Introducing Judaism // Creation in Genesis 10.20.16

A short history of judaism Kings — Saul, David, Soloman likely small tribes, not kingdoms First archeological evidence — 700 BCE Israelites (conquered by Assyria) and Judaean Kingdoms (conquered by Babylonia); schism monotheism, with unique god and priesthood; rejection of Canaanite polytheism covenant between this specific god and these specific peoples

Depiction of destruction of Temple Babylonian exile Babylonian Exile —586 BCE End of Judaea kings Temple destroyed large population of pushed into exile (not slavery); priesthood concerned with explaining abandonment of people by god Historically identity intimately tied to land; without land, focus shifts to text and community Depiction of destruction of Temple and exile to Babylon

brief history — Continued 400 BCE — 70 CE land at a cultural crossroads, ruled by Persians, Greeks, Parthians, and Romans Maccabean rebellion (164 BCE) fought for rights to worship, independent nation briefly Apocalyptic literature became popular; chosen people looking for a messiah (including John the Baptist and dozens of others) Model of Second Temple of Jerusalem 70 CE — Second Temple (axis mundi) destroyed by Romans with destruction of central temple, shift to localized synagogues, community, and text

Jewish scriptures Torah Scroll Tanakh & Talmud Tanakh = canon of Hebrew Bible Torah (“Teaching”; “Law”; Pentateuch); Nevi’im (prophets); Kethuvim (the writings) Talmud - discussion of Hebrew law (200 CE) Pentateuch — Moses said to be writer, but wrote of his own death Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy likely an assemblage of different oral traditions similar to Mesopotamian texts Torah Scroll

Dating the text Does historical accuracy matter? Emic view traditional religious teaching: all of the Torah was given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai; the stories in Genesis all came into existence at the same time Etic view oral history passed among culture prior to writing text evolved slowly over many generations Does historical accuracy matter?

Hebrew creation story Genesis 1-3 Seven day sequence Earth and heavens Animals Man and woman Gen 2:5ff Earth and Heavens Man / Adam (“dirt”) Eden / trees plants Animals (Adam names them) Woman / Eve, made from Adam

Key differences? Different orders of creation Different understandings of God anthropomorphic and guesswork, vs ordered and omniscient Different Hebrew terms used for God Elohim and Yahweh

PRIESTLY (P) Source Gen 1-2:4 Newer (550-400 BCE) exilic text — reflect Jewish society during Babylonian exile needs to re-establish structure, community and priestly authority lists, genealogies, consensus emphasize national God Creation ex nihilo (out of nothing) origin story created for benefit of a lost nation in need of encouragement and explanation

Yahweh (J) Version Gen 2:5ff Older (950-650 BCE) written/compiled during 10th den BCE, Israelite and Judea strength Yahweh (J) source similar to many older oral traditions (Babylonian, Sumerian, Canaanite); borrowed from these traditions Characteristics more “human” story of temptation, punishment YHWH more anthropomorphic (human form, walking around in Garden), fallible (not all-knowing) myth / fairytale format Other stories from J Source Noah and Flood Babel Cain and Abel