Oral vs. Written scriptures of Judaism
God spoke to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel – & to Moses (first from the burning bush) – speaking to him often about how to manage the Israelites. Cf. [431] p. 159 RabAnth: on why Mishnah, Aggadah, Talmud oral.
Verbal tradition among rabbis was always held to be at least equal to the written tradition in importance.
Halakhah – “walk” – the law of Judaism, requiring obedience – mitzvah (vs. averah)
Aggadah/Haggadah – “talk” – interpretations of scripture via stories, sermons, theology, &c.
Pirke Avot (“Ethics of the Fathers”) in Mishnah the first written Aggadah
Revelation is seen as having a double meaning – as revealed & as what it means now. Revelation is endless.
5 distinct, written Codes of “the Law” found in Torah:
Covenant Code (E, J ?) (Exodus 20)
Ritual Decalogue (Exodus 34)
Holiness Code (Leviticus 17-26)
Levitican Code (Leviticus, in toto)
Deuteronomic Code(s) (Deuteronomy 12-26)
Principal Written Texts
Tanakh (t+n+k) – Hebrew Bible – written, dates from Josiah’s reforms & Ezra’s
Torah – Law – God’s covenant with Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel & Moses’ plus Jeremiah’s & Ezra’s visions of proper life (& Moses’) in Mosaic Law of 613 commandments
Nevi’im – Prophets – prophecy about the will of God – radically reinterpreting Torah
Kethubim – (Other) Writings – ancient and newer illustration & history
Mishnah – Rabbi Judah the Prince’s compilation of the rabbis’ inspired judgments – completed by 200 ad; its function is to raise problems with scripture & then resolve them, & it deals with living everyday life.
Hillel’s school vs. Shammai’s – Hillel’s interpretations generally more liberal, Shammai’s, more conservative.
6 Orders of Mishnah:
Zera’im – “Seeds” – mainly agricultural, but starts with Benedictions & prayers, “Berakhot”
Mo’ed – “Appointed Time” – i.e., Shabbat & festivals
Nashim – “Women” – mainly concerning Marriage & Divorce
Nezikin – “Damages” – on Criminal & Civil Justice
Kodashim – “Sacred Matters” – mostly about Sacrifices, but also Dietary laws & ritual Slaughter
Tohorot – “Purities” – on ritual Uncleanliness – possibly vs. Canaanite practices – on contact with death, disease or creeping things, & sexual practices
Gemara – commentary on Mishnah – combined with Mishnah, constitutes Talmud – Jerusalem & Babylonian
Midrashim – story expansions of Mishnot – both Aggadic & Halakhic (Mekhilta on Exodus, Sifra on Leviticus, Sifre on Numbers & Deuteronomy) Midrashim
Essential Jewish Beliefs
Monotheism
Obedience to (613) commandments
Justice & the rule of law
Kosher food restrictions
Sabbath behavior
Temple offerings
Non-idolatry
Jewish Biblical History in Ancient Israel
950 Southern/Judaic/“Jehovah” (“J”) tradition (written by 950bce)
755 Northern/Israelite/“Elohim” (“E”) tradition (by 755bce, before the fall of Israel)
755-10 Deuteronomic/Jeremiah (“D2”) tradition (by 615bce, but core maybe 755 or 710) (possibly creating mythic ‘history’ of David’s & Solomon’s glory days – for which there is no archaeological evidence)
722 Fall of Israel/Samaria to Shalmaneser V – many refugees flee to Judah
715–686 Priestly (“P”) Redactions (Friedman says during Hezekiah’s reign; most others say editing 470-410bce)
641-09 Josiah king of Judah (628-590?, Jeremiah fl) & climax of “D” – possibly by Jeremiah (REF)
587 Nebuchadnezzar burns Jerusalem – Judaeans not taken to Babylon flee to Egypt
470-10 Priestly (“P”) Redactions, while Nehemiah was governor (according to most scholars; REF says 715-686, in Hezekiah’s reign)
397bce Ezra (REF) re-assembled or re-wrote destroyed texts of the Bible after Babylonian exile – merging JE & P.
90-100ad Jamnia Synod (90) Text of canon assumed firm by Mishnah, ca 100.
500ad Masoretic text – correct vowels & spelling – established (thru 1100 ad)
555 D2 editor(s) (possibly Jeremiah?) finish Deut-II Kings history
540 II Isaiah
539 Cyrus’s Medes conquer Babylon without a battle, & in 538 frees captive peoples.
515 2nd Temple completed in Jerusalem
445 Nehemiah appointed governor of Judea
410-397 JEPD editor(s) (possibly Ezra?) combine conflicting histories & Torah versions – Constitution
380 Ezra, Nehemiah, Joel composed
Midrashim related to Mishnah excerpts
Zeraim Berakoth 9.5 – “He who humbles himself, God exalts….” [1354/475]
“Why is the Exodus…mentioned in connection with every single commandment?”…. [310/117]
Chosen People: “When God determined to give the Law, none of the nations except Israel would receive it….” [320/121]
“When God was about to give the Torah to Israel,…. ‘Our children shall be our sureties.’….” [1465/519]
“The nations of the world were asked to receive the Law…but they did not accept it….” [210/78]
Burning Bush: “‘Why did God speak to Moses from a thorn bush?’ ‘If he had….’” [24/13]
“Where you are standing is holy land.” …. “Anywhere you stand is holy ground. Therefore….” (Hasidic) Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin [T/H ]
Golden Rule: “…‘Teach me the whole Law while I stand on one foot.’…. ‘What is hateful to you….” [539/200] [458/172 – R. Akiba]
Virtue in Integrity: “…that Pentekaka should pray for rain….” [482/180] [cf also 483, 484]
“ ‘Thou canst not perform deeds like those of Abba the Bleeder.’” [483/180] [484/181 - Elijah to R. Baruka re jailer]
Nezikin Aboth 6.1 – “Hillel…. ‘Whoever derives a profit for himself from…Torah is helping on his own destruction.’” [337/127]
Zeraim Berakoth 8.1-3 “If I am right, may this carob tree…. – Rabbi Eliezer vs. Rabbi Joshua” [890/340]
“…The prayers of the righteous are short. …. There is a time to shorten and a time to prolong.” [923/348]
Zeraim Berakoth 9.3 – “ ‘…that my punishment should be relaxed if I had a son who… ‘Bless ye…who is….’” [1634/591]
“God says, ‘Bind them all together into one bundle; the one will atone for the other.’” [614/229]
Nezikin Aboth 6.4 – “Poverty suits the Jew as a red bridle on a white horse.” [253/95]
* Numbers in brackets = Montefiore & Loewe’s Rabbinic Anthology, 1963 – item numbers in normal, page numbers in bold type.