HIST 219 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Shtadlan, Early Modern Europe
Document Summary
Group of thinkers in 1100s/1200s germany produced anthology of legends, legal codes-- code for pious jewish life. Jews supposed to cut off from christian society, b aware of sins they r committing+atone. Hist context--b specific re: what you"re talking abt. Suspicion is main point of drama--fear of exploitation, even from servants. Need txtual evidence to justify all arguments. Most basic meaning=jews aren"t sure how 2 interact w non-jews--no one. Time of large shifts in eur/worldwide/jewish community. Creation of 2 new centers of jewish life. Surge of anti-jewish violence/agitation by clergymen (blood libels, riots killing. 10,000s jews, forced conversion seen as good thing, 10,000s flee) Even after conversion, jews r still suspected of practicing judaism, committing heresy--afraid of the power some former jews hav. Marrano--jew who has converted but continues 2 practice judaism. New laws --inquisition, limpieza de sangre--idea that faith has to do w blood--first description of jews as ethnic group/race.
