From Text to Tradition, A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism

Lawrence H. Schiffman

ISBN 10: 0881253723 / ISBN 13: 9780881253726

Published by Ktav Pub & Distributors Inc, 2026

About this Item

. . All orders guaranteed and ship within 24 hours. Before placing your order for please contact us for confirmation on the book's binding. Check out our other listings to add to your order for discounted shipping.

Seller Inventory # WAL-L-3h-002224

Bibliographic Details

• Title: From Text to Tradition, A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism
• Publisher: Ktav Pub & Distributors Inc
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0881253723
• ISBN 13: 9780881253726
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Good

About this title

Synopsis

From Text to Tradition examines the history of Judaism as it developed from the religion on the biblical Israel to the Judaism of the talmudic rabbis. Each step in this process is discussed from the historical, literary and religious points of view and the context of the political history of the Jews. Among the topics covered in this connection are the biblical heritage which underlies all later Judaism, the importance of the Persian period for laying the groundwork for post biblical Judaism, the confrontation of Judaism with Hellenism, apocrypha, pseudepigrapha and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes, the Jewish-Christian schism, the impact of the Jewish revolts against Rome and the destruction of the Temple, the rise of Rabbinic Judaism, and the development of the Mishnah, Talmud and Jewish Law. One of the book's major theses is that the various approaches to Judaism shared sufficient common ground as to be classified as one, albeit variegated, religious tradition. Diverging trends may be - and are - traced during this period, as is the question of the role of interpretation, the impact of external influences, and the process by which the competing approaches were eventually supplanted by the rabbinic tradition, which became the basis for medieval and modern Judaism. In this way, Judaism is shown to have traveled the long road from the textual heritage of the Hebrew Bible to the oral tradition of the rabbis.

From Library Journal

This is a concise, beautifully organized historical overview of Second Temple Judaism which demonstrates how the religion of the Talmudic rabbis developed from the religion of biblical Israel. Schiffman (Judaic studies, NYU) takes a conservative approach in his main thesis by arguing that Rabbinic Judaism was not a radical break with the religion of ancient Israel, but rather a logical development of that faith. A concomitant view is that while this period brought forth several different approaches to the Jewish religion, they all basically reflected one, as opposed to several, Judaisms. This study is an excellent history of a complex period which may be appreciated by general readers as well as scholars interested in this area of Judaica.
- Robert A. Silver, Shaker Heights P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.