| Acknowledgments |
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xv | |
| Preface |
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xvii | |
| Introduction |
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1 | (24) |
| Part I: Historical Memories and the Lessons of History |
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25 | (6) |
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The Festival of Hanukka (Bavli Shabbat 21a) |
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27 | (1) |
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Nikanor's Day (Bavli Taanit 18b) |
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27 | (2) |
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The War of Aristobolus and Hyrcanus (Bavli Sotah 49b) |
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29 | (1) |
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Of Sieges and Sacrifices (Yerushalmi Berakhot 4:1, 7b) |
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29 | (2) |
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The Sages and King Yannai: Standing Up to Authority (Bavli Sanhedrin 19a-b) |
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31 | (2) |
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Herod and Bava b. Buta (Bavli Bava Batra 36-4a) |
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33 | (5) |
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38 | (17) |
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The Destruction of the Second Temple (I) (Bavli Gittin 55b-57a) |
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38 | (10) |
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The Destruction of the Second Temple (II) (Avot d'Rabbi Natan §4) |
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48 | (3) |
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The Destructions of Tur Malka and Betar (Bavli Gittin 57a) |
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51 | (4) |
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Bar Kokhba: Hubris and Defeat (Yerushalmi Taanit 4:8, 68d) |
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55 | (6) |
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Rebuilding the Temple (Genesis Rabbah 64:8) |
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61 | (6) |
| Part II: Rabbinic Authority, Rabbinic Character |
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The Banning of Akavia b. Mehalalel: A Dissident Opposes the Majority (Mishna Eduyyot 5:6-7) |
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67 | (4) |
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71 | (9) |
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Hillel and the Passover (I): The Sources and Methods of Rabbinic Law (Tosefta Pesahim 4:13-14) |
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71 | (3) |
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Hillel and the Passover (II): Mastery of Torah and Arrogance (Bavli Pesahim 66a) |
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74 | (2) |
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Hillel and the Passover (III): The Importance of Tradition (Yerushalmi Pesahim 6:1, 33a) |
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76 | (4) |
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The ``Oven of Akhnai'': Rabbinic Authority and Human Dignity (Bavli Bava Metsia 59a-59b) |
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80 | (5) |
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The New Month and the Authority Patriarch (Mishna Rosh HaShana 2:9-11) |
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85 | (3) |
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Authority over the Calendar |
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88 | (7) |
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Palestinian Privilege; Babylonian Challenge (I) (Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 1:2, 19a) |
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90 | (1) |
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Palestinian Privilege; Babylonian Challenge (II) (Bavli Berakhot 63a-b) |
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91 | (4) |
| Part III: Life and Death in the Rabbinic Academy |
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Conflict in the Academy: The Deposition Rabban Gamaliel |
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95 | (9) |
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Gamaliel the Tyrant (Yerushalmi Berakhot 4:1, 7c-d) |
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98 | (1) |
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Gamaliel the Elitist (Bavli Berakhot 27b-28a) |
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99 | (5) |
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Leadership of the Academy: Lineage or Torah? (Bavli Horayot 13b-14a) |
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104 | (5) |
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The Saga of Rav Kahana: The Torah of Babylonia vs. the Torah of Palestine (Bavli Bava Qama 117a-b) |
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109 | (5) |
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The Tragedy of R. Yohanan and Resh Laqish: Give Me Dialectics or Give Me Death! (Bavli Bava Metsia 84a) |
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114 | (3) |
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The Tragedy of Honi: Give Me Fellowship or Give Me Death! (Bavli Taanit 23a) |
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117 | (4) |
| Part IV: Holy Men and Rabbinic Masters |
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121 | (7) |
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R. Shimon bar Yohai, the Miracle-worker (Yerushalmi Sheviit 9:1, 38d) |
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123 | (2) |
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The Education of R. Shimon bar Yohai (Bavli Shabbat 33b-34a) |
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125 | (3) |
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Honi the Circle-Drawer: The Holy Man and Rain |
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128 | (5) |
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Honi's Prayers for Rain (I) (Mishna Taanit 3:9-12) |
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129 | (1) |
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Honi's Prayers for Rain (II) (Bavli Taanit 23a) |
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130 | (3) |
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R. Yehoshua b. Levi and the Angel of Death (Bavli Ketubot 77b) |
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133 | (6) |
| Part V: Women, Wives and Marriage |
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Rabbis and Wives: Love, Babylonian Style (Bavli Ketubot 62b) |
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139 | (7) |
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God as Marriage-Maker (Leviticus Rabbah 8:1) |
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146 | (2) |
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Rabbis, Husbands and Wives |
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148 | (3) |
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The Pious Wife (Yerushalmi Sotah 1:4, 16d) |
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149 | (1) |
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The Ugly Wife (Bavli Nedarim 66b) |
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150 | (1) |
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Beruria (Bavli Eruvin 53b, Berakhot 10a) |
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151 | (6) |
| Part VI: Romans, Gentiles and Others |
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Alexander Macedon and the World Court (Bavli Sanhedrin 91a) |
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157 | (4) |
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Alexander Macedon and the Faraway King (Yerushalmi Bava Metsia 2:5, 8c) |
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161 | (2) |
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163 | (6) |
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The Body and the Soul (Bavli Sanhedrin 91a) |
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164 | (1) |
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The Evil Inclination (Genesis Rabbah 34:10) |
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165 | (1) |
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Political Consultation (Genesis Rabbah 67:5) |
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166 | (1) |
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Antoninus, Servant of Rabbi (Bavli Avodah Zarah 10b) |
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167 | (2) |
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169 | (7) |
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Rabbis and Christians (Tosefta Hullin 2:22-24) |
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172 | (2) |
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Jesus the Wayward Disciple (Bavli Sanhedrin 107b) |
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174 | (1) |
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The Trial and Death of Jesus (Bavli Sanhedrin 43a) |
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175 | (1) |
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Onqelos the Convert (Bavli Avodah Zarah 11a) |
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176 | (5) |
| Part VII: The Life of Piety: Charity, Commandments, Virtues |
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Hillel, Shammai and Converts: Virtues and Theological Basics (Bavli Shabbat 31a) |
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181 | (5) |
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The Commandment of the Fringes and Its Reward (Sifre Numbers §115) |
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186 | (4) |
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The Power of Righteousness (Bavli Shabbat 156b) |
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190 | (3) |
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The Honor of Parents (Yerushalmi Qiddushin 1:6, 61b / Bavli Qiddushin 31b) |
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193 | (7) |
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The Pursuit of Torah (Bavli Yoma 35b, Sanhedrin 10a, Berakhot 62a) |
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200 | (7) |
| Part VIII: Suffering, Martydom and Theodicy |
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Nahum of Gamzu: Happy that You See Me Suffer |
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207 | (3) |
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To Suffer or Not to Suffer (Yerushalmi Peah 8:9, 21b) |
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208 | (1) |
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The Rewards for Suffering (Bavli Taanit 21a) |
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208 | (2) |
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Suffering: Not Them and Not Their Reward |
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210 | (5) |
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Test of the Righteous (Song of Songs Rabbah 2:16) |
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211 | (2) |
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Not Them and Not Their Reward (Bavli Berakhot 5b) |
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213 | (2) |
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Theodicy and Torah (Bavli Menahot 29b) |
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215 | (3) |
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218 | (11) |
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The Mother and Her Seven Sons (Bavli Gittin 57b) |
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220 | (2) |
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The Martyrdom of R. Ishmael and R. Shimon (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Ishmael, Neziqin, §18) |
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222 | (1) |
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The Martyrdom of R. Akiba (I) (Yerushalmi Berakhot 9:5, 14b) |
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223 | (1) |
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The Martyrdom of R. Akiba (II) (Bavli Berakhot 61b) |
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223 | (6) |
| Part IX: Sin and Repentance |
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Stories of Elisha b. Abuya |
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229 | (16) |
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Elisha as Sinning Sage: The Inviolability of Torah (I) (Bavli Hagiga 15 a-b) |
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230 | (7) |
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Elisha as Sinning Sage: The Inviolability of Torah (II) (Yerushalmi Hagiga 2:2, 77b-c) |
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237 | (5) |
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Elisha the Heinous Sinner (Yerushalmi Hagiga 2:1, 77b) |
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242 | (3) |
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The Power of Repentance (Bavli Avodah Zarah 17a) |
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245 | (2) |
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A Sinner's Good Deed (Yerushalmi Taanit 1:4, 64b) |
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247 | (2) |
| Notes |
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249 | (54) |
| Bibliography |
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303 | (2) |
| Indices |
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305 | (1) |
| Index of Biblical and Rabbinic Sources |
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305 | (6) |
| Subject and Name Index |
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311 | |
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