JST 319U / HST 319U Rabbinic Culture in the Roman World
INSTRUCTOR: Loren Spielman
DAYS / TIMES: Tuesday / Thursday, 10:00 - 11:50 AM
LOCATION: Parkmill (PKM) 201
CRN: 61511 / 61373
After the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE, Jewish society experienced a radical transformation. From the ashes of the now defunct cult in Jerusalem, a new form of Judaism emerged, rooted in the study and interpretation of sacred texts and centered around the life of the Rabbinic sage. A flourishing of literary activity during the first seven centuries of the Common Era produced the foundational texts of Rabbinic Judaism, the Mishnah, Midrash and Talmud, which continue to give shape to modern Jewish practice and belief. Through a survey of this rich and textured literature, this course will examine the roots of the Rabbinic movement. Asking critical questions about who these rabbis were and what they promoted as their core practices and beliefs, we will devote special attention to the ways these early rabbis related to other segments of ancient Jewish society, reacted to the emergence and spread of Christianity, and negotiated living in the predominantly pagan environment of the Greco-Roman city.
Fulfills University Studies cluster requirement: Interpreting the Past.
Also fulfills a requirement for Medieval Studies minor and Classical Studies minor.