Jewish Literature and Culture in the Persian Period (520-332 BCE)

1. From Text to Tradition
   1. Midrash and the Foundations of Jewish Law
   2. The Literature of the Period
   3. The Canonization of the Hebrew Scriptures
2. Historical Surveys
   1. James D. Purvis, and Eric Meyers. “Exile and Return- From the Babylonian Destruction to the Reconstruction of the Jewish State.” Part II
3. Primary Sources
   1. Nehemiah 8 – The Building of Booths
   2. Nehemiah 10 – The Oath of the Covenant
   3. 1 Chronicles 28-9 – The Kingdom of David and Solomon
   4. Haggai 1 – Rebuilding the House of the Lord
   5. Haggai 2 – Recalling the Splendor of the First Temple
   6. Zechariah 3-14 – The Prophecy of Restoration
   7. Malachi 2-3 – The Last Prophets
   8. Josephus, Against Apion I, 37-43 – Authenticity of Scripture
   9. Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 14b-15a – The Order of Scripture
   10. Mishnah Yadayim 3-5 – The Debate Over the Biblical Canon
   11. Tosefta Yadayim 2-14 – The Biblical Canon and Divine Inspiration
   12. Elephantine Passover Papyri – The Observance of Passover
   13. Elephantine Temple Papyrus – The Destruction of the Temple Elephantine
4. Secondary Sources
   1. Who Returned First—Ezra or Nehemiah? Aaron Demsky, Bible Review (12:2) 1996.
5. Images
   1. The Elephantine Passover Papyrus, 419 BCE.
   2. The Elephantine Temple Papyrus, 407 BCE.
   3. Dura Purim.