The Nature of the Great Synagogue
The first historical record of the Men of the Great Synagogue (or Assembly) appears in Tannaitic lierature. In the list of the chain of tradition, they are placed between the prophets and the Zugot (that is, the Pharisaic leaders after the Maccabean victory). The Talmud ascribes to the Men of the Gr...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Cambridge Univ. Press
1967
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In: |
Harvard theological review
Year: 1967, Volume: 60, Issue: 1, Pages: 69-91 |
Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Summary: | The first historical record of the Men of the Great Synagogue (or Assembly) appears in Tannaitic lierature. In the list of the chain of tradition, they are placed between the prophets and the Zugot (that is, the Pharisaic leaders after the Maccabean victory). The Talmud ascribes to the Men of the Great Synagogue a threefold achievement. (1) They canonized certain Scriptural books, as Ezekiel, the Minor Prophets, Daniel, and, according to some versions, also Esther, Proverbs, Canticles and Ecclesiastes. (2) They instituted prayers and benedictions, including Kiddush and Habedallah (at the entrance and exit of Sabbaths and festivals, respectively). (3) They classified the Oral Law into Midrash, Halakah and Haggadah. These activities go a long way toward making the Men of the Great Synagogue the Fathers of Pharisaic Judaism. |
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ISSN: | 1475-4517 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Harvard theological review
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/S0017816000028935 |