Welcome back!  We are examining Jewish history in an effort to understand foundational tenants of the faith, and how we, as Christians, may rightly appreciate and relate to the Jewish people.  This is the third part, following:

• A Brief Look at Jewish History: An Introduction
• A Brief Look at Jewish History: The Period before and after the Exile

Today, let’s take a peek at the Rabbinic period, which is characterized by study, prayer and communal acts.

Following the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, Jews were dispersed all over the world.  That meant no Temple, no land, no need for a king.  The Torah became the focal point (rather than the Temple), and the Jewish people assimilated into other countries.  Thus, rabbis were looked to for teaching and interpreting the Torah.

This shift in Jewish focus placed great importance on study, prayer and communal acts.  In absence of the Temple, Torah study seemed the avenue in which to connect to God, and it entailed gaining more and more knowledge, typically through the guidance and instruction of the rabbis.

Copies of the Torah were handwritten by scribes, thus, it was extremely unusual for individuals or families to have a copy.  So, Jewish laws and tradition were passed down orally.  Before long, it was feared that details of the oral traditions of the Pharisees at the time of the Second Temple would be forgotten.  Therefore, oral traditions began to be recorded into what became known as the Mishnah.

An issue arose, however, as rabbis and Jewish leaders often interpreted the Torah and the Mishnah slightly differently.  So, those interpretations were also recorded and formed the Midrash.   So, the Jews had the written Torah (which existed almost exclusively in the synagogue), and differing versions of the Mishnah (oral traditions) and the Midrash (rabbinic interpretations).  Similar to Christianity, Judaism became splintered into different factions (or denominations, if you will).

In addition to study, prayer took on a different focus as well.  The Old Testament model of prayer, particularly in the Psalms, was spontaneous.  Prayer was a means of communicating with God, similar to the way friends communicate with one another.  In the Rabbinic Period, however, rabbis began to set specific times and text of prayer.  Specific basic prayers were to be recited and, even today, practicing Jews look to their prayer books to guide them in prayer.  Synagogues were also developed for communal prayer.

Communal acts also became a standard in Rabbinic Judaism, as Jews regularly practiced acts of charity, provision for the poor, and proper burial.  Those remain characteristic of practicing Jews to this day.

So you see a transformation in Jewish religious and national identity over time.  God’s covenant with Abraham promised land and descendants, but the Jews no longer lived in the land.  God’s covenant with Moses gave the law, which was based on Temple sacrifices, yet they no longer had the Temple.  That was a dilemma!  Rabbinic Judaism was a means of connecting Jews worldwide in a system of life and religion with a shared framework.  It did not require a single, specific human leader, but relied on rabbis of local gatherings of Jews.  Certain Jewish traditions continued, though modified due to circumstances.  For example, celebrating Passover remained a high priority for many Jewish families, though the “telling of the story” became the focal point since the Temple sacrifices were no longer possible.

As Christians, we recognize the fact that God made covenants with His people. Knowing some history helps us understand the dilemma the Jewish people face in maintaining the two-pronged identity put forth in those covenants.  To Abraham, God promised land and descendants, yet the Jews had to deal with dispersion and no land.  To Moses, God gave the sacrificial law, which took place in the Temple, yet the Jews no longer have a Temple.  Is it any wonder that they looked to their spiritual leaders, the rabbis, for answers?  Rabbinic Judaism resulted from this dilemma.

Tomorrow we’ll take a look at the modern period of Jewish history.  I hope you’ll stop by for that!  Until then, blessings and shalom!