 166-141 BCEIndependenceUnifying power (priesthood and kingship_Territorial expansionTies to RomeHellenistic CivilizationPolis—center of culture and controlIn Judea focused primarily on coastHow deeply does Hellenism penetrate into Judea?even if its true jews id in opp to greeks do it having obsorbed. only fight because they knowHasmonean Hellenizing of Judaic PracticeGreek burial customs and funerary architecture but banning of any figurative representations of deityEmphasis on bathing and ritual purityFine tuning of scriptureNames continue to be GreekRise of the bet ha-midrashSectarian JudaismsPeriod of religious growth and divisionAre these radical Sabbetarians?How new is the Hasmonean textual interpretation?Josephus’ PictureAntiquities XVIII3 groupsPharisees (popular)- piety of abstinenceSaducees (priestly)- ZadokEssenes (Qumran)Sicarii, othersSectarians are a small minorityHistory of the Jews 01/09/2011 09:00:00-- Introduction: Issues in Jewish History- Putting random history into an order- Specific Problems of Jewish Historical Research- Biblical perspectiveso Laws of religious causality- Nineteenth-century innovationo Bible no longer the exclusive metaphor to God’s will and spiritual developmento Trend to study all Jews in all periods- Heinrich Graetz (1817-1891)- The totality of Judaism can be understood only through its history- Every vital idea must create for itself a tangible existence; it must emerge from its slumbering ideal state and assert its ruling principlein the pulsating world of reality--1History of the Jews 01/09/2011 09:00:00-- The Bible and Question of Historicity- Largest text that survived from