Judaism in Late Antiquity: Part One : The Literary and Archaeological Sources

293 Pages·1995·39.67 MB·English

by  Jacob Neusner

JUDAISM IN LATE ANTIQUITY
PARTONE
THE LITERARY AND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES
HANDBUCH DER ORIENTALISTIK
HANDBOOK OF ORIENTAL STUDIES
ERSTE ABTEILUNG
DER NAHE UND MITTLERE OSTEN
THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST
HERAUSGEGEBEN VON
H. ALTENMÜLLER, B. HROUDA
B.A. LEVINE, K.R. VEENHOF
SECHSZEHNTER BAND
JUDAISM IN LA TE ANTIQUITY
PARTONE
THE LITERARY AND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES
JUDAISM
IN LATE ANTIQUITY
EDITEDBY
JACOB NEUSNER
PARTONE
THE LITERARY AND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES
EJ. BRILL
LEIDEN· NEW YORK' KÖLN
1995
The planning and organization of this book were supported by the University of South
Florida, the Max Richter Foundation and the Tisch Family Foundation.
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee
on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
(Revised for vol. I)
Judaism in late antiquity.
(Handbuch der Orientalistik, Erste Abteilung,
der Nahe und Mittlere Osten, 0169-9423; 16.-17. Bd.)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents: pt. I. The literary and archaeological
sources - pt. 2. Historical syntheses.
I. Judaism-History-Post-exilic period,
586 B.C.-210 A.D.-Sources. I. Neusner, Jacob,
1932- II. Series: Handbuch der Orientalistik.
Erste Abteilung, Nahe und der Mittlere Osten;
16.-17. Bd.
BM176.J8 1994 296'.09'015 94-30825
ISBN 90-04-10130-6
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-EinheitsaufnahIne
Handbuch der Orientalistik / hrsg. von B. Spuler unter Mitarb.
von C. van Dijk ... - Leiden; New York; Köln: Brill.
Teilw. hrsg. von H. Altenmüller. - Teilw. mit Parallelt.: Handbook
of oriental studies
Abt. I, Der Nahe und Mittlere Osten = The Near and Middle
East / hrsg. von H. Altenmüller ...
NE: Spuler, Bertold [Hrsg.); Altenmüller, Hartwig [Hrsg.]; Handbook
of oriental studies
Bd. 16.Judaism in late antiquity.
Pt. I. The literary and archaeological sources. - 1994
JudaisIn in late antiquity / ed. by Jacob Neusner. - Leiden;
New York; Köln: Bril1.
Handbook of oriental studies : Abt. 1, The Near and Middle East ;
... )
NE: Neusner,Jacob [Hrsg.]
Pt. I. The literary and archaeological sources. - 1994
(Handbook of oriental studies : Abt. 1, The Near and Middle East ;
Bd.16)
ISBN 90-04-10 129-2
ISSN 0169-9423
ISBN 9004 101292
© Copyright 1995 by E.J. Brill, Leiden, 7he Netherlands
All rights reseroed. No part qf this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in
a retrieval !jJstem, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written
permission ftom the publisher.
Authorization to photocopy items flr internal or personal
use is granted by EJ. Brill provided that
the appropriate fies are paid direct[y to 7he Copyright
Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910
Danvers MA 01923, USA.
Fees are suiject to change.
PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
CONTENTS
Preface ....................................................................................... VII
1. Introduction:
The Scho1arly Study ofJ udaism and its Sources ............. .
William Scott Green, University of Rochester
JUDAISM OUTSIDE OF RABBINIC SOURCES
2. Non-Rabbinic Literature ..................................................... 13
Günter Stemberger, University of Vienna
3. The Targumim .......................................................................... 40
Pau1 Flesher, University of Wyoming
4. The Art and Archaeo1ogy of AncientJudaism .................. 64
James F. Strange, University of South F10rida
RABBINIC SOURCES
5. Defining Rabbinic Literature and its Principal Parts ....... 117
Jacob Neusner, University of South Florida
6. The Mishnah, Tosefta, and the Talmuds .......................... 173
AlanJ. Avery-Peck, College of the Ho1y Cross
7. Rabbinic Midrash ................................................................ 217
Gary G. Porton, University of Illinois
WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF SYNAGOGUE LIFE
8. Jewish Liturgy andJewish Scholarship .............................. 239
Lawrence Hoffman, Hebrew Union College-:Jewish
Institute of Religion, New York
Indices ....................................................................................... 267
General Index ...................................................................... 267
Index of Biblical References ............................................... 274

PREFACE
This volume introduces the sources ofJ udaism in late antiquity to
scholars in adjacent fields, such as the study of the Old and New
Testaments, ancient history of Classical Antiquity, earliest Christi
anity, the ancient Near East, and the history of religion. Here, in
two volumes, we offer factual answers to the two questions that
study of any religion in ancient times must raise. The first is, what
are the sources-written and in material culture-that inform us
about that religion? The second, treated in a companion volume, is,
how do we understand those sources in the reconstruction of the
history of various Judaic systems in antiquity. That is, the chapters
set forth in intelligible systems the facts the sources provide. Be
cause of the nature of the subject and acute interest in it, in part
two, we also raise some questions particular to the study ofJudaism,
those dealing with its historical relationship with nascent Christian
ity.
In this part of the series, specialists in each of the types of sources
on Judaism set forth the principal sources for the study of the
Judaism of the dual Torah in its formative age, the first seven cen
turies C.E. [=A.D.] In the next part, specialists in the types of
Judaism present what they deern to be syntheses of the sources.
Further, in the companion volume specialists in the study of forma
tive Christianity provide consensus-views of the character of
Judaism in the first century and the relationship of Jesus to that
Judaism. We conclude with a proposed periodization of the history
ofJ udaism in its formative age.
These essays, by specialists in the field, are addressed to non
specialists who wish guidance in studying the topics treated here.
I
I Readers in need of a bibliographical account of what has been done in the
area of special interest to them, will find in the superb updating of Strack by
Günter Stemberger, published as H. L. Strack, G. Stemberger, Introduction to the
Talmud and Midrash. Foreword by Jacob Neusner (Minneapolis, 1992: Fortress), a
compendious and thoughtful, definitive bibliography. Second, for absolutely first
dass introductions to the state of numerous specific questions, the current work of
Lester Grabbe, Judaismfrom Cyrus to Hadrian. I. 17ze Persian and Creek Periods. H. 17ze
Roman Period (Minneapolis, 1992: Fortress Press), provides precisely what one
needs to know about issues of sources, syntheses, and methodological considera
tions, to proceed further. Finally, for annotated bibliographical essays on the spe
cial problems of the paramount Judaism treated here, Rabbinic Judaism, now
there is available a new printing of the work edited by me, 17ze Study of Ancient
Judaism. N.Y., 1981: Ktav. Second printing: Atlanta, 1992: Scholars Press for
VIII PREFACE
We mean to open the way to further reading on special problems
and to give a broad perspective on the shape of the evidence and
current conceptions of its meaning. In these descriptions of the state
of the evidence, we therefore provide a first step in guiding readers
toward what is known, and how they may examine the evidence.
We mean to set forth a starting point for further work on a variety
of topics. Our initial problem is to define the subject at hand, and
the opening chapter spells out what we think we examine, and how
we know evidence pertains to the object of our study when we deal
with 'judaism." The introductory chapter reviews the major ten
dencies in the last seventy-five years of scholarship on Judaism in
late antiquity. Only with that survey of strategies for the description
of Judaisms in hand, do we turn to the sources that provide infor
mation on ancient Judaism. These take three forms, described in
Chapters Two through Four: the writings of thatJudaism, archaeo
logical evidence that derives from that Judaism, and references to
Judaism in the writings of outsiders. We turn to writings of gentile
writers and survey how to find out what observers had to say. We
proceed to the archaeological evidence, surveying the main sites
and how to gain access to reports on them and their meaning.
South Florida Studies in the History of Judaism. 1. The Stu4J qf Ancient Judaism:
Mishnah, Midrash, Siddur. 11. The Stu4J qfA ncient Judaism: The Palestinian and Babylonian
Talmuds. It remains to note that this writer has edited The MacMillan Dictionary qf
Judaism. The Biblical Period (N.Y., 1994: MacMillan Publishing Co.). My systematic
introduction to the entire Rabbinic literature has been published in the following:
The Doubleday Anchor Rqerence Library Introduction to Rabbinie Literature (N.Y., 1994:
Doubleday). For RabbinicJudaism, I call attention also to the following introduc
tions to the literature and religion: John Bowker, The Targums and Rabbinie Literature.
An Introduction to Jewish Interpretations qf Scripture (Cambridge, 1969: Cambridge Uni
versity Press); Hyam Maccoby, Early Rabbinie Writings (Cambridge, 1988: Cam
bridge University Press). Cambridge Commentaries on Writings qf the Jewish and Christian
World, 200 BC to AD 200. Edited by P. R. Ackroyd, A. R. C. Leaney, and J. W.
Packer. Volume III; Shmuel Safrai, editor; PeterJ. Tomson, Executive Editor, The
Literature qf the Sages. First Part: Oral Tora, Halakha, Mishna, Tosifta, Talmud, External
Tractates In the series, Compendia Rerum Iudaicarum ad Novum Testamentum. Section
Two. The Literature qf the Jewish People in the Period qf the Second Temple and the Talmud
(Assen/Maastricht and Philadelphia, 1987: Van Gorcum and Fortress Press). Note
also the announced continuation, Shmuel Safrai, editor; Peter J. Tomson, Execu
tive Editor, The Literature qf the Sages. Second Part. Midrash, ggada, Midrash Collections,
Targum, Prayer, which, as of the date of the publication of this book has not yet
appeared. A further important starting point is the entries on each document in
Enryclopaedia Judaica (N.Y. andJerusalem, 1971: MacMillan and Keter). These are
cited under the names of the various authors and cover every document treated
here. The entries by M. D. Herr are noteworthy for their consistent plan; the
others are haphazard and not always illuminating. Readers will find illuminating
the comparison of these various volumes' approach with the one taken in this
Handbook.
PREFACE IX
The principal literary sources on Judaism, the rabbinic literature
forms the largest corpus of writing about Judaism; the Targumim,
or translations of the Hebrew Scriptures. We turn finally to the
liturgy ofJ udaism, which has to be examined in its own terms and
framework. Finally, we treat the liturgy as evidence only for those
who produced and used the prayers now in hand, neither assuming
that the prayers stand for RabbinicJudaism in particular nor offer
ing the postulate that they do not.
The corresponding volume moves from the sources to statements
of the contemporary authoritative syntheses: how these sources
serve scholarship in the formation of an intelligible account of
Judaism. Matching the account of the sources for the study of
Judaism, the several syntheses turn from fact to interpretation. The
interpretations that are presented state the prevailing consensus of
learning in most academic centers for the study ofJ udaism in Eu
rope, the USA and Canada, and principal universities in the State
of Israel.
The contents of the companion volume, Historical Syntheses, are as
follows: Major Issues in the Study and Understanding of Jewish
Mysticism, Ithamar Gruenwald, Tel Aviv University; [1] JUDAIC
SYSTEMS OTHER THAN RABBINIC: Hellenistic Judaism, Lester
Grabbe, University of Hull; The Judaic System of the Dead Sea
Scrolls, Johann Maier, University of Cologne; The Judaism of the
Synagogues [Focusing on the Synagogue of Dura Europos],
Jonathan A. Goldstein, University of Iowa; [2] RABBINIC JUDAISM:
Rabbinic Judaism: Its History and Hermeneutics, Jacob Neusner,
University of South Florida; [3] SPECIAL TOPICS: Judaism in the
Land of Israel in the First Century, James Dunn, University of
Durham; Jesus within Judaism, Bruce D. Chilton, Bard College;
History of Judaism: its Periods in Antiquity, Gabriele Boccaccini,
University of Michigan.
This book and its companion therefore mean to guide readers in
taking the first steps in the study of Judaism in the time of the
beginnings of Christianity and the formation of the BibIe, Old and
New Testaments together. It does not compete with two other,
vaIuabie introductions to the study of ancient J udaism, one bibIio
graphical, the other centered on "the state ofthe question." Indeed,
because these other works are available, we were able to conceive
the present book in the way we have, as a fundamental introduction
to a considerable subject, a first step for outsiders with special rea
son to find their way into the field.
A brief definition of the terms and premises of this book, includ
ing those that have already been used, will help readers grasp the
x PREFACE
conceptual framework of this work. Here we carefully differentiate
the various documents and other sources of information on
Judaism. So we have at the outset to ask, What, first of all, do we
me an by 'judaism" or "aJudaic system" or "a type ofJudaism"? I
have further to explain why I regard it as urgent to differentiate the
various sources and not to treat them as representative of a single,
coherent religion. All descriptive (as distinct from theologieal) sc hol
arship recognizes out of the diversity of sources not a single
Judaism, but a set ofJudaic systems or Judaisms, which ac count for
the character of the sources themselves. All of these "systems" or
'judaisms" have to be characterized in their own evidence and
terms, as is the case in this introduction to their sources and their
synthesis.
A Judaism presents a world view (ethos), a way of life (ethics),
and an account of the social entity, Israel (ethnos), that appeals to
the Pentateuch in setting forth a (to the faithful) self-evidently valid
answer to an urgent question. AJudaism addresses its social entity,
its "Israel," and identifies its canonical writings, always including
the Pentatreueh, commonly extending to the entirety of the He
brew Scriptures of ancient Israel or "Old Testament." A Judaism
will select a central symbol and will present a generative myth,
which, in narrative form, accounts for the system as a whole and all
of its parts as well. We know one Judaism from some other by
comparing and contrasting the generative myth and central symbol
that characterizes one hut not another. That definition permits us
to accommodate as equally interesting and important all of the
types of sources-written, archaeological, and external in origin
as well as all of the syntheses that the respective sources yield. The
conception of 'judaisms" also relieves us of the obligation of har
monizing all of the sourees, on the one side, or eliminating as
"inauthentie" or "marginal" sources that do not cohere with the
ones we maintain are "normative." That theological account of
matters is entirely valid in its context, but that context is not the
one defining the work of description and analysis that is undertaken
here.
The reason that people who are not theologians may think about
one unitary, harmonious Judaism, standing in a single, linear rela
tionship with the Hebrew Scriptures ("Sinai"), and forming the in
cremental statement that is authentie, normative, orthodox, and
classical, is simple. Later on, speaking descriptively, we may say
that there was only a single unitary, linear, and incremental
Judaism ('jewish tradition"). Looking backward, we know that of
theJudaisms ofthe time, one turned out to predominate later on. It