Jewish Babylonia between Persia and Roman Palestine: Decoding the Literary Record
Author(s): Kalmin (Author)
- Publisher: ACADEMIC
- Publication Date: 26 Oct. 2006
- Edition: 1st
- Language: English
- Print length: 300 pages
- ISBN-10: 0195306198
- ISBN-13: 9780195306194
Book Description
The Babylonian Talmud is the most important text of Rabbinic Judaism. Produced between the third and sixth centuries from both Babylonian and Palestinian sources, it records debates among the Rabbis over matters of law and custom, and forms the backbone of much of Jewish practice even today. In this book, Richard Kalmin probes the fault lines between Palestinian and Babylonian sources, and demonstrates how the differences between them reflect the divergent socialattitudes of these two societies. At the time of composition of the Talmud, Palestine was a Roman province and was therefore more attuned to western cultural norms. Babylonia, by contrast, was oriented much more strongly toward the east and drew more on the cultural influence of Persian society.Babylonian Rabbis were also much more insular than their more cosmopolitan Palestinian counterparts, and for this reason the early Babylonian materials are much more coherent. By contrast, later Babylonian materials have much more in common with Palestinian portions of the text. Kalmin convincingly demonstrates that this shift can be traced to the opening of Babylonian society in the fourth century. This was precipitated by the conversion of neighboring Armenia to Christianity, which broughtRoman influence to bear on Persian society. Kalmin''s work sheds important new light on the origins of Rabbinic Judaisms most important text and should be of interest to scholars of early Judaism and the Hebrew Bible.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"A compelling exploration of Jewish Babylonia. K[almin]'s care with his sources is inspiring, as is his passion to share specialized methods with his reader. In addition he asks important questions both about what happened in Jewish Babylonia, and how we might know. Ultimately, his exploration of Babylonian Talmud offers new perspectives on Late Antiquity that deserve our attention." --Bryn Mawr Classical Review
"It is difficult not to be impressed by the range and perception of what is set out here." --Journal of Theological Studies
"The Babylonian Talmud played a decisive role in determining the beliefs and practices of mainstream Judaism through the ages, and in a masterpiece of scholarly research Kalmin has produced a wonderfully nuanced portrait of the social groups and cultural environment that helped shape this monumental literary corpus. Beyond the obvious impact of Iranian society and the Zoroastrian religious milieu in which the Babylonian rabbis flourished, Kalmin convincingly argues for the inclusion of a wide variety of other factors that determined the nature of Babylonian rabbinic discourse. These influences rendered the Babylonian Talmud a tapestry of diverse cultural, religious and political features, carefully scrutinized in this impressive volume." --Isaiah Gafni, Sol Rosenbloom Professor of Jewish History, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
"The book is important ... his work is exemplary in its careful argumentation, and Kalmin's wish that his work will serve as a model for those who desire to follow a text-critical approach will no doubt be granted." --Journal of Jewish Studies
"The book is a serious contribution to the ongoing debate on the use of the Bavli as a historical source. It contains thorough and well-articulated methodological discussions, raises serious questions, suggests original solutions, and points toward possible directions for future scholarship." --AJS Review
"Nuanced and balanced."--Hebrew Studies
"Full of valuable insights ... this is a rich and stimulating book." --Shofar
"A considerable achievement. This excellent book is...an important and convincing addition to the history of Babylonian Jewry in the period of the Talmu, which should light the way for every historian of the period of the Mishnah and the Talmud." --Journal of the American Oriental Society
Review
"A compelling exploration of Jewish Babylonia. K[almin]'s care with his sources is inspiring, as is his passion to share specialized methods with his reader. In addition he asks important questions both about what happened in Jewish Babylonia, and how we might know. Ultimately, his exploration of Babylonian Talmud offers new perspectives on Late Antiquity that deserve our attention." --Bryn Mawr Classical Review
"It is difficult not to be impressed by the range and perception of what is set out here." --Journal of Theological Studies
"The book is important ... his work is exemplary in its careful argumentation, and Kalmin's wish that his work will serve as a model for those who desire to follow a text-critical approach will no doubt be granted." --Journal of Jewish Studies
"The book is a serious contribution to the ongoing debate on the use of the Bavli as a historical source. It contains thorough and well-articulated methodological discussions, raises serious questions, suggests original solutions, and points toward possible directions for future scholarship." --AJS Review
"Nuanced and balanced."--Hebrew Studies
"Full of valuable insights ... this is a rich and stimulating book." --Shofar
"A considerable achievement. This excellent book is...an important and convincing addition to the history of Babylonian Jewry in the period of the Talmu, which should light the way for every historian of the period of the Mishnah and the Talmud." --Journal of the American Oriental Society
About the Author
Dr. Richard Kalmin is Theodore R. Racoosin Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at Jewish Theological Seminary.
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