This course will discuss the Second Temple as understood by the Rabbinic Sages, against the background on Second Temple period literature, archaeology and institutions. Primary sources will be emphasized.
Required books :
Bible with Apocrypha, New Revised Standard Version
Josephus Flavius, Complete Writings
L. Ritmyer, Reconstructing Herod's Temple Mount in Jerusalem
L. H. Schiffman, From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism.
The Structure of the Temple 1. Tractate Middot, and all primary Biblical cited by Albeck, ad. loc. 2. Josephus, Ant. 15.11; War 5.5-6; Apion Book 1.22, lines 196-200. 3. Temple Scroll, tba; Schiffman, Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls, 257-272 4. New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, Jerusalem During the Second Temple Period. 5. Bavli Sukkah 51b
The Vessels of the Temple-- The Menorah 1. Ben Sira 26:17 2. Baraitha de-Meleknet ha-Mishkan, ch. 9-10 3. Josephus Ant. 12.238, 14.17; War 5:216-217; 7: 148-149; Apion 1:22 4. Piyyutei Yannai, (distributed). 5. Encyclopedia Judaica, "Menorah"
The Priests
1. Find everything that Josephus says about the Temple Priesthood. 2. What does Hecataeus of Abdera in Stern, Greek and Latin Authors on Jews and Judaism 1: 27-29. 3. Ben Sira 50 4. Mishnah and Tosefta Tractate Yoma 1, Tosefta Menahot 13:21 5. Jose b. Jose (distributed)
The Temple in the Books of Maccabees 1 and 2 Macc.
. The Sacrifices 2. Mishnah Tractate Tamid 4. Mishnah, Tosefta Sukkah, ch. 4 (Simhat Beit ha-Shoeva) Bokser, The Passover Seder, entire book
Pilgrimage to Jerusalem 1. What do Josephus and Philo say about Jerusalem pilgrimage? 2. M. Bikkurim, ch. 3; Menahot 10. 3. Gospel according to Luke, Acts of the Apostles 4. Victor Turner, Pilgrimage,
. The Temple and Apocalyptic Tosefta. Sota, 13 What does Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, say on this subject?
Viewed as the statement of a religious system through the medium of writing, the classics of Judaism, after the Hebrew Scriptures, are the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash, are introduced. This is carried out inductively, through a close reading, in English, of selected passages, with systematic attention to the rhetorical, logical, and topical or even propositional program set forth by each of these statements within the Judaism of the dual Torah; the critical issue is how these books form statements of a religion: what traits do we discern, in writing, of that religion?
The course objective is to introduce the classical writings of Judaism, particularly the documents that took shape in the formative age of that religion, from the first through the seventh centuries of the Common Era.
Textbooks Required for purchase
1. Daniel Matt, Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Paulist Press, 1983)
2. David Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, Volumes II (Hoboken, KTAV Publishing Co.)
3. Jacob Neusner, Classics of Judaism (Louisville, Westminster/John Knox Publishing co.)
4. Jacob Neusner, Talmudic Thinking: Language, Logic, and Law. (Columbia, University of South Carolina Press)
1. How to read a book of Judaism
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. Ix-xxi, 1-10
2. The Written Torah and the Oral Torah: Scripture & the Mishnah
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 11-24, 25-52
3. Tractate Abot. The Earlier Midrash-Compilations: Mekhilta
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 71-92, 93-118
4. The Earlier Midrash-compilations. Sifra & the two Sifrés
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 119-174
5. The First Talmud: The Talmud of the Land of Israel
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 175-212
6. Classics of Mysticism in Judaism: The Zohar
Reading: Daniel Matt, Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment pp. 3-56
7. Classics of Mysticism in Judaism: The Tales of the Hasidim
Reading: David Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, Volume II, pp. 82-192
8. The Later Midrash-Compilations. How Judaism Reads the book of Genesis
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 213-230
9. The Later Midrash-Compilations. How Judaism Reads the book of Leviticus
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 231-282
10. The Second Talmud. The Talmud of Babylonia
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 283-326
11. The Talmud of Babylonia (continued)
Reading: Talmudic Thinking: Language, Logic, and Law.
12. The Later Midrash Compilations. Lamentations Rabbati, & Ruth Rabbah
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 327-382
The Later Midrash Compilations. Song of Songs Rabbah. The Talmud to Tractate Abot, which is Abot deRabbi Nathan
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 383-419
14. The Classical Prayerbook of Judaism
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 419-446
15. Translating Writing into Religion: The Problem of a Religion of Classics
The marvelous stories of Genesis are a source for spiritual enrichment and inspiration for practitioners of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this seminar we shall discuss in depth essential religious ideas that these stories yield. Then we shall explore – with respect for religious diversity – how we might use them as the basis for messages that are both intellectually honest and spiritually uplifting. In addition to attaining a thorough knowledge of Genesis’ content, each student will be asked to prepare two pulpit-type messages for the class’s edification and critique.
The marvelous stories of Genesis are a source for spiritual enrichment and inspiration for practitioners of Judaism,. In this seminar we shall discuss in depth essential religious ideas that these stories yield. Then we shall explore – how we might use them as the basis for messages that are both intellectually honest and spiritually uplifting. In addition to attaining a thorough knowledge of Genesis’ content, each student will be asked to prepare two pulpit-type messages .
Genesis is the story of the beginning of the religious traditions which trace their history back to the patriarch Abraham. We shall treat it not as a novel, but as an essential religious text.
Our goal is ambitious: To open our eyes to the powerful potential of Genesis to inspire our religious outlook and transform the lives of those with whom we interact.
The required reading (with the exception of Steinbeck’s East of Eden , see Cain and Abel below) is by design not very extensive. The reason for that is so that you will read the small amount of material assigned very carefully and closely. It is also my expectation that for each topic students will come prepared to contribute insights from Genesis commentaries or interpretations relevant to their particular religious tradition or outlook.
—Who we are and why we are here —Hopes and Expectations,
An Approach to Scripture: Between Fundamentalism and Fairy Tale “The Grand Misconception”, a Revolution in human thought, Jewish Sources. Reading:Standing at Sinai (SaS) pp.3-4 The Story of Creation, scientific treatise or religious poem? What lessons does it teach? What is truth? Reading: Genesis 1:1-2:4; SaS pp.5-13.
--Three attempts to create a just, caring, compassionate society. Reading: Genesis 2-11; SaS pp. 13-15.
Eden: Traditional Christian view; traditional Jewish view; a modern perspective. Reading: Genesis 2-3; SaS pp.15-23
—Cain and Abel, offerings that are not Accepted. What God is; what God is not. Reading: Genesis 4, SaS, 23-30. Genesis Rabbah, Chapter 22.
John Steinbeck, East of Eden, (first published) New York, Viking Press, 1952. Any subsequent edition will do.
Lessons from Noah and the Tower of Babel. God’s dilemma. Reading: Genesis 6-11, SaS pp. 30-39. Documents From Old Testament Times, “The Story of the Flood,” pp.17-26.
—The Covenant with Abraham, Abraham as covenantal partner. Reading: Genesis 12-24, SaS 39-61.
—The Career of Jacob: Is this the One to Inherit the Covenant? Reading: Genesis 25:19-Genesis 36, SaS pp. 61-71.
---The Magnificent Story of Joseph; Setting the Stage for Redemption. Reading: Genesis 37-50, SaS pp. 71-81.
Required Texts: Stephen Fuchs, Standing at Sinai which I suggest you read through at the beginning of our studies and then re read in appropriate sections as we progress.
I have also prepared a supplementary packet of Genesis sermons, essays and outlines to which we shall refer from time to time and which I hope you will find helpful.
Suggested Supplementary Jewish Sources for Understanding Genesis
Torah Commentaries
Freedman, Rabbi Dr. H. and Simon, Maurice. Midrash Rabbah, Volumes 1-10. London: Soncino Press, 1961.
Hertz, Joseph. The Pentateuch and Haftorahs. London: Soncino Press, 1979.
Rosenbaum, Rev. M. and Silbermann, Dr. A.M. Pentateuch with Rashi Commentary, Volumes I-V. New York: Hebrew Publishing Company.
Plaut, Gunther, et al. The Torah: A Modern Commentary. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1981.
Sarna, Nahum M. The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1989.
______. The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1991.
Speiser, E. A., ed. The Anchor Bible: Genesis. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1964.
Sforno, Obadiah. Commentary On The Torah, Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, eds. Brooklyn, New York: Mesorah Publications, 1989.
Additional Sources
Asimov, Isaac. In the Beginning. New York: Crown, 1981.
Barr, James. The Bible in the Modern World. London: SCM Press, 1973.
Jeansonne, Sharon Pace. The Women of Genesis. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1990.
Kass, Leon R. The Beginning of Wisdom. New York: Free Press, 2003
Kaufmann, Yehezkel. The Religion of Israel. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960.
Knight, Douglas A. “The Ethics of Human Life in the Hebrew Bible.” In Justice and the Holy: Essays in Honor of Walter Harrelson. ed. Douglas A. Knight and Peter J. Paris. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989.
Knight, Douglas A. and Gene M. Tucker, eds. The Hebrew Bible and Its Modern Interpreters. Chico, California: Scholars Press, 1985.
Leibowitz, Nehama. Studies in Bereshit. Jerusalem: World Zionist Organization, 1972.
Lieber, David, et.al. Etz Hayim, Torah Commentary of the Conservative Movement. New York, United Synagogue of America, 2001.
Sarna, Nahum M. Understanding Genesis. New York: McGraw Hill, 1996.
Silver, Abba Hillel. Where Judaism Differed. New York: Macmillan, 1956.
Spiegel, Shalom. The Last Trial. New York: Pantheon Books, 1967.
Thomas, D. Winton, ed. Documents From Old Testament Times. New York: Harper and Row, 1958.
Tribble, Phyllis. God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1978.
Zornberg, Avivah Gottlieb. Genesis: The Beginning of Desire. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1995.
In addition much material is available on the internet under the names of the various weekly Torah portions according to the Jewish lectionary. Those names are: Bereshit, Noach, Lech Lecha, Va-yayra, Chaye Sarah, Toldot, Va-yetze, Va-yishlach, Va-yeshev, Miketz, Va-yigash, Va-yechi. (You may find some variations in spelling of the Hebrew transliterations.) A Google or other search engine inquiry listing any of these names will yield a glut of information about the topics of these individual portions of Genesis. As you are all well aware, though, one must be discerning with the net. Some of the information will be immensely valuable; some will not be valuable at all.
What is introduced is the method of the study of religion by treating Judaism, as exemplary of the phenomenon of religion in politics, society, and culture. The thesis of the course is that religion is an independent variable, a means of explaining what people do together in politics, society, and culture — and not merely something that is private and personal. Through religion people solve problems that they share, and when we understand the urgent questions addressed by a social group, we also can make sense of the (to them, self-evidently valid) answers that they propose.
TEXTS
1. Neusner, ed., Life of Torah (Wadsworth Publishing Co, 1976)
3. Neusner, ed., Understanding American Judaism I. The Rabbi and the Synagogue. (Ktav Publishing House, 1975)
4. Neusner, The Way of Torah. An Introduction to Judaism. Fourth Edition. (Wadsworth Publishing Co, 1988)
5. Neusner, Invitation to the Talmud. Second Edition, expanded and revised. (Harper & Row, 1984)
6. Neusner, Invitation to Midrash (Harper & Row, 1989)
7. Neusner, Torah through the Ages. A Short History of Judaism (Trinity Press International, 1989)
The Program of the Course
Introduction
I.
1. Studying religion by treating a religion as exemplary.
2. The case of Judaism.
3, Overview of the History of Judaism
3. The two things everyone knows about Judaism — both of them errors:
a. Judaism is the same thing as "the religion of the Old Testament"
b. Judaism is the same thing as the Jews’ history and culture.
4. When Judaism begins, and why that is the starting point.
5. The urgent question, the self-evidently valid answer.
Part One
The History of Judaism
II.
1. Before the beginning of Judaism: ancient Israel before 586: other questions, other answer.
2. The beginning of Judaism: 586 B.C. - A.D. 70
Reading:
The Book of Leviticus (any translation is acceptable)
The Book of Ezra
The Book of Nehemiah
J. Neusner, The Way of Torah. An Introduction to Judaism. Fourth Edition, pp. 1-22
III.
1. Judaism before A.D. 70
2. The beginning of Rabbinic Judaism: Judaism without Christianity (70-312)
3. The Mishnah
4. The earlier Midrash-compilations
Reading:
J. Neusner, Invitation to the Talmud pp. 28-69
J. Neusner, Invitation to Midrash, pp. 21-56
IV.
1. The Judaism of the dual Torah: Judaism despite Christianity (312-640)
2. The Talmud of the Land of Israel
3. The Talmud of Babylonia
4. The later Midrash-compilations
Reading:
J. Neusner, Invitation to the Talmud, pp. 96-115, 167-200
J. Neusner, Invitation to Midrash, pp. 99-163
V.
1. The Way of Life and world view of Rabbinic Judaism/the Judaism of the Dual Torah
Reading:
J. Neusner, Invitation to Midrash, pp. 235-276
J. Neusner, ed., Life of Torah, pp. 25-62
J. Neusner, Way of Torah, pp. 41-87
VI.
1. The Domination of Rabbinic Judaism/the Judaism of the Dual Torah (640-1789)
2. Rabbinic Judaism as a System
3. Amplification of the System: Philosophy
4. Amplification of the System: Mysticism
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed., Understanding Rabbinic Judaism, pp. 29-36, 39-53, 101-116, 185-212, 277-300
J. Neusner, The Way of Torah. An Introduction to Judaism. Fourth Edition, pp. 86-113
VII.
1. The Age of Competing Judaisms (1800-the present)
2. Reform Judaism
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed., Life of Torah, pp. 172--178
J. Neusner, Way of Torah, pp. 113-131
J. Neusner, ed., Understanding Rabbinic Judaism, pp. 337-352
VIII.
1. Judaisms in the 19th century
4. The advent of a new form of "study of the Torah"
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed., Life of Torah, pp. 156-166, 179-204
J. Neusner, Way of Torah, pp. 136-144
IX.
1. Judaisms in the 20th century
2. Zionism
3. Jewish Socialism-Yiddishism
4. Orthodoxy
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed., Life of Torah, pp. 205-234
J. Neusner, Way of Torah, pp. 132-135
J. Neusner, ed., Understanding Rabbinic Judaism, pp. 353-382
Part Two
Contemporary Judaism in the USA
Introducing a Judaism in its own terms
X.
1. American Jews and Judaism
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed. Understanding American Judaism. I. The Rabbi and the Synagogue, pp. 3-66, 115-130, 165-216
XI.
1. Judaism in America: The rabbi and the synagogue
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed. Understanding American Judaism. I. The Rabbi and the Synagogue, pp. 131-164, 219-268
XII.
1. The enchantments of Judaism for (some) Jewish Americans
2. The human meaning of the faith: from this worldly human situation to transformation, from words to worlds
3. Thanksgiving and prayer
4. Passover Seder vs. Sabbaths and (other) Festivals
5. The Days of Awe vs. Sabbaths and Festivals
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed., Life of Torah, pp. 81-154
XIII.
1. What we have not learned: the unsolved problem of the course — and of the study of religion. Finding language of thought to hold together differentiation and analysis, integration and synthesis
Reading:
J. Neusner, ed., Life of Torah, pp. 1-16
J. Neusner, ed., Way of Torah, pp. 23-40, 145-156
J. Neusner, Invitation to Midrash, pp. 263-280.
J. Neusner, Invitation to the Talmud, pp. 271-296
XIV.
1. Judaism and its history seen whole
Reading:
Neusner, Torah through the Ages. A Short History of Judaism, pp. 1-174.
An Introduction to Tanakh through the Prism of Leadership
Course Description:
The Bible has been understood, recently, as “the biography of God”—the story of how God is transformed in relation to the world. It is questionable whether we can say anything definitive about “Who” God is and whether He, indeed, ‘changes’, but we can certainly explore how God changes His interaction with the world through the leaders that represent Him. This course will explore different books in the bible, as they reflect the history of God’s changing interaction with humanity. We will begin with the apparent absence of God in “The Book of Esther” and the different approaches to being a Jewish leader in exile. We will then move back to Genesis and examine the emergence of the patriarch as prophet. From there we will explore the figure Moses, as intercessor on the part of the burgeoning Israelite people. In the early books of Prophets, Joshua and Judges, we will examine the limits of the judge as a leader and the origins of the people’s request for a king. Then, in contrasting David and Saul as kings in the Book of Samuel, we will investigate what the nature of the office of monarch entails and what characterizes a successful king. In the books of Kings, we look at just a few episodes—with Elijah, Jeremiah and Jonah—which pit the prophet against the king. How do these two roles, of prophet and of king, stand in opposition to one another? We will try to answer the overall question: How did the religious leader and the political leader become separated and travel down such divergent lines?
The Purpose:
1) To expose the students to the various books of Tanakh and some of the major issues within them.
2) To develop critical text skills, through use of the concordance, classical commentaries (midrash, Rashi, Ramban, Ibn Ezra, Radak), as well as modern literary commentary.
3) To establish a broad-based knowledge about the study of the Tanakah—both in content and through different approaches.
4) To arouse an enthusiasm for further study.
Week I-II, The Book of Esther
1) -Introduction to the Book of Esther—What is the biblical canon?
-The historical background: the Babylonian Exile
-Chapter 1-2 of Esther: Setting up the “problem”
2) “Why didn’t Mordechai bow down?”
-Introduction to the Aramaic Targum and the Pseudepigrapha
3) “Who is a Jew? (And who pretends not to be a Jew?”
-The Transformation of Esther
-The contemporary context—“Being a Jew in the Diaspora” (film and discussion)
4) Intertextuality between the Book of Esther and the Tanakh
-Parashat Zachor and I Samuel 15
Secondary Reading
-Selections from The JPS Commentary to the Book of Esther, by Adel Berlin.
Week III-IV Genesis
1) Introduction to Genesis as Sefer Toledot
-Concordance work + Ramban’s introduction to Genesis
-The paradigm 10 Generations
-The choice of Abraham Gen. 11:26-12:9.
2) Abraham and the Covenant between the Pieces, Gen. 15
3) The Patriarch as prophet-- Intervention before the Destruction of Sodom
4) Joseph—the Dreamer and the Dream Interpreter
Secondary Sources:
-Nahum Sarna, selections from Understanding Genesis.
-Martin Buber, “Abraham, the Seer”, in On the Bible.
-Nehama Leibowitz, Studies in the Book of Genesis
Week V-VI—Exoduschapters 1-12
1) The Transformation from a familial tribe into a Nation
-Chapter 1-2: The Women of the Exodus
2) The Burning Bush—The “Reluctant Prophet”
3) The Purpose of the Plagues and the Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart
4) The First Passover, Chapter 12
5) -The Art of Asking Questions [The Fours Sons in the Tanakh]
-Creative Tips for the Passover Seder
-Bibliodrama
Secondary Reading
-Selections from Avivah Zornberg’s The Particulars of Rapture.
-Stephen Garfinkel, “Moses: Man of Israel, Man of God”
-Moshe Greenberg, “The Plagues of Egypt”, from Understanding Exodus.
Week VII-A New Model of Leadership—the Judge May 7th –10th (3 classes, 4 hours)
-The Book of Joshua/Judges
1. A new leader: the Spies (Numbers 13-14) vs. Joshua ben Nun (Joshua 24)
2. Gideon vs. Avimelekh (Yerubaal), “The Parable of Trees” Shoftim 8-9
3. The Failure of the Judges, “And in those days, there was no King in Israel…”
-The Story of the Concubine of Gibeah, Judges chapter 19-20
Secondary Sources:
-Phyllis Trible, “An Unnamed Women: The Extravagance of Violence”, in Texts of Terror.
Week VIII—Anointing a King,
1. I Shmuel 8 and 10, “The Monarchy—Privilege or Precept?”
2. The King’s Failure, “Is Shaul also one of the prophets…?” (1 Sam. 13 and 15)
3. The Choice of an Alternative—David, I Shmuel 16.
Secondary Sources:
-Rav Moshe Lichtenstein “Jewish Political Theory—Hilkhot Melakhim”
-J.P. Fokkelman “The Alternative, I Sam. 16: David anointed king, his arrival at Court” from Narrative Art and Poetry in the Books of Samuel, Vol. II.
Week X—The Many Faces of the Prophet,
-Elijah and Ahab 1 Kings 17:1-18:39.
-Jeremiah 1:1-8, Ezekiel 1:1-29, and Jonah.
Secondary Sources:
-Excerpts from A. Heschel, The Prophets.
Bibliography:
Alter, Robert, The Art of Biblical Narrative, Basic Books, New York, 1981.
Berlin, Adel, The JPS Commentary on the Book of Esther, JPS, Philadelphia, 2001.
Buber, Martin, “Abraham, the Seer” in On the Bible, Schocken Books, New York 1968.
Greenberg, Moshe Understanding Exodus, Behrman House, Inc., New York 1969.
J. P. Fokkelman, The Crossing of Fates, (Narrative Art and Poetry in the Books of Samuel, Vol. II), Van Gorcum, 1986.
Heschel, Abraham J. The Prophets, Harper and Row, New York, 1969.
Leibowitz, Nehama Studies in the Book of Genesis, Studies in the Book of Exodus, and Studies in the Book of Numbers, Alpha Press, Jerusalem 1972.
Ramban (Nahmanides) Commentary on the Torah, trans. by C. Chavel, Shilo Publishing House, Inc. New York, N.Y. 1971.
A Judaism is a theory of the social order that sets forth a world view, way of life, and theory of the social entity ("Israel") that is coherent and that addresses an urgent problem and solves it. In this course we examine two such Judaisms, which are connected in their literary expression; we see how the first document set forth a philosophical system of Judaism, and successor-documents, in the form of commentaries to that writing, set forth a religious system of Judaism. It is the formation of Judaism through the transformation from philosophy to religion that defines the problem of this course.
The purpose of this course is to show how we may uncover the historical unfolding of a religion through the documents of that religion. Our case in point is the formation of a particular kind of Judaism, the kind represented by the writings of the rabbis of the first seven centuries of the Common Era (C.E.=A.D.). This course explains how early writings, in particular, the Mishnah, ca. 200 C.E., which had a strongly philosophical character in the context of Greco-Roman philosophy, set forth a Judaic theory of the social order — world view, way of life, theory of the social entity — very much within an Aristotelian framework, with a philosophy ("world view"), an economics ("way of life"), and a politics ("theory of the social entity") in accord with Aristotle’s modes of thought and his economics and politics. Then, we shall see, the writings that took shape as commentaries and extensions of the Mishnah and of Scripture, with special attention to the Talmud of the Land of Israel, a sustained commentary to the Mishnah, received the philosophical system of the Mishnah and set forth, alongside that Judaism as a philosophical system, a second and autonomous system, which we call religious (what differentiates a philosophical from a religious system is spelled out). We examine the Judaic theory of the social order — its counterpart categories, providing answers to the same questions that the Mishnah’s philosophy, economics, and politics address — and we see how that new theory of the social order corresponds to the account of the social order put forth by St. Augustine in the same period as the Talmud of the Land of Israel. We see that, though profoundly different, Augustine and the Talmudic rabbis of the fifth century addressed a common agenda of questions.
The Reading
1. Neusner, The Mishnah. An Introduction (Jason Aronson)
2. Neusner, Judaism as Philosophy (Univ of South Carolina Press)
3. Neusner, The Economics of the Mishnah (Univ of Chicago Press)
4. Neusner, Rabbinic Political Theory: Religion and Politics in the Mishnah. (Univ of Chicago Press)
5. Neusner, Judaism and Society (Univ of Chicago Press; second printing: Scholars Press)
6. Neusner, Transformation of Judaism (Univ of Illinois Press)
7. Brown, Peter, Augustine (Univ of California Press)
The Program of the Course
I.
Judaism and the Social Order
Introduction to the course
Part One
The Mishnah’s Philosophical Conception of the Social Order
II.
A Vision of the Social Order: Way of life, World View, Theory of the Social Entity
Neusner, The Ecology of Religion, pp. 17-93
III.
World-View: The Mishnah
Reading: Neusner, The Mishnah. An Introduction, pp. 1-40, 149-199
IV.
Judaism as Philosophy: The Method of the Mishnah
Reading: Neusner, Judaism as Philosophy, pp. 55-140, 212-242
V.
Judaism as Philosophy: The Message of the Mishnah
Reading: Neusner, Judaism as Philosophy, pp. pp. 1-55, 243-277
VI.
Way of Life: The Economics of the Mishnah
Reading: Neusner, The Economics of the Mishnah, pp. 1-144
VII.
Theory of the Social Entity: Rabbinic Political Theory
Reading: Neusner, Rabbinic Political Theory: Religion and Politics in the Mishnah, pp. 1-110
VIII.
Theory of the Social Entity: Rabbinic Political Theory
in Systemic and Philosophical Context
Reading: Neusner, Rabbinic Political Theory: Religion and Politics in the Mishnah, pp. 111-228
In this course, we will explore certain biblical passages through the lens of midrash, asking both how the midrash fills ‘gaps’ in the biblical story and what ideas the Rabbis are trying to articulate. We will also ask the “bigger questions”: why does man murder (in the story of Cain and Abel)? How do the Rabbis reconcile the account in chapter 1 and 2 of Breshit? Why did God choose Abraham? What role do women play in the redemption from Egypt? What attitudes did Hazal (the traditional biblical commentators) have towards miracles? We will also explore “modern midrashim”, how poets, painters and film-makers will take biblical passages as a springboard for their own imaginative renditions. We will continually ask: how does midrash enliven the biblical text and are the midrashim, both classic and contemporary, speaking to the burning issues relevant to us today?
Introduction to Midrash
“Cain and Abel—the Reason for the First Murder”
-Gen. 4:8, the translations, and Breshit Rabbah 22:16-19
Modern Poetry:
Dan Pagis “Brothers”, Autobiography”, “Scrawled in Pencil on a Railway Car”,
Secondary Sources:
-Definition of Aggadah (Encyclopedia Judaica) + James Kugel, midrash as “narrative expansion”, from In Potiphar’s House.
-Comparing Pardes—peshat, drash, remez and sod.
Part I—Midrash as Jewish Myth
1) “Let Us Make Man--Naaseh Adam”
Gen. 1:26, Ps. 85:11-12, Breshit Rabbah VIII, 5
Secondary Sources:
-Barry W. Holtz, “Midrash”, from Back to the Sources, p. 177-211.
2) The Creation of Eve—Back-to-Back or Face-to-face?
-Creation I vs. Creation II (Genesis 1 and 2) + Breshit Rabbah
-Plato’s Symposium
Modern Poetry: Kim Chernin “Eve’s Birth” and Uri Zvi Greenberg, “The I, A Scream”
3) The Seduction of Eve in the Garden of Eden—Who is Responsible for the Sin?
-Genesis 3, Avot deRabbi Natan I, and Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer 13-14, and the Myth of Pandora’s Box.
Follow-up—Bibliodrama
Part II—The Redemptive Narrative in Midrash
1) Exodus Chapters 1 and 2, “The Righteous of Women”
-TB Sotah and The Tanhuma on ‘the mirrors’
2) Moshe’s identity—Prince of Egypt/Redeemer of the Israelites,
“And Moshe struck the Egyptian…” (Ex. 2: )
-Selections from Shemot Rabbah
3) “Serah bat Asher and the Oral Tradition”
Tanhuma and Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer 48
4) Film as Midrash: “The Prince of Egypt”
Part III: -The Haggadah as Aggadah
-Exodus Chapter 12—PesahMitzrayim and PesahDorot
1) Introduction to the Mekhilta, Pisha: “The Four Sons”
2)Workshop: Making the Passover Seder “A Different Night”
Poetry: Hayim Gouri “Heritage” and Amir Gilgoa “Isaac”
Painting: Rembrandt, “The Sacrifice of Isaac”, and Abel Pann
Secondary Sources:
Erich Aurbach Mimesis
Selections from Shalom Spiegel The last Trial
Part V Midrash in the Talmud
-“The Legend of Honi, the Circle Drawer (HaMeagel)”
Comparing the Babylonian Talmud and the Talmud Yerushalmi
-TB Taanit 23a-b
-TY Taanit 10
Part VI—-“Ten Things Created at Twilight of the Sixth Day” (Miracles in Midrash)
1) The Splitting of the Reed Sea
- The Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael and Shemot Rabbah
1) The Saga of Miriam’s Well
-The Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael and the Tanhuma
Painting: the mural of Dura Europas (2nd –3rd c. C.E.)
2) The Death of Moses, Deut. 34:6
- Devarim Rabbah 2:8
Poetry: Rainer Maria Rilke, “The Death of Moses”, Haim Guri “Al HarNevo”
Secondary sources
-Arthur Green, “The Children in Egypt and the Theophany at the Sea”, Judaism, Fall, 1975.
-Ephraim Aurbach, The Sages and their Beliefs [Emunot ve’Deot]
Part VII—Mashal (Parable) in Midrash and the Petihta
Eicha 1:1, Eicha Rabbah
Eli Wiesel, “God’s Suffering: a Commentary”, from All Rivers Run to the Sea,
Last Class:Review for exam, concepts, preparing for an unseen etc…
Bibliography:
-Aurbach, Erich, “Odysseus’ Scar”, in Mimesis, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1971, p. 3-24.
- Bialik, H. N. and Ravinsky, Y. H., Sefer HaAggadah, New York: Shocken Books, 1992.
-Curzon, D, Modern Poems on the Bible—An Anthology, JPS, Philadelphia, 1994.
-Joseph Heinemann, “The Nature of Aggadah”, in Midrash and Literature, ed. G. H. Hartman and S. Budick, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986, p. 41-55.
Rabbinic writings in their original contexts and as living texts for the present. Interpretations of the Bible by early rabbis that address moral, theological, and literary problems. Modern methods for the study of rabbinic literature. Jewish laws as a mirror of human culture.
Textbooks:
Jacob Neusner, The Mishnah: an introduction and reader = MIR
Supplementary:
Jacob Neusner, The Mishnah: an introduction = MAI
_____, The Midrash: an introduction = MID
_____, Invitation to Midrash = ITM
_____, Invitation to the Talmud = ITT
Topics
What is the Mishnah? MIR, 1-18; MAI, 1-39
The Religion and Society of Mishnah. MIR, 69-150; MAI, 40-120
Mishnah's view of women. Mishnah's anthropology. MIR, 151-220; MAI, 121-199
Mishnah's Philosophical Statements. MIR, 19-68
The Dual Torah and the Mishnah. MAI, 200-230
Mishnah and Scripture. ITM, 19-56
What is Midrash? ITM, 1-18; MID, 1-30
Tannaite Midrashim. MID, 31-140
Early Rabbah Midrashim. MID, 141-172
Later Rabbah Midrashim. MID, 173-220
Midrashic modes of interpretation: reading out. ITM, 57-98
Midrashic modes of interpretation: reading in. ITM, 99-187 (selections)
The stories of Midrash. ITM, 187-234
Discourse and propositions of Midrash. ITM, 235-262
MODERN JEWISH THOUGHT: ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL / MORDECAI M. KAPLAN
Abraham Joshua Heschel and Mordecai Kaplan were, probably, the two most important Jewish religious thinkers of the twentieth century. Heschel tried to evolve a religious philosophy rooted in religious experience while Kaplan tried to evolve one rooted in reason and community. They, thus, embodied the perennial conflict of reason and feeling in religion. This course will study carefully the key works of each of these two thinkers, read critiques of their work, and consider the implications of each.
Texts:
Abraham J. Heschel, God in Search of Man [sic].
Mordecai M. Kaplan, The Meaning of God in Jewish Religion.
Recommended:
Abraham J. Heschel, Who Is Man? [sic].
Mordecai M. Kaplan, Judaism as a Civilization.
Mordecai M. Kaplan, Judaism as a Civilization.
Questions Jews Ask.
The New Haggadah.
Kol Ha-Neshamah.
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Language and Religious Experience -- God in Search of Man, Part One
Texts and Religious Experience --God in Search of Man, Part Two
Deeds and Religious Experience -- God in Search of Man, Part Three
Theology in Real Life --
The Insecurity of Freedom
"Reflections on Death."
"No Religion is an Island."
"The Moral Outrage of Vietnam"
Mordecai M. Kaplan
The Challenges to Judaism from Modernity --
Judaism as a Civilization, 19-27, 36-46.
Questions Jews Ask, (as relevant).
The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion, 17-20.
Judaism is a Civilization --
Judaism as a Civilization, 389-91, 186-208 (skim).
Questions Jews Ask, (as relevant).
Repercussions for Faith and Liturgy --
"Introduction to The Sabbath Prayerbook"
Questions Jews Ask, (as relevant).
The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion, 25-29, 43-57, 106-19, 134-35, 244-64.
"Mordecai M. Kaplan as a Rationalist Mystic."
I. A complete summary of Heschel would include the following:
The ineffable
what it is
relationship to divine pathos
definition of faith
definition of spiritual knowledge
Revelation
what it is for God, what it is for humanity
relationship of revelation to the text of the Bible
Deeds (using Search and Insecurity)
kavvana -- what it is, relationship to ritual
social justice
(1) The material and I:
(a) What was my purpose in taking this course? Am I achieving that purpose?
(b) How did my past experience, values, and culture shape the way I perceived this material? How has the material changed my perception of myself and my culture? Or: How did studying this material heighten my awareness of my assumptions, perceptions, and positions? How did it affect them?
(c) What was the most emotionally or spiritually difficult part of this material? What was the part I was most in sympathy with?
(2) The class and I:
(a) How am I relating to my study partner? Am I contributing to the study session all I could?
(b) With which of my fellow students do I agree? With whom do I disagree? Are there any non-intellectual, personal dimensions to this agreement / disagreement? Have I spoken to them on the subject?
(c) Have I met with someone outside the class to discuss this material? How did that discussion go?
GUIDELINES
KAPLAN SUMMARY AND PERSONAL RESPONSE
I. A complete summary of Kaplan would include the following:
(1) Kaplan's definition of modernity, including science, history, democracy, freedom, and humanism.
(2) A discussion of the main effects of the ideas of modernity on pre-modern, classic Judaism, especially in the areas of hierarchy and authority, and the traditional doctrines of God, Torah, chosenness, messiah, and redemption.
(3) Identify the following Kaplanian terms: folkways, sancta, transnaturalism, supernaturalism, evolving religious civilization, culture, revaluation, salvation, Power / Spirit that makes for salvation, biculturalism, and a vote but not a veto.
(4) A word about Kaplan's "philosophic mysticism" / spiritual experientialism + a word about the Reconstructionist movement.
This course undertakes a study of the challenges to Jewish life and thought, self-understanding and survival posed since the 17th century enlightenment and emancipation of the Jews of Europe to the present day. The course takes up the development of Zionism, secularism and Yiddishism, the European Shtetl, the emigration experience and the formation of American Judaism, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist; reactions to the Holocaust; modern ideologies of the State of Israel; the contemporary forces of egalitarianism and reversionism.
Textbooks
Nathan Glazer, American Judaism
Zbrowski and Herzog, Life is With People
Arthur Hertzberg, The Zionist Idea
Additional short photocopied selections to be assigned during the course
Supplementary Reading List (SRL) (Topic - Author, Title)
On the experience of immigrants: Handlin, The Uprooted
On the life of modern Israel: Elon, The Israelis
A critique of communal values in America: Neusner, American Judaism: Adventure in Modernity
A feminist approach: Plaskow, Standing Again at Sinai
The fellowship alternative: Prell, Prayer and Community
An American religion: Sklare, Conservative Judaism
The rabbis: Helmreich, The World of the Yeshiva
Orthodox life: Heilman and Cohen, Cosmopolitans and Parochials
Hasidic people: Mintz, Legends of the Hasidim
The Shoah: Roth and Berenbaum, Holocaust: Religious and Philosophical Issues
Analytical model: Neusner, Death and Birth of Judaism
Jewish Social Studies: Goldscheider and Neusner, Social Foundations of Judaism
Videos
Abba Eban, Heritage: Civilization and the Jews (parts 7-9)
Purpose
This course asks some bold questions about the development of modern Judaism. Where did it begin? How did it grow? What does it teach? I urge you to set aside what you know about Judaism or any other religious system and allow this course to speak to you afresh. It is important that you do not bring any preconceived conclusions to this course. Just do the work and watch the story unfold.
Overview
The course readings will first introduce you to a foreign culture in the form of the Eastern European Jewish shtetl (small town). It is here that the roots of modern Judaism took hold. You will consider the trauma of the transplantation of this culture to American soil as you read of the struggle of three million Eastern European immigrants in America at the turn of the 20th century.
You will examine the complex ideological development of Zionism in its European beginnings at the end of the nineteenth century. Out of this context European pioneers founded the modern State of Israel. Then you will watch a more familiar culture, American Judaism, unfold. You will learn what practices and beliefs are central to the religion and culture of American Judaism. The varied readings for this course include the writings of anthropologists, historians, sociologists, and theologians.
Required Texts
Glazer, Nathan. American Judaism, 2nd edition. Chicago: The University of Chicago, 1974.
Arthur Hertzberg. The Zionist Idea. New York: Atheneum, 1975
Zborowski, Mark, and Elizabeth Herzog. Life is With People. New York: Schocken Press, 1952.
COURSE OUTLINE
The Shtetl
What Are the Roots of Modern Judaism? The shtetl: A Culture Together
What Are the Roots of Modern Judaism? The shtetl: A Culture Apart
How Does Transplanting a Culture Lead to Alienation?
How Does Transplanting a Culture Lead to Integration?
Zionism
Who were the early Zionist writers?
What was Herzl's role?
What is cultural Zionism?
What are the forms of socialist Zionism?
How do we define religious Zionism?
American Judaism
Who Were America's Early Jewish Immigrants?
What Happened to the New Immigrants in America (1880-1920)
What Role Does the Rabbi Play in Modern Jewish Life?
What Traits Define the Modern Jewish Community in America?
What is the Character of the Religion of American Jews?
What Does American Judaism Say About Israel?
What Does American Judaism Say About God?
What is Modern Judaism?
The Shtetl
WHAT ARE THE ROOTS OF MODERN JUDAISM?
THE SHTETL: A CULTURE TOGETHER
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
Life is With People--pages 11-68, 88-104, and 124-141
SUGGESTED
Life is With People--pages 69-87 and 105-123
Study Notes
WHERE TO BEGIN?
We begin our study of modern Judaism in the small towns of Eastern Europe. As you shall see in Zborowski and Herzog's description, the culture of the European shtetl was simple, and in many ways primitive or archaic. The life style and beliefs of the Jews in these towns appeared to be conservative and traditional, hardly what we would consider "modern". So it is appropriate to ask why we begin this course with the study of the culture of the shtetl?
There are two answers to this question, one simple and the other complex. Simply speaking, we begin the study of modern Judaism at a particular date, the year 1800. The world's largest Jewish communities in the 19th century were in what are now the countries of Poland, Russia, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. It clearly makes sense to start our study of modern Judaism at a predetermined date and with the most populous Judaic cultural centers.
But our concerns are much more complex. For as you will see, these centers of Judaic life have disappeared and others have grown to take their place. Because of persecution and economic hardship, some three million Eastern European Jews emigrated to the to the United States between 1880 and 1920. Then, during World War II, some six million Jews, most of them from Eastern Europe, were put to death by the Nazis to carry out their plan of genocide. There is now no Jewish culture of significance in Europe. The course of history has shifted the center of Judaic life to two other areas of the globe--North America and Israel.
Now we come back to our original query--why do we begin at the shtetl? Not merely because "it was there" as the most populous modern cultural center of Judaic history. You must understand shtetl life because three million Jews brought parts of its culture to America. Because we shall be concerned with the development of American Judaism for a large portion of this course, you must know something of the "roots" of Judaic life in America in order to understand the context out of which it grew. The European environment also gave rise to Zionism and its leaders. To understand the State of Israel you must know about the life many of its founders left behind.
An excursus: WHAT IS A JUDAISM?
Our investigation of Judaism must, by the nature of this course, be limited. We cannot delve into every aspect of the development of modern Judaism. So, we must be selective. We won't explore much of the political history of the Jews. We won't, for instance, focus on political anti-Semitism in Europe or on other external circumstances that profoundly affected the lives of Jews. Rather, we shall look at the religious life of the Jewish people.
To do this, it is best that we agree at the outset on a working definition of religion. I propose that we view religion as a distinctive life style and as a recognized set of beliefs. as applied to a defined social entity. When you turn to your readings in Life is With People, keep this definition in mind. As you read the required pages in this text, make lists--one of the elements of the way of life of shtetl Jews and the other of the world view of shtetl Judaism. These lists will be valuable when we later analyze American Judaism, for then you can use them to help you understand the sharp contrast between the two versions of modern Judaism.
Study Questions
1. It has been said that "the Sabbath was not given to the Jews, but that the Jews were given to the Sabbath." How as this illustrated within the life of the shtetl?
2. The study of Torah played a central role in the social and educational life of the shtetl. It has been said that if all aspects of religious life were placed on one side of a scale and the study of Torah on the other, the latter would outweigh the former. How did shtetl practices illustrate this general statement of relative values in Judaic culture?
3. Family roles were clearly defined in the conservative society of the shtetl. What was the role of husband? Of wife? Of children? Of grandparents?
WHAT ARE THE ROOTS OF MODERN JUDAISM?
THE shtetl: A CULTURE APART
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
Life is With People--pages 239-265, 269-290, and 361-380
Study Notes
A TIGHTLY-KNIT CULTURE
You have seen evidence of the two major characteristics of shtetl culture Zborowski and Herzog wanted to describe. First, Life is With People gives you an idea of the overwhelming sense of community that characterized the shtetl. Some students have found it helpful to think about small town America at the turn of this century as in some ways analogous to the shtetl community. Sinclair Lewis' descriptions of shared life styles and world views in Main Street illustrate how a person may take a critical view of the conservative tendencies of small town life. Zborowski and Herzog, by contrast, paint a uniformly rosy picture of shtetl existence. We are overwhelmed by a sense that so much of life was shared among the Jews of the shtetl-- the calendar, weekly, monthly, and seasonal celebrations, family life and transitions (marriage, birth , death), the school, synagogue and home.
A CULTURE OUT OF CONTEXT
Yet a second aspect of shtetl life and belief must be noted. The shtetl saw itself as existing in a kind of vacuum apart from the "world of the gentiles." While Jews came into contact with "goyim" in the street and marketplace, they saw their world as apart from that of the gentiles. Jews sought above all to distinguish what was the Jewish way, the "proper" way, and what was the "goyish" way, the way to be avoided. This was the attitude in the best of circumstances. Under the worse circumstances, Eastern European Jews became xenophobic (afraid of strangers) and saw gentiles not only as different and apart, but also as adversaries or potential enemies. Sholom Aleichem humorously depicts the Jews' self-image in the gentile world in his brief story of "On Account of a Hat." Isaac Babel depicts the more violent confrontation of Jew and gentile in "The Story of My Dovecote."
Study Questions
1. Parnosseh, sustenance or making a living, was naturally central to shtetl life. Describe its unique qualities in this setting.
2. What were the main "rites of passage" of life cycle of the shtetl, and how were the observed?
3. What was a "kosher home"? How did it contribute to the inner cohesion and contextual disjuncture of the shtetl?
4. Much evidence suggests that Life is With People presents only a partial account of shtetl life. Is this true? How?
Written Assignment 500-750 words
How did the life style of the shtetl contribute to a sense of social cohesion, a feeling that life is indeed "with people"?
OR
Write critical assessment of Life is With People. Emphasize the limitations of an account that attempts to depict a broad spectrum of communities in a single account. Also address the one-sided nature of this glowing description of shtetl culture.
HOW DOES TRANSPLANTING A CULTURE LEAD TO ALIENATION?
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
Oscar Handlin, The Uprooted--(xerox)
Study Notes
Your are undoubtedly familiar with the historical background of the great emigrations to America from your secondary school studies of the attraction of "the land of opportunity and freedom" to oppressed and impoverished people of other nations. In these accounts, for the most part, you were told about the affect of these large scale emigrations on the American scene. Rarely, however, was the point of view of the immigrant who made the tremendously perilous journey to America taken into account. Oscar Handlin's work will give you just this perspective, because he focuses on the major components of the migration experience. First, he describes the alienation, insecurity, fear, and trauma of leaving ones homeland. Then he indicates the challenge of facing integration into a new society.
Handlin's description attempts to encompass the experience of all European immigrants to America and to analyze the common components of their shared experience. You should note that his discussion applies to Irish, Italian, Scandinavian, and German immigrants, in addition to Jewish and gentile Polish and Russian immigrants. Note further that these Jews are not to be categorized as peasants who lived off the land, but in Handlin's terms, as "dissenters" within their European context. This distinguishes them from most European immigrants or the 19th and early 20th centuries. Yet much of what Handlin says about the experience of the immigrants applies to the Jews who departed for America. You might find a schematic presentation of some of Handlin's ideas helpful.
Migration Experiences
alienationreversalintegration
(insecurity, ethics/cheating sometimes via
fear, crisis) family/individual reconstitution
isolation laborer of religious
trauma tradition/competition institutions
success/$ucce$$ (synagogue, school,
old/new charity society),
community/ghetto often only in the
second or third
generation
Study Questions
1. What were the five stages of the immigration experience? How was the immigrant vulnerable at each stage?
2. Some say that the immigrants had only two choices: (1) make it as businessmen, or (2) transfer their hope to their children. Explain what this means.
3. What does Handlin mean when he says, "to live in the old way was to court failure or hardship, while success brought the pangs of unsettled uprooted values"?
HOW DOES TRANSPLANTING A CULTURE LEAD TO INTEGRATION?
Study Notes
No matter where they came from or under what circumstances, reconstructing their culture was the task of the immigrants, the first generation Americans. The Jews transplanted many aspects of their religious culture, and in the process adapted them to their new environment. But after replanting the old institutions, all immigrants found that religious life in America was more complex than in their old countries. In particular, America afforded its citizens an open atmosphere that encouraged religious pluralism (a term commonly used in the 1950s). Most bluntly put, this meant that no single religion had a monopoly in American culture--all were, in effect, competing with each other in an open marketplace. So the Jews found that they were confronted with a wide choice -- and this often lead to confusion.
The Jewish immigrants sometimes also faced a much worse set of problems. They often found themselves resettled in a ghetto, most frequently on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. In the ghetto they faced crime, neuroses, alcoholism, and disease. Add this to the alienation they felt on losing the security of the old world and the confusion of facing an open diversity of religious preferences, and you have a modest picture of some of the factors that influenced the state of mind of the first generation American Jew--the new immigrant.
Study Questions
1. What difficulties did Jewish immigrants face in attempting to transplant the "Sabbath" to America?
2. Handlin says that rapid splintering was a characteristic of Jewish synagogue development in America. How does this compare with the apparently harmonious and undifferentiated life of the shtetl as depicted by Zborowski and Herzog?
3. Looking at the ghetto, Handlin says that "the immigrants witnessed in themselves a deterioration." Yet despite the problems they faced, almost none went back to Europe. Can you account for this?
4. Handlin say the immigrant's experience destroyed the context of his or her religion. Explain what this would mean to the shtetl Jew.
5. Religion played a role in the immigrants' adaptation to their new environment. Which aspects of shtetl life were particularly threatened by the American environment, and which elements of shtetl culture (at least theoretically) proved to be adaptable and even helpful in the new life of the Jewish immigrants?
ZIONISM
Reading Assignments
REQUIRED
Who were the early Zionist writers?
Hess: Zionist Idea, 22-45, 116-40
Pinsker: 178-98
What was Herzl's role?
Zionist Idea, 45-51, 200-231
What is cultural Zionism?
Ahad Ha'am: Zionist Idea, 51-72, 247-288
What are the forms of socialist Zionism?
Zionist Idea, 72-80, 329-82
How do we define religious Zionism?
Zionist Idea, 80-100, 397-465
Study Notes
The modern age in Europe in the 19th century followed in the aftermath of the French revolution. A half century or more of great change took place across the continent. The French revolution brought the Enlightenment to western Europe--the age when society moved out of the former period of time and became receptive to the new ideas associated with the revolution and with the new themes and philosophies of society. While society was in the process of being reshaped by radical ideals and revolutionary events, beneath the surface the old attitudes and prejudices continued.
Universalism was a prevailing idea that through the actions of revolution and change, the universal goals of mankind would be achieved. After the French Revolution, especially after 1848, this concept of universalism was supplanted by a new wave of romantic rationalism--in the wake of the reunification of the German and Italian nations.
Nationalism grew over the course of the century and eventually led to two world wars. It exerted a powerful force over the imagination of the peoples in Europe including many prominent Jewish thinkers mainly in the Zionist ideology of the period. A perverse spin-off of nationalistic thinking was the rabid and dogmatic racism which arose within western Europe.
Nationalism, Universalism, Socialism, Racism were each to have been able to further the march of history forward to the ultimate time, the end of days, the redemption of the world, the end of all travail. In this milieu Zionism developed and grew.
Let me provide some basic definitions and aspects of the Jewish community in the 19th century in Europe: "emancipation" means freedom--in specific freedom from slavery (e.g. the Emancipation Proclamation). For our historical setting it connotes the attainment of the basic rights of citizenship for the Jews. Beginning in France and spreading across the European countries the Jews were for the first time given equal rights to live as citizens. Previously, they lived in self-contained units, towns of small size with their own social institutions, schools, charitable organizations, medical help and so on, the small Shtetlach we have studied. Emancipation for the Jews came in the wake of the French Revolution. Both Jew and Gentile greeted the idea of emancipation. The Jews hoped that equal rights and citizenship would bring an end to antisemitism. The Jew would be equal and no longer subject to persecution. The Gentiles hoped that the kindness of extending a hand to the Jews would be the enticement needed to further their hopes of converting the Jews to Christianity. Few opposed the emancipation of the European Jewish Community.
With the new freedom the Jews pursued the ideas and ideals of the Western thinkers. To the traditional, religious adherent of Judaism, Enlightenment of the mind to new ideas and philosophies, especially to the current philosophies of the nineteenth century, which were hardly sympathetic to religion, and not at all kind to Judaism, was dangerous. It contradicted the goals of the established religious group. A few binary pairs form the basic vocabulary of modern Jewish thought in the Enlightenment: East Europe/West Europe; Reform/tradition; Antisemitism (racism)/national hope; Diaspora/refuge in a homeland.
Background of Zionism
The idea of Zion is at the center of Jewish thought going back to the Tanakh. For instance:
If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand lose its cunning, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.
By the waters of Babylon there we sat, there we mourned for the land of Israel.
The exiles in the Diaspora longed for many millennia to return to a homeland. The rabbis carried over the idea of returning to Zion into their own reformulation of Jewish thought 1500-2000 years ago. In the liturgy, the prayers which they arranged for the synagogue and the home of the rabbinic Jew, they placed the idea of Zion. The Jew prays through the words of an anonymous rabbi
Gather us from the four corners of the world--to Jerusalem. Return rulership to the Jew, return the land to the Jew, give the chance for the messianic age to dawn----for the son of David to rule, and by so doing to redeem the Jews.
What was so peculiar about the situation of the Jews in Europe in the 19th century that lead them to conclude that then was the proper time for the rebirth of the active Zionist Ideal? The Zionists perceived a situation intolerable at worst and unfulfilling at best for the Jews of Europe. The earliest thinkers alluded to the antisemitism of the times.
Zionism is a system of Judaism. After the creation of the State of Israel, Zionist thought was put into practice. The State of Israel is a complex society, based in large part on the complex ideology behind the Zionist movement. Our understanding of the ideas of Zionism help us to understand the modern state of Israel and the modern state of mind of the American Jew as he/she regards Israel, Judaism, and America.
Hertzberg's classic introduction to the subject on pages 15-100 serves as your best study notes for the readings in these units.
Assignment
Discuss or debate two of the bases for modern Zionism: one primarily external motive and one dominantly internal force. Refer specifically to the primary writings of the founders of Zionism.
American Judaism
WHO WERE AMERICA'S EARLY JEWISH IMMIGRANTS
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
American Judaism--pages 1-78
Study Notes
The Jews of Eastern Europe who came three-million strong around the turn of the century found that the faced not only the trauma of the passage to America, but also confrontation with native American Judaism that had been taking shape since the 17th century. The religion of the Sephardic (Spanish and Portuguese) and Ashkenazic (Franco-German) Jews in America was a bit different from that of the shtetl Jews. But more important, the native Jews were at best indifferent to the droves of unrefined immigrant Jews from Eastern Europe.
Curiously, the writing of Nathan Glazer reflects a somewhat reserved judgment of the shtetl Jew. You should read Glazer with some care, for he provides you with valuable facts concerning the early Jewish communities in America. He describes the nature and influence of these communities and explains the growth of reform and conservative Judaism in the mid-19th century.
While Glazer does describe the influx of Eastern European Jews, you should note his attitude. He takes the point of view of the native American Jew viewing an influx of foreigners. Glazer is never reluctant to judge which group you should consider enlightened and modern and which group you should see as rigid and backward. As you read his book, note his judgmental tone throughout, a characteristic of the 1950s attitude toward the history of the growth of America. Handlin, by way of contrast, for the most part avoids such judgments and is an exception to the rule.
Study Questions
1. What was the impact of the Jewish community on American culture before 1825?
2. Describe the elements of reform Judaism in America from 1825-1894. What elements of the religion were most profoundly affected by the reforms?
3. How did the Eastern European Jewish immigrants differ from the Jews who arrived in this country earlier?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NEW IMMIGRANTS IN AMERICA?
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
American Judaism--pages 79-105
Study Notes
GLAZER
The immigration restrictions of 1921 cut the flow of Jewish immigrants to America to a trickle. Because of this there was a natural break in the development of American Judaic culture. The immigrants themselves gradually lost dominance in their society. Their children, the second generation, began to formulate the consensus of life style and belief we call American Judaism. As you read Glazer's book, note the many important traits of the second generation he refers to. I've listed a few of these traits below, and added some others.
First GenerationSecond Generation
first area of settlement second area--uptown, city fringes
"Jewish" "American"
religious secular
hopeful, ambitious bitter, sense of futility
illiterate educated
stability of residence much moving about
population boom stable population, little growth
disorganized more community organization
adherence to shtetl building American Jewishness
Judaism (orthodoxy (growth of conservative Judaism)
or nothing)
Study Questions
1. What changes in demography affected the Jews of the 1920-1945 period?
2. What institutions did they develop? Why?
3. How did conservative Judaism grow in this era?
4. Outline the thought of Mordecai Kaplan.
5. How does the Sioux City, Iowa, story, recounted by Glazer on pages 101-2, suggest that Reform Judaism developed in some ways as a reaction to the institutional growth of "Eastern European Jewish Life" in America?
6. What theological developments marked the second generation's contribution to American Judaism?
Written Assignment. Your response should be two typewritten pages (500 words).
One writer has said, "what the second generation tries to forget, the third generation wants to remember." In general, the children of the immigrants selectively "forgot" some aspects of immigrant culture and religion while they retained others. Explain.
WHAT ROLE DOES THE RABBI PLAY IN MODERN JEWISH LIFE?
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
American Judaism--pages 106-128
SUGGESTED
American Judaism-Adventure in Modernity--xerox
and Understanding American Judaism, Vol. I, pages 115-306. New York: KTAV Publishing, 1975.
Study Notes
While Jewish immigrants fought for survival, their children and grandchildren were able to establish the basic institutions and formulate the dominant conceptions that define the common character of American Jewish culture from 1945-1967. In this lesson, you will be studying about the rabbi, the Jewish community structure, and the religious system of life belief of American Jews. You will be reading about phenomena that exist in contemporary Judaism. I briefly outline the history and development of the second and third generations of American Jews, the children and grandchildren of the immigrants. With this you can better understand the continuities and disjunctures between the life of the old country and the religion of the new.
The Second Generation (1920-1945)
As the floodgates of immigration were shut off by legislation, the children of the Eastern European Jewish immigrants found themselves growing up as a generation with shared common interests and concerns, and no longer overwhelmed by a constant stream of new arrivals from abroad. Picture if you will and "ideal" second generation adult, a composite of many traits of his or her contemporaries and in some ways, a caricature. This model may be described as follows. The world view of the second generation was dominated by the children's intense conception that they would and could throw off the bonds of their immigrant heritage and become true Americans. Many shared a sense of bitterness, futility, and resentment. The old ways would not fit the new context, they thought. Given a choice, they would choose to be American rather than Jewish. The fiction of Malamud, Olsen, Weidman, Rogin, Liben, and Schwartz, among many others, reflects the complexity of those beliefs and how they were acted out in family relationships between parents and children.
The life style of the second generation Jews may also be generally characterized. The children of the immigrants were highly educated, geographically mobile, and demographically less volatile. They focused their energies on developing community organizations and movements. They sought to be Americans and secular. This process too was shaped by their Jewishness. The second generation, in short, tried to forget.
The Third Generation
But the third generation wished to remember. The general religious and social traits of the grandchildren of the immigrants were greatly different from those of their parents. This generation of Jews (1945-1967) underwent a religious revival of sorts. For the remainder of the course you will be confronting the religion that took shape in this generation and was challenged in the next. You will see that the grandchildren of the immigrants did not return to a shtetl religious system, but to a religion that was distinctively American. Even the recent phenomena of "reversion" lead followers to new forms of Orthodox culture.
The third generation Jews found themselves educated, in the middle-class, out of the ethnic ghettos, and yet attached to religion. Their choices of emphasis in formulating their religious system were guided by American practice and American thought of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. So the Sabbath and the complex ritual structures of the shtetl became less important. Passover gained centrality in the life of the third generation Jew. The institutional structure of the synagogue resembled in some respects the Protestant church.
In all, the Jewish religious world view and way of life deviated little, if at all, from that of the "normal" American. "Religion is good in small doses." "It is as American as apple pie." Because great Americans came from all walks of life, there were many models of great Jewish-Americans. There were, as 1950s texts tell us, even Jewish baseball players and boxers. Compare the story by Meyer Liben, "In Homage to Benny Leonard." Differences in religion were confined to the buildings Americans entered to worship and the way individuals spoke about God. "There is one God and merely many paths to reach him." It was an age of consensus and unity whose culture never sank deep roots in American culture and disappeared quickly as the 60s unfolded.
The institution of the American rabbi was defined in American terms in this period. As turn to your readings on this subject you should note some speak of the American rabbi as a "Holy Man." He may not fit this label. That is an issue to be examined. Some of his traits are less debatable. Unlike the shtetl "Rov," a rabbi served not a whole town but his single synagogue. His role as Torah-master and kashruth supervisor diminished to allow for other functions in his day-to-day life. By and large he tended the pastoral needs of his congregation and maintained a congregation. Individual rabbis, depending on their abilities and aspirations, rose to become outstanding leaders or remained content merely to be highly paid "page announcers" who made certain that the congregation worshiped in unison. In any case, if a shtetl rabbi met his American counterpart, they would have few concerns in common.
Study Questions
1. According to Stuart Rosenberg, the life of a rabbi seems much like that of a busy executive or, perhaps, social worker. How so?
2. Why does an American rabbi have so little clout in his community?
3. How has the rabbinate changed in America over the last three generations?
4. What are the major personal concerns of a rabbi, as depicted by Rubenstein?
5. What is the role of the rebbetzin (rabbi's wife) in the community?
Written Assignment
A scholar says, "However much the contemporary rabbi differs from the rabbi of antiquity and medieval times, far more does he continue in roles and tasks they began" (p. 60). Based on your readings about the shtetl and the American rabbi, argue either that the statement is correct or incorrect in this general statement.
Your essay should be two typewritten pages long (500 words).
WHAT TRAITS DEFINE THE MODERN JEWISH COMMUNITY IN AMERICA?
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
American Judaism-Adventure in Modernity--xerox, pp. 15-34
SUGGESTED
Understanding American Judaism, Vol. I, pages 67-114. New York: KTAV Publishing, 1975.
Study Notes
Your reactions to the readings of the last lesson may have been mixed. You may have found the picture of the rabbi to be bluntly negative and critical. But this portrait to a large degree is accurate. It was necessary for you to read first about the rabbi to adjust any preconceptions you may have brought to this course. Now you are better ready to hear that a picture of the community of American Judaism cannot place the rabbi at the center of activity as sole communal leader, authority figure, and role model. Indeed, in many cases the rabbi plays a peripheral role in Jewish life. How then may we best portray this community--its concerns and its basic activities?
You will turn first in this lesson to the way of life of American Jews, the consensus that took shape in the third generation of Eastern European Jewish immigration. In later materials you will look at the world view that characterizes the "mainstream" of American Jewish thought. In this latter set of concerns you will find much of what you expect. In the former you may find some surprises.
The "Holy Life" of American Jewry is a far cry from that of shtetl culture. To be a good practicing Jew one "joins an organization and gives money." So the main characteristics of Jewish American life as pictured in your readings include:
1. checkbook Judaism
2. the culture or organizations; and
3. the community professionals.
These constitute some communal aspects of American Judaism. In the next unit you will turn to the personal religion of the modern Jew in America.
Study Questions
1. How would you define the three terms listed above?
2. What does Howard Singer's critique see as the main shortcoming of the culture of organizations?
3. Who are the real "leaders" of the Jewish community?
4. How would you describe the role of the Federations in Jewish life?
5. You know some features of the life style of shtetl Judaism and of American Judaism. Some argue that the latter is so greatly different from the former that it constitutes an entirely new system rather than a simple adaptation of the old way of life. Do you agree or disagree?
WHAT IS THE CHARACTER OF THE RELIGION OF AMERICAN JEWS?
Reading Assignment
Required
American Judaism, 129-150
Suggested
Understanding American Judaism, Vol. I, pages 3-66. New York: KTAV Publishing, 1975.
Study Notes
Now that you have started to examine the life of the modern Jew in his or her community, you should ask, what of the activities of each individual, the personal side of Jewishness? The Lakeville study of Sklare and Greenblum (American Judaism-Adventure in Modernity, pp. 71-75) will give you some insight into this question. Not surprisingly, you see that giving to charity and belonging to an organization rank as third and fourth in this survey of Jewish opinion about the desirable traits of Jewishness. Other traits include:
1. Knowing About Judaism
This somewhat vague category varies from one setting to another. What is considered basic knowledge of the Bible and Jewish history in one intellectual milieu may be considered advanced scholarship in another cultural context. Of late, knowing about the Holocaust (destruction of European Jewry in World War II) has become more central.
Emphasis on knowledge goes hand-in-hand with insistence on formal schooling for the young in Hebrew schools. These schools are usually affiliated with synagogues and hold classes after school and on Sundays. Some have criticized the effectiveness of this institution.
2. Supporting Israel
This second trait is often expressed by giving donations to Israel. Frequently a pilgrimage to Israel is undertaken by those with means. Often this becomes a vacation in a nice Jewish resort area that just happens to be in the Middle East. In the next unit we will turn to the importance of "Israelism" in American Judaism.
3. Attending Synagogue
There are usually three purposes for which American Jews attend synagogue.
a. Rites of Passage--to celebrate the bar mitzvah (coming of age for a boy at 13), bat mitzvah (coming of age for a girl), or a wedding, and less frequently for a funeral (often held in a funeral parlor), birth celebration, or circumcision (often held at home).
b. High Holidays--The New Year (Rosh Hashanah), and Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) in the fall of the year, which are commonly attended by many more marginally-affiliated Jews.
c. Recitation of Memorial Prayers--on Yom Kippur and other holidays, prayers for deceased relatives are recited (Yizkor). In the first year of mourning for parents, and on the anniversaries of their deaths, mourners recite prayers (Kaddish). Reverence for the dead is a factor that brings many marginally-affiliated Jews into the synagogue.
While this is not a complete catalogue, it restates some of the items judged central in the Lakeville study. They represent activities of individuals rather than of the community. Yet, you should consider to what degree these "individual" practices potentially guide the personal and internal life of a Jew. For it has been said that on the inside the life style of the American Jew is nearly identical to that of most Americans. The distinction between Jew and non-Jew remains confined, it is said, to external manifestations of Jewishness.
Study Questions
1. Why does a crisis of identity plague modern Jews?
2. What accounts for the sanction of Judaism as the third "official" religion in America?
3. How did the Jews in America maintain their religious identity when other immigrant groups lost theirs?
4. Summarize the results of the Lakeville Study.
5. What are the collective doubts of American Jews regarding their identity and attitudes toward Judaism?
WHAT DOES AMERICAN JUDAISM SAY ABOUT ISRAEL?
Reading Assignment
Required
American Judaism--pages 150-186
Study Notes
Background
The modern state of Israel, founded in 1948, plays an important role in the life and thought of American Jews. You have already read about the ongoing activities many organizations undertake to support this "western" state in the Middle East--to raise money for Israel and publicly assert political and moral backing for it. You also should recall that taking a trip to Israel is among the many things American Jews do to assert their religiosity.
But quite often the average American Jew is not aware of how deep and substantial is the thought, the philosophy, and the ideology of modern Zionism. To the average Jew, Israel is both the homeland of ancient ancestors and of the modern Jew as well -- an outrageous and yet self-evident idea.
The Idea of a "Homeland"
The Jews you are concerned with in this course came, as you recall, mainly from Eastern Europe at the turn of the 20th century. Factually, then, their homelands included Russia, Poland, Rumania, Hungary, and the like. But the collective consciousness of these immigrants never accepted these countries as the place of their origin. Intuitively, logically, and psychologically the Eastern European Jews knew that they had no homeland--no country they could call their own. To fill this void, these "orphans" adopted a new land as their homeland--Israel. It took quite a while for the adoption process to be completed. While modern Zionist thought as we have seen it, began in earnest in the 1860s, only in the 1960s and 1970s did most Jews of the world acknowledge Israel as their homeland.
America's Jews do support Israel and do visit Israel, but when they arrive they find not the hometown of their grandparents or great-grandparents but the archaeological remains of ancestors who called Israel their homeland thousands of years ago. You will find that the relationship of Jews to Israel is one of the most engrossing, interesting, and perplexing characteristics of modern Judaism.
You are now familiar with many intellectual justifications for and ideological goals of Zionist thought. Israel appears to be a crucial factor in defining Jewishness in the modern world. Moreover, the theological support of the meanings of Israel in the world often takes the form of a deeply religious kind of messianic prophecy--through Israel the world will be redeemed.
But some people have criticized the average Jew's perception of Israel's relationship to American Judaism as superficial. They say that simple support of Israel in the political arena and a tour of that country every few years gives Jews something "Jewish" to do, but that kind of activity touches nothing of the inner or personal life of an individual. A deeper and warmer inner commitment to Israel would constitute a genuinely meaningful religious component of an individual's life. But for America's Jews, they say, this is rare.
So the relationship of Jews to Israel is somewhat contradictory and certainly complex. While it has potentially positive ramifications for modern Judaism, a superficial understanding of the ties that bind Jews to Israel may not deepen Judaic religious life.
Study Questions
1. Steinberg lists a number of potential benefits that a Jewish homeland would provide Jews. Is he correct, based on what you know of the world view and life style of the third and fourth generation descendants of Eastern European Jewish immigrants?
2. What is "enlandisement"?
3. How is Zionism at once modern and secular, and also archaic and religious?
Written Assignment. Your essay should be two typewritten pages (500 words).
Many shtetl Jews were, and many American Jews are, ardent Zionists in deeply intellectual and personally religious ways. Yet they came to settle, and continue to live in America. Based on the required readings, explain:
1. what Zionism contributes to the self-understanding of a Jew; and
2. in what ways Zionism is a "curious amalgamation of the most modern and secular, with the most archaic and religious."
WHAT DOES AMERICAN JUDAISM SAY ABOUT GOD?
Reading Assignment
REQUIRED
American Judaism-Adventure in Modernity--XEROX, pp. 117-142
SUGGESTED
Understanding American Judaism, Vol. II, pages 3-299. New York: KTAV Publishing, 1975.
Study Notes
Many of you have anticipated this part of the course from the outset. On entering a Jewish Studies course, a student once remarked to me that he was not Jewish, but that he came to that course to find out "why the Jews do not believe in Jesus and what they do believe in." We cannot to simplistically list a catalogue of dogmas and call it "modern Jewish theology."
I have emphasized that the formation of a proper agendum of inquiry or set of questions is the best way to enter into an analysis of the issues of this course. So, too, as we approach the beliefs of America's Jews. The thoughts and ideas of a community can be derived from just a few of the general issues that it confronts. Those issues that are paramount in the minds of the Jewish intellectual elite generate in turn its agendum of problems. The issues include:
1. chaos
2. existence; and
3. death.
These issues are explored by Richard Rubinstein who sees chaos in the world. He is angered by the hopelessness of humanity's existence, which is underlined by communal historical tragedy. Soloveitchik, like Rubinstein, sees the existential dilemma of humanity as the paramount issue to be faced by the theologian. But he responds to it out of traditional framework. Fackenheim, too, takes a traditional attitude toward death and destruction in his call to reassert life and create a stronger identity.
These Jewish theologians, like many of their Christian counterparts, formulate a modern agendum for theological inquiry. They face the modern secular world with its tremendous capacity for building and for destruction, and they bring to it archaic yet enduring ideas and create afresh new worlds of thought, new answers to humanity's need to explain the unknowable and to understand the mysterious forces of our society and our world.
Study Questions
1. How is the modern Jewish intellectual different from the classical Jewish sage, according to Arthur Cohen?
2. Summarize the theological concerns of Richard Rubenstein and the existential posture of Soloveitchik.
3. Emil Fackenheim formulates a theological response to the Holocaust. In what ways does it deal with that dark era of history?
Written Assignment
Some people have pointed out that Fackenheim's call to respond to the Holocaust was answered in the creation of the modern state of Israel. Examine this assertion, considering whether the Holocaust (suffering and death) and Israel (redemption and rebirth) can be seen as enduring symbols in a new Judaic world view.
Write a 500-word essay in response to this topic (two typewritten pages).
WHAT IS MODERN JUDAISM?
Study Notes and Questions
At the conclusion of this course I would like to review the issues you have explored and the story you have followed. there is a little need to emphasize the changes you have seen in Judaism as Jews moved from the shtetl to North America. The history of the modern world over the past 100 years puts before us a constant drama of change in technology, in society, in life, and in thought. Change is self-evident. For the immigrants the uprooted, change was often traumatic. What then should you reflect on in the account you have followed in this course? In my opinion, the enigma is how so many scholars, theologians, leaders, and common people persist in the conviction that there is continuity from the archaic world of the past to the turbulent situation of the present. What is interesting, as I see it, is the insistence that modern Judaism is a continuation and extension of the true and authentic religion of the past.
Another major issue runs through the entire course and in fact is related to the preceding. That is, in a world of flux and contradiction, what is sacred and what is holy? shtetl Jews never faced this question. This dichotomy of life was thoroughly worked out for them. They knew the elements of the sacred and how it differed from the profane. But the modern context admits contradiction and confusion. What are the elements of the holy life, holy man, holy ways? Why do theologians dwell on death and existence, and relegate classical themes such as God and revelation to a secondary position? So, at the conclusion of this course you must turn both to the facts gathered by sociologists and historians and to the great thoughts and concepts produced by theologians and philosophers and ask of them the larger, yet unsettled questions.
What is Practical Rabbinics? Developing Your Rabbinic Skills Working with the Siddur Final Questions Before the High Holidays Learning from the High Holiday Experience Crafting Creative Liturgy Visit to Funeral Home Meeting the Newly Grieving Family Preparing the Funeral Service Eulogy Project Rituals for Newborns (Rabbi's Manual) : Eulogy Project, continued. "The Jewish Federation and the Rabbi" "Rituals for Newborns," (Rabbi's Manual) "Fundraising and Appropriations" "More than Extra Cookies and a Guitar: Crafting Meaningful Worship Experiences for. Children" The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Experience Preparing for the Congregational Seder "Caring for Our Smallest Congregants: The Rabbi's Role in Preventing Child Abuse" Conversion Dynamics Conversion Education Conversion Ritual
The prophetic movement has often been regarded as the high point and center of ancient Israel's religious history. This course is an introduction to Israel's prophetic writing, in the context of the ancient Near East and the Bible. The books of the major prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah, are included in this study, yet we will also read and discover the teachings of Amos, Elijah, and Hosea. This course will help the student gain clarity concerning the history of the time in which the prophets lived, allow them to explore their beautiful poetry, and will in turn help them develop a theological perspective that will serve to bring the prophets message into the twenty-first century.
Required Text:
Podhoretz, Norman, "The Prophets, Who They Were, What They Are", New York, New York: The Free Press (Simon and Schuster), 2002. Hardcover ISBN: 0743219279
Heschel, Abraham, "The Prophets", New York, New York, Perennial Classics (Harper Collins Publishers), 2001. Soft cover ISBN: 0060936991
Koch, Klaus, "The Prophets: The Assyrian Period" or "The Prophets, Vol. 1: The Assyrian Period", Minneapolis, MN, Fortress Press (Augsburg Fortress), 1983 (1982). ISBN: 0800616480
Week 1
Readings: Podhoretz pages 1-81 Heschel 3-31
Questions:
Discuss Podhoretz definition of Abrahams job description.
Why does Abraham, who does not hesitate to argue with God over Sodom and Gomorrah, fail to argue with God over asking Abraham to kill his own beloved son?
Discuss the purpose of the story of the golden calf?
Week 2
Readings: Koch 1-35 Heschel 202-281
Questions:
Discuss Ciceros two types of divination.
What distinguishes the nabi from the seer and man of God of earlier generations?
Explain the differences between: the messenger formula and the proclamation formula.
HOMILETICS WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS Segment One Text Sermons (17 Sessions, ) 3 Texts/Text Analyses/Propositions 2 Outlines 2 Text Sermons 1 D'var Torah Essay: "My Thoughts on Preaching" Segment Two Non-Text Sermons (11 Sessions, beginning February 24) 2 outlines 2 Non-Text Sermons 1 Eulogy III. PREPARING COPIES OF WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS 1. Please submit assignments to on Mondays. 2. Please type (double-spaced) and proofread your work! (Speling mistakes and grammatical errors ain't going to be tolerated!) The instructors appreciate your cooperation. Thank you.IV. READINGS Required readings: Each student should purchase the following: William Strunk and E.B. White, Elements of Style (Revised 1971). Eugene Mihaly, A Song To Creation (Hebrew Union College Press, 1975). Homiletics I: Readings. For further information: The following can be found either in the "Reference" section of the Klau Library, or on the "Reserve" shelf: Jewish Encyclopedia article on "Bible Exegesis" Israel Bettan, Studies in Jewish Preaching (HUC Press, 1939). Abraham Cohen, Jewish Homiletics (M.L. Cailingold, 1937). Lionel Crocker, "A Rhetorical Analysis of Harry Emerson Fosdick's Sermon, 'The Power to See It Through'," in Lionel Crocker (ed), Harry Emerson Fosdick's Art of Preaching: An Anthology (Charles C. Thomas, 1971). David Curzon (ed), Modern Poems on the Bible: An Anthology (The Jewish Publication Society, 1994). Douglas Ehninger, "Toward a Taxonomy of Prescriptive Discourse," in Eugene White (ed), Rhetoric in Transition: Studies in the Nature and Uses of Rhetoric (The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1980). Solomon Freehof, Modern Jewish Preaching (Bloch Publishing Co., 1941). Robert Friedenberg, Hear O Israel: The History of American Jewish Preaching, 1654- 1970. (University of Alabama, 1989). Barry Holtz, Back to the Sources: Reading the Classical Jewish Texts (Summit Books, 1984). Robert Katz, "The Rabbi as Preacher and/or Counselor: A Frame of Reference," CCAR Journal (June 1958). Edmond Holt Linn, Preaching as Counseling: The Unique Method of Harry Emerson Fosdick (The Judson Press, 1966). Wayne C. Mannebach and Joseph M. Mazza, Speaking From The Pulpit (The Judson Press, 1969). Eugene Mihaly (ed), Aspects of Jewish Homiletics, Vols. I-VI. Lectures delivered in the Hebrew Union College Chapel, 1957-1964. Dale Patrick and Allan Scult, Rhetoric and Biblical Interpretation (The Almond Press, 1989). Marc Saperstein, Jewish Preaching 1200-1800: An Anthology (Yale University Press, 1989). Marc Saperstein, "Your Voice Like a Ram's Horn": Themes and Texts in Traditional Jewish Preaching (HUC Press, 1996). Frank Talmage, "Apples of Gold: The Inner Meaning of Texts in Medieval Judaism," in Arthur Green (ed), Jewish Spirituality from the Bible through the Middle Ages(Crossroad, 1986). Additional resources: Many resources (in English) are available in the Klau Library: Harvey J. Fields, A Torah Commentary for Our Times, (New York: UAHC, 1990). Nehama Leibowitz, Studies in Genesis/Exodus/Leviticus/Numbers/Deuteronomy (Jerusalem: Jewish Agency, 1976). Elie Munk, The Call of the Torah (New York: Feldheim, 1969). W. Gunther Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary (New York: UAHC, 1981). ----------, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: JPS, 1989). It is often helpful to consult sermon collections. In particular: Samuel Chiel, Discovering Life's Meaning (Hoboken, New Jersey: Ktav, 1990). Jeffrey M. Cohen, Moments of Insight (London: Vallentine, Mitchell, 1989). Seymour J. Cohen, Affirming Life (Hoboken, New Jersey: Ktav, 1987). Beryl D. Cohon, Come, Let Us Reason Together (New York: Bloch Publishing, 1977). Dov Peretz Elkins, A Tradition Reborn (New York: A.S. Barnes and Company, 1973). Solomon B. Freehof, Bible Sermons for Today (New York: Ktav, 1973). ----------, Modern Jewish Preaching. ----------, Spoken and Heard: Sermons and Addresses by Solomon B. Freehof (Pittsburgh: Rodeph Shalom, 1972). Sidney Greenberg, Words To Live By: Selected Writings of Rabbi Sidney Greenberg(Northvale, New Jersey: Jason Aronson, Inc., 1990). ----------, Finding Ourselves. ----------, Say Yes to Life. ----------, Lessons for Living (New York: Hartmore House, 1985). Zevi Hirsch Masliansky, Sermons (New York: Hebrew Publishing Company, 1960). Israel Mowshowitz and Debra Orenstein, From Generation to Generation (New York: New York Board of Rabbis, 1992. Shmuel Werzberger, Torah: A Way of Life, A Way to Life (Hoboken, New Jersey: Ktav, 1989). Isaac M. Wise, Sermons by American Rabbis (CCAR, Chicago 1896). For sermon collections for the High Holy Days, consult: Sidney Greenberg, Teaching and Preaching: High Holiday Bible Themes Vol. 1 & 2 (New York: Hartmore House, 1973). Eugene J. Lipman, Yamim Nora'im: Sinai Sermons (Washington, D.C.: Temple Sinai, 1987. Jack Riemer, The World of the High Holy Days (Miami: Bernie Books, 1991-2). Some helpful collections of eulogies include: Hershel Cohen and Victor H. Solomon, Nahalat Shafra: A Book of Eulogettes (Hoboken, New Jersey: Ktav, 1990). Russell H. Conwell, One Thousand Thoughts for Funeral Occasions (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1912). William Ketcham, Funeral Sermons and Outline Addresses (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1989). Some of the more helpful anthologies are: Jacob M. Braude, Complete Speaker's and Toastmaster's Library (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1965). A. Cohen, Everyman's Talmud (New York: Schocken Books, 1975). Clifton Fadiman, The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1985). Sidney Greenberg, A Treasury of Comfort. ----------, A Treasury of the Art of Living (New York, Hartmore House, 1963). ----------, A Treasury of Thoughts on Jewish Prayer. ----------, Light from Jewish Lamps (Northvale, New Jersey: Jason Aronson, Inc., 1986). C.G. Montefiore and H. Loewe, A Rabbinic Anthology (New York: Schocken Books, 1974). Louis I. Newman, The Talmudic Anthology (New York: Behrman House, 1945). Charles L. Wallis, A Treasury of Sermon Illustrations (New York: Abingdon Press, 1950). Robert F. Weir, Death in Literature (New York: Columbia University Press, 1980). John Whitecross, Anecdotes Illustrative of A Select Passage in Each Chapter of The Old Testament (London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co., 186?). Students may find it useful to subscribe to one or more of the following periodicals/series: Harry Essrig (ed.), The American Rabbi (West Hills, California: Pastoral Services). Saul I. Teplitz (ed.), Best Jewish Sermons (Middle Village, New York: Jonathan David, 1960s+). William H. Willimon, Pulpit Resource (St. Paul: Logos Productions).V. CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS A: THE TEXT SERMON Introduction: The History, Form, and Function of the Jewish Sermon Read: Encyclopedia Judaica, "Preaching" (13:994-1007); "Homiletic Literature" (8:946-960) Jewish Encyclopedia, "Homiletics" (6:454-457) Israel Bettan, Studies in Jewish Preaching, pp. 3-48 For further information read: A. Cohen, Jewish Homiletics, pp. 1-43 Robert Friedenberg, Hear O Israel, pp. 59-84 Hyman Schachtel, "Varieties of Preachers and Preaching," in Eugene Mihaly (ed), Aspects of Jewish Homiletics, vol. VII Solomon Freehof, Modern Jewish Preaching, pp. 21-40 Marc Saperstein, Jewish Preaching 1200-1800, pp. 26-63 Assignment: Essay, "My Thoughts on Preaching" How the Rabbis Read the Text: Text and Text Analysis Read: Israel Bettan, Studies in Jewish Preaching, pp. 89-129 Eugene Mihaly, A Song To Creation For further information read: Joseph Narot, "The Textual Sermon," in Aspects of Jewish Homiletics, vol. V Barry W. Holtz, "Midrash," in Back to the Sources, pp. 177-211 David Curzon, Modern Poems on the Bible, pp. 3-19 Jewish Encyclopedia, "Bible Exegesis" (3: 162-174) Frank Talmage, "Apples of Gold: The Inner Meaning of Sacred Texts in Medieval Judaism," in Arthur Green (ed), Jewish Spirituality from the Bible Through the Middle Ages, pp.313-355 A. Cohen, Jewish Homiletics, pp. 44-66 Solomon Freehof, Modern Jewish Preaching, pp. 41-58 Dale Patrick and Allen Scult, Rhetoric and Biblical Interpretation, pp. 11-44 From Text to Proposition Read: Michael Cook, "Structuring Textual Sermons," pp. 1-12 Edmond Holt Linn, Preaching as Counseling, pp. 11-26 For further information read: Robert Katz, "The Rabbi as Preacher and/or Counselor," in CCAR Journal, June 1958, pp. 22-35 Roland Gittlesohn, "Speak to the Children of Israel," in Aspects of Jewish Homiletics, vol. VI Assignment: T/TA/Propositions #1,#2,#3 Review T/TA/Propositions #1,#2,#3 Review T/TA/Propositions #1,#2,#3 (continued) The Rules of Rhetoric: The Body of the Sermon Read: Cook, "Structuring Textual Sermons," pp. 13-20 A. Cohen, Jewish Homiletics, pp. 160-181 For further information read: Douglas Ehninger, "Toward a Taxonomy of Prescriptive Discourse," in Eugene White (ed), Rhetoric in Transition: Studies in the Nature and Uses of Rhetoric. pp. 89-100 Marc Saperstein, Jewish Preaching 1200-1800, pp. 63-79 Marc Saperstein, "Your Voice Like a Ram's Horn", pp. 107-126 Edmond Holt Linn, Preaching As Counseling, pp. 66-89 Wayne Mannebach and Joseph Mazza, Speaking From the Pulpit, pp. 9-65 The Rules of Rhetoric: Introduction, Conclusion, and Illustrations Read: A. Cohen, Jewish Homiletics, pp.136-159 For further information read: Marc Saperstein, Jewish Preaching 1200-1800, pp. 93-103 Edmond Holt Linn, Preaching As Counseling, pp. 90-141 Lionel Crocker, "A Rhetorical Analysis of Harry Emerson Fosdick's Sermon, 'The Power to See It Through'," in Lionel Crocker (ed), Harry Emerson Fosdick's Art of Preaching: An Anthology, pp. 255-273 Assignment: Outline #1 Review Outline #1 Review Outline #1 Assignment: Sermon #1 Review Sermon #1 Review Sermon #1 Assignment: Outline #2 Review Outline #2 Review Outline #2 Assignment: Sermon #2 Review Sermon #2 Review Sermon #2 The D'var Torah Assignment: D'var Torah Review D'var Torah B: THE NON-TEXT SERMON Introduction: The Non-Text Sermon Read: A. Cohen, Jewish Homiletics, pp.67-88 Solomon Freehof, "The Literary Lecture," in Israel Bettan Memorial Volume, pp.132-146 Solomon Freehof, Modern Jewish Preaching, pp. 59-82 Assignment: Outline #1 Review Outline #1 Review Outline #1 Assignment: Sermon #1 Review Sermon #1 Review Sermon #1 Assignment: Outline #2 Review Outline #2 Assignment: Sermon #2 Review Sermon #2 Review Sermon #2 Read: Robert Kahn, Aspects of Jewish Homiletics, vol. I, pp. 17-43 The Eulogy and the Funeral Assignment: Eulogy Review Eulogy Review Eulogy
HOMILETIC WORKSHEET
Passage:
Date:
Structural Context:
Passage Outline:
Theses:
Antitheses:
Goal:
Introduction:
Major Points:
Conclusion:
Illustrations/Applications
1. LEARNER-ORIENTED
It is your responsibility to cause the audience to learn--not theirs. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish this.
Be a servant of your audience. Focus on meeting their needs to grow, not on your need to be admired as a teacher.
2. EXPECTATION-ORIENTED
Your opinion of and your belief in your audience (whether stated or not) will radically affect their response.
Believe in your audience and express that belief.
3. APPLICATION-ORIENTED
Explanation without application is truncation of truth. Explanation should be seen as the proper means to application.
What is your audience going to leave the room convinced of, motivated, and determined to do?
4. RETENTION-ORIENTED
Distill your material to a form that can be easily remembered.
Make use of simple charts, illustrations and key words.
5. NEED-ORIENTED
No matter how well presented your teaching was, if it didn't meet your audience's needs, it was a failure.
Your content does not have a "need to be taught." Rather, your audience has needs to be met. Your job is not to impress your audience with how much you know. It's to discover what their needs are and gear your material to meet them. On the other hand, one need shared by all is the need to understand biblical theology and worldview.
6. EQUIPPING-ORIENTED
The final test of your teaching is not what takes place during the meeting--it's what takes place after the meeting.
Your teaching should bear observable fruit in the their lives and in the lives of the people with whom they are working.
Introduction
The introduction should be brief. Avoid taking a long time to get into the text. The introduction should serve to arouse interest in the thesis. You can do this by stating the thesis in an arresting way, stating an antithesis, posing a dilemma, using an example or illustration, or whatever gives a mandate for learning and applying this truth.
Read the text
Depending on how long your passage is, decide whether to read the entire text or the first section.
Read in a clear and interesting way, emphasizing key words or phrases.
Relevant background (if necessary)
It is sometimes necessary to supply some historical background information about the text in order to make its meaning more understandable to the audience. Avoid overdoing this.
State the thesis
Declare the main thesis of the text, or the thesis you have chosen from the text. Strive for a concise, interesting statement that defines the thesis.
Justify the thesis (if necessary)
The thesis is usually obvious to your audience. When, however, the thesis isn't readily apparent, you should demonstrate that the text actually does teach this thesis. Otherwise, your audience will be resistant to further persuasion. You can justify the thesis by defining key words in the text, pointing out the context, explaining relevant historical background, or alluding to other parallel passages.
Sometimes, you need to justify the thesis, not because it is unclear, but because it is unpopular in our culture (e.g. hell). The original author usually doesn't defend the thesis because his audience was already convinced of it, but you may need to "back up" and give an apologetical basis before you can go on in your teaching. Especially when non-Christians are present, effective persuasion cannot occur until you provide a reasonable defense.
Illustrate the thesis (if necessary)
Many theses are sufficiently clear and require no illustration. But theses that are abstract or unfamiliar to the audience often benefit from illustrations (e.g., Rom. 6:6). Illustrations can also stimulate interest in and bring home the significance of the thesis. Be sure that the illustration is simple and to the point; otherwise, you'll only make the thesis more confusing!
Supply the antithesis
Popularly expressed antitheses help to further define the thesis and bring out its significance to life. They also often suggest certain obvious applications.
It is sometimes more effective to introduce the antithesis before contrasting it to the thesis.
Make the application
This is the most important part of biblical preaching: to convince the audience of the need to act on the truth they've just learned and been convinced of. Application should be clear and practical.
You should find a way to communicate that you also need this application (and do not always follow it!).
In some cases (like problem passages), the explanation of the text is the application since it resolves the audience's problem with the text
Conclusion
Many times the application is the conclusion. At other times, it's helpful to summarize the main points of the sermon. Avoid trailing off.
A. Your sermon should convey only one major message. All of the details of your sermon should be marshaled to help your people grasp that message and feel its power.
B. You should be able to express the dominant thought in one short, clear, vivid sentence.
c. The introduction should not be elaborate, but enough to arouse their curiosity, wet their appetites and introduce the dominant thought. This can be done by a variety of means: explaining the setting of the passage, story, current event or issue, etc.
D. The conclusion should not merely recapitulate your sermon--it should apply it. Obviously, you should be applying all along, but you should keep something for the end which will prevail upon your people to take action. "No summons, no sermon."
Class Description: The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the thought, texts, and culture of Rabbinic Judaism in the first through sixth centuries. The same world that produced early Christianity forged Rabbinic Judaism. The Rabbis who shaped classic Judaism in this period responded to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the end of Jewish sovereignty in Judea, arguably the worst crisis to affect world Jewry until the European Holocaust of the twentieth century. These Rabbis transformed Judaism from a religion of centralized temple, sacrifice and priestly cult, to a religion of decentralized synagogues, prayer, rabbis, and the worship of God through study and everyday deeds. Words were at the center of Rabbinic culture, and their oral-literary tradition produced some of the greatest works of religious thought and rhetorical dialectic in two main genres: that of Talmud and that of Midrash. Students will become familiar with the historical and cultural background of classical Rabbinic society, from its origins in the Pharisaic movement in Palestine (Eretz Israel) to its pinnacle in the academies of Sassanid Babylonia. (They will also review the Israelite and Judean culture which preceded it and formed its foundation.) They will learn about the development and characteristics of the major works of Rabbinic thought, and will study selections from these works in English translation. (Some selections in Hebrew and Aramaic will be available for students with backgrounds in Hebrew language). Students will also experience the dialectical style of study associated with Rabbinic culture. Jewish cultural events will be offered for extra credit and enrichment.
Texts: Required: The Origins of Judaism from Canaan to the Rise of Islam, by Robert Goldenberg (Cambridge University Press, 2007)
As A Driven Leaf, by Milton Steinberg (Behrman House Pub., 1996)
A Beginner's Guide to the Steinsaltz Talmud, by Judith Z. Abrams (Aronson/Rowman & Littlefield, 1999)
Pirke Avot: A Modern Commentary on Jewish Ethics, by Leonard Kravitz and Kerry M. Olitzky (UAHC Press, 1993)
Copy Packs as assigned by Instructor. Purchase at Mr. Copy.
Optional: Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures--The New JPS Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text OR You may use any edition of the Tanakh or Old Testament.
I
Outline of study: Part I: Historical Background and study of Pirke Avot General Introduction. Go over Syllabus and texts Overview of Ancient Israel (photos of Israel), Abba Eban 1-A People is Born
Goldenberg, Ch. 1-2, Prehistory of Judaism, Beginnings of Monotheism Abba Eban 2-The Power of the Word. Pirke Avot, Ch. 1 Goldenberg, Ch. 3-4, Book and People, Crisis and New Beginning Abba Eban 3 -The Shaping of Traditions. Pirke Avot, Ch. 2 Goldenberg, Ch. 5-6, First Kingdom, Diaspora and Homeland Pirke Avot, Ch. 3 Goldenberg, Ch. 7-8 Century of Disasters, Rebirth of Judaism, Pirke Avot, Ch 4
Goldenberg, Ch. 9-10 Rabbis and Their Torah, End of Ancient History Pirke Avot, Ch. 5-6, A look at Purim
Part II-“As a Driven Leaf,” Midrash and Talmud Note-not all page numbers are marked in the Abrams book; some are reproduced out of another book, The Steinsaltz Talmud. Refer to the larger page numbers and count back.
Steinberg, Part 1, Introduction & Ch 1-6 (Brit Milah, Education, Sanhedrin) Bring Copy Pack with background texts weekly. Abrams, pp. 1-20 Steinberg, Part 1, Ch 7-13 (Marriage, Bruriah, Role of Women) Abrams, pp. 21-37 Steinberg, Part 1, Ch 14-20 (“Four Who Entered Pardes”) Abrams pp. 40-63. Steinberg, Part 1, Ch 21-27 (Early Christians, Theodicy) Abrams, pp. 84-105
Steinberg, Part 2, Ch 1-6 (Slavery) Abrams, pp. 106-123 Steinberg, Part 2, Ch 7-12 (Good and Bad Aspects of Roman Empire) Abrams, pp. 124-140 (and catch-up) Steinberg, Part 2, Ch 13-end (Great Rebellion, Martyrdom) Abrams, 141-158 (story by Rabbi Steinslatz), Review
‘The light therefore that must guide us in this question, must be that which is held out unto us from the Bookes themselves: And this light, though it show us not the writer of every book, yet it is not unusefull to give us knowledge of the time, wherein they were written.’ (Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan [1651])
Course description: Modern biblical criticism derives in large part from early attempts to resolve the numerous compositional and structural anomalies and discrepancies found in the Mosaic Pentateuch or ‘Five Books of Moses’; i.e., the ‘five books’ of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. We will sample the diverse genres of literature contained within the Torah, seek out and study the alleged anomalies and discrepancies, and thereby acquire an appreciation for the productive methods used in the modern critical study of the Bible. This project necessitates a close reading of the entire Torah, with our primary emphasis laid upon acquiring a nuanced understanding of the meaning of the constituent texts and their contents within their historical, social, and literary contexts.
Texts: There is one fundamental text required for this course—that of the Hebrew Bible itself in a suitable English translation. . Therefore, in order to complete the assignments for this course, the following text is required:
Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures: The New JPS Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (Philadelphia & Jerusalem: The Jewish Publication Society, 1985).
Occasionally, supplementary readings may be assigned
COURSE OUTLINE
1. Introduction: the Pentateuch (Torah) as literary corpus
a. canonization of Tanakh
b. torat-Mosheh in Prophets (Nevi’im) & Writings (Ketuvim)
c. torat-Mosheh at Qumran
d. writings of Moses in early Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sources
Required: All biblical passages which reference ‘law …,’ ‘scripture …,’ or ‘book(s) of Moses’ CD 5:8-9, 21; 8:14-15 (= 19:26); 15:2, 12; 16:1-5; 1QS 1:3; 5:8; 8:22; 1QM 10:6-8; 4QMMT C 10-11, 17, 21 Ben Sira/Sirach, prologue; Lk 24:44 Q 53:36-54; 87:18-19
Recommended: James E. Bowley and John C. Reeves, "Rethinking the Concept of ‘Bible’: Some Theses and Proposals," Henoch 25 (2003): 3-18. Marc Zvi Brettler, "The Canonization of the Bible," in The Jewish Study Bible (ed. Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 2072-77. Robert A. Kraft, "Scripture and Canon in Jewish Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha," in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: The History of Its Interpretation (ed. Magne Sæbø; 2 vols.; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1996-2000), 1:199-216. Hava Lazarus-Yafeh, "Tawrāt," Encyclopaedia of Islam (new ed.; 11 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 1960-2002), 10:393-95. John C. Reeves, "Scriptural Authority in Early Judaism," in James E. Bowley, ed., Living Traditions of the Bible: Scripture in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Practice (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 1999), 63-84.
2. A brief introduction to source criticism of the Pentateuch
a. constituent parts of the Pentateuch by genre: myths, stories, lists, rituals, laws, hymns
b. explicitly marked sources
c. implicitly referenced sources
d. editorial rubrics
e. some doublets/variant versions:
(1) Gen 12:10-20/20:1-18/26:6-11
(2) Exod 17:1-7/Num 20:2-12
(3) Exod 20:2-14/Deut 5:6-18
(4) Exod 18:13-27/Num 11:14-17/Deut 1:9-18
f. modern (i.e., post-Enlightenment) source criticism of the Pentateuch
g. profiling J, E, D, P, and other ‘letter-labels’
Required: Gen 2:18-24; 11:1-9; 36:24; 49:2-27; Exod 2:1-10; 15:1-18; 21:1-23:19; 34:10-26; Lev 7:35-37; 11:46-47; 14:1-20, 54-57; 26:46; 27:34; Num 5:11-31; 10:35-36; 21:12-15; 28:3-30:1; 33:1-49; 36:13; Deut 1:1-5; 21:1-9; 32:1-44; 33:1-29
Recommended: S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (9th ed.; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1913), esp. 1-159. Otto Eissfeldt, The Old Testament: An Introduction (trans. Peter R. Ackroyd; Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1965), esp. 155-241. Richard Elliott Friedman, "Torah," Anchor Bible Dictionary (6 vols.; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1992), 6:605-22.
3. Character cycles
a. Abraham-cycle
b. Jacob-cycle
c. Isaac-cycle (?)
d. Joseph
e. Balaam
f. Profiling Moses
Required: Gen 11:27-25:10; 25:11-26:35; 27:1-37:1; 37:2-50:26; Exod 1:1-14:31; 15:19-19:25; 24:1-18; 32:1-34:35; 40:17-38; Lev 10:1-20; 24:10-23; Num 9:15-23; 10:11-12:16; 13:1-14:45; 16:1-17:28; 20:1-22:1; 22:2-24:25; 25:1-18; 27:12-23; 31:1-32:42; Deut 31:1-30; 32:44-52; 34:1-12 All extra-Pentateuchal biblical references to pentateuchal figures like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, etc. Parascriptural treatments of same Medieval Hebrew Petirat Mosheh (cf. Deut Rab. 11 [end]) Medieval Hebrew Chronicle of Moses
Recommended: Jan Assmann, Moses the Egyptian: The Memory of Egypt in Western Monotheism (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1997). Louis Ginzberg, Legends of the Bible (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1956). Howard Schwartz, Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004). Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning (trans. Jacqueline S. Teitelbaum; Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999), esp. 8-69.
Recommended: The discussions in Driver and Eissfeldt above. Israel Knohl, "The Priestly Torah Versus the Holiness School: Sabbath and the Festivals," Hebrew Union College Annual 58 (1987): 65-117.
6. Some parascriptural images of the Torah
Required: Sir 24:1-34; 44:1-46:10; 49:14-16; Wis 10:1-19:22; Bar 3:9-4:4; Jubilees 1:1-50:13 Q 3:3, 48, 50, 65, 93; 5:43-46, 66, 68, 110; 7:157; 9:111; 48:29; 61:6; 62:5
Recommended: James L. Kugel, "The Life of Torah," in his The Bible As It Was (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1997), 503-48. E. E. Urbach, "Torah," in Judaism: A People and its History (ed. Robert M. Seltzer; New York: Macmillan, 1989), 85-100.
SUPPLEMENTAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
.
It is often helpful for the student to begin with appropriate articles in the standard Bible dictionaries. The latest and best is The Anchor Bible Dictionary (6 vols.; New York: Doubleday, 1992). Also reliable are The Interpreters’ Dictionary of the Bible (4 vols.) and its Supplementary Volume (ed. George A. Buttrick; Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1962 & 1976), and the Harper’s Bible Dictionary (ed. Paul J. Achtemeier; San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985). Highly recommended are the relevant articles in the Encyclopaedia Judaica (16 vols., Jerusalem: Keter, 1971).
Joseph Blenkinsopp, The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five Books of the Bible (New York: Doubleday, 1992).
Antony F. Campbell and Mark A. O’Brien, Sources of the Pentateuch: Texts, Introductions, Annotations (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993).
Ronald E. Clements, One Hundred Years of Old Testament Interpretation (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1976). See his chapter on the Pentateuch.
Michael Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation in Ancient Israel (Oxford: Clarendon, 1985).
______, Biblical Text and Texture: A Literary Reading of Selected Texts (Oxford: Oneworld, 1998). A convenient reprint of a classic title first published in 1979.
Richard Elliott Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible? (New York: Summit, 1987).
Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews (7 vols.; Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1909-38).
Stephen A. Kaufman, "The Temple Scroll and Higher Criticism," Hebrew Union College Annual 53 (1982): 29-43. Empirically demonstrates how one ‘sectarian’ torah scroll was redacted from different source documents.
Yehezqel Kaufmann, The Religion of Israel: From its Beginnings to the Babylonian Exile (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960).
Israel Knohl, The Sanctuary of Silence: The Priestly Torah and the Holiness School (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995).
James L. Kugel, The Bible As It Was (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1997). Important anthology of parascriptural resources for the study of the Pentateuch.
Ernest W. Nicholson, The Pentateuch in the Twentieth Century: The Legacy of Julius Wellhausen (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998).
Ilana Pardes, The Biography of Ancient Israel: National Narratives in the Bible (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000).
______, Countertraditions in the Bible: A Feminist Approach (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1992).
John C. Reeves, "Some Explorations of the Intertwining of Bible and Qur’ān,” in Bible and Qur’ān: Essays in Scriptural Intertextuality(ed. John C. Reeves; Leiden/Atlanta: Brill/Society of Biblical Literature, 2003), 43-60.
John W. Rogerson, ed., The Pentateuch (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1996).
Joel Rosenberg, King and Kin: Political Allegory in the Hebrew Bible (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1986).
S. David Sperling, The Original Torah: The Political Intent of the Bible’s Writers (New York and London: New York University Press, 1998).
Jeffrey H. Tigay, "Anthology in the Torah and the Question of Deuteronomy," in The Anthology in Jewish Literature (ed. David Stern; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 15-31.
______, ed., Empirical Models for Biblical Criticism (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1985). With regard to the inherent plausibility of source criticism, see especially the first two chapters and the appendix.
John Van Seters, "Recent Studies on the Pentateuch: A Crisis in Method," Journal of the American Oriental Society 99 (1979): 663-73.
Geza Vermes, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (New York: Allen Lane/Penguin, 1997).
Moshe Weinfeld, Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomic School (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972).
Julius Wellhausen, Prolegomena to the History of Ancient Israel (1878; repr., New York: Meridian, 1957). Enormously influential for subsequent scholarly reconstructions of the literary history of the biblical books. No serious student of biblical literature can ignore this work.
Brannon M. Wheeler, Prophets in the Quran: An Introduction to the Quran and Muslim Exegesis (London and New York: Continuum, 2002).
In addition, one can consult the relevant individual volumes (e.g., Genesis; Exodus 1-18; etc.) in philologically responsible biblical commentary series such as the International Critical Commentary, Hermeneia, the Anchor Bible Commentaries, the new JPS Commentary series, and the Old Testament Library.
TaNaKH, Jewish Publication Society translation of the Hebrew Bible (or another accurate translation) Alexander, P. Textual Sources for the Study of Judaism Donin, H. H. To Be A Jew de Lange, N. An Introduction to Judaism Steinsaltz, A. The Essential Talmud - Thirteenth Anniversary Ediition
The Jewish Encyclopedia is now on-line! Finished in 1906 (in 12 volumes) it remains a classic reference resource. Even though it has now been replaced by the more recent Encylopaedia Judaica (1971), the JE is still a very important tool for all students of Jewish culture, religion, and history.
Prayer is one of the main forms of Jewish spiritual and religious identity. Liturgy is the textual form that prayer takes. This course will begin by studying prayer and liturgy in the Bible. Then, substantial time will be devoted to the traditional prayerbook. This will be followed by some time in medieval Hebrew religious liturgical poetry. Finally, we will look closely at modern forms of Jewish prayer and liturgy.
Prayer in the Bible
Discuss: Lev. 1-6; Dt. 21:1-15; Dt. 26:1-15; Ps. 30; Pss. 113-118; Ps. 145; I Sam. 1:1-18 and II; Kings 4:23
Assn.: familiarize yourself with the siddur; shaharit
Rabbinic Liturgy
Introduction to the modern study of Jewish liturgy. Methods of scholarship, theological positions, interdisciplinary approaches.
Discuss: outline of the prayerbook and shaharit
The synagogue and prayer.
Readings:
The Weekday Amidah
Jacob Petuchowski, UJP, pp. 138-163
Discuss: amida and maariv
Discuss: kavvana (I)
God at the Center, 56, 109, 164, 183, 186, 191, 221
materials from "Prayer" (DRB)
Understanding Jewish Mysticism, vol. 2, part 2
Facing the Abusing God, ch. 1-5
The theology of Jewish prayer. Service of the heart and Kavvanah. The relationship of man to God through prayer.
Readings:
The Shema`
Jacob Petuchowski, UJP, pp. 3-111
Discuss: minha and birkat hamazon
"Ashrei"
The rabbinic laws of prayer in Tractate Berakhot.
Readings:
Mishnah Tractate Berakhot
Birkat HaMazon, other blessings
Discuss: amidot of shabbat and holidays
The origins and early history of the service.
The structure and meaning of Kinot for Tisha B'Av.
Readings:
The New Year and Festival Services, The Hallel
Discuss: Mahzor for amidot for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur
Medieval Liturgical Poetry
Discuss: Zemirot Shabbat
adon olam (12), lekha dodi (316), yom ze leyisrael (364), tsur mishelo (366), yedid nefesh (590)
Jewish liturgy, as we know it, emerged over the course of the first millennium CE. Embedded in this system of prayer is one of the most concise and normative statements of Jewish theology. After an examination of the precursors of rabbinic prayer and of the development of the synagogue as an institution, this course will examine the structures and ideas of the prayers themselves. This will create a context for a deeper discussion of some key Jewish theological concepts as well as a comparison of Jewish and Christian liturgical traditions. No prior knowledge of Judaism or Jewish prayer is presumed.
Texts for Purchase:
Reuven Hammer, Entering Jewish Prayer: Guide to Personal Devotion and the Worship Service Schocken Books, 1995 ISBN 0805210229, BM660.H27 1994 ($11.20 on Amazon) [EJP]
Reuven Hammer, Or Hadash: A Commentary on Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals (Rabbinical Assembly, 2003) ISBN 0916219208 ($45) [OH]
The Jewish Study Bible, ed. Adele Berlin, Marc Brettler (Oxford, 2003) ISBN 0195297547 (paperback, Amazon lists for $29.99 new)
Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Worship of the Heart: Essays on Jewish Prayer, ed. Shalom Carmy (Ktav, Toras Harav, 2003) ISBN 0-88125-771-0
Syllabus:
I.
II.
Precursors in Sacrifices and in Words: Jewish Worship in the Second Temple Period -- the Bible and Qumran
Mishnah Tamid, in Neusner, The Mishnah: A New Translation , 862-873. BM497.5 E5 N48 1988
E.P. Sanders, Judaism: Practice and Belief, 63BCE-66CE, 47-118, 306-314. BM176.S257 1992
Joseph Tabory, "The Precursors of the 'Amidah," in Identitaet durch Gebet..., ed. Gerhards et.al.(Paderborn: Ferdinand Schoeningh, 2003), 113-125 (or idem, "Ma'amadot: A Second Temple Non-Temple Liturgy, in Liturgical Perspectives: Prayer and Poetry in LIght of the Dead Sea Scrolls, ed. Esther Chazon (Brill, 2003), 235-261 [rest of volume recommended too]).
Selections from James R. Davila, Liturgical Works: Eerdmans Commentaries on the Dead Sea Scrolls (2000): 216-219 (Daily Prayers); 239-266 (Divrei HaMe'orot, Words of the Luminaries)
Bibliography for further reading:
Stefan C. Reif, Judaism and Hebrew Prayer, Ch. 2, "The Biblical Inspiration." BM660.R45 1993
Moshe Greenberg, Biblical Prose Prayer as a Window to the Popular Religion of Ancient Israel
Menahem Haran, Temples and Temple Service in Ancient Israel
Israel Knohl, The Sanctuary of Silence: The Priestly Torah and the Holiness School
Yehezkel Kaufman, The Religion of Israel
Prayer from Alexander to Constantine: A Critical Anthology, ed. Mark Kiley et. al., BL560.P67 1997
Bilhah Nitzan, Qumran Prayer and Religious Poetry
Daniel Falk, Daily, Sabbath, and Festival Prayers in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Prayers That Cite Scripture, ed. James L. Kugel, essays by Newman and Chazon.
III.
The Synagogue as an Institution
Readings for class:
Hammer EJP, Ch. 4
Sacred Place: The Emergence of the Synagogue in the Ancient World, ed. Steven Fine (Oxford and Yeshiva University Presses, 1996), Ch. 1. Eric M. Meyers, "Ancient Synagogues: An Archaeological Introduction," pp. 3-20; Ch. 2, Steven Fine, "From Meeting House to Sacred Realm: Holiness and the Ancient Synagogue," pp. 21-47.
Reuven Kimelman, "Rabbinic Prayer in Late Antiquity, Part II: The Synagogue and Prayer," in The Cambridge History of Judaism, Part IV: The Late Roman-Rabbinic Period, ed. Steven T. Katz (Cambridge, 2006), pp. 573-580.
Bibliography for further reading:
Lee I. Levine, The Ancient Synagogue (Yale University Press, 2000) [the definitive work to date on all aspects of the topic]
Steven Fine, This Holy Place: On the Sanctity of the Synagogue during the Greco-Roman Period (Notre Dame, 1997)
Steven Fine, ed., Sacred Realm: The Emergence of the Synagogue in the Ancient World (Yeshiva University, 1996)
Steven Fine, ed., Jews, Christians and Polytheists in the Ancient Synagogue (1999)
Philip A. Harland, Associations, Synagogues and Congregations: Claiming a Place in Ancient Mediterranean Society (Augsburg/Fortress, 2003)
Dan Urman and Paul V.M. Flesher, eds., Ancient Synagogues: Historical Analysis and Archaeological Discovery (recent anthology of most important articles, many otherwise not in English.)
IV.
Origins and Development of Rabbinic Liturgy: Its Structures and Patterns
Readings for class:
Hammer EJP, Chs. 3, 5.
SKIM the Weekday Evening Service in Hammer OH, pp. 281-298, to get a sense of the flow of the prayers. We will return to the details and commentary in coming weeks.
Ruth Langer, To Worship God Properly: Tensions Between Liturgical Custom and Halakhah in Judaism (Cincinnati, 1998), Ch. 1, "The Creation of a Valid Non-Sacrificial Liturgy," pp. 1-40.
Ruth Langer, "Revisiting Early Rabbinic Liturgy: The Recent Contributions of Ezra Fleischer," Prooftexts 19:2 (1999): 179-204.
Bibliography for further reading:
Reif, Judaism and Hebrew Prayer, Chs. 3-4.
Joseph Heinemann, Prayer in the Talmud: Forms and Patterns, Chs. III, IV (highly recommended: Chs. I, II, XI and the entire book) BM660.H4613 1977
Lawrence A. Hoffman, The Canonization of the Synagogue Service
V., VI.
The Shema and its Blessings
Readings for class:
EJP Ch. 8, 121-155.
OH xxi-xxiv, 28-34, 107-114.
Mishnah Berakhot, Ch. 1-3, in Neusner, The Mishnah...3-7. BM497.5 E5 N48 1988
Reuven Kimelman, "The Shema` and its Rhetoric: The Case for the Shema` Being More than Creation, Revelation and Redemption," Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy 2 (1992): 111-156.
Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Worship of the Heart: Essays on Jewish Prayer, ed. Shalom Carmy (Ktav, Toras Harav, 2003), Chs. 7, 8, 9, pp. 107-143.
Bibliography for further reading -- relevant sections of the following:
Elie Munk, The World of Prayer
Ismar Elbogen, Jewish Liturgy: A Comprehensive History BM660.E513 1993
B.S. Jacobson, Weekday Siddur: An Exposition and Analysis of Its Structure, Content, Language, and Ideas BM675.D3 Z813 1978
Lawrence A. Hoffman, ed., My People's Prayer Book: Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries (eight volumes)
VII., VIII.
The Amidah, Weekday, Sabbath, and Festival
Readings for class -- this week and week VIII:
EJP Ch. 9, 156-197
OH xxiv-xxvi, 3a-9, 35a-38, 115a-120, 123a-128, 156a-161 (glance also at 168-175), 236.
Mishnah Berakhot, Ch. 4-5, in Neusner, The Mishnah...7-9. BM497.5 E5 N48 1988
Reuven Kimelman, "The Literary Structure of the Amidah and the Rhetoric of Redemption," in The Echoes of Many Texts: Reflection on Jewish and Christian Traditions, Essays in Honor of Lou H. Silberman (Scholars Press, 1997): 171-218.
Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Worship of the Heart: Essays on Jewish Prayer, ed. Shalom Carmy (Ktav, Toras Harav, 2003), Chs. 2, 6, 10
Bibliography for further reading:
As listed in the previous unit
Ruth Langer, "The Amidah as Formative Jewish Prayer," in Identität durch Gebet: Zur gemeinschaftsbildenden Funktion institutionalisierten Betens in Judentum und Christentum, ed. Albert Gerhards, Andrea Doeker and Peter Ebenbauer (Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh, 2003), 127-156.
Ruth Langer, "Early Rabbinic Liturgy in its Palestinian Milieu: Did Non-Rabbis Know the 'Amidah?" in When Judaism and Christianity Began: Essays in Memory of Anthony J. Saldarini, ed. Alan A. Avery-Peck, Daniel Harrington, Jacob Neusner (Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2004), II: 423-439.
IX.
Reading and Preaching Torah
Readings for class:
Mishnah Megillah Ch. 3-4. in Neusner, The Mishnah…320-324. BM497.5 E5 N48 1988
Jewish Study Bible, David Stern, "Midrash and Midrashic Interpretation", 1863-1875; Avigdor Shinan, "The Bible in the Synagogue," 1929-1937; Stefan C. Reif, "The Bible in the Liturgy," 1937-1948.
Marc Saperstein, Your Voice is Like a Ram's Horn: Themes and Texts in Traditional Jewish Preaching (Hebrew Union College Press, 1996), Ch. 1, "'Your Voice is Like a Ram's Horn': Conceptions of Jewish Preaching," 1-10; Ch. 2 "Preaching for Pesach," 11-22
Bibliography for further reading:
Marc Saperstein, Jewish Preaching: 1200-1800 (Yale)
David Ruderman, Preachers of the Italian Ghetto
Ruth Langer, "Sinai, Zion, and God in the Synagogue: The Ashkenazi Celebration of Torah," in Liturgy and the Life of the Synagogue:Studies in the History of Jewish Prayer , ed. Steven Fine and Ruth Langer (Eisenbrauns, 2005)
Midrash: a huge literature -- ask if you are interested!
X.
Introductory Prayers and Psalms (Pesukei d'Zimra, Hallel, Kabbalat Shabbat)
Readings for class:
EJP, Chs. 7, "Preparation for Prayer"; 12, "Garments of Prayer"; 11, "Sabbath and Holidays"
OH 61-106, 132-137, 13-27
Bibliography for further reading:
As listed in the Shema unit
Joseph Tabory, "The Benedictions of Self-Identity and the Changing Status of Women and of Orthodoxy," Kenishta 1 (2001): 107-138.
Yoel Kahn, The three morning blessings '...who did not make me...': A historical study of a Jewish liturgical text (PhD diss., Graduate Theological Union, 1999) -- available through the BC Library, ProQuest.
Reuven Kimelman, "Psalm 145: Theme, Structure, and Impact" Journal of Biblical Literature 113,1 (1994): 37-58 (available online through BC)
Prayers that Cite Scripture, ed. Kugel, essay by Brody, "Liturgical Uses of the Book of Psalms in the Geonic Period."
XI.
Supplicatory Prayers (Tahanun, Selihot, Tkhines)
Readings for class:
Soloveitchik, Chs.2 "Prayer, Petition and Crisis," 3 "The Human Condition and Prayer", 5 "The Absence of God and the Community of Prayer."
Chava Weissler, Voices of the Matriarchs: Listening to the Prayers of Early Modern Jewish Women (Beacon, 1998), Ch. 1 "The Tkhines: An Introduction", pp. 3-35, 192-205.
Bibliography for further reading:
Seeking the Favor of God -- 3 volumes on the development of penitential prayer from the SBL, from the Second Temple period through early Judaism and Christianity.
XII.
Home Rituals, Passover Seder
Readings for class:
Mishnah Berakhot, Ch. 6-7, in Neusner, The Mishnah... 9-12. BM497.5 E5 N48 1988
OH 301-350, 299-300
EJP, Ch. 13 "The Blessing After Meals"
Mishnah Pesahim Ch. 10
Passover Haggadah
Bibliography for further reading:
Barukh M. Bokser, The Origins of the Seder: The Passover Rite and Early Rabbinic Judaism BM695.P35 B64 1984.
Noam Zion and David Dishon, A Different Night: The Family Participation Haggadah (Shalom Hartman Institute)
Ruth Gruber Fredman, The Passover Seder: Afikoman in Exile
Isaac Yerushalmi, Haggadah and History
XIII.
Contemporary Issues (Liberal liturgies, Feminism, Aesthetics, Holocaust and Israel)
Readings for class:
Ruth Langer, "Prayer and Worship" in Modern Judaism: An Oxford Guide (Oxford, 2005)
Stefan Reif, Judaism and Hebrew Prayer, Ch. 8-9.
Joseph Tabory, "The Prayer for the State of Israel," in Liturgy and the Life of the Synagogue, ed. Langer and Fine (Eisenbrauns, 2005)
Bibliography for further reading:
Jakob J. Petuchowski, Prayerbook Reform in Europe: The Liturgy of European Liberal and Reform Judaism
Eric Friedland, Were Our Mouths Filled with Song: Studies in Liberal Jewish Liturgy
This course involves an in-depth study of selected biblical narratives from the Book of Samuel and Kings, concerned with the early prophets and their fraught relationship with the monarchs of ancient Israel: Samuel and Saul, Nathan and David, Elijah and Ahab, Isaiah and Hezekiah, as well as others. The primary focus will be on honing text skills in reading the Hebrew Bible, with special emphasis on Hebrew syntax and word-play, as well as the overall structure of the narrative. We will also explore the question of the historiography of the Bible: how does the biblical narrative portray the events that led to the exile of the Northern Kingdom? How do versions of the same story within the Books of Samuel and Kings compared with the Chronicler’s History? In addition to preparing the Hebrew texts, we will be reading several modern literary critics on the Bible such as Robert Alter, David Polzin and Jan Fokkelman, as well as others.
Secondary Reading: Robert Alter, “Sacred History and the Beginnings of Prose Fiction”, from The Art of Biblical Narrative, p. 23-46; K.L.Noll “What is History?” (chapter 1, p.31-57) and “What is History in the Perception of the Ancients” (chapter 3, p. 58-82) from Canaan and Israel in Antiquity – An Introduction, New York: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001. DS121 .N65 2001 (Ro, T, K)
For a critique of Robert Alter [optional] read Phillips Long, “History and Fiction: What is History?” in Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation, ed. ed. Moisés Silva; Grand Rapids: Zondervan 1997, p. 319-337. BS476 .L64 1994 (R, V)
#2-The Concubine of Gibeah and the Civil War
Primary Reading: Jud. 19-21 and Gen. 19.
Secondary Reading (optional): Phyllis Tribel, “An Unnamed Woman: The Extravagance of Violence”, from Texts of Terror, Philadelphia 1984, p. 65-91.
Week Two: Samuel, the Last Judge
#1-“The Annunciation Scene”
Primary Reading: I Samuel 1-2; compare with Gen. 18:1-16, Judges 13, Luke 1-2.
Secondary Reading: Robert Polzin, “Hannah and Her son: A Parable” from Samuel and the Deuteronomist, chapter 1, p. 18-36.
#2 –“The Ark Narrative”
Primary Reading: I Samuel 3-4 and II Sam. 6
Week Three: The Election and Rejection of Saul
#1-The Request for a King
Primary Reading: I Samuel 8 and Deut. 17:14-20
#2 – The Inauguration of the King
Primary Reading: I Sam. 9-10:16 and I Sam. 10:17-end.
Secondary Reading: Moshe Halbertal and Avishai Margalit “Idolatry and Political Authority” in Idolatry, p. 214-235.
Week Four: The Double Rejection of Saul
#1 Primary Reading: I Sam. 13 and I Sam. 15
David M. Gunn, “Sin and Tragedy” in The Fate of King Saul: An Interpretation of a Biblical Story, Sheffield, 1980 p. 23-56.
Week Five The Rise of David
#1 The Rise of David
Primary Reading: I Sam. 16.
Secondary Reading: Jan P. Fokkelman, “The Alternative, I Sam. 16: David anointed, his arrival at court”, from Narrative Art and Poetry in The Books of Samuel--The Crossing of Fates, Vol. II, p. 112-140.
Week Six:
#1 Saul and the Witch of Ein Dor
Primary Reading: I Sam. 28:3-25.
Secondary Reading: Simon, Uriel, “A Balanced Story: The Stern Prophet and the Kind Witch”, from Prooftexts 8 (1988): 159-171
#2 How are the Mighty Fallen? Two Version of Saul’s Demise
Primary Reading: 1 Sam. 31 and II Sam. 1. Coda: II Sam. 21:1-14
Additional Readings: Selections from Macbeth & Tchernikovksy’s poem “Ein Dor”
Secondary Reading (optional): Cheryl Exum, “Rizpah”, Word and World vol. XVII (1997), p. 260-268.
Week Seven: The United Monarchy: Introducing “the Chronicler”
#1 Jerusalem: The City of David?
Primary Reading: I Sam. 5-6, I Chron. 11:4-9.
#2 The Story of the Census
Primary Reading: I Sam. 24 and I Chron. 21
Secondary Reading:
Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman , The Bible Unearthed : Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of its Sacred texts, p. 4-24, p. 123-145.
And the critique:
William Dever, “Excavating the Hebrew Bible, or burying it again?” in
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research; (2001), p. 67-77.
Week Eight: Sin and Repentance
#1 Why David cannot build the Temple
Primary Reading: I Sam. 7; I Chron. 22:9-10 and 28:3.
Secondary Reading: “The Modern Interpretation of Nathan’s Oracle” by P. K. McCarter, in II Samuel (Anchor Bible Series), p. 210-231.
#2 1 David’s Sin and Nathan’s Rebuke
Primary Reading: I Sam. 11-12
Secondary Reading: Meir Sternberg, “Gaps, Ambiguity and the Reading Process” (in The Poetics of Biblical Narrative, Bloomington 1987, p. 186-229.
Week Nine: The Succession Narrative and Solomon’s Apostasy
#1 The Succession Narrative & Solomon’s Apostasy
Primary Reading: I Kings 1-2 and I Kings 11-12
Secondary Reading (optional): Adel Berlin, “Character and Characterization” in Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, Winona Lake 1994, p. 25-32.
#2 Jeroboam and The Anonymous Prophet of Beit El
Primary Reading: Deut 13:1-6, 18:15-22, I Kings 12:22-13:33; and II Kings 23: 15-18.
Secondary Reading: Uriel Simon “I Kings 13: A Prophetic Sign – Denial and Persistence”, in Hebrew Union College Annual 47 (1976), p. 81-117.
Week Ten: Elijah and Ahab
#1 Elijah on Mount Carmel
Primary Reading: 1 Kings 17-18
Secondary Reading: Seger, Joe D. “Limping about the Altar”, in Eretz-Israel 23 (1992), p. 120-127.
#2 Naboth’s Vineyard
Primary Reading: I Kings 21
Week Eleven: Isaiah and Hezekiah
#1 Sennacherib’s Campaign to Judah
Primary Reading: II Kings 18:13-19:37
Secondary Reading: M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, “The Biblical and Assyrian Accounts of Sennacherib’s Campaign Compared”, in II Kings (The Anchor Bible), p. 246-252.
#2 The Reversal of the Sun--Hezekiah's Repentance and Revival
Primary Reading: 2 Kg. 20, Isaiah 38, and 2 Chron. 32:24-26
Commentary: Josephus and Abarbanel
Week Twelve: The Prophet and the Prophetic Mission
#1 The Election and Initiation of Prophet
Primary Reading: Isaiah 6, Jeremiah 1, Ezekiel 1-3 #2 The Purpose of Prophet
Primary Reading: Jeremiah 19:14-20:6 Secondary Reading: Yochanan Muffs, “Who Will Stand in the Breach? A Study in Prophetic Intercession”, in Love and Joy: Law Language and Religion in Ancient Israel, New York, 1992, p. 9-48 .
Week Thirteen:
#1 The Reign of Zedekiah: The Fall of Jerusalem
Primary Reading: II Kings 24:18-25:21 and Jeremiah 52:1-27
Bibliography :
Alter, Robert, The Art of Biblical Narrative, Basic Books, New York, 1981. BS1171.2 .A45 (R/K/St.M/St.A/T/V)
Alter, Robert, The David Story, W.W. Norton & Co., New York and London, 1999. BS1323 .A48 1999X (R/V/St.A)
Amit, Yairah, History and Ideology: An Introduction to Historiography in the Hebrew Bible (The Biblical Seminar 60; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999).
Bar Efrat, Shimeon, 1 and 2 Samuel: With Introduction and Commentary (in Hebrew), Tel Aviv: Am Oved, 1996.
Bar-Efrat, Shimeon, Narrative Art in the Bible, Academic Press, 1997. BS1178 .H4 B3513 1997 (V); or T. & T. Clark, 2004 BS535 .B36 2004 (R).
Berlin, Adel, Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative, Eisenbraus, Winona Lake Indiana, 1994. BS535 .B47 1994 (R/K/St.A)
Buber, Martin, The Kingship of God, Harper and Row, New York 1967. BT94 .B813 1967B (R/V)
Cogan, M. and Tadmor, H., II Kings – A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, Doubleday & Company Inc., New York 1988. BS192.2 .A1 1964 .G3 [v. 11] (K/St.M/St.A/Rg/T/V)
Dever, William “Excavating the Hebrew Bible, or burying it again?” in Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research; (2001), p. 67-77.
Exum, Cheryl, Tragedy and the Biblical Narrative, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England 1992. BS1199 .T69 E98 1992 (R/T/V)
Finkelstein, Israel, The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of its Sacred Texts, Free Press 2001. BS621 .F56 2001 (R/K/St.M/T/V)
Fokkelman, Jan P., Narrative Art and Poetry in The Books of Samuel, 4 vols. (1981-1993), Assen: Van Gorcum, 1986. BS1325.2 .F64 (R/St.M/V)
Gunn, David M., The Fate of King Saul: An Interpretation of a Biblical Story”, Sheffield, 1980. BS580 .S3 G8 (K/St.M)
Halbertal, Moshe and Margalit, Avishai, Idolatry, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992. BL485 .H34 1992 (R/V)
Heschel, Abraham J., The Prophets, JPS New York 1962. BS1505.2 .H4 (R/V/T/Rg/St.M/St.A)
Kalimi, Isaac, “Jerusalem – The Divine City: The Representation of Jerusalem in Chronicles Compare with Earlier and Later Jewish Composition”, in The Chronicler as Historian, ed. M. P. Graham, Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997. BS1345.2 .C47 (K)
Long, Philips, "The Art of Biblical History" in Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation, ed. Moisés Silva; Harper Collins, 1996, esp. “History and Fiction”, p. 319-337). BS476 .L64 1994 (R, V)
McCarter, P. Kyle Jr., I Samuel andII Samuel – A New translation with Introduction, Notes and Commentary (The Anchor Bible), Doubleday & Company Inc., Garden City NY, 1984. BS192.2 .A1 1964 .G3 [v. 9] (K/Rg/St.A/St.M/T/V)
Newsome, James D., A Synoptic Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, Grand Rapids, Baker, 1986). BS1205.5 .S74 (Rg/T)
Noll, K. L., Canaan and Israel in Antiquity – An Introduction, New York: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001. DS121 .N65 2001 (Ro/T/K)
Polzin, Robert, Samuel and the Deuteronomist, Harper and Row, San Francisco, 1989. BS1325.2 .P65 1993 (K/Rg/V)
Simon, Uriel, “A Balanced Story: The Stern Prophet and the Kind Witch”, from Prooftexts 8 (1988): 159-171. [Journal/electronic resource]
Simon, Uriel “I Kings 13: A Prophetic Sign – Denial and Persistence”, in Hebrew Union College Annual 47 (1976), p. 81-117. [Journal; V/R/K]
Sternberg, Meir, The Poetics of Biblical Narrative, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1987. BS535 .S725 1985 (R/K/St.M/T/V)
Trible, Phyllis, Texts of Terror, Fortress Press, Philadelphia 1984. BS575 .T74 1984 (R/Rg/St.A/St.M/T/V)
Vaughn, Andrews G.,Jerusalem in Bible and Archaeology : the First Temple period, Society of Biblical Literature, 2003. BS1199 .J38 J38 2003 (R, St.M, T, V)
Code for libraries: R =Robarts, Rg = Regis, St.A = St. Augustine’s Seminary Library, St. M = St. Michael’s, T = Trinity, V = Victoria.
Ancient Hebrew Language Resources and Other References:
Oxford Bible Atlas, by Curtis, Adrian, Oxford University Press, 2007. BS630 .O96 2007 (V)
The Peshitta, The Old Testament in Syriac according to the Peshitta Version, 11 Leiden, 1977.
Aramaic: A. Sperber, The Bible in Aramaic, Vol. II The Former Prophets, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1959.for English, see Targum Jonathan of the Former Prophets¸ by Daniel J. Harrington, and A. J. Saldarini, Edinburgh: T.& T. Clark, 1987.
-“The B.D.B.” Brown, F., S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs. 1979. The New Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew-English Lexicon. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson. PJ4833 .B68 1996x (R, E, K, T)
-Koehler, L., W. Baumgartner, and J. J. Stamm, Eds. 1994-2000. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: Brill. PJ4833 .K61813/ BS 440 .K6413 (R, K, Rg, T, E)
-“The Concordance” Even-Shoshan, A. and J. Sailhamer. 1989. A New Concordance of the Bible: Thesaurus of the Language of the Bible, Hebrew and Aramaic Roots, Words, Proper Names, Phrases and Synonyms. Jerusalem: Kiryat Sefer. BS1121 .E934 1989 (R, K, T, Rg)
Primary Reference Grammars:
Joüon, P. 1993. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Edited and revised by T. Muraoka. 2 vol. Rome: Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico. PJ4567 .J7613 (R, Rg,T,E)
Merwe, C. H. J. v. d., J. A. Naudי, and J. Kroeze. 1999. A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press. PJ 4567.3 .V36 (R, K, T, E)
Meyer, R. 1992. Hebräische Grammatik: Mit einem bibliographischen Nachwort von Udo Rüterswörden. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. PJ4567 .M45 (T)
Waltke, B. K. and M. O'Connor. 1990. An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns. PJ4707 .W35 (R, Rg, SM, T, E, K)
American Jewish History Strangers in Creative Tension
Historically Jews have shown a striking resilience at surviving ambient contempt in the countries they lived in, but not until their arrival in the United States have they confronted the mixed blessings of a society dedicated to promoting their civic and material success. Why and how did American Jews remain "Jewish" in America's open and relentlessly secularizing society? For American Jews who "made it," what, if anything, remained Jewish in their lives and how did that distinctive American-Jewish residue revise and transform both traditional Jewish existence and America's progressive self-understanding? How, in short, did a fundamentally Christian America and successive waves of Jewish immigrants endeavor to live together?
Required reading:
Jonathan D. Sarna, ed. The American Jewish Experience. Available in the University Center Bookstore.
Henry Roth. Call It Sleep (1934). Available in the University Center Bookstore.
Philip Roth. Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories (1959). Available in the University Center Bookstore.
Syllabus
SR=Source Reader. A documentary source showing a superscript 1 (1) following the title provides essential background information in its first editorial footnote. Read this footnote first.
AJE=The American Jewish Experience. Be sure to read the brief editor's introduction preceding each assigned article in this collection
Dates shown below, after assigned readings, indicate "primary," period sources. All other reading assignments are "secondary," interpretive sources written by (somewhat) detached, professional historians during the past 20 years or so.
The bibliography embodies the corpus of sources undergirding this course.
Introduction: Dangerous seductions: The thrill of "passing" in society
Part I: Modern problems that complicate and dramatize a distinctive cultural experience, or Why haven't American Jews, as Jews, disappeared "as a river ...in an ocean" (Eduard Gans, 1822)?
1. S. M. Lipset, "A Unique People in an Exceptional Country" (SR) 2. Stephen Whitfield, "Culture" (SR)
1. Jonathan D. Sarna, "Introduction," AJE, xiii-xix 2. Jack Wertheimer/Charles Liebman, "How to Save American Jews" (SR)
Part II: How "open" is America's famous open society? : Jews in colonial and revolutionary America (1654-1820)
1. Jacob R. Marcus, "The American Colonial Jew: A Study in Acculturation," AJE, 6-17. 2. Peter Stuyvesant, "Petition to Expel the Jews from New Amsterdam" (1654) (SR) 3. Dutch West India Co., "Reply to Stuyvesant's Petition" (1655) (SR) 4. ______."Rights of the Jews of New Amsterdam" (1656) (SR)
1. Jonathan D. Sarna, "The Impact of the American Revolution on American Jews," AJE, 20-28 2. Constitution of the United States of America, "Preamble" and "Article VI" (1789) (SR) 3. Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, "Message of Welcome to George Washington" (1790) (SR) 4. George Washington, "A Reply to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport" (1790) (SR)
Part III: Just how distinct are Jews in America? American Jews from Central Europe (1820- 1880)
1. Stefan Rohrbacher, "From Württemberg to America: A 19th Century German-Jewish Village on Its Way to the New World," AJE, 44-58 2. L. Kompert, "Off to America" (1848) (SR) 3. Stanley Nadel, "Jewish Race and German Soul in 19th Century America" (SR)
1. Michael A. Meyer, "America: The Reform Movement's Land of Promise," AJE, 60-81 2. [Four statements by the American Reform movement (1885, 1937, 1976, 1999)] (SR)
1. Naomi W. Cohen, "The Christian Agenda," AJE, 84-97 2. Hasia R. Diner, "Inside/Outside" (SR) 3. Kaufmann Kohler, "The Concordance of Judaism and Americanism" (1911) (SR)
Paula E. Hyman, "The Paradoxes of Assimilation" (SR)
First Take-Home Exam on Parts II, III, due Wednesday, October 23
Part IV: Back and forth across American and Jewish cultural borders: the East European Jewish "mass migration" (1880-1945)
1. Arthur Hertzberg, "Why Did the East European Jews Come to America? (SR) 2. Deborah Dwork, "Immigrant Jews on the Lower East Side of New York: 1880-1914," AJE, 120-135 3. A Bintel Brief (Selections) (1906) (SR)
1. Andrew R. Heinze, "Adapting to Abundance: Luxuries, Holidays, and Jewish Identity," AJE, 166-182 2. Lucy S. Dawidowicz, "The Jewishness of the Jewish Labor Movement in the United States," AJE, 185-193
1. [T. Timayenesis], The American Jew: An Exposé of His Career (1888) (SR) 2. Leo P. Ribuffo, "Henry Ford and The International Jew," AJE, 201-216 3. Henry Ford, "The International Jew: The World's Problem" (1920) (SR)
1. Lloyd P. Gartner, "The Midpassage of American Jewry," AJE, 258-267 2. Henry Roth, Call It Sleep, "Prologue"
H. Roth, Book I
H. Roth, Books II and III
H. Roth, Book IV
Part V: The survival of something Jewish in democratic America: Suburban Jews (1945-present)
1. Arthur A. Goren, "A 'Golden Decade' for American Jews: 1945-1955," AJE, 294-311 2. Deborah Dash Moore, "Jewish Migration in Postwar America: The Case of Miami and Los Angeles," AJE, 314-327. 3. Daniel Bell, "Reflections on Jewish Identity" (1961) (SR)
1. Philip Roth, "Defender of the Faith" (1959) in Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories, 159-200. 2. Philip Roth, "Goodbye, Columbus," in Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories, 3-75.
1. Melvin I. Urofsky, "Zionism: An American Experience," AJE, 245-255. 2. Dorothy Thompson, "America Demands Single Loyalty" (1950) (SR) 3. Oscar Handlin, "America Recognizes Diverse Loyalties" (1950) (SR)
1. Jack Wertheimer, "The Turbulent Sixties," AJE, 330-47. 2. Jonathan Kaufman, "Blacks and Jews: The Struggle in the Cities" (SR)
Henry L. Feingold, "Who Shall Bear Guilt for the Holocaust: The Human Dilemma" AJE, 274-292.
1. Arthur Hertzberg, "United States Jewry--A Look Forward" AJE, 350-55
2. Samuel G. Freedman, "The Jewish Tipping Point" (SR)
Bibliography
America and the Holocaust: Deceit and Indifference (from the PBS American Experience video series)
[American Reform Movement]. "The Columbus Platform" (1937) in The Jew in the Modern World: A Documentary History, ed. Paul Mendes-Flohr and Jehuda Reinharz. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995, 517-18.
Bell, Daniel. "Reflections on Jewish Identity" in Commentary, June, 1961, 471-78.
Viewed as the statement of a religious system through the medium of writing, the classics of Judaism, after the Hebrew Scriptures, are the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash, are introduced. This is carried out inductively, through a close reading, in English, of selected passages, with systematic attention to the rhetorical, logical, and topical or even propositional program set forth by each of these statements within the Judaism of the dual Torah; the critical issue is how these books form statements of a religion: what traits do we discern, in writing, of that religion?
The course objective is to introduce the classical writings of Judaism, particularly the documents that took shape in the formative age of that religion, from the first through the seventh centuries of the Common Era.
Textbooks Required for purchase
1. Daniel Matt, Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Paulist Press, 1983)
2. David Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, Volumes II (Hoboken, KTAV Publishing Co.)
3. Jacob Neusner, Classics of Judaism (Louisville, Westminster/John Knox Publishing co.)
4. Jacob Neusner, Talmudic Thinking: Language, Logic, and Law. (Columbia, University of South Carolina Press)
1. How to read a book of Judaism
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. ix-xxi, 1-10
2. The Written Torah and the Oral Torah: Scripture & the Mishnah
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 11-24, 25-52
3. Tractate Abot. The Earlier Midrash-Compilations: Mekhilta
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 71-92, 93-118
4. The Earlier Midrash-compilations. Sifra & the two Sifrés
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 119-174
5. The First Talmud: The Talmud of the Land of Israel
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 175-212
6. Classics of Mysticism in Judaism: The Zohar
Reading: Daniel Matt, Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment pp. 3-56
7. Classics of Mysticism in Judaism: The Tales of the Hasidim
Reading: David Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, Volume II, pp. 82-192
This session is taped and not in real time. The writing assignment is in real time.
8. February 26, 1998 The Later Midrash-Compilations. How Judaism Reads the book of Genesis
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 213-230
9. March 5, 1998 The Later Midrash-Compilations. How Judaism Reads the book of Leviticus
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 231-282
March 12, 1998: Spring break
10. March 19, 1998 The Second Talmud. The Talmud of Babylonia
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 283-326
11. March 26, 1998 The Talmud of Babylonia (continued)
Reading: Talmudic Thinking: Language, Logic, and Law. pages to be announced
12. April 2, 1998 The Later Midrash Compilations. Lamentations Rabbati, & Ruth Rabbah
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 327-382
13. April 9, 1998 The Later Midrash Compilations. Song of Songs Rabbah. The Talmud to Tractate Abot, which is Abot deRabbi Nathan
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 383-419
14. April 16, 1998 The Classical Prayerbook of Judaism
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 419-446
15. April 23, 1998 First hour: Translating Writing into Religion: The Problem of a Religion of Classics
Reading: Classics of Judaism, pp. 447-454
Second & third hours: A two hour in class final, requiring two one-hour essays. Students are welcome to submit essay-questions two weeks in advance for approval and will be permitted to write on topics or problems of their own choosing. The question for all students who do not wish to propose their own topics for the final is, "Define a Classic in Judaism: What are the traits that mark a piece of writing as a classic in that religion?"
Rabbinics : Introduction to Codes Course Goals The course introduces the students to the literature of decided Jewish law (halakhah pesuqah). In pursuit of this goal we trace the development of a single issue, conversion, through four major Codes: Halakhot Gedolot, Mishneh Torah, Tur, and Shulhan `Arukh. In addition the course begins the intensive study of halakhah and familiarizes the student with the language, semantics, cultural and historical background and influence of Jewish law on Jewish civilization and religious life. The course is preparatory to Talmud insofar as the rubrics, thought patterns, and language skills learned in Codes are useful in Talmud study. Helpful Tools for the Study of Codes Menachem Elon, Jewish Law: History, Sources, Principles, 4.vols. Marcus Jastrow, A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Bavli, etc. Adin Steinsaltz, The Steinsaltz Talmud--The Reference Guide (sections on Talmudic Terminology and Halakhic Concepts). H. Strack and G. Stemberger, Introduction to Midrash and Talmud. Course Outline I. Halakhah A. Its religious meaning B. Its social and cultural function and influence C. As a political force II. Formative and "Normative" Halakhah A. The Mishnah and Talmud as examples of formative halakhah B. Codes as attempts to establish "normative" halakhah III. Characteristics of Codes A. Simplifies arguments and language B. Lack of rationalization C. Establishes single norm D. Books of Halakhot and Books of Pesakim IV. Readings in Codes and related materials A. Halakhot Gedolot, Hilkhot Milat Gerim (Hildesheimer) Related required reading: EJ, "Codification of the Law," section on gaonic codes; Louis Ginzberg, Geonica, vol. 1, pp. 72-119. B. Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Issurei Bi'ah, 13-14 (only those sections related to conversion) Related required reading: EJ, "Codification of the Law," section on Mishneh Torah; EJ articles or articles in Enziklopedia le-Gedolei Yisrael on Maimonides, R. Joseph Halevi Ibn Migash, and R. Isaac Alfasi; Abraham Halkin and David Hartman, Crisis and Leadership, ch. 1. C. Shulhan `Arukh, Yoreh De`ah, Hilkhot Gerim, ch. 268 Related required reading: EJ, "Codification of the Law," section on Shulhan `Arukh; EJ articles or articles in Enziklopedia le-Gedolei Yisrael on R. Joseph Karo (Caro) and R. Moses Isserles; R. J. Zvi Werblowsky, Joseph Karo: Lawyer and Mystic. D. Tur, Yoreh Deah, Hilkhot Talmud Torah, ch. 246 Related required reading: EJ, "Codification of the Law," section on Tur; EJ articles or articles in Enziklopedia le-Gedolei Yisrael on the Tosafists, R. Asher, R. Ya`akov or Jacob b. Asher, R. Meir of Rothenburg (or Rothenberg).
Required Texts: JEWISH LITURGY AND IT’S DEVELOPMENT
Idelsohn, A.Z. (Abraham Zebi) ISBN 0-486-28648-7 (pbk)
Dover Publications, Inc. 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y.11501
DAILY PRAYER BOOK, HA-SIDDUR HA-SHALEM,
Philip Birnbaum, Hebrew Publishing Company, New York
A VOICE STILL HEARD…
Werner, Eric 1976 The PennsylvaniaStateUniversityISBN 0-271-01167-X
Reading Assignments
1)From JEWISH LITURGY AND IT’S DEVELOPMENT,
Pagesiii through vii, and xi, through xix, Chapters l, ll, and lll
2)Chapters lV, V, and Vl, Chapter Vll
Assignment:Write a short essay to answer a congregant who is new to our prayer service and asks
“Where did all these prayers come from, and can’t we just leave out a bunch to make the service much shorter?”
From A VOICE STILL HEARD…
3)Pages ix, xi and Chapter 1 Historical and Liturgical Conditions
Chapter 2 On Tradition and Its Transmitters
Chapter 3The Misinai Tunes
Assignment:Prepare an introduction for a class of musicians who you wish to teach about the historical origins and development of Jewish liturgical music.
4)Chapter 4 The Musical Prayer Modes,
6 The Piyutim as Carriers of German Folk Song,
7 The Synagogue of the Baroque, and
8 Wind from the East.
5)Chapter 10The Dawn of Emancipation
11 The Emancipation in Germany and France
12 The Model of Vienna and Its Impact on Eastern Europe
6)Epilogue and the Tables which follow.
Assignment:Prepare outlines of the first few lessons for our mythical class of musicians, giving them a clear direction that the class will be taking and the goals of study being begun, and explain why it is important.
(Note: This assignment will be weighted as a mid-term exam)
This course will introduce students to differences, commonalities and nuances involved with chaplaincy work in various institutional settings such as hospitals, local, state, and federal prisons, college campuses, long-term care facilities (such as nursing homes and hospices), etc. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the pastoral needs of clients in each setting, how to assess the institutional strengths and limitations in various settings and how to effectively serve in the unique setting each kind of institution presents.
The Course provides an understanding of the historic development, evolution and expansion of chaplaincy in scope and applications. The different tasks of chaplaincy in various settings (e.g. educational institutions, military, prisons, health care, etc.) will be explored with emphasis placed on the understanding the spiritual needs of clients in each setting. Furthermore, assessing the institutional strengths and limitations in various settings and how to effectively serve in the unique setting each kind of institution presents will be introduced.
The role of chaplains in serving the needs of populations that are culturally and/ or religiously different will be included in order to enable chaplains to effectively function in multi-faith settings and serve diverse populations.
Required Textbooks:
Opata, J. (2001). Spiritual and Religious Diversity in Prisons: Focusing on how Chaplaincy Assists in Prison Management. Thomas Charles Publisher, Limited.
Cherry, C., Deberg, B. & Porterfield, A. (2003). Religion on Campus. The University of North Carolina Press.
Bowman, G. (1998). Dying, Grieving, Faith and Family. A Pastoral Care Approach. The Haworth Press, Incorporated.
Kirkwood, N. (1999). A Hospital Handbook on Multiculturalism and Religion: Practical Guidelines for Health Care Workers. Morehouse Publishing.
Syllabus:
Day one
1. Introduction and Organization. 2. Chaplaincy: History, definition, role, scope of services, current trends and future outlook. 3. Qualifications for the effective chaplain. 4. Students’ experience.
Day two
Chaplaincy in prison and the Military.
Conflict of loyalties.
Diversity in prison.
Readings for the day:
1. Opata, J. (2001). Spiritually and Religious Diversity in Prisons: Focusing on how Chaplaincy Assists in Prison Management.
Day three
1. Faith in health care. 2. Pastoral care\counseling.
Readings for the day:
1. Bowman, G. (1998). Dying, Grieving, Faith and Family. A Pastoral Care Approach. 2. Kirkwood, N. (1999). A Hospital Handbook on Multiculturalism and Religion: Practical Guidelines for Health Care Workers.
Day Four
1. Religion on campus. 2. Cults and cult-like groups.
Readings for the day:
1. Cherry, C., Deberg, B. and Porterfield, A. (2003). Religion on Campus.
Day Five
1. Catching up 2. Institutional matters. 3. Diversity in chaplaincy. 4. Final Exam 5. Evaluation of the course 6. Conclusion.
The purpose of this course is provide the student with a working knowledge of Biblical (Classical) Hebrew; by the end of the course, the student will be able to read any passage of narrative in the Hebrew Bible with the aid of a lexicon (dictionary). The ability to reach this goal is dependent upon three primary areas of comprehension:
Knowledge of the Hebrew writing system (consonants and vowel points),
