Introducing Jewish Thought

Matan torah

• Written Torah & Oral Torah
• Oral Torah
• Inextricably Linked

Chronology

• 1312 BCE: Matan Torah (Chumash)
• 1272 BCE: Entry into Israel (Yehoshua/Shoftim)
• 957 BCE: 1st Beis HaMikdash (Shmuel/Melachim)
• 547 BCE: Babylonian Exile (Ester)
• 538 BCE: 2nd Beis HaMikdash (Ezra)
• 70CE: Roman Exile

major changes

• End of Miracles
• End of Prophecy
• Beginning of Philosophy and science as a way to understand the world
• The Idea of Wisdom

HEROD

• Began his rule in 37BCE - the second son of Antipater the Idumaean.
• Died in 4 BCE
• Infamously cruel - Executed the Members of the Sanhedrin, save for Bava ben Buta.
• Died in 4 BCE
• Ally of Rome, and very prosperous
• Died in 4 BCE

Herod's consequences

• Drove the Sanhedrin Underground
• Separated Religion and Politics
• Ruled with fear
• Stabalized Judea

The 1st century

Herod Archelaus

• Succeeded Herod
• Cruel and tyranical
• Ruled from 4BCE to 6CE
• Deposed by Rome

TORAH LEADERSHIP

• Romans record over 8 million Jews, 2.5 million living in Israel.
• Babylonia is the center for Torah study - Highlighted by the rise of Hillel HaZaken, returning at age 80 to Israel.
• Hillel and Shamai had separate schools.
• Questions that were previously resolved were now contentious.

HILLEL & The House of the Nasi

• The Sanhedrin elected the Nasi to counter the corruption of the Priesthood and Rome (Zugot System)
• After Sanhedrin , the seat of the Nasi became hereditary.
• Hillel served 40 years until 10CE.
• Practically, the period of Tanaim begins with Hillel and Shamai.
• Many debates with Sadducees.

Timeline of the Destruction

• 66CE Zealots revolted. Vespatian brought 4 legions.
• 67CE Gamla Fell
• 68CE Jerusalem is surrounded
• In fighting ensued - store houses were burned.
• 69CE Jerusalem is besieged
• 70CE The Temple is Destroyed. 1 Million Jews are killed.

RABBan YOCHANAN BEN ZAKAI

• 69CE Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai is smuggled out of Jerusalem.
• Meets Vespasian, and greets him as Ceasar.
• Asks for: Yavneh, the Nasi, Doctors for Rabbi Tarfon.

AFTERMATH of the CHURBAN

• Calm returned to Judea.
• Thousands of Jewish prisoners were freed from Rome.
• Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua vied for leadership, and the Nasi was overthrown (then reinstated)
• 86CE Domitian ordered the Sanhedrin to be disbanded.
• 96CE Nerva restores liberties.

THE 2ND CENTURY

TRAJAN

• Trajan succeeded Nerva in 98CE . A coin issued by Nerva reads fisci Judaici calumnia sublata, "abolition of malicious prosecution in connection with the Jewish tax"
• Trajan wanted to conquer all the nations to the east (Parthians), including Babylon.
• Sanhedrin disbanded, and flees to Lod

TRAJAN'S WAR

• Attacks the Parthians in 114CE - wins massive area
• Parthians use guerrilla warfare, together with Jewish soldiers, forcing Trajan's retreat in 116CE
• Trajan retaliates by massacring Jews in other places in the Empire
• Trajan appoints Lucius to oppress Jews in Israel

Hadrian

• 117CE Trajan dies and is succeeded by Hadrian
• Bans Brit Milah, Talmud Torah, Shabbos, Mikvah etc...
• Hadrian wants to make Jerusalem a Roman city - Aelia Capitolina
• Shimon ben Kosiva rises as a Jewish general / leader - Named Bar Kochva

bar kochva

• 126CE: Reconquers Jerusalem, expels Turnus Rufus
• Jerusalem, Hebron and most of Judea is under Jewish rule for 2.5 years
• Three years later, Betar falls, Bar Kochva is killed along with 800000 Jews
• Last Jewish sovereignty in Israel until modern times

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus

• Hadrian dies in 139CE - Betar's victims are buried.
• 161 CE: Marcus Aurelius succeeds Antoninus Pius
• Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is appointed as Nasi after his father (Rabban Shimon) and befriends Marcus Aurelius

The Mishna

• Complied by Rebbe
• 6 Orders, 60 Tractates
• The Oral Torah is written down - Halacha is universally accesable
• Completed in 188CE - 1500 years after Mount Sinai
• Rebbe dies ~200CE

The 3rd Century

israel

• Rebbe is succeeded by his son, Rabban Gamliel III
• 228 CE - Rabbi Yehuda Nesiyah is the last unanimous leader
• Rabbi Yochanan assumes the spiritual inheritance of Rebbe (d. 288)
• Stability is achieved in northern Israel, but Torah leadership is firmly decentralized.

BAVEL

• Rebbe believed that the center of Torah should always be in IsraelPoverty was common, but outside influences were limited
• R' Chiyyah disagreed - Bavel was more hospitable and a better environment for Judaism to flourish
• Poverty was common, but outside influences were limited

RAV & Shmuel

• Rav: Student of Rebbe, Nephew of Rabbi Chiyyah - An Israeli in Babylon. Rosh Yeshiva of Sura
• Shmuel: Rosh Yeshiva of Neharda'a, Physician, Astronomer, Mathamatician
• We follow Rav in religious matters, and Shmuel in legal matters

the 4th century

Israel

• Rabbi Yochanan dies in 288, succeeded by Rav Ami and Rav Asi
• Rav Yehuda Nesiya II dies in 305CE in Tiberius. The last Nasi to be quoted in Bavli
• 359CE - Hillel II: Institution of the Jewish Calendar
• Talmud Yerushalmi is written on 4 out of 6 sections of Mishna

BAVEL

• Rav Chisda and Rav Huna are in Sura326CE - Abaye becomes the Rosh Yeshiva in PumpedisaRava is Rosh Yeshiva in Mechoza mentioned 2000 times in the Talmud
• Rabba and Rav Yosef were in Pumpedisa
• 326CE - Abaye becomes the Rosh Yeshiva in PumpedisaRava is Rosh Yeshiva in Mechoza mentioned 2000 times in the Talmud
• After Abaye and Rava, Rav Papa becomes the Rosh Yeshiva

the 5th century

Rav Ashi

• Primary editor of the Talmud Bavli
• Appointed at age 19. Ruled from 371-427
• Culmination of the work of the Amoraim - 2200 mentioned by name
• Published by Ravina II (d. 475) and Rav Ashi

how the talmud was compiled

• Rav Ashi institutionalized 2 Tractates in Adar and in Elul
• It took 30 years to review all of Talmud.
• Rav Ashi ruled for 60 years. All of Talmud was studied twice.
• 40 Generations from Moshe to Talmud

end of the amoraim

• After Yazdegurd II's death, he is succeeded by Paroz
• 464 - Famine
• 470 - Rabbi's are captured and executed
• 474 - Shuls are closed, Jewish children are kidnapped and given to Zoroastians