Emergence of Judaism

Although the ethnic-religious tradition that became classical Judaism solidified around 100 CE, its roots are found in the ancient biblical tales of the Israelites. Stories of the descent into Egypt, the Exodus under Moses, and the eventual rise of the Israelite monarchy are essential to understanding classical rabbinic Judaism. Through the lens of modern biblical scholarship, Hayes explores the shifting cultural contexts—the Babylonian exile, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine period, the rise of Christianity—that affected Jewish thought and practice, and laid the groundwork for the Talmudic era and its modern legacy.Thematic chapters explore the evolution of Judaism through its beginnings in biblical monotheism, the Second Temple Period in Palestine, the interaction of Hellenism and Judaism, the spread of rabbinic authority, and the essence of ethno-religious Jewish identity. Biographical sketches of key figures from patriarchs to prophets, and primary selections from the Hebrew bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Talmud, and others, allow for a greater understanding of an ancient movement, and provide a solid introduction to the origins of one of the world's most influential religions.

"This is a book for school and undergraduate courses on Judaism, but those coming to it for the first time will also benefit from the clear presentation of the plurality of the biblical material and the way in which a distinction has to be made between what Israelites did and what the Bible claimes. An excellent introduction." - Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, "Putting aside the history and civilization of the Jewish people, Hayes is here more concerned with the emergence and development of the religious traditions, texts, practices, and ideas of Judaism through late antiquity. She surveys the biblical sources and related extra-biblical evidence, examines the transformation of the Israelite heritage prior to the first century CE, and describes the rise of classical rabbinic Judaism and its establishment as the normative tradition of Judaism. A final chapter surveys Judaism's developments up to the modern period." - Reference & Research Book News

Christine Elizabeth Hayes is Professor of Religious Studies in Classical Judaica at Yale University. She is the author of Between the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds (1997) and Gentile Impurities and Jewish Identities (2002).