RE204 Chapter Notes -Palestinian Rabbis, History Of The Jews In Iraq, Midrash
Document Summary
Almost all modern jewish movements are heirs of the rabbis. 640 ce most of the vast literary production of the rabbis had reached closure. Second temple period came to end with destruction of jerusalem temple. Josephus attempts to exculpate romans from charge of destroying temple: Jewish infighting and god"s will that temple is destroyed: destruction of temple had profound practical and theological ramifications, temple was central religious institution. Stood on nexus of heaven and earth. God thought to have live in the temple. Two reasons on why god would allow his home to be destroyed: god lost, foreign gods were stronger, god had abandoned the jews. Deuteronomy: god never deserts israel, even when people have been disobedient, because of his covenant. Destruction of the temple is a sign of the approaching end of the world. Rabbinic foundation story: portrays destruction as opportunity rather than catastrophe, yavneh (rabbinic academy) rose out of the ashes of the temple.
