Beginnings of Judaism

Overview

Course No. 6457
For thousands of years, Jews have looked to the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament by Christians, for their origins and the tenets of their faith. However, much of what is recognized today as Judaism does not appear in the Bible. This course explores how Judaism developed from its biblical roots into the richly complex tradition we recognize today, analyzing what has changed and what has remained constant.

In this series of 24 engaging lectures, Professor Gafni investigates how the Jewish faith has continually redefined itself over the first thousand years after the completion of the Hebrew Bible. Key events that altered Jewish history, such as the destructions of the Temple in Jerusalem, are explored to understand their significance. The course presents Judaism’s evolution into a system of beliefs, practices, and laws while highlighting a tradition of vigorous debate and reinterpretation.

Course Lectures

1. The Beginnings of Judaism – Biblical Roots
   Discover how today’s Judaism reconciles its biblical roots with developments after the Hebrew Bible’s completion.
   Duration: 33 min
2. New Challenges in the Late Biblical Period
   Examine the historical contexts in which post-Biblical Judaism developed under Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman influences.
   Duration: 30 min
3. Jews under Persian Rule – The Return to Zion
   Follow the return of Jewish descendants from Babylonian captivity and the rebuilding of communal life in Judea.
   Duration: 31 min
4. The Challenge of Hellenism
   Analyze the impact of Alexander the Great’s conquests on Jewish identity and the threats of acculturation.
   Duration: 29 min
5. The Maccabees – From Rebels to Kings
   Learn about the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucids and the establishment of an independent Jewish state.
   Duration: 32 min
6. The Canonization of the Hebrew Bible
   Investigate the emergence of a tripartite canon of sacred texts during the Second Temple period.
   Duration: 30 min
7. Translating the Bible – The Septuagint
   Understand the significance of the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible known as the Septuagint.
   Duration: 29 min
8. Adding to the Bible – The Apocrypha
   Explore 14 or 15 texts included in the Septuagint that are not found in the Old Testament.
   Duration: 30 min
9. Tobit – A New Path of Righteousness
   Analyze the book of Tobit and its reflection on new religious and ethical values during the Second Temple period.
   Duration: 30 min
10. Retelling the Bible – The Book of Jubilees
    Discover how the book of Jubilees provides a revised rendition of Genesis and Exodus with new interpretations.
    Duration: 32 min
11. Revealing the Unknown
    Examine the emergence of the apocalyptic genre to explore the secrets of the spiritual world.
    Duration: 30 min
12. “Judaism” or “Judaisms”?
    Understand the diversity of Jewish beliefs and sectarianism that arose during the Second Temple period.
    Duration: 31 min
13. Sectarianism – Pharisees and Sadducees
    Investigate the differing beliefs of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes within the Jewish community.
    Duration: 33 min
14. Out of the Caves – Discovery at Qumran
    Learn about the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the broader discoveries related to early Judaism.
    Duration: 30 min
15. The End of Days – Messianic Eschatology
    Explore the shifts in eschatological thought during and after the Second Temple period.
    Duration: 30 min
16. Other Lands, Other Jews – The Diaspora
    Examine the implications of the Jewish Diaspora on religious practice and identity.
    Duration: 30 min
17. Judaism in the Hellenistic World
    Discuss the flourishing of Jewish literary activity in the Greek-speaking world and its cultural impact.
    Duration: 32 min
18. Changing God’s Address – Temple to Synagogue
    Analyze how the emergence of synagogues altered the religious landscape post-Temple.
    Duration: 31 min
19. Rome Arrives in Jerusalem
    Investigate the consequences of Roman conquest on Jewish autonomy and religious practice.
    Duration: 33 min
20. Parting with the Temple
    Look at how religious ideologies motivated responses to Roman control and the destruction of the Temple.
    Duration: 34 min
21. From Jerusalem to Yavne – Rabbinic Judaism
    Discover how the removal of the Temple led to the rise of rabbinic authority in Jewish life.
    Duration: 30 min
22. The Shaping of Rabbinic Judaism
    Examine how Rabbinic Judaism evolved into a dominant form of Jewish identity and practice.
    Duration: 32 min
23. A Violent Epilogue – Bar Kokhba
    Analyze the Bar Kokhba rebellion and its implications for Jewish identity and governance.
    Duration: 30 min
24. From “Roots” to “Tree”
    Conclude by reviewing key issues surrounding Judaism’s evolution and its enduring legacy today.
    Duration: 28 min