Class 1 Introduction Sources, Resources, and Periods.

Class 1Class 1IntroductionIntroduction

Sources, Resources, and Sources, Resources, and PeriodsPeriods

Do NowDo Now

►Write down: Write down: an event that happened during the an event that happened during the

Second Temple or Rabbinic PeriodsSecond Temple or Rabbinic Periods Your favorite site in IsraelYour favorite site in Israel something interesting about yourselfsomething interesting about yourself

State of the RelationshipState of the Relationship

►You are Prime Minister Binyamin You are Prime Minister Binyamin Netanahu. President Obama calls you Netanahu. President Obama calls you and asks you to stop attacking Hamas and asks you to stop attacking Hamas in Gaza. What do you do?in Gaza. What do you do?

Monday Morning MonarchMonday Morning Monarch

►The year is 589BCE. Nabuchadnezzar The year is 589BCE. Nabuchadnezzar has appointed you to be the king of has appointed you to be the king of Judea nine years ago. You now feel Judea nine years ago. You now feel pretty confident in your power and do pretty confident in your power and do not want to keep paying not want to keep paying Nebuchadnezzar the exorbitant annual Nebuchadnezzar the exorbitant annual tax that he demands.tax that he demands.

►Would you rebel and not pay the tax or Would you rebel and not pay the tax or continue being subservient?continue being subservient?

Resisting DominationResisting Domination

►The year is 1940. The British and not The year is 1940. The British and not allowing Jews to immigrate into allowing Jews to immigrate into Palestine. You are the leader of the Palestine. You are the leader of the Zionist movement. What do you do?Zionist movement. What do you do?

Resisting DominationResisting Domination►The year is 168BCE. The Syrian-Greeks The year is 168BCE. The Syrian-Greeks

are in power. Many Jews have are in power. Many Jews have assimilated Greek language, culture, assimilated Greek language, culture, and religion with their Judaism. The and religion with their Judaism. The Kohen Gadol is a corrupt Hellenizer. Kohen Gadol is a corrupt Hellenizer. You want to see the Greeks go away You want to see the Greeks go away and have an independent nation once and have an independent nation once again.again.

►Your name is Judah and have gathered Your name is Judah and have gathered a small following of militants. Would a small following of militants. Would you risk your life and those of your you risk your life and those of your followers to fight for freedom?followers to fight for freedom?

Secular NationalismSecular Nationalism

►You are a religious Jew and pray for You are a religious Jew and pray for the renewed state of Israel 20 times a the renewed state of Israel 20 times a day. Finally after 2000 years Israel day. Finally after 2000 years Israel wins its war of independence. wins its war of independence. However, the leadership are secular However, the leadership are secular Jews who don’t want to see any Jews who don’t want to see any Judaism in the Jewish state. Do you Judaism in the Jewish state. Do you support the new government?support the new government?

Secular NationalismSecular Nationalism

►The Maccabees were great heros in The Maccabees were great heros in 164BCE but the year is now 90BCE 164BCE but the year is now 90BCE and the ruler is the Hasmonean and the ruler is the Hasmonean Alexander Yannai who hates the Alexander Yannai who hates the Pharisees and has even murdered Pharisees and has even murdered great sages who opposed him.great sages who opposed him.

MessianismMessianism

►You are a religious Jew and pray for You are a religious Jew and pray for Mashiah 30 times a day. There is a Mashiah 30 times a day. There is a group of Jews who believe that group of Jews who believe that Mashiah has already come but you Mashiah has already come but you don’t think they are right. don’t think they are right.

►Should you oppose them, tolerate Should you oppose them, tolerate them, support them…?them, support them…?

ConversionConversion

►One million Russians have emigrated One million Russians have emigrated to Israel. 400,000 of them are not to Israel. 400,000 of them are not halakhically Jewish. You are the Chief halakhically Jewish. You are the Chief rabbi. Do you allow them to convert?rabbi. Do you allow them to convert?

ConversionConversion

►You are on the Sahhedrin. John You are on the Sahhedrin. John Hyracanus has forcibly converted Hyracanus has forcibly converted thousands of Edomites in 110BCE. Can thousands of Edomites in 110BCE. Can they be considrered part of the Jewish they be considrered part of the Jewish nation?nation?

Compromise for PeaceCompromise for Peace►The year is 66CE. The Romans are The year is 66CE. The Romans are

ruling over you. They usually try to be ruling over you. They usually try to be fair to minorities but some local fair to minorities but some local governors can be very nasty. You wish governors can be very nasty. You wish for political independence. You are a for political independence. You are a leader of one of the political parties, leader of one of the political parties, you are Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai. you are Rabban Yohanan ben Zakai. Your followers want to know if they Your followers want to know if they should rebel against the Romans or should rebel against the Romans or tolerate them.tolerate them.

►What would you do?What would you do?

Primary SourcesPrimary Sources

►TanakhTanakh Ezra-Nehamiah, Daniel, Zechariah, Ezra-Nehamiah, Daniel, Zechariah,

MalakhiMalakhi►New TestamentNew Testament►Apocrypha and PseudepigraphaApocrypha and Pseudepigrapha►Archaeology, Cuneiform TabletsArchaeology, Cuneiform Tablets►Dead Sea ScrollsDead Sea Scrolls► JosephusJosephus►Greek and Roman HistoriansGreek and Roman Historians►Talmud and MidrashimTalmud and Midrashim

Yosef ben MatityahuYosef ben Matityahu

► Lived 37-100CELived 37-100CE► Aka Titus Flavius Aka Titus Flavius

JosephusJosephus

Works by JosephusWorks by Josephus

►75 – Jewish Wars (Aramaic)75 – Jewish Wars (Aramaic)►94 – Jewish Antiquities (Greek)94 – Jewish Antiquities (Greek)►97 – Against Apion97 – Against Apion►98 – Life of Flavius Josephus98 – Life of Flavius Josephus

JosephusJosephus

►Apologetic to the RomansApologetic to the Romans War says revolt was only by a few thugs. War says revolt was only by a few thugs.

Tacitus says national rebellion, non-Tacitus says national rebellion, non-Roman Jews helped the Palestinian JewsRoman Jews helped the Palestinian Jews

War 6.241 says Titus urges that the War 6.241 says Titus urges that the Temple be spared. But compare Sulpicius Temple be spared. But compare Sulpicius Severus and Bavli Gittin 56b who say Severus and Bavli Gittin 56b who say Titus demanded destruction of the TempleTitus demanded destruction of the Temple

ThemesThemes►Dealing with Political DominationDealing with Political Domination►NationalismNationalism►Confronting External CulturesConfronting External Cultures►Tradition and ChangeTradition and Change►Finding the roots of Judaism as we Finding the roots of Judaism as we

know itknow it►Unity and DiversityUnity and Diversity► Interpretation and Text-centerednessInterpretation and Text-centeredness►Universalism and ParticularismUniversalism and Particularism►MessianismMessianism

History of Israel: The Big History of Israel: The Big PicturePicture

►Kings of Israel (1000-586BCE)Kings of Israel (1000-586BCE)

►Babylonian Period (586-539BCE)Babylonian Period (586-539BCE) Tish’a be’AvTish’a be’Av

►Persian Period (539-332BCE)Persian Period (539-332BCE) PurimPurim

►Hellenistic Period (332-164BCE)Hellenistic Period (332-164BCE) SeptuagintSeptuagint

►Hasmonean Period (164-63BCE)Hasmonean Period (164-63BCE) Hanukah, SectarianismHanukah, Sectarianism

►Roman Period (63BCE – 395CE)Roman Period (63BCE – 395CE)

HomeworkHomework

►Read 2 Kings 24-25 and Jer 52 Read 2 Kings 24-25 and Jer 52 carefully. Make note of the dates carefully. Make note of the dates provided.provided.

►List the last three kings of Judah.List the last three kings of Judah.

►What happened to each of them and What happened to each of them and when?when?

Last Kings of JudahLast Kings of Judah

► Jehoiakim 609-598BCEJehoiakim 609-598BCE Vassal to Nebuchadnezzar king of BabylonVassal to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon

► Jehoiachin 597BCEJehoiachin 597BCE Captured by Nebuchandezzar in a siegeCaptured by Nebuchandezzar in a siege Imprisoned in BabyloniaImprisoned in Babylonia Freed in 562BCE by Amel-MardukFreed in 562BCE by Amel-Marduk

►Zedekiah 597-586BCEZedekiah 597-586BCE Placed on throne by NebuchadnezzarPlaced on throne by Nebuchadnezzar Rebelled and entered alliance with EgyptRebelled and entered alliance with Egypt Watched children murdered before being Watched children murdered before being

blindedblinded

Babylonian KingsBabylonian Kings

► Nabopolassar (r. 626 – 605)Nabopolassar (r. 626 – 605)

►Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605-562)Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605-562) ►Amel-Marduk (r. 562-560)Amel-Marduk (r. 562-560)

a.k.a a.k.a אויל מרדךאויל מרדך► Nergal-sharezer (r. 560 – 556)Nergal-sharezer (r. 560 – 556)► Labashi-Marduk (r. 556) Labashi-Marduk (r. 556)

►Nabonidus (r. 556 – 539)Nabonidus (r. 556 – 539)