RLG202 Fall 2025

Biblical Period

1300-165 BCE

Classical Rabbinic Period

165 BCE-1800 CE

Modern Period

1800 CE-present

Tanakh

Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings); Canonized between 10th-2nd centuries BCE.

Codex St. Petersburg

Oldest complete Hebrew Bible manuscript (1008 CE).

Isaiah Scroll (Qumran)

One of the oldest biblical manuscripts (c. 100 BCE).

The Bible as Artifact

More than a religious text; foundational to Western civilization.

Old Testament vs. Tanakh

'Old Testament' = Christian term; 'Tanakh' = Jewish term.

Language of the Bible

Mostly Hebrew, some Aramaic (post-Exile).

Historical Overview

Exodus (1280 BCE) → Monarchy (1000 BCE) → Division (922 BCE) → Exile (587 BCE) → Return (539 BCE) → Greek (330 BCE) → Maccabean (165 BCE) → Roman (63 BCE) → Second Temple Destruction (70 CE).

Abraham

Name means 'Father of Many Nations'; lived between 1900-1600 BCE; ancestor of Judaism (Isaac), Christianity, and Islam (Ishmael); model of faith and righteousness.

Abraham in Judaism

Model of piety and observance (law, circumcision, endurance).

Abraham in Christianity

'Father of the Faithful'; salvation extended through faith.

Abraham in Islam

First of the Prophets; rejected idolatry; helped establish Ka'bah with Ishmael.

Second Temple Judaism

Begins 539 BCE (return from exile); ends 70 CE (Temple destruction); exile transformed Israelite religion into Torah-based Judaism.

Babylonian Exile

Judah exiled (587 BCE); Cyrus allows return (539 BCE); shift from Temple worship to Torah, prayer, and community.

Internal Divisions

Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots.

Hellenistic Age

Greek influence after 330 BCE; Maccabean Revolt (168-163 BCE) against Seleucid rule; Hasmonean dynasty follows.

Major Jewish Groups

Pharisees: Lay movement emphasizing oral law; Sadducees: Priestly elite, rejected oral law; Essenes: Ascetic sect, authors of Dead Sea Scrolls; Zealots: Political revolutionaries opposing Rome.

Jewish War (66-70 CE)

Causes: Roman oppression, religious and class tensions; 70 CE: Jerusalem and Second Temple destroyed.

Aftermath of Jewish War

Temple priesthood lost; rise of rabbinic leadership at Yavneh; Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai founded a school that redefined Jewish practice through Torah study.

Kosher Laws (Kashrut)

'Kosher' = fit or proper.

Shechita (Slaughter)

Humane ritual slaughter by trained shochet; blood must be drained.

Glatt Kosher

Means 'smooth' - lungs free from adhesions, indicating highest kosher standard.

Prayer (Tefillah)

Structured, communal, and symbolic. Three daily prayers: morning, afternoon, evening. Siddur: prayer book. Minyan: quorum of ten for public prayer.

Tallit

Prayer shawl.

Tefillin

Leather boxes containing scripture.

Kippa

Skullcap worn during prayer.

Mezuzah

Scripture scroll on doorposts.

Synagogue

House of prayer, study, and assembly.

Sabbath (Shabbat)

Commemorates God's rest after creation. From Friday dusk to Saturday evening. Features: candle lighting, Kiddush (wine blessing), Havdalah (closing ritual).

Pesach (Passover)

Celebrates Exodus and freedom from Egypt. Begins 14th of Nisan, lasts eight days. Seder: ritual meal with symbolic foods. Symbolic foods: matzah (unleavened bread), maror (bitter herbs), charoset (mortar), karpas (greens), shank bone, egg. Four Cups of Wine: symbolize divine redemption. Ends with hope: "Next year in Jerusalem!"

Transition to Rabbinic Era

After Temple destruction (70 CE), Judaism reoriented toward Torah and study. Canonization of Hebrew Bible; codification of Oral Torah (Mishnah & Talmud). Pharisaic schools at Yavneh led by Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai preserved Jewish identity.

Rabbinic Corpus

Dual Torah: Written (Tanakh) + Oral (Mishnah/Talmud). Mishnah (200 CE): Codified oral law, six orders covering rituals, family, civil law. Talmud: Mishnah + Gemara (commentary). Babylonian version (500 CE) became authoritative. Halakhah: Legal tradition. Aggadah: Narrative/theological teaching.

Tosefta

Supplementary rabbinic teachings.

Midrash

Biblical interpretation (halakhic or homiletic).

Medieval Judaism

Jews under Muslim and Christian rule faced new challenges and cross-cultural exchange. Flourishing of philosophy, science, and arts, especially in Muslim Spain. Rediscovery of Aristotle and Plato through Arabic translations influenced Jewish theology.

Jewish Kalam

Rational theology influenced by Islam.

Central debates in Medieval Judaism

Reconciling faith and reason; interpreting Torah through philosophy.

Medieval Spain

Became a center of interfaith learning (Jews, Muslims, Christians).

What does TANAKH stand for?

Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings).

When was the Hebrew Bible canonized?

Between the 10th and 2nd centuries BCE.

What is the storyline overview of the Hebrew Bible?

Creation → Abraham → Jacob (Israel) & 12 Tribes → Moses & Exodus → Wilderness → Conquest of Canaan → Judges → United Monarchy (Saul, David, Solomon) → Divided Kingdoms (Israel/Judah) → Exile.

What was the significance of the First Temple in Jerusalem?

Built by Solomon around 960 BCE, it symbolized God's dwelling among His people and was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE.

What major transformation occurred in Ancient Israelite Religion after the destruction of the First Temple?

The focus shifted to temple worship, priestly sacrifice, and covenant obedience.

What event marks the beginning of the Exile in Jewish history?

The Babylonian conquest in 587 BCE.

What decree allowed the return and rebuilding of the Temple after the Exile?

Cyrus's decree in 539 BCE.

When was the Second Temple built and when was it destroyed?

Built around 516 BCE and destroyed in 70 CE by the Romans.

What cultural influence emerged during the Second Temple Period?

Hellenism, or Greek cultural influence.

What was the Maccabean Revolt?

A revolt against Seleucid rule from 168-163 BCE that led to Hasmonean independence.

What are the major Jewish holidays?

Rosh ha-Shanah (Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Pesach (Passover), and Sabbath (Shabbat).

What is celebrated during Pesach?

The Exodus and freedom, marked by the Seder with symbolic foods.

What is the significance of the Brit Milah in Jewish life cycle rituals?

It is the circumcision ceremony for newborn boys.

What are the two main periods of Rabbinic Judaism?

Tannaitic Period (ca. 70-200 CE) and Amoraic Period (ca. 200-500 CE).

What is the Mishnah?

The early codification of oral law completed around 200 CE.

What does the Talmud consist of?

The Mishnah and Gemara, expanding on the Mishnah.

What are Halakhah and Aggadah in Rabbinic Judaism?

Halakhah refers to legal material, while Aggadah includes non-legal stories, theology, and ethics.

How did Rabbinic Judaism change worship practices?

It replaced temple-centered worship with study, law, and community observance.