A discussion of Alexander's conquest of west Asia and its aftermath (323 - 200 BCE). What is "Hellenism," and how did the Jews react to it? Particular attention is paid to the Septuagint, Ecclesiastes, and Ecclesiasticus.The podcast can be heard … [Continue reading] about From Israelite to Jew: 9: Hellenism Arrives
From Israelite to Jew: 8: Jews of the Persian Empire
This episode discusses two Jewish communities outside of Jerusalem, that represented by the biblical book of Esther, and that of Elephantine, Egypt. It takes place in the fifth to fourth centuries, BCE.The podcast can be heard here; more downloading … [Continue reading] about From Israelite to Jew: 8: Jews of the Persian Empire
From Israelite to Jew: 7: Nehemiah
The seventh episode of the podcast, "From Israelite to Jew." This episode deals primarily with the career and reforms of Nehemiah, which lasted from 445 BCE to around 432 BCE. The podcast can be heard here; more downloading options are here. You can … [Continue reading] about From Israelite to Jew: 7: Nehemiah
From Israelite to Jew: 6: The Torah
In this episode I discuss the historical formation of the Torah, or Pentateuch, and provide an introduction to the documentary hypothesis. I am now receiving technical support from Brown University, and the quality of the audio is improved.The … [Continue reading] about From Israelite to Jew: 6: The Torah
The Hedgehog, the Fox, and the Talmud
This is not an installment of "From Israelite to Jew," but is instead a reading of an essay recently published on Zeek, an online journal. The written version is here.This is a meditation on the Talmud as read through Tolstoy, and how such a reading … [Continue reading] about The Hedgehog, the Fox, and the Talmud