The Emergence of Judaism

by Neusner, Jacob

• ISBN13: 9780664227807
• ISBN10: 0664227805
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-11-01
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Pr

Summary

This introductory textbook on the history of Judaism, written by one of the foremost scholars in the field, is ideal for college freshmen and high school seniors. The book includes chapters on the Pentateuch and the definition of Israel, the Torah and the Mishnah and Judaism's way of life, the Talmud and Judaism's worldview, and the definition and nature of God in Judaism. The book concludes with a discussion of why Judaism has succeeded through centuries of competition with Christianity and Islam, and a chapter on exemplary figures in the emergence of Judaism. The book also includes a bibliography, glossary of terms, and many important primary documents, including the Mishnah, the Tosefta, the Talmud of the Land of Israel, the Talmud of Babylonia, Genesis and Genesis Rabbah, the Fathers (Abot) and the Fathers according to Rabbi Nathan.

Author Biography

Jacob Neusner is Research Professor of Religion and Theology at Bard College.

Table of Contents

The emergence of Judaism
Crises, questions, and documents	p. 3
Four topics in the emergence of Judaism
The definition of Israel	p. 25
The Torah's story and the Mishnah's law : the way of life of Judaism	p. 41
Torah : the worldview of Judaism	p. 57
God	p. 73
Why did, and does, Judaism thrive?
Why Judaism succeeded in centuries of competition with Christianity and Islam	p. 93
Exemplary figures in the emergence of Judaism
God	p. 106
Abraham	p. 109
Isaac	p. 111
Rachel	p. 113
Moses	p. 118
Hillel	p. 119
Honi the circle drawer	p. 120
Yohanan ben Zakkai	p. 122
Joshua ben Hananiah and Gamaliel II	p. 124
Eliezer ben Hyrcanus	p. 126
Eliezer ben Hyrcanus and Joshua ben Hananiah	p. 128
Eliezer ben Hyrcanus and Yohanan ben Zakkai	p. 130
Elisha ben Abuya	p. 132
Aqiba	p. 134
Bar Kokhba	p. 136
Simeon ben Gamaliel	p. 139
A pious man from Kefar Imi	p. 141
Two virtuous wives	p. 143
Judah the patriarch	p. 145
Yohanan and Simeon ben Laqish	p. 147
Simeon ben Eleazar	p. 149
Esther	p. 151
Ruth	p. 153
Primary documents
The Mishnah	p. 158
The Tosefta	p. 163
The Talmud of the land of Israel	p. 166
The Talmud of Babylonia	p. 170
Genesis and Genesis Rabbah	p. 174
Exodus and Mekilta attributed to R. Ishmael	p. 177
Leviticus and Leviticus Rabbah	p. 180
Numbers and Sifre to numbers	p. 183
Deuteronomy and Sifre to Deuteronomy	p. 187
Pesiqta de Rab Kahana	p. 192
Ruth and Ruth Rabbah	p. 198
Lamentations and Lamentations Rabbah	p. 202
Song of songs and Song of songs Rabbah	p. 206
Esther and Esther Rabbah I	p. 209
The fathers ('Abot) and The fathers according to Rabbi Nathan	p. 211
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