PHIL 202-3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Ketuvim, Midrash, Book Of Leviticus
PHIL 202
Ch. 3 Jewish Traditions (pt. 1)
Chapter Outline
• Jewish Identity as Ethnicity and Religion
• Earliest Jewish History: The Biblical Story
• The Second Temple Period (515–70 CE)
• Enter the Romans (63 BCE)
• Jewish Life under Islam: Seventh–Twelfth Century
• Jews in the Christian World: Seventh to Fifteenth Century
• The Modern Period
• The Holocaust (1933–1945)
• Life-Cycle Events
• Recent Developments
Jewish Identity as Ethnicity and Religion
Introducing Three Jews
• Elements of Jewish identity
o Ethnic
• Born of a Jewish parent
o Religious
• Follows religious practices and customs
o Cultural
• Music, literature, food, etc.
o Identity may be grounded in any one of the elements above, or any combination
of these elements
Earliest Jewish History:
The Biblical Story
Hebrew Bible
• Anthology of 24 books
o Poems, songs, legal prose, narratives
• TaNaKh = acronym
o Torah (Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
o Nevi’im (Prophets)
o Ketuvim (Writings—songs, prayers and wisdom literature)
The Biblical Narrative as Sacred History
• Theological narrative as opposed to a record of objective historical events
o How to live a devout life
o May contain accurate historical information, but we cannot assume that all stories
are completely factual
• Sacred history
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o Contents that is theologically meaningful for the community
The Creation of Humanity
• Genesis 1–2:4a
o Woman and man are created at the same time, as the image of God and thus,
equal
o Genesis 1:27: “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he
created them; male and female he created them”
• Genesis 2:4:b
o Man is created first, woman second
• Justification for male dominance
The Creation of Humanity, cont’d
• So where was the first woman, made together with Adam in Chapter 1 of Genesis, when
Eve was created in Chapter 2?
o Midrash of Lilith
• Lilith as the original female being
• Depicted as a succubus and enemy of women
The Origins of “Israel,” “Hebrew,” “Jew,” and “Semitic”
• The origins of the term “Israel” are not certain
o “Israel” as “the one who struggled with God”
o “Hebrew” as a description for Abraham and Jonah
o “Jew” as derived from “Judah”
o “Semitic” as derived from “Shem”
When Was the Torah Written Down?
• Traditional Jews assert that the Torah was revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai, and written
down by him
• Contemporary scholars assert that the texts were composed by different authors at
different times (Documentary Hypothesis)
• Final forms were probably completed as follows:
o Torah—sixth to fourth centuries BCE
o Nevi’im—second century BCE
o Ketuvim—second century CE
The Israelites and their God
• Israel as a chosen people
o “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has
chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured
possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6)
• Israel as choosing God
o “Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you
have chosen the LORD, to serve him.’ And they said, ‘We are witnesses’”
(Joshua 24:22)
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Document Summary
Jews in the christian world: seventh to fifteenth century. Jewish identity as ethnicity and religion: earliest jewish history: the biblical story, the second temple period (515 70 ce, enter the romans (63 bce, the modern period, the holocaust (1933 1945, life-cycle events, recent developments. Hebrew bible: anthology of 24 books, poems, songs, legal prose, narratives, tanakh = acronym, torah (pentateuch: genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, deuteronomy, nevi"im (prophets, ketuvim (writings songs, prayers and wisdom literature) The creation of humanity, cont"d: so where was the first woman, made together with adam in chapter 1 of genesis, when. Eve was created in chapter 2: midrash of lilith, lilith as the original female being, depicted as a succubus and enemy of women. Israel as choosing god: then joshua said to the people, you are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the lord, to serve him. " and they said, we are witnesses" (joshua 24:22)
