Jewish CultureJewish Cultureandand

The Old TestamentThe Old Testament

Chapter 3Chapter 3Introduction to Western CultureIntroduction to Western Culture

Week 7Week 7April 1stApril 1st

JudaismJudaismpg. 72-81pg. 72-81

10 Commandments10 Commandments You shall have no other God;You shall have no other God; You shall not speak the name You shall not speak the name

of the Lord in Vain;of the Lord in Vain; Remember the Lord’s day so Remember the Lord’s day so

as to keep it Holy;as to keep it Holy; Honor your father and your Honor your father and your

mother;mother; You shall not kill;You shall not kill; You shall not commit You shall not commit

adultery;adultery; You shall not steal;You shall not steal; You shall not lie;You shall not lie; You shall have no impure You shall have no impure

desire;desire; You shall not covet what You shall not covet what

belongs to your neighbor.belongs to your neighbor.

Surviving the Extra-OrdinarySurviving the Extra-Ordinary

Contribution to Western Contribution to Western CivilizationCivilization

Civilization?Civilization? Ethnic DifficultiesEthnic Difficulties Exile Exile （流放）（流放） Contribution to western Contribution to western

historical development.historical development. Important religious “ingrImportant religious “ingr

edients”edients” ““[T]he Jewish people s[T]he Jewish people s

uffered a lot due to their uffered a lot due to their cultural and religious discultural and religious distinctiveness.” p.60tinctiveness.” p.60

The Formation of the Jewish The Formation of the Jewish NationNation

Descendants from Descendants from Abraham.Abraham.

From Mesopotamia From Mesopotamia to Egypt in the to Egypt in the 16th Century BC.16th Century BC.

After civil-like wars After civil-like wars with the local with the local tribes, they settled tribes, they settled on both sides of on both sides of the Jordan River.the Jordan River.

King David (1012-King David (1012-972 BC)972 BC) Drove out the Drove out the

Philistines Philistines (Palestinians)(Palestinians)

Unified IsraelUnified Israel Capital: JerusalemCapital: Jerusalem

Solomon, David’s Solomon, David’s son, continued son, continued constructing Israel.constructing Israel. Strengthening its Strengthening its

military and wealth, military and wealth, palaces and palaces and templestemples

Death of Saul and the Rise of DaviDeath of Saul and the Rise of Davidd

Division of IsraelDivision of Israel

Israel is divided into Israel is divided into twotwo North (Judah)North (Judah) South (Israel)South (Israel)

722 BC Assyrians 722 BC Assyrians sacked Jerusalem.sacked Jerusalem. 27,000 Israeli Prisoners27,000 Israeli Prisoners The Weakening of IsraelThe Weakening of Israel

King of Babylonia took King of Babylonia took it in 586 BCit in 586 BC North and South North and South

became unified.became unified. ““the Babylonian the Babylonian

Captivity”Captivity”

Roman Slaughter of the Roman Slaughter of the JewsJews

Slaughter- Slaughter- 杀戮杀戮 Alexander the Great brought Alexander the Great brought

Greek Ideals to Israel and beGreek Ideals to Israel and became an obstacle for Rome.came an obstacle for Rome.

Jews began leaving the area Jews began leaving the area (Diaspora)(Diaspora)

60 BC Rebellion: 1 Million di60 BC Rebellion: 1 Million died and only a few escaped.ed and only a few escaped.

Loss of a Holy TempleLoss of a Holy Temple Road Scholarship- Torah, MiRoad Scholarship- Torah, Mi

shna,Talmudshna,Talmud Sects and further subdivisioSects and further subdivisio

nsns Keeping a Culture without a Keeping a Culture without a

land.land.

Jewish Exile: An International Jewish Exile: An International IssueIssue

pg. 63pg. 63

Which do you Prefer?Which do you Prefer?

Expulsion and DeathExpulsion and Death

Superiority and BlindnessSuperiority and Blindness

Justification of PowerJustification of Power

Kilns for the Jews Kilns for the Jews and other Vagabondsand other Vagabonds

Jewish Art and LiteratureJewish Art and Literature

Philosophy is a DefensePhilosophy is a DefensePhilo Judaeus (20 BC-AD 40)Philo Judaeus (20 BC-AD 40)

PlatonismPlatonism World of ideas could World of ideas could

be identified with be identified with the mind of Godthe mind of God

Transcendent godTranscendent god

StoicismStoicism Biblical persons and Biblical persons and

places could be places could be endowed with endowed with universal meaninguniversal meaning

Platonism/Stoicism/AristotelianisPlatonism/Stoicism/Aristotelianismm

Pg. 64Pg. 64 KantKant HegelHegel SpinozaSpinoza

Moving Judaism from its Mythological past to Moving Judaism from its Mythological past to an existential future.an existential future.

LiteratureLiterature

Talmud- Encyclopedia (Talmud- Encyclopedia ( 百科全书百科全书 ) of the 1st-5t) of the 1st-5th centuries ADh centuries AD

Poetry-Poetry- Rhythmic DevicesRhythmic Devices Legislative ProseLegislative Prose Yiddish and HebrewYiddish and Hebrew

Hebrew- revived and grammatically completed by Ibn JanHebrew- revived and grammatically completed by Ibn Janah of Cordobaah of Cordoba

Yiddish-High German from Jews in Germany 9th CenturyYiddish-High German from Jews in Germany 9th Century

Poetry Poetry Yehuda Amichai b. 1924Yehuda Amichai b. 1924

A Man In His LifeA Man In His Life A man doesn't have time in his life A man doesn't have time in his lifeto have time for everything.to have time for everything.He doesn't have seasons enough to haveHe doesn't have seasons enough to havea season for every purpose. Ecclesiastesa season for every purpose. EcclesiastesWas wrong about that.Was wrong about that.

A man needs to love and to hate at the saA man needs to love and to hate at the same moment,me moment,to laugh and cry with the same eyes,to laugh and cry with the same eyes,with the same hands to throw stones and with the same hands to throw stones and to gather them,to gather them,to make love in war and war in love.to make love in war and war in love.And to hate and forgive and remember aAnd to hate and forgive and remember and forget,nd forget,to arrange and confuse, to eat and to digto arrange and confuse, to eat and to digestestwhat history what history takes years and years to do.takes years and years to do.

A man doesn't have time.A man doesn't have time.When he loses he seeks, when he findsWhen he loses he seeks, when he findshe forgets, when he forgets he loves, whe forgets, when he forgets he loves, when he loveshen he loveshe begins to forget.he begins to forget.

And his soul is seasoned, his soulAnd his soul is seasoned, his soulis very professional.is very professional.Only his body remains foreverOnly his body remains foreveran amateur. It tries and it misses,an amateur. It tries and it misses,gets muddled, doesn't learn a thing,gets muddled, doesn't learn a thing,drunk and blind in its pleasures drunk and blind in its pleasures and its pains.and its pains.

He will die as figs die in autumn,He will die as figs die in autumn,Shriveled and full of himself and sweet,Shriveled and full of himself and sweet,the leaves growing dry on the ground,the leaves growing dry on the ground,the bare branches pointing to the placethe bare branches pointing to the placewhere there's time for everything. where there's time for everything.

MusicMusic

Mi-Sinai tunesMi-Sinai tunes Gregorian ChantsGregorian Chants