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JUDAISM HISTORICAL BACKGROUND MAJOR TEXTS TIME Ancient Israelite Religion • 1600 BCE – 530s BCE • Evolved over time • Some stable texts • Priesthood & temple • Popular Practice – homes, altars, “high places” Second Temple Judaism • 530s BCE – 70 CE • Compiling of most texts • Factions – Political, Religious, Philosophical • Beginning of Diaspora Judaism Now • C. 100 CE – now • Diasporic • Stable Text • Talmud as key to life • Home & Synagogue Household/ Tribal Religion Late bronze age c. 16001200 BCE Persian Period 538-400 BCE Emergence of a distinctive group of Canaanites named “Israelites” •Rebuilding of the Temple •“Reformation” of practice •2nd Temple Period Begins •Synagogues appear HISTORICAL TIMELINE: ISRAELITE RELIGION Kingdom Religion Iron Age 12001000 BCE •“Israel” becomes a regional power in Canaan •Temple built? 1000500s BCE Kingdom Religion •Israel comes into conflict with the Egyptians, then Assyrians, then Babylonians •Israel/ Judah Diasporic Religion Babylonian Exile 587539 •Later Prophetic Literature •Diaspora begins Diasporic Religion Hellenistic Period 322 – 63 BCE •Conflict with Greek conquerors – The Macabees • Hasmonean Dynasty (Independent) Roman Period 63 BCE – 135 CE •Roman control of Palestine •Emergence of factions • Temple destroyed in 70 CE JUDAISM Begins STAGES • Household Religion • Theology: Henotheist • Authority figure: Patriarch • Space: Household; purpose-built altars • Tribal Religion • Theology: Henotheist • Patriarchs (Ancestors), sacred stories, periodic “response to crisis” leaders (Judges); sometimes priests • Space: Altars, household, “Tabernacle” • Religion of a Kingdom • Theology: Strict Henotheism • Authority: Law, Sacred stories, King, Prophets, priests • Extent: “Ethnically” Israelites; religious identity = ethnic and civil identity • Space: The Temple, households • Religion in Diaspora • Theology: Strict Monotheism • Authority: Law/Sacred Text; Teachers (Rabbis) • Extent: Any ethnically Jewish family, regardless of location • Space: Synagogues Exile: 586-538 BCE Post-Exilic/2nd Temple Period: 6th c. BCE – 100 CE + P Material THE SECOND TEMPLE • 1st Temple – Built by King Solomon c. 800s BCE; Destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar II 587 BCE • 2nd Temple – Built after return from exile in Babylon; completed 500s CE • Rebuilt by Herod the Great in 1st century BCE • Destroyed by the Romans by Titus in 70 CE JEWISH DIASPORA • before fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Jews spread out of Israel • A community in Babylon • Strong communities in Alexandria Egypt and Syria • By late Roman period, Jews lived in many parts of the Empire Frontline, From Jesus to Christ. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/jewish.html MAJOR TEXTS FORMATION OF SCRIPTURE 1. Important events in the history of a community 2. Stories emerge alongside fables, folk tales, songs, and imagination 3. Older stories are reinterpreted to correspond to needs and beliefs; stories merge into traditions shared by a wider population 4. In response to tragedy and instability, the community collects, codifies, and arranges the stories of the past to preserve a cultural heritage THE TANAK • Torah – the Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy • Nevi’im – The Prophets: major and minor; e.g. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) • Ketuvim –Wisdom literature like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job; poetry like Song of Songs and the Psalms What is a “Canon”? An authoritative set of scriptures decided upon by a community. The Jewish Canon/ The Tanak (set by Rabbis after destruction of the Temple in 70 CE; these sections date back to the Babylonian Exile (580s BCE) ROUGH DATES FOR THE CANONIZATION PROCESS • 400 BCE – The Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy) achieved sacred status • 200 BCE – the Nevi’im , or Prophets, were canonical • Former Prophets – Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings • Latter Prophets - – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 minor prophets • 100 CE – Ketuvim , or writings achieved canonical status • Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, lamentations, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Ruth, Esther, Daniel THE BASIS OF MODERN HEBREW BIBLE STUDIES • J – “Jahwist” materials; earliest • E – “Elohist” Materials; slightly later (750 BCE?) • D – DeuteroCanonical Materials (and edits?); 550 BCE • P – Priestly material; 450 BCE, legal materials and genealogical lists ISRAEL’S SACRED NARRATIVE: PATTERNS • God calls people into covenant • Humans break the terms of covenant Covenant Forgiveness /Renewal • God restores God’s people in relationship Disobedience Punishment • God allows punishment to occur (consequences) ISRAEL’S SACRED PATTERNS • God creates the world and gives Humans “The Garden” • Humans break the laws God gave them “Eat of the fruit of the tree” Covenant Forgiveness /Renewal • God guides & protects humans Disobedience Punishment • Humans are cast out of the Garden ISRAEL’S SACRED PATTERNS • Covenant with Moses & Covenant with the Kings • Kings marry foreign wives, allow idols in the temple • Forget the widows and orphans Covenant Forgiveness /Renewal • God sends a savior (Cyrus) to rescue God’s people Disobedience Punishment • Assyrian and Babylonian Conquests/ Exile ISRAEL’S SACRED NARRATIVE Creation Wandering in the Desert Disobedience Conquest of Canaan (Judges) Patriarchs (Abraham called to Covenant; stories of his sons) Sojourn in Egypt & Exodus Formation of the Monarchy Corruption of the Monarchy •Rise of the Prophets •Building of the Temple •Foreign wives & practices •Desecration of Temple The giving of the LAW EXILE •Prophets – “God is the God of the Universe” 2nd Temple Return from Exile Diaspora (Exile again?) •Restoration of the Law Greek Tyranny Roman Tyranny Destruction of the Temple OTHER MAJOR THEMES • Separation: God has chosen Israel as God’s own people, and they are to be separate from “The Nations” • Law: Israel’s identity is as a Law-Following people • Sacred Narratives: stories of the Patriarchs, Kings, Prophets, and Trials commemorate the continuing action of God as Provider for the Israelite people RITUALS AND PRACTICES IN MODERN JUDAISM SACRED TIME: YEARLY FESTIVALS Pilgrim Festivals High Holidays • Pesach (Passover) • Shavuot (Pentecost) • Sukkot (Tabernacles) • Rosh Hashanah (New Year) • Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) “In the Torah, three festivals are designated as "pilgrimage festivals," during which time all Israelites who were able were commanded to travel to Jerusalem and participate in ritual sacrifices at the Temple there [...] each festival lasts eight days. Additionally, each festival gained historical significance in the story of God and Israel surrounding the Exodus from Egypt; some of these associations are already found in the Torah, some came later in Jewish history. Most of the festival activities associated with the "pilgrimage festivals" are domestic, located among the family in the home and not in the synagogue.” Minor Festivals • Purim (Celebration of Queen Esther) • Hannukah (Commemoration of Maccabean Revolt) • Yom Ha Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance) Andrew Jacobs, “Major Jewish Festivals and Rituals,” UC Riverside: RLST- 124J http://andrewjacobs.org/judaism/festivals.htm • a day of rest, commemorating the day God rested after creation of the world • Starts: Sundown Friday Evening • Ends: Nightfall on Saturday SHABBAT • no work can be done • • • • • • • No driving No cooking No washing No crafting Buying/Selling Using electricity Driving a car BLESSINGS FOR THE SHABBAT TABLE Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to kindle the light of Shabbat. A HOLY LIFESTYLE • FOOD: Keeping Kosher • Rhythms of Life: Shabbat, Holidays, morning & evening prayer, coming of age ceremonies (bar/bat mitzvah) • Objects & Space: a place of honor for the Torah in the home, Mezzuzot on the doorway, tefillin, tallit, and yarmulke/kippah for prayer Jewish Boy reads Bar Mitzvah TODAY’S TEXTS • Genesis 1-3, 12-13, 16 & 17 • Exodus 19-20 • Isaiah 40 • Jeremiah 31:31- 34 NOTE the break between Gen 2:3 & 2:4!