a nation in flux #5

The 5th CENTURY

Rav Ashi

• Primary editor of the Talmud Bavli
• Appointed at age 19. Ruled from 371-427
• "From Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi until Rav Ashi we did find Torah and Worldly Success in one place."
• Mata Mechasya is the new center
• Sterling Character: sleeping in the shul, no house is higher than the shul

fall of rome

• 410 - Rome is destroyed by the Visogoths
• This is theologically problematic for Christians
• City of God written by Augastine

Augastine

• Born in 354 in North Africa. Raised as a Catholic, but rebeled.
• "Lord, grant me Chastity, but just not yet."
• Baptised by Ambrose.

City of god

• Original Sin
• Based on Love
• Anti-Semitic
• Holy War

Ambrose

• Jews are massacred, shul is burned. Theodosius I, rebuilds it.
• Ambrose objects, and says he would burn down a shul himself.

Christian destuction

• 387 - John Chrysostom sermons launch the first blood libel
• 414 - Alexandria is destoryed
• Ambrose was happy to see Jews defeated
• 425 - The end of the family of Hillel in Israel

Augustine and the jews

• The Unwitting Saviour
• "Jews are the world witnesses to prophesies that were given conerning Christ."
• Scattered, no Slaughtered
• Survive but not Thrive

Bavel

• Yazdegerd I - benevolent ruler (Huna bar Natan's belt) - persecuted Christians
• 419 - Civil War, succeeded by Bahram 5th - allowed Christians in
• 438 Succeeded by Yazdegerd II - Very anti-Jewish (Shema is forbidden)
• Killed by a snake (or assasination)

Talmud bavli

• Where Talmud is studied, Jewish life survives.
• Culmination of the work of the Amoraim - 2200 mentioned by name
• Published by Ravina II (d. 475) and Rav Ashi

THE Yarchei Kallah

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

Talmudic style

• Intergenerational conversation
• Philosophy / Agada
• Every word was intentional and has ramifications
• 2711 folios

The Last of the Amoraim

• Mar bar Rav Ashi
• 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

End of the century

• 484 - Paroz is killed in battle by the Hahns
• Suceeded by Balash
• 476 - Rav Yossi leads for 38 years, and the Talmud is closed
• 476 - Westen Europe falls
• 40 Generations from Moshe to Talmud