It is in the Mishnah that we are first introduced to the main theme of the holiday, that of judgment: “On Rosh Hashanah all human beings pass before him [God] as sheep before a shepherd” (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 2) This theme is elaborated upon in the Talmud, where we find Rabbi Kruspedai of 3rd century […]
Passover: De sollemnitate Paschali It would perhaps not be inappropriate here again to discuss the Pascha, which was handed down long ago to the children of the Hebrews as an image. Now then, when the Hebrews first used to celebrate the festival of Pascha, they would take for themselves a young domestic animal (this was […]
Tosefta Berakhot: “Ben Zoma, when he saw a large mass of Jews on the Temple Mount, they used to say: Blessed is He who created all the people to serve me… “ Source : Toldortyisrael
Once the Jewish revolt had been put down, Jews were again permitted to visit the site of the former temple since the Romans generally did not object to the worship of local gods. Many stories in the Talmud testify to the fact that leading rabbis continued to pray on the now desolate Temple Mount. Seder […]
Julius Caesar, Pompey, Hadrian Judaism, Mathius Antigonus, Jewish Proselytizing, Syria Palestine Temple Mount, Sabbath, The Jewish God, Jews in Rome The references made by Cassius Dio to Jews and Judaism in his Roman History are of no slight interest. His views reflect the social and cultural milieu of the Greek cities of Asia Minor at […]
Christ, Christianity and Judaism The place, the personality, and the connections of Celsus, as well as the external circumstances of his literary activity, remain unknown to us, as they were even to his third-century literary opponent, Origen (see Origenes, Contra Celsum, I, 8). His sole known work, the Άληϑής Λόγος “True Doctrine”, has been preserved […]
After the defeat of Bar Kokhba by the Romans in 135 C.E., Jews were banned from Jerusalem (e.g. but other evidence indicates that they resettled there within decades). See also: Bar Kokhba Coin, 132-135 CE Bar Kokhba Letter, 132-135 CE Bar Kokhba Coins from Masada, 132-135 CE
Moses and Greeks, Christians, Judaean Medical Treatment The illustrious physician of the ancient world was born in Pergamum (e.g. modern day Turkey), and stayed in several of the great Jewish centres, including Smyrna, Alexandria and Rome. He also visited “Palestine.” Galen does not allot any special place to the Jews in his works, but mentions […]
Poster of Herzl, Central Zionist Archives
To appreciate fully the significance of the unique altar and cult center we are excavating on Mt. Ebal, one must first understand the archaeological context in which these discoveries were made. We found the altar and cult center, not in the course of excavating a tell, but in the course of conducting an archaeological survey. […]