The Broken Axis: Rabbinic Judaism and the Fall of Jerusalem
-
Robert G. Goldenberg
Abstract
When the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed, its cosmic function as center of the universe was simply taken over by the then empty site. Myths concerning the “foundation-stone” continued to circulate unrevised, even though they referred to a cultic center now without function. The proper posture for Jewish prayer or orientation of synagogue buildings continued to be toward the Temple Mount even though it then stood empty. The catastrophe apparently did not provoke widespread fear that the world itself was coming to an end.
On the other hand, fear for the survival of the community of Israel became intense. The “mourners of Zion” sank into despair. The early Christian Church saw in the destruction of Jerusalem specific confirmation of its own claims, and proof of the inferiority, or invalidity, or obsolescence of the cult which the temple had housed.
In the face of these negative responses, the twofold task of the rabbinic movement was to affirm the validity of the destroyed center and its cult, and at the same time to enable the Jewish community to survive without them. This double need produced a double response. On the one hand, rabbinic teaching continued to affirm the value of the cult, and to mourn its disappearance. On the other hand, the Rabbis worked to develop in place of the cult a new style of piety utilizing types of activity which were still available: prayer became the new type of worship, repentance the new source of atonement, and so on.
The resulting ambiguity remained embedded in rabbinic thinking for all time. The Torah is eternal, but in “the present age” complete observance of its commandments impossible. The cult itself, while evidently dispensable, will some day be restored. The traditional prayer book, almost on the same page, quotes Hosea to prove that prayer is an acceptable substitute for sacrifice, and pleads that the temple be rebuilt.
This theoretical ambiguity touched on the role of the rabbinate itself. The problem initially concerned the priesthood and its residual distinctiveness in Jewish life, and in the end, Jewish messianism proved too much to contain. The messianic hope can be and was understood by some to imply that the rabbinate itself is temporary, intended only to keep the community together until the final restoration. The Sabbatean heresies thus ultimately stem from an ambivalence inherent in rabbinic thinking from its earliest reaction to the destruction of the temple.
Abstract
When the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed, its cosmic function as center of the universe was simply taken over by the then empty site. Myths concerning the “foundation-stone” continued to circulate unrevised, even though they referred to a cultic center now without function. The proper posture for Jewish prayer or orientation of synagogue buildings continued to be toward the Temple Mount even though it then stood empty. The catastrophe apparently did not provoke widespread fear that the world itself was coming to an end.
On the other hand, fear for the survival of the community of Israel became intense. The “mourners of Zion” sank into despair. The early Christian Church saw in the destruction of Jerusalem specific confirmation of its own claims, and proof of the inferiority, or invalidity, or obsolescence of the cult which the temple had housed.
In the face of these negative responses, the twofold task of the rabbinic movement was to affirm the validity of the destroyed center and its cult, and at the same time to enable the Jewish community to survive without them. This double need produced a double response. On the one hand, rabbinic teaching continued to affirm the value of the cult, and to mourn its disappearance. On the other hand, the Rabbis worked to develop in place of the cult a new style of piety utilizing types of activity which were still available: prayer became the new type of worship, repentance the new source of atonement, and so on.
The resulting ambiguity remained embedded in rabbinic thinking for all time. The Torah is eternal, but in “the present age” complete observance of its commandments impossible. The cult itself, while evidently dispensable, will some day be restored. The traditional prayer book, almost on the same page, quotes Hosea to prove that prayer is an acceptable substitute for sacrifice, and pleads that the temple be rebuilt.
This theoretical ambiguity touched on the role of the rabbinate itself. The problem initially concerned the priesthood and its residual distinctiveness in Jewish life, and in the end, Jewish messianism proved too much to contain. The messianic hope can be and was understood by some to imply that the rabbinate itself is temporary, intended only to keep the community together until the final restoration. The Sabbatean heresies thus ultimately stem from an ambivalence inherent in rabbinic thinking from its earliest reaction to the destruction of the temple.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Transliteration Table for Hebrew and Aramaic VII
- Preface 1
-
Appreciations of Robert Goldenberg and his Scholarly Work
- Robert Goldenberg: An Appreciation with a Biographical Sketch 5
- Robert G. Goldenberg as a Scholar of Ancient Judaism 11
- The Torah of Bob Goldenberg 15
- Robert Goldenberg: In Appreciation 19
- Bob Goldenberg: A Kind and Compassionate Scholar 21
- Bob Goldenberg (1942‒2021): Friend and Colleague 25
- Bibliography of the Writings of Robert G. Goldenberg 29
- List of Contributors 37
- List of Abbreviations 39
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Collected Studies of Robert G. Goldenberg
- The Problem of False Prophecy: Talmudic Interpretations of Jeremiah 28 and 1 Kings 22 43
- Hebrew Scriptures in Early Post-Biblical Judaism, with Special Reference to the Rabbinic Tradition 61
- The Septuagint Ban on Cursing the Gods 69
- How Did Ruth Become the Model Convert? 77
- Why Should the Look-Alikes Be a Problem? 85
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Section II: Studies in Rabbinic Literature
- David Weiss Halivni, Meqorot Umesorot, 1. Ketuvot 95
- The Deposition of Rabban Gamaliel II: An Examination of the Sources 111
- Commandment and Consciousness in Talmudic Thought 139
- History and Ideology in Talmudic Narrative 149
- The Problem of Originality in Talmudic Thought 161
- Did the Amoraim See Christianity as Something New? 169
- Is “The Talmud” a Document? 179
- Mishnah 187
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Section III: Judaism in Late Antiquity
- The Jewish Sabbath in the Roman World up to the Time of Constantine the Great 197
- Law and Spirit in Talmudic Religion 235
- The Place of Other Religions in Ancient Jewish Thought, with Particular Reference to Early Rabbinic Judaism 257
- Is There an “Essence of Judaism” After All? 275
- The Place of the Sabbath in Rabbinic Judaism 283
- Bound Up in the Bond of Life: Death and Afterlife in the Jewish Tradition 297
- Religious Formation in Ancient Judaism 311
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Section IV: History of the Jewish People in Antiquity
- The Broken Axis: Rabbinic Judaism and the Fall of Jerusalem 333
- The Destruction of The Jerusalem Temple: Its Meaning and Its Consequences 343
- On the Origins of Anti-Semitism and the Problem of Blaming the Victim 359
- Index of Ancient and Medieval Sources
- Index of Modern Authors
- Subject Index
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Transliteration Table for Hebrew and Aramaic VII
- Preface 1
-
Appreciations of Robert Goldenberg and his Scholarly Work
- Robert Goldenberg: An Appreciation with a Biographical Sketch 5
- Robert G. Goldenberg as a Scholar of Ancient Judaism 11
- The Torah of Bob Goldenberg 15
- Robert Goldenberg: In Appreciation 19
- Bob Goldenberg: A Kind and Compassionate Scholar 21
- Bob Goldenberg (1942‒2021): Friend and Colleague 25
- Bibliography of the Writings of Robert G. Goldenberg 29
- List of Contributors 37
- List of Abbreviations 39
-
Collected Studies of Robert G. Goldenberg
- The Problem of False Prophecy: Talmudic Interpretations of Jeremiah 28 and 1 Kings 22 43
- Hebrew Scriptures in Early Post-Biblical Judaism, with Special Reference to the Rabbinic Tradition 61
- The Septuagint Ban on Cursing the Gods 69
- How Did Ruth Become the Model Convert? 77
- Why Should the Look-Alikes Be a Problem? 85
-
Section II: Studies in Rabbinic Literature
- David Weiss Halivni, Meqorot Umesorot, 1. Ketuvot 95
- The Deposition of Rabban Gamaliel II: An Examination of the Sources 111
- Commandment and Consciousness in Talmudic Thought 139
- History and Ideology in Talmudic Narrative 149
- The Problem of Originality in Talmudic Thought 161
- Did the Amoraim See Christianity as Something New? 169
- Is “The Talmud” a Document? 179
- Mishnah 187
-
Section III: Judaism in Late Antiquity
- The Jewish Sabbath in the Roman World up to the Time of Constantine the Great 197
- Law and Spirit in Talmudic Religion 235
- The Place of Other Religions in Ancient Jewish Thought, with Particular Reference to Early Rabbinic Judaism 257
- Is There an “Essence of Judaism” After All? 275
- The Place of the Sabbath in Rabbinic Judaism 283
- Bound Up in the Bond of Life: Death and Afterlife in the Jewish Tradition 297
- Religious Formation in Ancient Judaism 311
-
Section IV: History of the Jewish People in Antiquity
- The Broken Axis: Rabbinic Judaism and the Fall of Jerusalem 333
- The Destruction of The Jerusalem Temple: Its Meaning and Its Consequences 343
- On the Origins of Anti-Semitism and the Problem of Blaming the Victim 359
- Index of Ancient and Medieval Sources
- Index of Modern Authors
- Subject Index
