Jewish History key information

Question 1

The three main sects

Answer 1

Pharasees
Saducees
Essenes

Question 2

Pharasees

Answer 2

most closely resembled Rabbinic Judaism. They believed in the Oral & Written Torah, the Messiah and that an after-life existed wherein G-d would punish the wicked and reward the righteous

Question 3

Saducees

Answer 3

elitists, who wanted to maintain the priestly class but they were also willing to incorporate Hellenism. They did not believe in the Oral Law or the afterlife. They disappeared after 70 C.E. and we don’t have much writing about them.

Question 4

Essenes

Answer 4

the religious leadership had corrupted Jerusalem and the Temple so they moved to the Judean desert. They lived a very quiet life in the desert, observing string dietary laws, as well as a commitment to celibacy. They referred to themselves as the “Yachad,” meaning community

Question 5

Which Sect was largest, survived the destruction of the Temple, and is the basis for Rabbinic Judaism

Answer 5

phrases

Question 6

Problems with Hasmonean rule

Answer 6

they were Hellenizers, they were corrupt, they made themselves Kings and High Priests, they didn’t follow all of the Jewish ritual laws

Question 7

Alexander Yannai

Answer 7

He was hated by many, especially by the Pharisees. He was convinced that the Pharisees were against him and he had all of the sages killed.

Before he died, he told his wife to hide his death until she secured the kingdom. He also told her to be good to the Pharisees so they would support her.

Question 8

Salome Alexandra

Answer 8

She became queen. She made peace with the Pharisees and had a successful reign.

Question 9

Aristobulus II & Hyrcanus II

Answer 9

Yannai’s two sons did not want to take over the kingdom. They tried to get Judea back from Rome but they failed.

Question 10

What did Herod do that was good?

Answer 10

he built the temple

Question 11

What did Herod do that was bad?

Answer 11

– Placed a golden eagle on the gate of the Jerusalem Temple (a symbol of Roman power)
– He had his nephew killed and also killed his eldest son Antipater, and then his two most popular sons
–Also had his wife killed

Question 12

Why did Herod rebuild the temple?

Answer 12

he felt bad for killing all of the rabbis and sages

Question 13

When was Jesus born and when did he die?

Answer 13

He was born in Nazareth in the Galilee in 4 B.C.E.

Question 14

Who crucified Jesus and why?

Answer 14

The Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, tried and convicted Jesus of treason and he was crucified.

Question 15

What was Jesus’ nickname

Answer 15

King of Jews (it was intended to be mean)

Question 16

What did Jesus preach?

Answer 16

He spent much of his life preaching against those in power and corruption.

Question 17

Where did we learn most of what we know about Jesus?

Answer 17

Much of what we know comes from the Four Gospels, who blamed Jews for the killing of Jesus. The Four Gospels are Mark, Matthew, Luke and John.

Question 18

Why did Rabban Gamliel created Birkat Ha-Minim?

Answer 18

As a response to the Jews who were beginning to follow Christianity. It was meant to threaten Jews the chose to follow Christianity.

Question 19

What did Augustin say about the Jews?

Answer 19

He blamed Jews for Jesus’ death

Question 20

Who was Paul of Tarsu and what did he believe?

Answer 20

He was one of his followers (he had never met Jesus) who said that it is only faith that is needed to be a Christian; you didn’t need to follow Jewish laws.

Question 21

Who was blamed for Jesus’ death?

Answer 21

The Jews.

Question 22

At the time of Jesus, who was considered the Messiah?

Answer 22

At the time of Jesus, things were hard in Judea and people were looking for a Messiah and many of Jesus’ followers proclaimed him to be the Messiah. The name “Christ” means Messiah

Question 23

Who started the Great Revolt and how?

Answer 23

siccari burnt the food to get the jews to join them

Question 24

What was the role of Josephus in the Great Revolt?

Answer 24

he convinced his solders to kill themselves and then serended. then he helped Titus to concur Jerusalem

Question 25

What was the role of Vespasian in the Great Revolt?

Answer 25

he was the general and then he became the emperor

Question 26

What was the role of Titus in the Great Revolt?

Answer 26

he concurred Jerusalem and destroyed the temple

Question 27

What was the role of Sicarii in the Great Revolt?

Answer 27

The Sicarii gained access to Jerusalem and committed a series of atrocities against the Jews to incite them into war against the Romans.
The Sicarii, in an attempt to radicalize everyone burned all the dry food. This resulted in starvation and much suffering.

Question 28

YBZ’s escape from Jerusalem and meeting with Vespasian

Answer 28

he faked his own death and then met up with the vaspasian and asked for yavneh and the rabbis

Question 29

Destruction of the 2nd Temple (dates)

Answer 29

The temple was destroyed in 70 C.E. when Jerusalem was captured.

Question 30

Description and purposes of Judea Capta coin, Arch of Titus

Answer 30

Judea Capta coin–woman crying under a palm tree with a Roman soldier. The message was to proclaim victory for Rome and to warn others.

Question 31

YBZ and Takkanot (need to know what Takkanot are)

Answer 31

Takkanot were way to alter Judaism in a post-Temple world

Question 32

Rabban Gamliel

Answer 32

He wanted to unify the Jewish community.
He established a calendar and fixed the dates for the Jewish holidays.
He connected Jewish communities in Israel and the diaspora through laws and practices.

Question 33

Hadrian—his role

Answer 33

He renamed Jerusalem “Aelia Captiolina” and built a temple for Jupiter. He also banned the brit milah.

Question 34

Bar Kochba believed to be Messiah—why? Why did they want a Messiah?

Answer 34

They wanted a Messiah because under the new Roman emperor Hadrian, the Jews felt oppressed and suffered political, social, and economic hardship. They even tried to rebuild the Temple, but the attempt failed.

Question 35

Rabbi Akiva

Answer 35

Rabbi Akiva supported the idea that Bar Kochba was the Messiah.

Question 36

Dio Cassius

Answer 36

He was the Roman historian who wrote from the Roman perspective

Question 37

Who wrote down the Mishna and why?

Answer 37

Rabbi Yehuda ha-Nasi wrote the Mishna because he was afraid that oral law would be forgotten.

Question 38

Who helped to organize Mishna?

Answer 38

Rabbi Akiva’s students.

Question 39

How many orders of the Mishna?

Answer 39

63 tractates, divided into 6 orders.

Question 40

What are rabbis of the Mishna called?

Answer 40

Tannaim

Question 41

What is “Dina d’Malchuta Dina” and how is it mostly used?

Answer 41

Means that the law of the land is the law. This meant that a requirement of secular law becomes a Halachic obligation as well (often this was about taxes or other civil matters)

Question 42

Where was Talmud written?

Answer 42

The work was done in Usha because the rabbis were forced to flee from Yavneh and Jerusalem after the Bar Kochba revolt.

Question 43

What are Rabbi’s of the Talmud called?

Answer 43

Amoraim

Question 44

Sura & Pumbedita—what are they and who started them?

Answer 44

Ray established an academy in Sura and Pumbedita. The began the period of the Talmud.

Question 45

compare the 2 revolts! important on the exam. (Bar Kochba and Great revolt)

Answer 45

The great revolt went from 67 - 70 CE. The scary started it. This led to the destruction of the temple and the Fall of Masada.

Bar Kochba revolt went from 132 -135 CE, Rabbi kiva thought barkochba was the messiah.