Crises of Leadership in the Post-Destruction Apocalypses 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch Shayna Sheinfeld

229 Pages·2015·2.8 MB·English

Crises of Leadership in the Post-Destruction Apocalypses
4 Ezra and 2 Baruch

Shayna Sheinfeld

Faculty of Religious Studies
McGill University, Montréal

May 2015

A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy.

© Shayna Sheinfeld 2015
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Table of Contents

Abstract vi
Acknowledgements viii
Dedication x

Introduction 1

Part One: Theoretical and Historical Framework

Chapter One: The Function of Genre and Pseudepigraphy in 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch 16
1.1 Introduction 17
1.2 Genre 19
1.3 Pseudepigraphy 22
1.3.1 Discourses Tied to Founders and Traditionary Processes 25
1.4 Leaders in the Textual Tradition 29
1.4.1 Ezra in the Textual Tradition 29
1.4.1.a Why Ezra? 29
1.4.1.b Ezra in the Hebrew Bible 31
1.4.1.c Ezra in the Apocrypha: 1 Esdras (Greek Ezra) 34
1.4.1.d Ezra in Josephus 34
1.4.1.e Ezra in 4 Ezra 34
1.4.2 Baruch in the Textual Tradition 35
1.4.2.a Why Baruch? 35
1.4.2.b Baruch in the Hebrew Bible 36
1.4.2.c Baruch in the Apocrypha: Book of Baruch (1 Baruch) 39
1.4.2.d Baruch’s mention in the Damascus Document 41
1.4.2.e Baruch in Josephus 42
1.4.2.f Baruch in 2 Baruch 42
1.5 Conclusion 43

Chapter Two: History of Jewish Leadership in Judaea in the 1st and 2nd Centuries 45
2.1 Introduction 46
2.2 Leadership at the Time of the First Revolt (66–72 C.E.) 47
2.3 Excursus: Leaders in Other Jewish Literary Tradition: Pseudo-Philo’s Liber
Antiquitatum Biblicarum as an Example 56
2.4 Leadership at the time of the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135 C.E.) 59
2.4.1 Numismatic Evidence 60
2.4.2 Epistolary Evidence 62
2.4.2.a Jewish Holiday Observance 63
2.4.2.b Discipline 66
2.4.2.c Terminology 70
2.5 Conclusion 72

Part Two: 4 Ezra
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Chapter Three: “For in them are the Springs of Understanding” (4 Ezra 14:47): Ezra as Leader
in 4 Ezra 75
3.1 Introduction 76
3.2 Status Quaestionis of 4 Ezra Research 78
3.2.1 Dating and Provenance of 4 Ezra 78
3.2.2 Language of 4 Ezra 81
3.2.3 Literary Unity 82
3.3 Literary Analysis of 4 Ezra 87
3.3.1 4 Ezra 5:16–20a 87
3.3.1.a Paltiel and Leadership Hierarchy 89
3.3.1.b “The Shepherd who leaves his Flock” 90
3.3.2 4 Ezra 12:40–50 92
3.3.2.a Introduction 12:40 93
3.3.2.b Community Address 12:41–45a 95
3.3.2.c Ezra’s Response 12:45b–48 100
3.3.2.d Conclusion of the Narrative 12:49–50 102
3.3.3 Excursus: The remnant in 4 Ezra 102
3.3.4 4 Ezra 14 106
3.3.4.a Ezra’s Call and the Parallels with Moses 107
3.3.4.b Ezra speaks to the People 109
3.3.4.c Ezra’s Final Revelation 113
3.4 Conclusion 114

Chapter Four: The Historical Implications for Leadership as Portrayed in 4 Ezra 118
4.1 Introduction 119
4.2 Socio-Historical Location of 4 Ezra 119
4.3 Issues of Social Location 121
4.3.1 The Intended Audience of 4 Ezra 124
4.4 Conclusion: The Portrayal of Leadership in 4 Ezra and its Implication for
Leadership in the Post-Destruction Period 127

Part Three: 2 Baruch

Chapter Five: “Israel will not be in Want of a Wise Man” (2 Baruch 46:4): Baruch as
Leader in 2 Baruch 130
5.1 Introduction 131
5.2 Status Quaestionis of 2 Baruch Research 133
5.2.1 Language of 2 Baruch 133
5.2.2 Dating and Provenance of 2 Baruch 134
5.2.3 Literary Unity 138
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5.3 Literary Analysis of 2 Baruch 140
5.3.1 2 Baruch 31:1–34:1 140
5.3.2 2 Baruch 44:1–47:2 149
5.3.3 2 Baruch 53–76 157
5.3.3.a The Bright Waters 160
5.3.3.b The Black Waters 164
5.3.3.c The End Times and the Messiah 167
5.3.4 2 Baruch 77 168
5.3.5 The Epistle of 2 Baruch: 2 Baruch 78:1–87 177
5.4 Conclusion 180

Chapter Six: The Historical Implications for Leadership as Portrayed in 2 Baruch 184
6.1 Introduction 185
6.2 Socio-Historical Location of 2 Baruch 186
6.2.1 The Seven Elders and Socio-Historical Location 187
6.3 The Polemics of the Author of 2 Baruch 189
6.4 The Audience of 2 Baruch 193
6.5 Conclusion: The Portrayal of Leadership in 2 Baruch and its Implications for
Leadership in the Post-Destruction Period 196

Conclusion: Crises of Leadership in 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch 198

Bibliography 205

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Abstract
This project examines the implications of 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch in understanding Jewish
leadership in the period following the destruction of the second temple in 70 C.E. Through a
literary analysis of each apocalypse, I argue that the ways in which Ezra and Baruch are
portrayed as leaders, their interactions with the inscribed communities, and the function of the
texts suggest that both texts have specific guidelines about the type of leader the intended
audience should follow. 4 Ezra establishes scriptural interpretation as the dominant attribute in
the leader it promotes, as well as a leader who will encourage expectations of the impending end
times, while 2 Baruch anticipates that the eschaton is nearly here and awaits the leadership of the
messiah, while encouraging its audience to remain non-militaristic. Both texts are intended to
reach a broad and non-sectarian audience. I conclude that these different portrayals of the type of
leader to be looked for by the community follows a larger crises of leadership found in other
texts and material evidence from around the same period. This analysis of 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch
offers not just a description of what types of leadership options were available after the
destruction of the temple in 70 C.E.; it further provides evidence that in Judaea in the period
following the destruction of the temple, there were competing ideals of leadership. The
instability of authority figures posed problems to which Jewish communities felt compelled to
respond in texts such as 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch.

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Résumé

Ce projet explore les implications de 2 Esdras et 2 Baruch dans le contexte de la direction de la
communauté juive dans la période suivante la destruction du Second Temple à 70 A.D. Par
l’entremise d’une analyse littéraire, je demontre que la façon dont Esdras et Baruch sont
présentés comme étant des dirigeants, leur interaction avec la communauté et la fonction des
textes suggèrent que les deux textes contiennent des précisions concernant le genre d’autorité
que l’audience ciblée devrait suivre.

Dans 2 Esdras, on voit que le rôle principal du dirigeant c’est l’interpretation des Saint-Écritures
et d’encourager l’attente de la fin des temps tandis que 2 Baruch prévoit que l’eschaton est
imminent et attend l’arrivée du Messie, tout en encourageant son audience à demeurer non-
militarisé. Les deux textes visent un large public. Je conclus ces deux portraits contradictoires
mettent en relief la crise du leadership que l’on trouve dans d’autres textes et matériel de la
même periode. Cette analyse de 2 Esdras et 2 Baruch fournit non seulement une description des
différents styles de leadership dans la communauté dans la période suivant la description du
Temple; je démontre que pendant cette période, il y avait des modèles du leadership en
concurrence et la communauté juive se sentait obligée de l’adresser dans des textes tels que 2
Esdras et 2 Baruch.
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Acknowledgements
This project has without a doubt been a labour of love which could not have been completed
without the support of so many people. I am indebted to the many people who have shaped me as
an interpreter of early Jewish texts from my undergraduate years through my graduate education.
J. Albert Harrill began me on this journey many years ago at DePaul University in Chicago,
when he gave me a copy of the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and told me to read it. John
Collins, Tal Ilan, Jon Levenson, Shaye Cohen, Lorenzo DiTommaso, Naftali Cohn, Gerbern
Oegema, Patricia Kirkpatrick, Ian Henderson, B. Barry Levy, and the late Ellen Bradshaw
Aitken have all contributed in so many ways to my understanding of the ancient world. I am
especially indebted to my supervisor, Gerbern Oegema, for his unwavering support and
encouragement throughout my entire doctoral program and especially during the writing of this
dissertation.

In late spring 2010 I approached my colleague Meredith Warren, asking her if she wanted to join
me in an academic writing group. That fall she brought in Sara Parks as our third member. I
cannot imagine going through this process without the sharp eyes, keen insights, and positive
support of my writing group. They have been a constant source of strength, encouragement,
constructive criticism, and friendship. There are not enough words to express to both of you how
grateful I am.

I would also like to extend my appreciation to Carla Sulzbach, who is always willing to offer
constructive feedback and insightful comments, as well as (again) to Meredith Warren for acting
as my work BFF. I am grateful for the feedback I have received from the Pseudepigrapha unit at
the Society of Biblical Literature, the Jewish History and Culture unit at the Association for
Jewish Studies, the American Academy for Jewish Research, and especially the members of the
Enoch Seminar. I offer my thanks to Andréa Schnell for assistance with the French translation of
the abstract, and to the staff at the Faculty of Religious Studies for their assistance throughout
my program.

This last year of writing I have been lucky enough to teach at Colgate University in three
collegial and supportive programs: Jewish Studies, the Core, and the Religion Department. I
appreciate all the kindness and friendship I gained during this year, but especially the wisdom
and guidance of Lesleigh Cushing.

Finally, I would like to thank my husband Ely Sheinfeld, who has been my most ardent supporter
in every way imaginable. Ely has been my biggest cheerleader and confidant, always willing to
take on some additional task to give me the time to write. I can never say thank you enough,
though I will keep trying. To my children, I thank you for your patience and love, despite the
many times when I have been in the office writing when you wanted to hang out. You keep me
grounded in reality outside the first century, and surrounded by love and humour. I love you all.

Any extended period of time will include the bad as well as the good. From October 2013
through June 2014 my family suffered from the loss of my grandparents-in-law, Meyer and Edith
Sheinfeld, and my beloved father-in-law, Stewart Sheinfeld. We miss you every day, Bubbe,
Zayde, and Abba. It was also during this time that one of my mentors, Ellen Aitken, passed away
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after suffering from cancer. Ellen was my first graduate-level professor at Harvard Divinity
School in 2002, and it was she who encouraged me to attend McGill and to work with Gerbern
for my Ph.D. Ellen was very influential in my own research and teaching, and perhaps most
importantly, she always recognized that I was more than just a scholar. You are sorely missed,
Ellen.

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Dedicated to the memory of those we have lost so recently.

Meyer Sheinfeld z”l
Edith Sheinfeld z”l
Stewart Sheinfeld z”l
Ellen Bradshaw Aitken

May their memory be for a blessing.
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