Yavneh and Jerusalem

Vorlesung: Einführung in die Jüdische Geschichte und Literatur

Wintersemester 2010/11

The Faces of God

“I am the Lord” (Exodus 6:2)—Rabbi Hanina bar Papa said: the Holy One, blessed be He, has shown to them a face of anger, a face of welcoming, a moderate face, and a laughing face. A face of anger—the Bible, because when a person teaches the Bible to his son, he has to teach him with awe. A moderate face—to the Mishna. A face of welcoming—to the Talmud. A laughing face, for Aggada. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: despite you have seen all these appearances, “I am your Lord.”

Halakha vs. Aggada

Halakha: legal material

From root: halakh הלך (to go)

Aggada: non-legal, i.e. stories, interpretation

From root: haged היגיד (to say, tell)

Rabbinic Periodization1. Tannaim/תנאים (to 200 AD) = Repeaters:

Follow the Five “Pairs”Mishna (ca. 200), Tosefta (post Mishna)

2. Amoraim/ )200-500 (אמוראים = Speakers:Talmuds (Babylonian and Jerusalem)

3. Savoraim/סבוראים (6th Century) = Explainers/Expositors (Babl.) supplement and edit Babylonian Talmud

[also known as Stammaim/סתמאים = unattributed, unnamed

4. Geonim/גאונים (7th Century on) = Pride/Splendoracademy heads in Babylonia, "responsa literature"

Tannaitic Literature

• Mishna (משנה): “Repetition”

• Tosefta (תוספתא): “Addition” or “Supplement”

the Mishna’s “Recycle bin”

4X bigger than the Mishna

collects “baraitot”

Ancient Israel

Beth Shearim

Sepphoris

Sepphoris (more)

“Rabbi” and “Antoninus” I

Antoninus sent [a letter] to Rabbi. He said to him, “The treasuries are wanting. What can we do to fill them?”

[Rabbi] took the messenger and brought him into an orchard. He began to uproot large radishes and plant small ones. [The messenger] said to him, “Give me a written response.” He said to him, “You don’t need one.” [The messenger] went back to [Antoninus]. He said to him, “Where is the written response?” He said to him, “He did not give me anything.” He said to him, “What did he say to you?” He said to him, “He did not say anything to me.” He said to him, “Did he not do anything in your presence?” He said to him, “He took me and brought me into an orchard, and he began to uproot large radishes and plant small ones.” The emperor began to exile nobles [and confiscate their money] and promote [other] nobles until the treasuries were filled.

“Rabbi” and “Antoninus” II

Antoninus asked our Rabbi. He said to him: “When is the evil inclination put into a human being? When it comes out of its mother’s womb or before it comes out of its mother’s womb?” He said to him, “Before it comes out of its mother’s womb.” He said to him, “No. For if the soul were put into it while still in its mother’s womb, it would dig at the chamber in her womb [trying] to get out. Rather, from the time it comes out.” And Rabbi conceded to him since [his opinion] conformed to that of scripture: “For the inclination of man’s mind is evil from youth” (Gen 8,12). R. Yudan said, “It is written, ‘From youth’ (mi-ne’urav)—from the time it wakes up (ne’or) to go forth into the world.”

Mischna: Structure

Six “Orders” (סדרים), hence Talmud as ש"ס (short for: six orders):

1. Seeds (זרעים)Blessings and prayers: agricultural laws, incl. tithes and sabbatical year

2. Appointed Times (מועד)Sabbath and festivals

3. Women (נשים)Marriage and divorce vows

4. Damages (נזיקים)Civil law, Constitution of courts, Legal procedure, Ethics of the Fathers

5. Holy Things (קדושים)Temple sacrifices, permitted and forbidden foods

6. Purities (טהורות)Purification through washing and bathing, degrees of ritual purity, things

defined as unclean

Sixty-Three “Tractates” (מסכתות)