1. Introducing Judaism // Creation in Genesis

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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?

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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