Dialogues in Judaic Studies

This monograph investigates the "Rewritten Bible" genre, which narrates the history of ancient Israel independently from the biblical text. It suggests that the author's portrayal of ancient prophets and patriarchs was shaped more by regional influences than by religious ones. *Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer* (PRE) is particularly noteworthy for incorporating several legends about biblical figures that are absent from the classical rabbinic texts of Talmud and Midrash. Contemporary scholars regard the non-rabbinic legends in PRE as remnants of Second Temple literature within Jewish tradition. However, this study aims to interpret the non-rabbinic elements in PRE as a result of the author's integration and modification of influences from the surrounding Christian and Muslim cultures, rather than through a direct lineage of Second Temple texts among Jews. This hypothesis will be assessed by analyzing two works that are similar to PRE in both form and content: Jubilees (second century BCE) and the Cave of Treasures (sixth century CE).

This book delves into the biblical viewpoints concerning the use of mercenaries in ancient Judah. Although contemporary warfare often casts a negative light on mercenaries, it is unclear if this sentiment was shared in ancient times. Through the collection and examination of evidence related to mercenary employment in Judah, Eric Barrios provides insights into biblical texts that reference mercenaries and other marginalized communities, striving to present a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the social and religious attitudes towards mercenary usage in Judah and the broader ancient world.

For the very first time, the novel *Dineh* is now available in English translation. This autobiographical work in Yiddish by Ida Maze (1893–1962), published posthumously, has been translated by Yermiyahu Ahron Taub. *Dineh* is a poignant yet beautiful pastoral tale and a coming-of-age narrative seen through the eyes of a young girl. Set in what is present-day Belarus, the main character is motivated by her thirst for knowledge, her connections to family and community, and her passion for nature. Maze expertly intertwines Dineh’s story with those of others, particularly women and girls from her community. We meet the mysterious seamstress Shprintse; Beyle, who leaves her home to become a maid in Minsk; and Hinde, who discovers love with a young nobleman, among many other unforgettable characters. Maze courageously examines the lives of women, tackling themes such as class disparities, unrequited love, violence (both domestic and state-sponsored), and the perils of childbirth. She also explores the experiences of non-Jews and the interactions between Jews and non-Jews. The narrative is driven by the tightening grip of Tsarist anti-Semitism, the increasing restrictions on Jewish economic survival, and the rise of revolutionary movements. In summary, *Dineh* provides a haunting insight into rural, village, and small-town life in White Russia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This monograph thoughtfully questions the prevalent progressive belief that the prophets of ancient Israel were mainly focused on social justice. Instead, it boldly presents more enriching approaches to engaging with the prophetic texts in relation to justice causes. The idea that ancient Israel's prophets were chiefly concerned with social justice is so deeply ingrained in the mindset and discussions of progressive Christianity that it could be seen as a form of interpretive orthodoxy. For instance, progressives often depict prophets as individuals who confront authority and label "prophetic preaching" as a form of social critique. However, they frequently do this without providing explanations or considering alternative perspectives. In this work, Julia O’Brien contests the belief that the prophets were exclusively focused on issues aligned with modern social justice movements. By examining prophetic texts through the lens of their historical contexts—when they were composed and how they were revised—she complicates any absolute claims regarding the role of prophets in history. Engaging with readers from various racial, gender, and social backgrounds today prompts challenging inquiries about whose justice these texts genuinely advocate. Although it presents itself as a scholarly and objective stance, the orthodoxy of viewing prophets as social activists was formed in a specific historical context and continues to propagate many of the problematic ideologies from its inception. In light of these issues, O’Brien proposes alternative interpretations of the prophets aimed at justice. The chapters delve into the significance of Amos and Micah for modern economic ethics; the themes of inclusivity and exclusivity in Isaiah; the potential for understanding Jeremiah as a communal voice rather than an isolated figure; and the limitations of Second Isaiah’s creation theology in addressing the climate crisis. This volume is extensive, weaving together meticulous analyses of biblical texts within their literary and historical frameworks, alongside the history of prophetic thought.

This compilation examines the significance of fear and the reverence of God as essential components within the religious and cultural realms of ancient Judaism and early Christianity. Through the application of philological, historical, and anthropological perspectives, the contributors investigate how emotions, particularly fear, influenced ritual practices, social hierarchies, and individual identities. A thorough analysis of biblical texts, Rabbinic literature, and early Christian writings is conducted alongside the traditions of Egypt and Mesopotamia, situating Jewish and Christian narratives within a broader intercultural framework. Furthermore, epigraphic artifacts, such as inscriptions from Aphrodisias, enhance the discourse and offer a comparative lens. Rather than perceiving fear merely as a sign of submission or religious subjugation, the contributors to this volume highlight its complex role in shaping communication methods, collective identities, and cultural interactions. Their findings demonstrate how the linguistic, literary, and ritual expressions of fear reflect wider negotiation processes within communities and across diverse traditions. This interdisciplinary methodology uncovers the conceptual frameworks surrounding fear, challenging oversimplified interpretations and providing new insights into ancient religious experiences. By bringing together distinguished scholars from various disciplines, this volume advances the study of emotions, the sociology of religion, and the intercultural history of ancient faiths, thereby offering essential perspectives for future research.

In colonial India and Mandatory Palestine, early twentieth-century legal scholars made notable contributions to the understanding of law's essence, particularly through their analysis of Hindu and Jewish legal systems, both of which are deeply rooted in ancient religious traditions. This book explores the lives and ideas of these scholars, revealing a largely neglected global wave of legal innovation that arose in various non-Western regions. It challenges the belief that non-Western legal scholars in the colonies simply absorbed Western ideas. Rather, it argues that Indian and Jewish intellectuals utilized Western historical and sociological approaches to reinterpret Hindu and Jewish law, thus affirming their significance in contemporary legal and constitutional debates. Although the narrative is historical, it also resonates with ongoing tensions between Western liberal legal frameworks and non-Western religious legal systems.

In contrast to the narratives surrounding Elijah, the tales of Elisha, particularly the brief legends, have not garnered much scholarly focus or thorough examination. However, this trend is beginning to shift, as recent studies frequently interpret them as being critical of Elisha. This book seeks to illuminate their depth and intricacy through literary analysis, positioning them as the earliest instance of prophetic hagiography in Israelite literature.

This monograph posits that physical disfigurement played a role in biblical law to validate legal property acquisition, especially when the status of dependents was officially recognized. It is grounded in the fact that the cuneiform script originated in Sumer and Mesopotamia for the purpose of record-keeping: to serve as legal proof of ownership, where the inscription on a tablet recorded the sale or transfer of property. In biblical law, the legitimacy of property acquisition was vital, with physical disfigurements signifying dependents, akin to how a veil or head covering denoted a wife or concubine in ancient Assyrian and Judean cultures. This is primarily supported by the narratives of prescriptive disfigurements: specifically, circumcision and the piercing of a slave's ear, both of which were mandated only when a son or slave was permanently acquired. Additionally, it is contended that legal entitlement was pertinent to the punitive disfigurements noted in Exodus 21:22-24 and Deuteronomy 25:11-12, where the physical violation of women was regarded solely as a violation of male property rights.

Researchers dedicated to ancient scrolls are keen to find effective ways to extract the most valuable information from the extensive collection of fragments. Various techniques have been applied to the Dead Sea Scrolls and other historical texts. This book expands on these techniques, converting them into a comprehensive protocol suitable for a contemporary computerized environment. Important methodological challenges are highlighted throughout the discussion, and an empirical evaluation of the possible margin of error is provided, as is standard in scientific research. The method is illustrated using the scroll 4Q418a, which is a version of a wisdom composition from Qumran.

This book examines the significant role of singing as a performative medium in the processes of textual interpretation and variation during the late Second Temple Period, as evidenced by the Dead Sea Scrolls. It posits that singing was a prevalent and influential mode of performance, impacting the processes of textual composition, interpretation, and transmission. These intricate processes lead to variations in textual forms, indicating that sung performance played a crucial role in the diverse textual traditions, including those that were ultimately included in the scriptural canons of Judaism and Christianity.

For students and scholars of Ben Sira, this is truly a Golden Age. In the past twenty-five years, research on the Book of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus) has developed into a thoroughly examined discipline. In addition to the release of essential resources, including new text editions and polyglots, a wide range of topics has been explored. In the first section of this volume, the author examines several literary components within the Book of Ben Sira, such as the prayer found in Sir. 22:27-23:6 and its medieval reinterpretation. The depiction of Aaron and Phineas is scrutinized, along with Ben Sira's references to angels. The second section of this collection features essays that analyze Ben Sira’s quotations from Proverbs and Isaiah. It also addresses the differing perspectives between Ben Sira and his grandson regarding prophets, wisdom, and the Torah.

This intimate self-portrait of Ester-Rokhl Kaminska (1870–1925), a pioneering Yiddish actress, first appeared in the Warsaw daily *Der Moment* (1926-7) and is now translated into English for the first time. The memoir takes us through her life, illustrating the rise of this significant artist and her art form, as we follow Kaminska's challenging journey from shtetl to city, her illegal performances in unexpected venues across the Russian Empire, and her eventual acclaim from the public. The memoirs richly convey the everyday realities faced by working Jewish women, capturing the grit and the hard-won glamour of backstage life (or, in her case, back-barn/barrack/barroom). An extensive introduction and notes by Mikhl Yashinsky provide historical context and an evaluation of Kaminska's groundbreaking talent.

In this scholarly inquiry, Nathan French seeks to address the question: what is the most accurate interpretation of הדעת טוב ורע, or "The Knowledge of Good and Evil," as mentioned in Gen 2:9, 17; 3:5, and 3:22? In Gen 3:5 and 3:22, this knowledge is associated with God and divine beings. This research delves into the variations of טוב ("good") and רעע ("evil/bad") found in the Hebrew Bible, primarily concentrating on Genesis and the Deuteronomistic History, particularly examining instances where God exerts influence over 'good' and 'bad/evil.' Based on the findings, Nathan French introduces a secondary discussion centered on the hermeneutical principle of divine retribution as a foundational aspect of ancient Near Eastern historiography. On a tertiary level, French explores the concepts of divine blessing and cursing, linking them to good and evil in both ancient Near Eastern literature and the Hebrew Bible. Through this focused theocentric analysis of the lexemes, combined with a broader examination of ancient Near Eastern history and culture, French proposes an answer to the central question of this study: 'The Divine Knowledge for Administering Reward and Punishment.' Thus, the Eden Narrative illustrates how humans partially achieve divinity, becoming akin to God and the divine beings (Gen 3:5; 3:22; Ps 82) by acquiring the forbidden divine knowledge that grants them ultimate power.

The early rabbinic era produced two main literary forms—the Mishnah and Midrash—which have since become fundamental pillars of Jewish textual tradition. This monograph serves as the first comprehensive introduction to these two crucial works of Jewish thought in the English language. In many ways, all later rabbinic literature can trace its roots back to the framework established by these two genres. The Mishnah established a complete legal system that operates independently of the Bible, covering a remarkably broad spectrum of legal topics—from ritual law to civil disputes, capital legislation, marital status, and beyond—woven into a coherent and self-sustaining legal corpus. The Midrash is acknowledged as the first extensive commentary on the Pentateuch, characterized by its interpretive freedom and creative engagement. This practical guide offers a deep understanding of how the two texts function and provides essential tools for thorough engagement with them. With translations, detailed readings, and analyses of hundreds of primary source materials, this book grants readers a deeper understanding of the structure, methodology, and enduring significance of the Mishnah and Midrash.

This study contests the perspective that the Persian and Hellenistic periods signify a decline, often referred to as "late Judaism," situated between a once-vibrant Judaism and the rise of Christianity. Conversely, Hindy Najman contends that the Second Temple period was distinguished by unrestrained creativity and poetic imagination, characterized by philosophical translation, poetic composition, and a convergence of ancient Mediterranean cultures that encouraged hermeneutic innovation. By building on Friedrich Nietzsche's critique of classical philology and exploring new interpretative methods for the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Najman initiates a radical rethinking of biblical studies. Rather than attempting to reconstruct the original text or identify its original author or context, Najman celebrates the diversity and transformation of texts, tracing how meanings and texts proliferated within interpretive communities through innovative performances and new articulations of the past. Engaging with thinkers such as Friedrich Schlegel and Peter Szondi, who are rarely acknowledged by biblical scholars, biblical philology is reimagined as a forward-moving study of the poetic processes through which Jewish communities re-created their past and revitalized their present. The Second Temple period emerges as an extraordinary age of creativity, whose influences may still be observed in contemporary Judaism and Christianity.

We interpret the world surrounding us through the constructed spaces we inhabit. These spaces are formed by human activities and, in turn, shape the way people live. This book delves into an analysis of archaeological and textual evidence from the inception of Hasmonean influence in Galilee to the outbreak of the First Jewish War against Rome, exploring how Judaism was socially articulated: in bodily, communal, and regional dimensions. Within each articulation, certain elements of Jewish identity are present, including ideas of purity, communal gatherings, and Galilee's ties with the Hasmoneans, Jerusalem, and the Temple during its last days.

This monograph explores the concept of scribal culture as a lens for analyzing the characteristics of textual referencing in the Book of Ben Sira (c.198-175 BCE), offering fresh perspectives on how Ben Sira crafted his wisdom literature. While the term "scribe" is frequently attributed to Ben Sira, this label brings with it certain interpretive difficulties. By employing comparative analysis, this study situates the sage’s writing style within various historical, literary, and socio-cultural contexts. It illuminates aspects of Ben Sira’s text and the early Jewish practice of textual reuse. Utilizing both physical and material evidence related to reading and writing, this book uncovers the skill and intricacy involved in Ben Sira’s ongoing textual reuse. Consequently, Ben Sira’s work exemplifies outstanding writing that resonates with an appreciative audience.

For over two and a half centuries, the study of biblical Hebrew poetry has largely been influenced by metrical theories and the concept of parallelism. Although there is a growing agreement that biblical poetry does not adhere to metrical norms, a cohesive understanding of parallelism itself, or the features that classify biblical poetry as 'verse' or 'poetry' in the absence of meter, graphical lineation, and line-ending markers, has not yet been achieved. This monograph argues for the necessity of a new paradigm for biblical poetry, one that separates itself from both parallelism and meter. By employing the Cognitive Poetics framework developed by Reuven Tsur, Emmylou Grosser shifts the conversation regarding the structure of biblical poetry towards the auditory and perceptual experiences of the listener or reader. She contends that the line-units of biblical poetry emerge within the cognitive experience of the audience and offers a comprehensive analysis of the free-rhythm versification system that is intrinsic to biblical poetry. Grosser's cognitive perspective on biblical poetry tackles the extensive variety of lines and poems found in the Bible, shedding light on both the structural elements of biblical poetry and the artistic effects that can be achieved. This book presents a promising new paradigm for those who engage with the Bible, while also opening avenues for new investigations into nonmetrical poetries and the notion of 'parallelism' observed globally.

Violence emerges as a pivotal theme within the Dead Sea Scrolls. It captivated the Sectarians who penned these scrolls, viewing themselves as victims of oppression. Their apocalyptic vision was filled with aspirations of retribution against their foes. In this scholarly work, Alex P. Jassen examines the intricate relationship between violence and power as depicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ancient sectarian movement that both created and preserved these texts. By adopting a multidisciplinary approach, he offers profound insights into the origins and significance of violence for those connected to the Dead Sea Scrolls. He demonstrates how they navigated a landscape overshadowed by more powerful Jewish factions and the overwhelming influence of foreign entities. Jassen investigates the complex interplay between violence, power, and social groups, drawing on cross-cultural instances of sectarianism, millennial movements, and marginalized communities, with particular emphasis on New Religious movements such as the Branch Davidians.

Performance, transmission, and corporeality were crucial to ancient understandings of textuality. Written text was far more than a mere memory aid; it served as a formidable tool for encapsulating and conveying the essence of embodied vocal presence. In this audacious and perceptive book, Jacqueline Vayntrub elucidates how the core concepts of embodied speechmaking shaped a tradition of aesthetics and interpretation in the Hebrew Bible. For both authors and readers, biblical texts functioned as vessels that preserved voices for future generations, capturing transient moments of performance and transporting audiences to an idealized or stylized past. Through in-depth analyses of various passages and examinations of the social and material dimensions of speech in the ancient Near East, Vayntrub presents a compelling reimagining of the biblical authors’ perspective on literary creation.