Journal of Jewish Studies, Vol. LXII, No. I, Spring 2011 pp 158-159 Andrei Orlov, Selected Studies in the Slavonic Pseudepigrapha. Brill, Leiden, 2009. xvi, 44o pp.€146.oo. ISBN 978 90 04 17879 3.

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rJ8 IJoURNAL oF JEwrsH sruDrES
all these are reclacrional pro-Maccabean which would have brought together tl
additions. He therefore assigns the body results ofthis study and its contributic
of the Apocalyp-rct o pre-Maccabean rimes Finally, it is regrettable that the
(pp. 4z-6) and concludes it is not 'a work Qgnrranic Apocryphon ofJ eremiah C,
of pro-Maccabean military propaganda' close ro the Animal Aporclypsein many
(p. :lr).Signi{rcantly, all three insrances respecrs,w as not exploited to clarify
belong to the description o[ the 6nal various aspects o( the Apr'ulypse. Beside
eschatological events, by nature general a few sentences (on p. r94) surnmarizinr
and not always clear. They have been the what I said in my D/D 3o edition of
object of various interpretations during this cornposition, rhe Apocryphoni snot
the last centurv. But as oointed out mentioned bv Assefa.
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literature fronr Qnrran. In any case,r he i nteresting observationso n variout
'retlactional'
character of these instances of the Apocalypspeu t forwardi n thir
is not always established. volume. Whoever wishes to investi
The entire volume wouid have the Anhral Apocalypswei ll havet o
benetrted from a proper conclusion, Assefa'sv olume.
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-.,r:i\:,\ \s-
------
158 l;ouRNAL or JEwrsH sruDrES
all these are redactional pro-Maccabean which would have brought together the
additions. He therefore assigns the body results ofthis study and its contributions.
of the Apocalypsct o pre-Maccabean times Finallv, it is regrettable that the
(pp. 4z-6) and cor.rcludesi t is not 'a work Qgmranic Apocryphon ofJereniah C,
of pro-Maccabean military propaganda' close to the Animal Apocalypsei n manv
(p. ZZt).Significantly, all three insrances respects.w as not exploited ro clarify
belong to the description ofthe linal various aspects ofthe Apocalypse.B esides
eschatological events, by nature general a few sentences (on p. ry4) summarizing
and not aiways clear. They have been the what I said in my DJD 3o edition of
object of various interpretations during this composition, the Apocryphon is not
the last century. But as pointed out mentioned by Assefa.
above, the various details may now be The present short review cannot
better understood in light ofthe sectarian do justice to the numerous correct and
literature from Qgmran. In any case, the interesting observations on various details
'redactional' character of these instances of the Apocalypse put forward in this
is not always established. volume. Whoever wishes to investigate
The entire volunre would have the Animal Apocalypsew ill have to consult
benefited frorn a proper conclusion, Assefa's volume.
DEVORAH DIMANT
UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA
Andrei Orlov, SclectedS tudiesi n the SlavonicP seudepigraphaB.r ill, Leiden, zoo9. xvi,
44o pp.€146.oo. r snn 978 go o4 t7879 3.
Professor Orlov has graced us the excellent general pseudepigrapha
with several works on the Slavonic bibliography by Lorenzo DiTommaso
pseudepigrapha, taking up the banner (A Bibliography of PseudepigraphaR esearch
carried in the last generation by 1850-1999,S hefiield: She{Iield Academic
;E mi.lre -Turdeanu. The present work Press,z oor).
complenrents and supplements his book The first part ofthe book contains
From Apocalypticism to Merkabah Llysticism: ten essays.O f them, all but two have
Studies on the Slauonic Pseudepigrapha been published or are in press. This
(Leiden, Brill, zooT) reviewed in this is no reason for condemnation, and
Journalrl/S 59 (zoo8),p p. r4o-r43. We their gathering together iets them
anticipate more stimulating insights frorn 'talk' with one another, and provides
l';. n.-;^ r!'. F't"'. a very good conrplement to the earlier
Part III of the present work is a work, and also to his 6ne book Tle
select bibliography of the transmission Enoch-Metatron Tradition (-zoo5). The
of theJewish Pseudepigrapha in the application ofsustained study to the
Slavic milieux, and scholars of the field Slavonic pseudepigrapha is, of course,
wili be very thankful to Andrei Orlov most significant. Studies on Apocalypse
for this important and rich resource, oJA brahan, The Apocalypse of Baruch
extending frorn page zo5 to 434. This and z Enoch are to be welcorned by all
is an extremely valuable tool for us all, scholarso f ancientJudaism, but also of
to supplement his own earlier list and the development of Slavic cultures, on
S REVrEws lr59
would have brought together the which these works, presumably originally This book, then, is another stage in the
ofthis study and its contributions. Jewish, have had sustainedi nfuence. building ofthe structure ofthe type
,ally, it is regrettable that the Orlov has developed a number of ofJudaism the fruits of which were
anic Apocryphon oJJ cremiah C, directior.rs of interest tl.rat run through preserved in the Slavonic tradition.
o the Animal Apocalypse in many much of his writing. He is convinced, This last remark takes us to a final
ts, was not exploited to clarify basically correctly, of the lines of con- observation oi the present review.
s aspectso f dte Apocdlypse.B esides nection that run from the earlier Jewish beyond tbe recommendation that those
sentence(so n p. t94) summarizing apocalyptic and vision;rry texts including irrterestedi n ancient Judaism cannot
said in my DJD 3o edition of the apocalypses,i nto visionary material afford to miss this book. The preservation
mposiriorr,t he Apocryphoni s not preserved in Hechalot and Merkabah of this particular collocation of texts
rned by Assefa. mystical texts. He shows a consistently in Slavonic is striking. It would be
3 present short review cannot broad acquaintace with a considerable exrrenrely irrteresting to have a profile
;ice to the numerous correct and range ofJewish and Christian visionary ofthe corpus ofJewish apocalyptic and
ting observationso n various details nraterial, and he is not timid about visionary texts preserved in Slavonic.
Apocolypspeu t forward in this positing connections and continuities. It Fronr this profile, which is quite different
e. Whoev er wishes tt.ri nvestigate is striking that in this line ofdescent, the from the prolile of the material preserved
imal Apocalypsew ill have to consult rexts preserved in Old Church Siavonic in Greek (from which the Slavonic w:rs
's volume. lrave a very central place. The Apocalypse most likely translated), we may learn
o;fB aruch (t Baruch), z Enoch, Apocalypse something about channels of transmission
AH DIMANT
of Abraham and Ladder ofJacob all are and cultivation ofthese texts in the lirst
RSITY OF IIAIFA
permeated with this particular type of millennium CE. We may also learn
nraterial (absent or little represented, something about the nature of early
plra.B rill. Lei.len. zoo9. xvi.
for example, in Syriat Baruch or 4 Ezra). Slavonic Christianity and its willingrress
Of course, this is a generalization to accept and transmit works of this
cellent general pseudepigrapha and exceptions can be found, but it is general character. Ofcourse, I know that
Sraphyb y Lorenzo DiTommaso nonethesss triking that the works narned the preservation of this material could be
liography,tf Pseudepigrapha Research do share these characteristrcs. pure happenstance,b ut the results ofthat
;99, Shefiield: Sheffield Academic He has also had a great interest over 'happenstance'are so striking that the
zoor). the years in the Divine or Heavenly issue ofthe Byzantine ancl early Slavonic
e first parr oi the book contains Face, and goes back in his researcht o transrrission is raised sharply.
ays. Of them, all but two have the Exagogeo f Ezekiel the Tragedian and In conclusjon, my leeling is thar it
ublishedo r are in press.T his Prayer ofJ osepht o illustrate this theme is high time we saw new commentaries
easonf or condemnation, and ofthe heavenly or angelic counterp:rrts on all these writings. We already
athering together lets them of earthly patriarchs. This is another have Alexander Kulik's Iine works on
pith one another, and provides trajectory of ancient Jewish religious Apocalypse of Abraham and Apocalypse ttf
good complement to the earlier beliefthat he has fruitfully explored, also Baruch (seeA . Kulik, RetrouertingS lauonic
and also to his fine book The in the present volume. Pseudepigrapha:T owards the Lost Original of
Metatron Tradition( zoo5). The A third, rich lode that he has been the Apocalyltseo f Abrahan, Atlanta: SBL,
rtion ofsustained stucly to the mining is the implication of different zoo4 and z edn Leiden: Brill, zoo5; and
ic pseudepigraphais , of course, attitudes to Adam and to Enoch and idem, j Baruch: Greek-Slauonic Apocalypse of
ignificant. Studies on Apocalypse Noah in the texts as indicators of Baruch. Berlin: de Gruyter, zoro). Perhaps
ham, The Apocalypst of Baruth differing attitudes to these patriarchs they should be joined by a commerrtary
inoch are to be welcorned by all and Orlov often speaks of such attitudes on z Enoch by Andrei Orlov.
's of ancientJudaism, but also of as being polemical. representing thc
MICHAEL E. STONE
relopmento f Slavic cultures, on interests of one group against another. HEBRE\v UNIVERSITY, .JERUSALEM