The Cambridge History of Judaism, Vol. 1: The Persian Period PDF
Preview The Cambridge History of Judaism, Vol. 1: The Persian Period
Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008 THE CAMBRIDGE HISTORY OF JUDAISM VOLUME ONE Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008 THE CAMBRIDGE HISTORY OF JUDAISM EDITORS W. D. Davies L. Finkelstein ADVISORY EDI ORI AL BOARD Elias J. Bickermanf A. M. Momigliano Matthew Black Gershom Scholemf Gerson Cohen Morton Smith F. M. Cross Ephraim E. Urbach WITH EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE FROM Steven T. Katz Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008 THE C A M B R I D GE H I S T O RY OF J U D A I SM EDITED BY W. D. DAVIES, D.D., F.B.A. LOUIS FINKELSTEIN, D.Litt., D.H.L. VOLUME ONE INTRODUCTION; THE PERSIAN PERIOD C a m b r i d ge UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008 CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521218801 © Cambridge University Press 1984 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 1984 Eighth printing2007 Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library Library of Congress catalogue card number: 77-85704 Library Cataloguing in Publication Data The Cambridge history of Judaism. Vol. I: Introduction; The Persian period I. Judaism - History I. Davies, W.D. II. Finkelstein, Louis 296'.09'01 BM165 ISBN 978-0-521-21880-1 hardback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008 PREFACE Critical study of Judaism, by which is meant the form which the religion of Israel assumed in and after the Babylonian exile, is of comparatively recent origin. It began seriously among Jews about the middle of the last century. It has been continued by a number of great Jewish scholars, and sustained by the growing self-awareness and self-expression of the Jewish people. For over 80 years Gentile studies have established the rootage of the Christian religion in Jewish Apocalyptic, and first-century Judaism as the matrix of Christianity. In short, Judaism has now become a shared object of historico-critical research by Jews and Gentiles, in Europe, in Israel, and on the American continent. Historical works dealing with its formative period from the Babylonian exile to the codification of the Mishnah have appeared in many languages. Why, then, should another series of volumes be devoted to this period now? We begin by observing that most of the historical work - certainly in English - was done by Jewish and Gentile scholars working indi vidually and independently. Great as has been their achievement, historians of Judaism have not always been able to escape the constraints, limitations and even distortions of their respective religious and social traditions. No historical writing can achieve full impartiality, of course: partiality, indeed, may have its own valuable insight. But as the study of Judaism is peculiarly open to emotive interests and unconscious influences which make it highly susceptible to hurtful misinterpretation, no effort to get rid of the blinkers of tradition and prejudice may be deemed superfluous. The editors have therefore sought to enlist contributors from various religious and non-religious backgrounds, and from various countries, so that the work may be truly ecumenical and international. They have particularly sought to bring together the two seas of Jewish and Gentile scholarship which have hitherto been too little intermingled. No effort has been made to reconcile contributors' differing points of view. Different approaches to and interpretations of the same sources will be found here, and even contradictory treatments of certain events v Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008 vi PREFACE and movements. Such differences of viewpoint and emphasis witness to the intrinsic difficulty of the whole enterprise; they can be mutually and enrichingly corrective. The dimensions of this difficulty have been greatly enlarged by new sources of knowledge gained in this century. Their impact is a second reason for undertaking this history. We have to look afresh at the history of Judaism in the light of new data provided by archeology, new knowledge of the Apocryphal, Pseudepigraphical, Qumranic and Gnostic writings, and recent critical work on the Rabbinic sources. The large space which we have allotted to archeology and literary sources illustrates the historian's new opportunities and the complexity of his task. Hence the necessity of adding descriptions of non-Jewish back grounds to certain themes, as in the chapters by Dr Boyce, Dr Bresci- ani, and Dr Dandamayev. Hence, too, certain hesitancies on the part of contributors which may seem to be characteristic of this work. Some urge that in certain areas the necessary preliminary textual and other critical studies for anything like an adequate treatment have not yet been fully done. Others point to irresolvable complexities and inconsistencies in the sources. Unlike many historians in the past, they hesitate to present with any confidence a 'story' of chronologically and causally- related events. The reason for this hesitancy (according to Professor Chaim Tadmor, whom circumstances alone prevented from con tributing) is mirrored by our disjointed times. Living historians have constantly to live with contemporary problems which are recognized to be inescapable and largely beyond solution. Resigning themselves to acceptance of the insoluble, they feel induced to a like passivity in their examination of sources. Be that as it may, this 'hesitancy' is certainly bound up with our contributors' frequent recognition that much textual and exegetical work remains to be done before Judaism can be satisfactorily interpreted. This simply affirms that historians are more than ever aware that a 'definitive' History of Judaism (or of any other phenomenon) is an impossibility. Indeed, the very notion of such a History should be buried. The editors have the pleasant duty of recording their indebtedness. They are grateful to the advisors and relieved that the questions which had to be put to them were few. To two scholars their gratitude is inexpressible. From beginning to end the late Professor Elias Bicker- man and Professor Morton Smith, both of Columbia University, have given their expertise readily and freely. In the structuring of the volumes, the spacing of the various themes, the choice of contributors and in other uncountable ways, they have proved highly effective Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008 PREFACE vii instruments for the fashioning of this history. Though the editors recognize that such effective help in no sense diminishes their final responsibility for the finished work, they are proud and grateful that the imprint of Elias Bickerman and Morton Smith is heavy upon it. The editors are also indebted, specially and deeply, to all the contributors. For many reasons beyond their control the time taken over publication has been far longer than was anticipated. They deeply regret this and here pay tribute to the patience and forbearance with which contributors have responded to unavoidable delays. The editors also acknowledge with the keenest appreciation the generosity of the two institutions which they serve, and which has made this supplementary work possible: namely, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York, and Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Above all they name especially two Deans of the Divinity School of Duke University :DrR. E. Cushman and Dr T. A. Langford. It is no exaggeration to claim that without their understanding co-operation and support this History would not have seen the light of day. Our warmest thanks go also to Mr Michael Farris, the indefatigably devoted Librarian of the Duke Divinity School, and to his staff for constant and unfailingly courteous help, and to two secretaries who have worked on this history untiringly, Mrs Patricia Haugg in the earliest stages, and then through most of the work Mrs Sarah Freedman to whom our debt is immeasurable. In addition, the editors gratefully record the valuable assistance given to the project in its later stages by the National Endowment for the Humanities. We would like to acknowledge warmly the help given in various ways by Professor Steven Katz of Dartmouth College. A number of sometime graduate student-assistants shared in the work at different stages. These were Dr G. Stemberger, Father Benedict Viviano, Dr Joseph Trafton, Dr Gerd Ludemann, Mr Menachem Mor, Dr Dale Allison, and Mr Lynn Tatum. The staff at the Cambridge University Press in New York, the editors, readers, subeditors and printers of the Cambridge University Press in England gave of that skill and devotion which it would be an impertinence to praise. The final word goes to Mrs Eurwen Davies, who shared in this work with informed enthusiasm and selflessly endured the many difficulties that such an enterprise involves. w. D. D. L. F. 3 February, 1982 Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press, 2008
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