Religion 271                                                                                                                                                                                      Winter 2005

Judaism:  Sages and Mystics

 

This year the course introduces Judaism through a classical, a medieval, and a modern writing: the debates of the Talmud, composed between the 2nd and 6th centuries in Palestine and Persia;  the mystical theosophy of the Zohar, composed in 13th-century Spain;  and the theology of Abraham Joshua Heschel, who, writing in mid-20th c. America, interwove Talmudic values, Jewish mysticism, and modern philosophy for an era of war and mass murder, indifference and alienation.  We shall begin the course with a brief view of the ritual and liturgy of classical traditional Judaism, and will follow a topic -- the Sabbath -- as it is addressed in all three writings. 

 

Required Books

            Fishbane, Judaism

            Neusner, Understanding the Talmud: a Dialogic Approach

            Matt, trans. and ed, The Zohar: the Book of Enlightenment

            Heschel, Between God and Man (ed. Rothschild)

            Photocopied readings (purchase from Karen Lyle)

 

Course Requirements

* Attendance of classes and informed discussion of reading assignments:  14 %

* Introductions to readings: 13%

* Six brief interpretive essays, with lowest grade dropped: 40%

* Essay test on the Talmud, due Feb. 3:  11%

* Final essay: 16%

* Concluding essay: personal response to the course: 6%

* Attend public lectures:  required        

* Extra (recommended) credit:  attend a worship service at a synagogue, and write a report relating your experience to our studies

  

Meetings and Assignments

January

 4         Introduction to the Course

 

Classical Judaism: Prayer and Ritual

 6        

                        Judaism 11-24, 83-101

                        Selections from the Siddur [photocopy]

 

11                    Judaism 101-113

                                                Prayers for the Reading the Torah, Prayers about Shabbat, Private Rabbinic Prayers [phtocpy]

            * 2-page Interpretive Paper due

 

The Talmud (compiled c. 600 CE)

 

13        Historical background to the Talmud: from Temple to Study Hall          

                        Judaism 25-49

                        Selections from the Mishnah (compiled 200 CE) [photocopy]

                        Understanding Talmud 1-9, 18-26, 39-41

 

18        Reading the Talmud with Rabbi Neusner

                        Understanding Talmud 42-45, 50-51, 56-79

                        Martin Jaffee, “The Transformative Knowledge of the Rabbinic Sage”

 

20                    Understanding Talmud 80-135

 

25        A Talmud-class with Rabbi Manes Kogan, Congregation Beth El (Roanoke)

                        Readings related to “Mei-emasai – Berachos” [handout]

                                                            Also four selections from the Talmud:   Shabbat 150a-151a:  Laws of speech and travel on Shabbat, Berakhot 2.5 (Jerusalem Talmud): Concentration in Prayer, Ketuvot 16b-17a: Doing good deeds despite danger, Bava Metzia 60a-b: Cheating in Buying and Selling  [photocopy]

            * 2-page Interpretive Paper due

 

27                    Understanding Talmud 136-63

 

February

 1                     Understanding Talmud 164-223

 

 3         Another approach

                                                                        On women in rabbinic law:  Judith Hauptman, “Sotah,” “Ritual,” “Conclusions” from Rereading the Rabbis [photocopy]

 

 8         * Essay Test on the Talmud due

            In class:  Introduction to the Zohar

 

The Zohar (13^th c.)

 

 10       Mysticism;  the Zohar

                        “Mystery and Union,” Geoffrey Parrinder [photocopy]

                        Introduction to Mysticism: Holiness East and West, Carmody/Carmody [photocopy]

                        Judaism 49-76

                        Zohar  3-24 (Intro.),  49-53 (read endnotes for help with interpretation)

 

22        The Jewish sage/mystic (kabbalist, “Comrade”)

                        Zohar pp. 25-39 (Intro.),  65-68, 99-101, 113-116, 121-26, 138-41, 163-89

                        “The Level of Mystical Knowledge” [photocopy]

 

24        God;  the human condition

                        God:   Zohar 55-56, 75-79, 119-20

                        Human condition, human role in universe:  54, 60-64, 84-95, 133-38, 153-62

 

March

 1         Approaching God

                         Zohar pp. 72-74, 99-101, 107-110, 117-18, 147

                        “Tradition and New Creation in the Ritual of the Kabbalists,” Gershom Scholem

            * 2-page Interpretive Paper due

 

 3         Cosmic meanings of Jewish ritual

                         Zohar pp. 132 (Shabbat), 145-46

                                                                        “Gladness and Sorrow,” “From the Depths,” “Love and Jealousy,”        “Sacrifice and the Heavenly Union” “Sabbath Delight” [photocopy]

 

 8         * Interpretive Paper due on the Zohar  

            In class: view NBC interview with Abraham J. Heschel, 1973

                        Judaism 76-82, 123-32

                        Holiness in Words 7-18 [photocopy]

 

The Philosophy of Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1973)

 

10        Ways to the Presence

                        Between God and Man 35‑54, 58‑61, 63‑67

                        Holiness in Words 19-31 [photocopy]

 

15        Revelation and scripture;  the role of Judaism    

                        Between God and Man 68‑87, 114‑26, 140‑51

                        Holiness in Words 33-43 [photocopy]

                       

17        Remembrance through ritual and study

                        Between God and Man 155‑80

            * 2-page Interpretive Paper due

 

22                    Between God and Man 181‑210

                                                            214-29 on the Sabbath

 

24        Modern Issues

                        Between God and Man 250‑58