WHO WERE THE PHARISEES

Origins of Rabbinic Rabbinic Judaism or Rabbinism has been the mainstream form ofJudaism since the 6th century,
after the codification of the Talmud. Rabbinic Judaism gained predominance within the Jewish diaspora between
the 2nd to 6th centuries, with the development of the oral law and the Talmud to control the interpretation
ofJewish scripture (specifically the Masoretic Text) and to encourage the practice ofJudaism in the absence of
Temple sacrifice and other practices no longer possible, while waiting for the Third Temple.

Contents 1 Historical background 1.1 Hellenistic Judaism 1.2 Hillel and Shammai 1.3 Jewish messianism 1.4
Orthodox Jewish view 2 Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism 2.1 The Great Revolt and the destruction of the Temple
2.2 The Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism 2.3 The Yeshiva at Yavne 3 Development of Rabbinic Judaism 3.1 Talmud
3.2 Mishnah 3.3 Gemara 4 References

Historical background Critical scholars reject the claim that sacred texts, including the Hebrew Bible, were dictated
by God, and reject the claim that they were divinely inspired. Instead, they see these texts as authored by humans
and possibly meaningful in specific historical and cultural contexts. Many of these scholars accept the general
principles of the documentary hypothesis, and suggest that the Torah consists of a variety of inconsistent texts
edited together in a way that calls attention to divergent accounts. [1][2][3] These scholars have various theories
concerning the origins of the Israelites and Israelite religion. Some of these scholars question whether any or all of
their ancestors had been slaves in Egypt. Many suggest that during the First Temple period, the people of Israel
were henotheists, that is, they believed that each nation had its own god, but that their god was superior to other
gods. [4][5] Some suggest that strict monotheism developed during the Babylonian Exile, perhaps in reaction to
Zoroastrian dualism. [6] 6/3/2017 Origins of Rabbinic Judaism - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism#Gemara 2/9 In this view, it was only by the Hellenic
period that most Jews came to believe that their god was the only god (and thus, the god of everyone), and that
the record of his revelation (the Torah) contained within it universal truths. This attitude reflected a growing
Gentile interest in Judaism (some Greeks and Romans considered the Jews a most "philosophical" people because
of their belief in a god that cannot be represented visually), and growing Jewish interest in Greek philosophy,
which sought to establish universal truths, thus leadingpotentially to the idea of monotheism, at least in the
sense that "all gods are one." It was also at this time that the notion of a clearly bounded Jewish nation identical
with the Jewish religion formed. [7] According to one scholar, the clash between the early Christians and Pharisees
that ultimately led to the birth of the Christian religion and Rabbinic Judaism reflected the struggle by Jews to
reconcile their claims to both national particularism and theological universalism. [8] According to Prof. Ze'ev
Herzog of Tel Aviv University, monotheism, as a state religion, is probably "an innovation of the period of the
Kingdom ofJudea, following the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel." Herzog states that "The question about the
date at which monotheism was adopted by the kingdoms of Israel and Judea arose with the discovery of
inscriptions in ancient Hebrew that mention a pair of gods:Jehovah and his Asherah. At two sites, Kuntiliet Ajrud in
the southwestern part of the Negev hillregion, and at Khirbet el-Kom in the Judea piedmont, Hebrew inscriptions
have been found that mention 'Jehovah and his Asherah', 'Jehovah Shomron and his Asherah', 'Jehovah Teman and
his Asherah'. The authors were familiar with a pair of gods, Jehovah and his consort Asherah, and sent blessings in
the couple's name." [9] Hellenistic Judaism In 332 BCE the Persians were defeated by Alexander the Great. After
his demise, and the division of Alexander's empire among his generals, the Seleucid Kingdom was formed. During
this time currents ofJudaism were influenced by Hellenistic philosophy developed from the 3rd century BCE,
notably among the Jewish diaspora in Alexandria, culminating in the compilation of the Septuagint. An important
advocate of the symbiosis ofJewish theology and Hellenistic thought is Philo. Hellenistic culture had a profound
impact on the customs and practices ofJews, both in Judea and in the Diaspora. These inroads into Judaism gave
rise to Hellenistic Judaism in the Jewish diaspora which sought to establish a Hebraic-Jewish religious tradition
within the culture and language of Hellenism. There was a general deterioration in relations between Hellenized
Jews and other Jews, leading the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes to ban certain Jewish religious rites and
traditions. Consequently, the Jews who rejected Hellenism revolted against the Greek ruler leading to the
formation of an independent Jewish kingdom, known as the Hasmonaean Dynasty, which lasted from 165 BCE to
63 BCE. The Hasmonean Dynasty eventually disintegrated in a civil war. The people, who did not want to continue
to be governed by a Hellenized dynasty, appealed to Rome for intervention, leading to a totalRoman conquest and
annexation of the country, see Iudaea province. Nevertheless, the cultural issues remained unresolved. The main
issue separating the Hellenistic and other Jews was the application of biblical laws in a Hellenistic (melting pot)
culture. [10] Hellenistic Judaism spread to Ptolemaic Egypt from the 3rd century BCE, and became a notable religio
licita throughout the Roman Empire, until its decline in the 3rd century concurrent with the rise of Gnosticism and
Early Christianity. The decline of Hellenistic Judaism is obscure. It may be that it was marginalized by, absorbed
into or became Early Christianity (see the Gospel according to the Hebrews). The Acts of the Apostles at least
report how Paul of Tarsus preferredly evangelized communities of proselytes and Godfearers, or circles
sympathetic to Judaism: the Apostolic Decree allowing converts to forgo circumcision made Christianity a more
attractive option for 6/3/2017 Origins of Rabbinic Judaism - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism#Gemara 3/9 interested pagans than Rabbinic Judaism
which instituted a more stringent circumcision procedure in response, see Brit milah. See also Circumcision
controversy in early Christianity. The attractiveness of Christianity may, however, have suffered a setback with its
being explicitly outlawed in the 80s CE by Domitian as a "Jewish superstition", while Judaism retained its privileges
as long as members paid the Fiscus Judaicus. However, from a historical perspective, Persecution of Christians
seemed only to increase the number of Christian converts, leading eventually to the adoption of Christianity by the
Roman emperor Constantine and the subsequent development of the Byzantine Empire. On the other hand,
mainstream Judaism began to reject Hellenistic currents, outlawing use of the Septuagint (see also the Council
ofJamnia). Remaining currents of Hellenistic Judaism may have merged into Gnostic movements in the early
centuries CE. Hillel and Shammai In the later part of the Second Temple period (2nd century BC), the Second
Commonwealth ofJudea (Hasmonean Kingdom) was established and religious matters were determined by a pair
(zugot) which led the Sanhedrin. The Hasmonean Kingdom ended in 37 BC but it's believed that the "two-man rule
of the Sanhedrin" lasted until the early part of the 1st century AD during the period of the Roman province of
Iudaea. The last of the zugot, Hillel and Shammai, were the most well-known of the Sanhedrin leaders. Both were
Pharisees, but the Sadducees were actually the dominant party while the Temple stood. Since the Sadducees did
not survive the First JewishRoman War, their version of events has perished. In addition, Hillel's views have been
seen as superior to Shammai's by Rabbinic Judaism. The development of an oral tradition of teaching called the
"tanna" would be the means by which the faith ofJudaism would sustain the fall of the Second Temple. Jewish
messianism Jewish messianism has its root in the apocalyptic literature of the 2nd to 1st centuries BC, promising a
future "anointed" leader or Messiah to resurrect the Israelite "Kingdom of God", in place of the foreign rulers of
the time. This corresponded with the Maccabean Revolt directed against the Seleucids. Following the fall of the
Hasmonean kingdom, it was directed against the Roman administration of Iudaea Province, which, according to
Josephus, began with the formation of the Zealots during the Census of Quirinius of 6 AD, though fullscale open
revolt did not occur till the First JewishRoman War in 66 AD. Historian H. H. Ben-Sasson has proposed that the
"Crisis under Caligula" (3741) was the "first open break" between Rome and the Jews even though tension
already existed during the census in 6 and under Sejanus (before 31). [11] See also Anti-Judaism in the preChristian
Roman Empire. Judaism at this time was divided into antagonistic factions. The main camps were the Pharisees,
Saducees, and Zealots, but also included other less influentialsects. This led to further unrest, and the 1st century
BC and 1st century AD saw a number of charismatic religious leaders, contributing to what would become the
Mishnah of Rabbinic Judaism, including Yochanan ben Zakai and Hanina Ben Dosa. The ministry ofJesus, according
to the account of the Gospels, falls into this pattern ofsectarian preachers or teachers with devoted disciples
(derived from the Greek word for students). Orthodox Jewish view Orthodox Judaism does not accept the scholarly
view that Rabbinic Judaism came into being in the post-Second Temple era. Rather, it sees the Judaism of this
period as continuing organically from the religious and cultural heritage of the Israelites, stemming from the
Revelation at Sinai onwards. According to this view, while the title "Rabbi" was not used earlier, Moses was the
first rabbi(and is commonly referred to by Orthodox Jews as 6/3/2017 Origins of Rabbinic Judaism - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism#Gemara 4/9 "Moses our Rabbi"), with the knowledge
and laws received at Sinai being passed down from teachers to students through the era of the Judges, and the
prophets (most of whom are seen as the "rabbis" of their time), through the Sages of the late Second Temple
period, and continuing until today. [12] Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah given at Sinai consisted of a written
component (the Five Books of Moses or Pentateuch) and an oral component (see Oral Torah). [13] Emergence of
Rabbinic Judaism At the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, Judaism was divided into antagonistic
factions. The main camps were the Pharisees, Saducees, and Zealots, but also included other less influentialsects.
This led to further unrest, and the 1st century BC and 1st century AD saw a number of charismatic religious
leaders, contributing to what would become the Mishnah of Rabbinic Judaism, including Yochanan ben Zakai and
Hanina Ben Dosa. The Great Revolt and the destruction of the Temple By 66 CE Jewish discontent with Rome had
escalated. At first, the priests tried to suppress rebellion, even calling upon the Pharisees for help. After the Roman
garrison failed to stop Hellenists from desecrating a synagogue in Caesarea, however, the high priest suspended
payment of tribute, inaugurating the Great Jewish Revolt. After a Jewish revolt against Roman rule in 66 CE, the
Romans all but destroyed Jerusalem. Following a second revolt, Jews were not allowed to enter the city
ofJerusalem and most Jewish worship was forbidden by Rome. Following the destruction ofJerusalem and the
expulsion of the Jews, Jewish worship stopped being centrally organized around the Temple, prayer took the place
ofsacrifice, and worship was rebuilt around rabbis who acted as teachers and leaders of individual communities
(see Jewish diaspora). In 70 the Temple was destroyed. The destruction of the Second Temple was a profoundly
traumatic experience for the Jews, who were now confronted with difficult and far-reaching questions: [14] How
to achieve atonement without the Temple? How to explain the disastrous outcome of the rebellion? How to live in
the post-Temple, Romanized world? How to connect present and past traditions? How people answered these
questions depended largely on their position prior to the revolt. But the destruction of the Second Temple by the
Romans not only put an end to the revolt, it marked the end of an era. Revolutionaries like the Zealots had been
crushed by the Romans, and had little credibility (the last Zealots died at Masada in 73). The Sadducees, whose
teachings were so closely connected to the Temple cult, disappeared. The Essenes also vanished, perhaps because
their teachings so diverged from the issues of the times that the destruction of the Second Temple was of no
consequence to them; precisely for this reason, they were of little consequence to the vast majority ofJews. Two
organized groups remained: the Early Christians, and Pharisees. Some scholars, such as DanielBoyarin and Paula
Fredricksen, suggest that it was at this time, when Christians and Pharisees were competing for leadership of the
Jewish people, that accounts of debates between Jesus and the apostles, debates with Pharisees, and anti-
Pharisaic passages, were written and incorporated into the New Testament. The Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism
6/3/2017 Origins of Rabbinic Judaism - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism#Gemara 5/9 Of all the major Second Temple sects,
only the Pharisees remained. Their vision ofJewish law as a means by which ordinary people could engage with the
sacred in their daily lives, provided them with a position from which to respond to allfour challenges, in a way
meaningful to the vast majority ofJews. Following the destruction of the Temple, Rome governed Judea through a
Procurator at Caesarea and a Jewish Patriarch. A former leading Pharisee, Yohanan ben Zakkai, was appointed the
first Patriarch (the Hebrew word, Nasi, also means prince, or president), and he reestablished the Sanhedrin at
Javneh under Pharisee control. Instead of giving tithes to the priests and sacrificing offerings at the Temple, the
rabbis instructed Jews to give money to charities and study in local Synagogues, as well as to pay the Fiscus
Iudaicus. In 132, the Emperor Hadrian threatened to rebuild Jerusalem as a pagan city dedicated to Jupiter, called
Aelia Capitolina. Some of the leading sages of the Sanhedrin supported a rebellion (and, for a short time, an
independent state) led by Simon bar Kozeba (also called Bar Kochba, or "son of a star"); some, such as Rabbi Akiva,
believed Bar Kochbah to be messiah, or king. Up until this time, a number of Christians were still part of the Jewish
community. However, they did not support or take part in the revolt. Whether because they had no wish to fight,
or because they could not support a second messiah in addition to Jesus, or because of their harsh treatment by
Bar Kochba during his brief reign, these Christians also left the Jewish community around this time. This revolt
ended in 135 when Bar Kochba and his army were defeated. The Romans then barred Jews from Jerusalem,
untilConstantine allowed Jews to enter for one day each year, during the holiday of Tisha B'Av. [15] After the
suppression of the revolt the vast majority ofJews were sent into exile; shortly thereafter (around 200), Judah
haNasi edited together judgments and traditions into an authoritative code, the Mishnah. This marks the
transformation of Pharisaic Judaism into Rabbinic Judaism. Although the Rabbis traced their origins to the
Pharisees, Rabbinic Judaism nevertheless involved a radical repudiation of certain elements of Pharisaism
elements that were basic to Second Temple Judaism. The Pharisees had been partisan. Members of different sects
argued with one another over the correctness of their respective interpretations, see also Hillel and Shammai.
After the destruction of the Second Temple, these sectarian divisions ended. The term "Pharisee" was no longer
used, perhaps because it was a term more often used by non-Pharisees, but also because the term was explicitly
sectarian. The Rabbis claimed leadership over allJews, and added to the Amidah the birkat haMinim (see Council
ofJamnia), a prayer which in part exclaims, "Praised are You O Lord, who breaks enemies and defeats the
arrogant," and which is understood as a rejection ofsectarians and sectarianism. This shift by no means resolved
conflicts over the interpretation of the Torah; rather, it relocated debates between sects to debates within
Rabbinic Judaism. The Yeshiva at Yavne The survival of Pharisaic or Rabbinic Judaism is attributed to Rabbi
Yohanan ben Zakkai, the founder of the Yeshiva (religious school) in Yavne, see also Council ofJamnia. Yavneh
replaced Jerusalem as the new seat of a reconstituted Sanhedrin, which reestablished its authority and became a
means of reuniting Jewry. Development of Rabbinic Judaism The destruction of the Second Temple brought about
a dramatic change in Judaism. Rabbinic Judaism built upon Jewish tradition while adjusting to new realities.
Temple ritual was replaced with prayer service in synagogues which built upon practices ofJews in the Diaspora
dating back to the Babylonian exile. As the Rabbis were required to face two shattering new realitiesJudaism
without a Temple (to serve as the center of teaching and study) and Judea without autonomythere was a flurry
of legal discourse and the old system of oralscholarship could not be maintained. It is during this period that
Rabbinic discourse began to be 6/3/2017 Origins of Rabbinic Judaism - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism#Gemara 6/9 The first page of the Vilna Edition of the
Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a. recorded in writing. [16] The theory that the destruction of the
Temple and subsequent upheaval led to the committing of Oral Law into writing was first explained in the Epistle
of Sherira Gaon and often repeated. [17] The oral law was subsequently codified in the Mishnah and Gemarah, and
is interpreted in Rabbinic literature detailing subsequent rabbinic decisions and writings. Rabbinic Jewish literature
is predicated on the belief that the Written Law cannot be properly understood without recourse to the Oral Law
(the Mishnah). Much Rabbinic Jewish literature concerns specifying what behavior is sanctioned by the law; this
body of interpretations is called halakha (the way). Talmud Originally, Jewish scholarship was oral. Rabbis
expounded and debated the law (the written law expressed in the Hebrew Bible) and discussed the Tanakh
without the benefit of written works (other than the Biblical books themselves), though some may have made
private notes (megillot setarim), for example of court decisions. This situation changed drastically, however, mainly
as the result of the destruction of the Jewish commonwealth in the year 70 CE and the consequent upheaval
ofJewish social and legal norms. As the Rabbis were required to face a new realitymainly Judaism without a
Temple (to serve as the center of teaching and study) and Judea without autonomythere was a flurry of legal
discourse and the old system of oralscholarship could not be maintained. It is during this period that Rabbinic
discourse began to be recorded in writing. [16][18] The earliest recorded oral law may have been of the midrashic
form, in which halakhic discussion is structured as exegetical commentary on the Pentateuch. But an alternative
form, organized by subject matter instead of by biblical verse, became dominant about the year 200 CE, when
RabbiJudah haNasiredacted the Mishnah (). The Oral Law was far from monolithic; rather, it varied among
various schools. The most famous two were the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel. In general, all valid
opinions, even the non-normative ones, were recorded in the Talmud. The Talmud has two components: the
Mishnah (c. 200 CE), the first written compendium ofJudaism's Oral Law; and the Gemara (c. 500 CE), a discussion
of the Mishnah and related Tannaitic writings that often ventures onto other subjects and expounds broadly on
the Tanakh. The rabbis of the Mishnah are known as Tannaim (sing. Tanna ). The rabbis of the Gemara are
referred to as Amoraim (sing. Amora ). Mishnah The Mishnah does not claim to be the development of new
laws, but merely the collection of existing oral laws, traditions and traditional wisdom. The rabbis who contributed
to the Mishnah are known as the Tannaim, of whom approximately 120 are known. The period during which the
Mishnah was assembled spanned about 130 years, and five generations. 6/3/2017 Origins of Rabbinic Judaism -
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism#Gemara 7/9 Most of the Mishnah is related
without attribution (stam). This usually indicates that many sages taught so, or that Judah haNasi(often called
"Rebbi") who redacted the Mishnah together with his academy/court ruled so. The halakhic ruling usually follows
that view. Sometimes, however, it appears to be the opinion of a single sage, and the view of the sages collectively
(Hebrew: , hachamim) is given separately. The Talmud records a tradition that unattributed statements of
the law represent the views of Rabbi Meir (Sanhedrin 86a), which supports the theory (recorded by Rav Sherira
Gaon in his famous Iggeret) that he was the author of an earlier collection. For this reason, the few passages that
actually say "this is the view of Rabbi Meir" represent cases where the author intended to present Rabbi Meir's
view as a "minority opinion" not representing the accepted law. Rebbi is credited with publishing the Mishnah,
though there have been a few edits since his time (for example, those passages that cite him or his grandson,
Rabbi Yehuda Nesi'ah; in addition, the Mishnah at the end of Tractate Sotah refers to the period after Rebbi's
death, which could not have been written by Rebbi himself). According to the Epistle of Sherira Gaon, after the
tremendous upheaval caused by the destruction of the Temple and the Bar Kochba revolt, the Oral Torah was in
danger of being forgotten. It was for this reason that Rebbi chose to redact the Mishnah. One must also note that
in addition to redacting the Mishnah, Rebbi and his court also ruled on which opinions should be followed, though
the rulings do not always appear in the text. As he went through the tractates, the Mishnah was set forth, but
throughout his life some parts were updated as new information came to light. Because of the proliferation of
earlier versions, it was deemed too hard to retract anything already released, and therefore a second version of
certain laws were released. The Talmud refers to these differing versions as Mishnah Rishonah ("First Mishnah")
and Mishnah Acharonah ("Last Mishnah"). David Zvi Hoffman suggests that Mishnah Rishonah actually refers to
texts from earlier Sages upon which Rebbi based his Mishnah. One theory is that the present Mishnah was based
on an earlier collection by Rabbi Meir. There are also references to the "Mishnah of Rabbi Akiva", though this may
simply mean his teachings in general. [19] It is possible that Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Meir established the divisions
and order ofsubjects in the Mishnah, but this would make them the authors of a school curriculum rather than of a
book. Authorities are divided on whether Rebbirecorded the Mishnah in writing or established it as an oral text for
memorisation. The most important early account of its composition, the Epistle of Sherira Gaon, is ambiguous on
the point, though the "Spanish" recension leans to the theory that the Mishnah was written. Gemara The Gemara
is the part of the Talmud that contains rabbinical commentaries and analysis of the Mishnah. In the three centuries
following the redaction of the Mishnah by RabbiJudah the Prince (c. 200 CE), rabbis throughout Palestine and
Babylonia analyzed, debated and discussed that work. These discussions form the Gemara (). Gemara means
"completion" (from the Hebrew gamar : "to complete") or "learning" ( from the Aramaic: "to study"). The
Gemara mainly focuses on elucidating and elaborating the opinions of the Tannaim. The rabbis of the Gemara are
known as Amoraim (sing. Amora ). Much of the Gemara consists of legal analysis. The starting point for the
analysis is usually a legalstatement found in a Mishnah. The statement is then analyzed and compared with other
statements used in different approaches to Biblical exegesis in rabbinic Judaism (orsimplerinterpretation of
text in Torah study) exchanges between two (frequently anonymous and sometimes metaphorical) disputants,
termed the makshan 6/3/2017 Origins of Rabbinic Judaism - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism#Gemara 8/9 (questioner) and tartzan (answerer).
Another important function of Gemara is to identify the correct Biblical basis for a given law presented in the
Mishnah and the logical process connecting one with the other: this activity was known as talmud long before the
existence of the "Talmud" as a text. [20] References Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Origins_of_Rabbinic_Judaism&oldid=777106910" Categories: Ancient
Jewish Greek history Early Christianity and Judaism Hellenistic civilization Hellenistic philosophy and religion
Rabbinic Judaism This page was last edited on 25 April 2017, at 07:59. 1. Yehezkal Kauffman, The Religion of Israel
2. Robert Alter The Art of Biblical Poetry 3. E. A. Speiser Genesis (The Anchor Bible) 4. John Bright A History of
Israel 5. Martin Noth The History of Israel 6. Ephraim Urbach The Sages 7. Shaye Cohen The beginnings of
Jewishness 8. Daniel Boyarin A Radical Jew 9. mideastfacts.org - Deconstructing the walls of Jericho
(http://mideastfacts.org/facts/index.php?op tion=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=34) 10. Jewish
Encyclopedia: Hellenism (http://jewishency clopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=567&letter=H&searc
h=Hellenistic%20Judaism): "Post-exilic Judaism was largely recruited from those returned exiles who regarded it as
their chief task to preserve their religion uncontaminated, a task that required the strict separation of the
congregation both from all foreign peoples (Ezra x. 11; Neh. ix. 2) and from the Jewish inhabitants of Palestine who
did not strictly observe the Law (Ezra vi. 22; Neh. x. 29)." 11. H.H. Ben-Sasson, A History of the Jewish People,
Harvard University Press, 1976, ISBN 0-674- 39731-2, The Crisis Under Gaius Caligula, pages 254256: "The reign of
Gaius Caligula (3741) witnessed the first open break between the Jews and the Julio-Claudian empire. Until
thenif one accepts Sejanus' heyday and the trouble caused by the census after Archelaus' banishmentthere
was usually an atmosphere of understanding between the Jews and the empire ... These relations deteriorated
seriously during Caligula's reign, and, though after his death the peace was outwardly re-established, considerable
bitterness remained on both sides. ... Caligula ordered that a golden statue of himself be set up in the Temple in
Jerusalem. ... Only Caligula's death, at the hands of Roman conspirators (41), prevented the outbreak of a Jewish-
Roman war that might well have spread to the entire East." 12. Unbroken Chain of Transmission (http://www.yas
12. Unbroken Chain of Transmission (http://www.yas hanet.com/studies/judaism101/sidebars/transmissio n.htm)
13. (http://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/e0000.htm%7 C)Maimonides' Introduction to the Mishnah Torah 14. Jacob
Neusner 1984 Toah From our Sages Rossell Books. p. 175 15. Larry Domnitch. "Western Wall: This remnant of the
Second Temple is an important symbol in Judaism." (http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holi
days/Jewish_Holidays/Tisha_BAv/Ideas_and_Belief s/Western_Wall.shtml). MyJewishLearning.com. Retrieved 15
March 2014. 16. See, Strack, Hermann, Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash, Jewish Publication Society, 1945.
pp. 1112. "[The Oral Law] was handed down by word of mouth during a long period...The first attempts to write
down the traditional matter, there is reason to believe, date from the first half of the second post-Christian
century." Strack theorizes that the growth of a Christian canon (the New Testament) was a factor that influenced
the Rabbis to record the oral law in writing. 17. See, for example, Grayzel, A History of the Jews, Penguin Books,
1984, p. 193. 18. The theory that the destruction of the Temple and subsequent upheaval led to the committing of
Oral Law into writing was first explained in the Epistle of Sherira Gaon and often repeated. See, for example,
Grayzel, A History of the Jews, Penguin Books, 1984, p. 193. 19. This theory was held by David Zvi Hoffman, and is
repeated in the introduction to Herbert Danby's Mishnah translation. 20. e.g. Pirkei Avot 5.21: "five for the Torah,
ten for Mishnah, thirteen for the commandments, fifteen for talmud".

He believes that the Pharisaic movement owed

its origin to the hasidim of Maccabean times and that it
developed as an opposition to the Sadducean [movement].
Among the priesthood this opposition grew up in the
second century Be, that is under the Seleucid domination
before the beginning of the Maccabean wars, when a group
of priests, the Pharisaic section, instituted great
changes. Whereas the Torah laid down rules of purity
and rules on food for the officiating priests alone,
the Pharisaic group made these rules a general practice
in the everyday life of the priests and in the life of
the whole people. In this way they meant to build up
the holy community of Israel, the 'true Israel'
The Sadducean group, on the other hand, was conservative
and held that the priestly laws were limited to the
priests and the cultus, in conformity with the text of
Scripture. (pp. 265-266)

Pharisaic laws, however,

did govern the religious life of the people, and the procedures
followed in the liturgical ceremonies performed in the Temple
were according to Pharisaic practices. The Sadducean high
priests "were quite resigned, because they well understood
that it was impossible to succeed against the all-powerful
Pharisees" (p. 265) who had the support of the common people.

The masses followed and supported the Pharisees even though this sect
"as the true Israel drew a hard line between themselves
and the masses, the 'amme ha'ares who did not observe as they
did the rules laid down by Pharisaic scribes on tithes and
purity." (p. 266)

It is Jeremias's contention that various groups in early

,Tudaism which practised customs and beliefs similar to those
of the Pharisees are related to, if not identical with, this
sect. Although these groups may possess similarities, this
does not necessarily mean that they are identical. ,Jeremias,
however, does not consider this possibility. In addition,
he formulates his theories about the organization of the
Pharisaic communities by means of a 'chain of association'.
He postulates that
The Essenes [as well as the Pharisees] also originated
in the second century Be. and whatever the foreign
influences which must have affected their beginnings,
they were in origin very close to the Pharisees, as
witness their strict rules of purity and their efforts
towards separateness. It is possible, therefore, to
draw from the strict life of the Essene community
inferences about the communal character of the Pharisees. (p. 247)

What is the Tannaitic

definition of the Pharisees? Rivkin states
The Pharisees were a scholar class dedicated to the
supremacy of the twofold Law, the Written and the Unwritten.
They actively opposed the Sadducees who recognized only
the Written Law as authoritative, and they sought dramatic
means for proclaiming their overriding authority. Their
unwritten laws, the halaka, were operative in all realms:

cultus, property, jUdicial procedures, festivals, etc.

The Phar~sees were active leaders who carried out their
laws with vigor and determination. They set the date
for the cutting of the orner. They set up the procedures
for the burning of the red heifer and compelled priestly
conformance. They insisted that the High Priest carry
through his most sacred act of the year in accordance
with their regulations. They determined jUdicial
procedure, the rightful heirs to property, the responsibility
of slaves for damages, the purity status of Holy
Scriptures. (p. 247)
According to Rivkin, this definition of the Pharisees pre-70
is identical with that presented in the writings of JosephUS,
in the Pauline letters, and in the Gospels. "The hitherto
discordant sources are now seen to be in agreement. Josephus,
Paul, the Gospels and the tannaitic literature are in accord
that the Pharisees were the scholar class of the twofold Law,
nothing more, nothing less." (p. 249)

On the basis of the above analysis of the relevant sources,

what picture did the later rabbis have of the pre-70 Pharisees?
This sect was interested primarily in purity laws, particularly
in ones that pertained to table fellowship. The bulk of the
laws of this group deal with agricultural tithes, offerings,
taboos; uncleannessesj and Sabbath and festival statutes. These
rules affected the sectarian life of the party: they were of
46.
great importance to this particular group but not to the Jewish
nation as a whole. The paucity of laws concerning the Temple
and Temple procedures allows one to conclude that the Pharisees
were not in charge of this institution. In summary', it may be
stated that
we have from the rabbis a very sketchy account of the
life of Pharisaism during less than the last century of
its existence before 70, with at most random and episodic
materials pertaining to the period before Hillel. We have
this account, so far as it is early, primarily through
the medium of forms and mnemonic patterns used at Yavneh
and later on at Usha. What we know is what the rabbis
of Yavneh and Usha regarded as the important and desirable
account of the Pharisaic traditions: almost entirely
the internal record of the life of the party and its laws,
the party being no more than the two factions that
predominated after 70, the laws being mainly rules of how
and what people might eat with one another. (III, 319)