JUD/REL 225: Text and
Tradition: Jewish Civilization Through the Ages
Fall 2008, Smith College
Instructor: Joel S. Kaminsky
Office
Hours: MW 2:35-3:20 or by appointment T, TTh, F
Phone: 585-3608 (Office) 586-0021 (Home)
E-Mail: jkaminsk@smith.edu
Course Description
This course explores major Jewish texts, ideas and practices over a period of more than 3,000 years. By working our way through the library of Jewish civilization and engaging with some of the most dramatic moments in Jewish history (God's call to Abraham, the rise and fall of an ancient Jewish state, the development of a portable homeland in the Rabbinic literature, exploration of various medieval developments including Jewish philosophy and mysticism, the influence of the Enlightenment and secularism, the impact of the Holocaust and the founding of modern Israel on contemporary Jewish life) we explore how Jews have constantly adapted themselves to new circumstances and influences, while also maintaining a distinct religion and national identity. Our readings include selections from Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Talmud (the major rabbinic collection of Jewish law and lore), midrash, Jewish liturgical texts, legal codes, mystical literature, Hasidic tales, philosophy, historical narratives, modern Jewish Literature, and essays by contemporary thinkers and scholars. The course is appropriate for students from the widest variety of backgrounds, and is particularly suitable for those students interested in a broad course combining religious, historical, and textual inquiry.
Required Books
1. The Jewish Study Bible (ed. A. Berlin and M. Brettler; Oxford, 2004). It is best to buy a copy of this Bible because it is the one I will use in class. Furthermore it is an excellent Bible and has many study tools within it. However, any good modern translation of the Bible (NRSV, NEB, NAB) is acceptable.
2.A Short History of the Jewish People, by Raymond Scheindlin (Oxford, 1998). Abbreviated HJP below.
3. Back to the Sources edited by Barry Holtz (New York: Touchstone, 1984). Abbreviated BTS below.
4. A. M. Klein, The Second Scroll.
5. Course Packet available from Paradise Copies.
Course Requirements
1) There will be a Midterm Exam worth 25% of your course grade. Tentatively scheduled for Monday October 6th.
2) Short
Research/interpretive Paper: Write a paper approximately 5-6 pages in length
(1200-1500 words). Worth 15% of your grade. If you write an interpretive paper
you will take a short passage from the Tanakh (perhaps as little as 4-5 verses
or as much as a whole chapter) and research how the various later Jewish
commentators (use at least 3 differing commentators) wrestle with the issues
raised by your particular passage. If you choose to do a research paper you
will collect approximately 4 differing secondary articles on the topic and put
these into dialogue with each other as you pursue your topic. Your paper should
contain a final bibliography along with real footnotes with page numbers cited
when relevant. You should try to use articles and books that are more recent
when doing a straight research project as opposed to a history of
interpretation project and stay away from ones over 50 years old, unless you
are writing on the history of how a passage was interpreted through the
ages. All paper topics must be cleared with me in advance! This paper is due
on or before Friday November 14th at class time.
3) You will be asked to write occasional reaction papers that will be graded check, check+, check-. These will each be worth approximately 5% of your course grade. You must write at least 4 of these for a total of 20% of your grade. The first one must be in reaction to the two talks by Professor Jon Levenson on Sept. 25 and 26. This is due on the following Monday Sept. 29th. The second one involves attending a contemporary Jewish Religious or Cultural event or institution (preferably something new for you) and telling me about it and your reactions to it. It is due by OCTOBER 31st. The 3rd and 4th paper will be reaction papers to two of the 4 following items. My attempt at Chassidic storytelling, Professor Kolb's talk on Heine, Professor Cammy's talk on A. M. Klein's book, or finally our viewing of the movie the Quarrel. All paper must be received by Thursday December 11th.
4) There will be a Final Examination worth approximately 30% of your course grade.
5) Class Attendance and Participation will be worth approximately 10% of your course grade. If you skip more than 3 classes I will drop your grade. As part of your participation grade you may be asked to introduce a particular topic or a piece of the primary or secondary literature related to it and raise one or two issues/questions that you believe are worth further discussion.
6) In order to do well at
any of the above requirements it is imperative that you do all of the readings
required for each class. If you
are pressed for time before a particular session make sure to do at least the
primary readings. (I mean those
that are selected from the Bible and other classical sources). But you must eventually complete all
the secondary readings in order to do decently on the exams.
Course Outline
September 5th--Introduction to the Study of Judaism
Begin to ask yourself what is Judaism? Is Judaism simply a religion, or perhaps is it closer to a culture? Can one legitimately speak of a Jewish civilization; what about a Jewish race? Can Judaism be considered a type of nationalism because of its deep attachment to the land of Israel? What makes a person Jewish? Is there an authoritative body that creates the norms that rule life for all Jews? If not, was there ever such a body in the past? What is the essence of Judaism? How does Judaism relate to Christianity and Islam? What do they share and where do they differ? When and where did Judaism begin? How has it changed over time? Only by asking these types of questions can we hope to grasp the tradition. Therefore, I hope you will continue to ask such questions as we learn more about Judaism.
Assignments:
1) Look through your Bible and take note of the major divisions within it. How doers the Jewish Bible differ from Christian the Old Testament? How old is the Jewish Bible and what was its original language(s)? What are the 3 major divisions within it? Who wrote these various books and when? Who decided which books became part of the Jewish Bible and which were excluded?
2) Look through the time-line appended to this syllabus. You should begin to familiarize yourself with the dates and the historical events that are listed on it.
3) I want you to keep track of any confusing terms or concepts that comes up in the readings or in the classroom. Periodically, we will work through these lists in an attempt to clarify their contents. Questions are the key to learning. ASK!!!
Part 1: Origins: Ancient Israel
September 8th--Creation, Corruption, and Abraham
Assignments:
1) Read Genesis 1-12, 15, 17, 22.
2) Read BTS 31-62
September 10th--The Patriarchal and Matriarchal Stories
Assignments:
1) Read Genesis 25, 27-34, 37-45.
2) Read Joel Kaminsky's article "Reclaiming a Theology of Election: Favoritism and the Joseph Story," Perspectives in Religious Studies 31.2 (Summer 2004): 135-152. Packet.
September 15th -Exodus
Assignments:
1) Read Exodus 1-15.
2) Read Jon D. Levenson, "Exodus and Liberation," in The Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, and Historical Criticism (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1993), pp. 127-159; 180-183. Packet.
September 17th -Sinai
Assignments:
1) Read Exodus 19-24, Leviticus 11-15, 17,19, 25, Deuteronomy 4-9, 12-15, 17-18, 21-24.
2) Read BTS 83-101.
September 22nd -–Theo-Politics: Judges, Kings and Early Prophets
Assignments:
1) Read Judges 2-12, 19-21, 1 Samuel 8-15, 2 Samuel 11-12.
2) 3) Read HJP 1-23.
September 24th –Literary Prophecy
Assignments:
1) Read Amos 1-7; Hosea 1-3, 9-11; Isaiah 1-2, 6-9, Jeremiah 1-4, 7, 23, 26-28; Ezekiel 3-4, 18.
2) Read A.J. Heschel, The Prophets, Volume 1, pp. 39-60 and Volume 2, pp. 1-11 and 59-78. Packet
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 25th
at 4:30 or 5PM Required attendance at Prof. Jon Levenson's public Lecture.
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26th required attendance at a lunch talk in the
Campus Center Carroll Room from noon-1:20PM. Lunch will be provided!
September 29th –Wisdom Literature and Psalms
Assignments:
1) Read Proverbs 1-8, 13-21, 26, 30 Job 1-11, 38-42, Ecclesiastes 1-5, 11-12, Psalms 1-2, 8, 44, 78, 93-97, 103-104, 109, 121-126, 137, 139.
NO CLASS Wednesday OCTOBER 1st
Friday October 3rd –Exile and Restoration
Assignments:
1) Read Lamentations, Esther, Isaiah 40-66, Jeremiah 30-34, Ezra 9-10, Nehemiah 13, Daniel 1-6.
2) Read HJP 25-33.
October 6th –Midterm Exam
October 8th
–Biblical Interpretation within the Bible and in early para-biblical
sources
Assignments:
1) Inner Biblical exegesis. Compare the following passages: Lev 17:15 to Deut 14:21; Lev 19:19 to Deut 22:9-11; Exod 17:8-16 to Deut 25:17-19; I Samuel 9 and15 to Esther 1-3; Exodus 20:5-6 and Deuteronomy 24:16 to Ezekiel 18 and Jonah 4; Read Jeremiah 29 and compare it to Daniel 7-9, 12.
2) Read Joseph and Asenath in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol 2 (ed. James Charlesworth; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1985), 187-88, 202-231.
5) Read HJP 33-49.
October 15th
Friday the 17th and the 20th --The Rabbinic Period
Assignments:
1) Read excerpts from Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers, trans. Philip Birnbaum (New York: Hebrew Publishing Co, 1949), 2-9, 24. Packet
2) Read Excerpts from Mishnayoth, volume IV Order Nezikin (Gateshead: Judaica Press, 1990), 96-99 and The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Nezikin, vol 1, Baba Mezia (London: Soncino, 1933), 131-33, 352-53 and The Babylonian Talmud, Seder Kodashim, vol 1, Menahot (London: Soncino, 1948), 190; The Treatise Ta'anit of the Babylonian Talmud (trans, Henry Malter; Philadelphia, Jewish pub. Society, 1967), 334, 336, 338, 372, 374; Packet
3) Read Midrashic excerpts from Mekilta de-Rabbis Ishmael, Volume 2, trans Jacob Lauterbach (Philadelphia, JPS, 1976), 252-256, 260-261; Midrash Rabbah, Genesis, vol 1 (trans H. Freedman; London: Soncino, 1983),1. 56-60, 66, 155-56, 187; Midrash Rabbah, Exodus, (trans S. Lehrman; London: Soncino, 1983), 47-49, 53-55; Lamentations Rabbah in The Midrash Compilations of the Sixth and Seventh Centuries (trans. Jacob Neusner; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989), 120-27. Packet
4) Read pages 41-48 of The Schocken Passover Haggadah, ed. Nahum Glatzer (Random House, 1996). Packet
5) Read BTS 129-43 and 163-167, 177-204.
6) Read HJP 51-69.
October 22nd,
27th and 29th –Medieval Jewish Philosophy
Assignments:
1) Read excerpts from Moses Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed (trans. Shlomo Pines; Chicago: University of Chicago, 1963), vol 1, pp. 5-26, vol 2, pp. 525-31 and his commentary on Helek (chapter 10 of Sanhedrin) in A Maimonides Reader (trans. Isadore Twersky; New York: Behrman House, 1972), 402-23. Packet
2) Read BTS 261-85.
3) Read HJP 71-95.
November 3rd –Jewish Mystical Trends
Assignments:
1) Skim over the excerpts and the notes from Daniel Matt, The Essential Kabbalah (Harper San Francisco, 1994), 90, 94-95, 102-104, 118, 149, 154, 193, 195-199, 202-203, 208-209, 214 and from The Zohar, Pritzker Edition, vol. 1 (trans Daniel Matt; Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002), 222-230. Packet
2) Read BTS 305-329.
3) Read HJP 97-121.
November 5th –Peshat: text centered Jewish medieval biblical interpretation
Assignments:
1) Read excerpts from The Pentateuch and Rashi's Commentary, Genesis (trans. Abraham ben Isaiah and Benjamin Sharfman; Brooklyn: S. S. & R. Publishing, 1976), 1-3, 27. Ramban (Nahmanides) Commentary on the Torah, Genesis (trans. Charles Chavel; New York: Shilo, 1971), 17-25, and Ibn Ezra's Commentary on the Pentateuch, Volume 1 Genesis (trans. H. Norman Strickman and Arthur Silver; New York: Menorah Publishing, 1988), 21-29, 65-69. Packet.
2) Read BTS 213-31 and 242-57.
November 10th –Chasidism
Assignments:
1) Read "The Clever Man and the Simpleton" and "The King and the Emperor" from Nahman of Bratzlav: The Tales (trans. Arnold Band; New York: Paulist, 1978), 67-78 and 143-61 and read "The Tale of the Jerusalemite" from Rabbinic Fantasies (ed. David Stern and M. Mirsky; Philadelphia: Jewish Pub. Society, 1990), 121-42. Packet
2) Read BTS 361-399.
3) Read HJP
173-87
November 12th—Heine,
visiting lecture by Prof. Jocelyne Kolb
Assignments:
1) In advance of the
talk please read the entry on Heine from the Jewish Encyclopedia and
Heine's poem "Disputation" from book 3 of his "Hebrew Melodies" pages 677-688
from The Complete Poems of Heinrich Heine: A Modern English Version
(trans. Hal Draper; Boston: Suhrkamp/Insel, 1982). Packet
2) Read HJP 149-71.
November 17th--Jewish
Calendar and Life Cycle Rituals
Assignments:
1) Genesis 17, Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16.
2) Read Judaism: Revelation and Traditions by Michael Fishbane (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1987), 83-106.
3) Read Susan Starr Sered, Women as Ritual Experts: the Religious Lives of Elderly Jewish Women in Jerusalem (New York: Oxford, 1992), 65-85.
4) Jewish Study Bible, pages 1929-1934.
November 19th
and December 1st --Eastern European Yiddish Literature
NOTE: No Class on Monday November 24th
NOTE: Over Thanksgiving Break take the time to read
A. M. Klein's The Second
Scroll to be discussed Wednesday December 3rd.
Assignments:
1) Read stories by Sholom Aleichem, Y. L. Peretz, and I. B. Singer from A Treasury of Yiddish Stories (ed. By Irving Howe and Eliezer Greenberg; New York: Penguin Books, 1990), 111-48 and 182-92, 231-233, 553-574 Packet
2) Read I. B. Singer "Joy," pages 29-29-37 in The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer (New York: Noonday Press--Farrar, Straus. Giroux, 7th printing, 1988), 29-37. Packet
3) Read HJP 173-87.
December 3rd -–Guest talk by Prof. Justin
Cammy
Assignments:
1) Read and be ready to discuss A. M. Klein's The Second Scroll.
Monday December 8th
--The Holocaust and the theological dilemmas it raises
Assignments:
1) View "The Quarrel" which we will discuss over lunch. Class will run from 11-12:55 and will
include free lunch.
2) Read HJP 199-216.
3) Read Chaim Grade, "My Quarrel with Hersh Rasseyner," from A Treasury of Yiddish Stories (ed. Irving Howe and Eliezer Greenberg; New York: Penguin Books, 1990), 624-51. Found with the other readings from this book in the section of the PACKET dedicated to Yiddish Literature.
4) Read Michael Wyschogrod, "A Jewish Death in Heidelberg," Pages 131-46 in Abraham's Promise: Judaism and Jewish-Christian Relations (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004).
Wednesday December 10—Discussion contd. on Holocaust, the Second Scroll, Wyschogrod and our Final class wrap-up
Timeline of important dates in Jewish (and regular) history
1800 B.C.E. = Abraham
1280 B.C.E. = The Exodus from Egypt
1000 B.C.E. = King David
960 B.C.E. = King Solomon builder of the 1st Temple
922 B.C.E. = The Empire that David and Solomon ruled over split into two smaller nations. These are Israel or Ephraim in the north and Judah in the south.
722 B.C.E. = The Northern Kingdom (Israel) was conquered by Assyria.
587 B.C.E. = The Southern Kingdom (Judah) was conquered by Babylonia.
538 B.C.E. = The Edict of Cyrus allowed the first exiles to return and rebuild the temple. This was the beginning of the 2nd temple period.
333 B.C.E. = Alexander the Great conquered the Persian empire including what was once the territory of biblical Israel. In 323 Alexander the Great died and war broke out between his generals. Two major victors: Ptolemy ruled over Egypt, North Africa, and sometimes Israel; Seleucus ruled over Persia, Syria, Asia Minor, and sometimes Israel.
165 B.C.E. = The Maccabees
63 B.C.E. = Pompey, a Roman general, took Jerusalem.
70 C.E. = The Second Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was ransacked.
200 C.E. = The Mishnah was compiled by Yehuda HaNasi (Judah the Prince)
312 C.E. = Constantine won the battle at the Milvian bridge and gave Christianity the status of a legal religion.
500 C.E. = The Talmud was compiled
632 C.E. = Mohammed's death
1040 C.E. = Rashi's birth
1096 C.E. = The 1st Crusade
1135 C.E. = Maimonides' birth
1286 C.E. = Completion of the Zohar by Moses de Leon
1348 C.E. = The Black Death
1492 C.E. = The Expulsion of all Jews out of Spain
1550 C.E. = Joseph Caro and Isaac Luria
1665 C.E. = Shabbatai Tzvi
1720 C.E. = The Vilna Gaon, Jacob Frank, the Baal Shem Tov, and Moses Mendelssohn
1791 C.E. = The Emancipation of all Jews of France
1897 C.E. = First Zionist Congress in Basle
1941 C.E. = WW II and the Holocaust
1948 C.E. = The Founding of the State of Israel