Topics Covered
- How to make a Golden Age
- The end of the Golden Age and the division of the Kingdom
- Egypt's campaign in Israel
- Infighting in Israel
- The rise of the Assyrian empire and their relationship with the Jewish Kingdom
- Effects of the conquering of Northern Israel on Southern Judah
- Hezekiah preparing Jerusalem for a rebellion
The conquering of Northern Israel and the deportation of the people from there caused a large influx of people moving south into Judah. This some of the results of such an influx of people were positive while others were negative. There was large-scale urbanization, and a movement of people to walled cities. Merchant and craft literacy began, as people began needing to show proof of purchase or needing to keep track of records. The olive press started in large scale and produced much olive oil. Thusly, wine production also grew in scale. There were also new royal administrative sites to accommodate for the new large population. On the other hand, social tensions began to be on the rise since there was a mixing of people with different backgrounds, regardless of their religion. There was a change in the family structure, as some people may have lost all of their immediate family, new religious movements began ti arise, there was more of a distinction between the urban and rural people - the cosmopolitan and the traditional. There was a centralization of power, and more governmental bureaucracy put into place. There also became a need for more social justice programs to accommodate the larger population.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
1/20/2011
Topics Covered
- Jerusalem as Sacred Space
- Solomon's prayer of dedication
- King Solomon - Biblical accounts
- What remains of Solomon's Jerusalem
- Solomon's Temple
- Evidence for Solomon
Comparing Solomon's Temple to other Temples of the time was discussed in class. The fact that many of the same characteristics are found in temples in surrounding areas during the same time period gives some evidence that maybe a Temple like the one described that Solomon built could have existed in spite of lack of evidence. We are missing some evidence because when Herod the Great built the 2nd Temple, he essentially cleared out the ruins of the first Temple to build his second Temple. This is why we might not be able to find anything remaining from Solomon's Temple.
The idea of the Temple also changed the idea of a House of G-d for the Jewish people as time passed. In that time, it was believed that the Temple was the dwelling place of the deity that those people built the Temple for. When the Israelites were traveling through the desert, they had the mobile Ark because they were a mobile people...but now that they settled in one area, the Temple replaced the Ark as the dwelling place of G-d. Once he 2nd Temple would be destroyed, the idea of G-d, and religion would be changed completely to cater more towards individual communities and the individual person. We will see this once we learn about modern Jerusalem.
- Jerusalem as Sacred Space
- Solomon's prayer of dedication
- King Solomon - Biblical accounts
- What remains of Solomon's Jerusalem
- Solomon's Temple
- Evidence for Solomon
Comparing Solomon's Temple to other Temples of the time was discussed in class. The fact that many of the same characteristics are found in temples in surrounding areas during the same time period gives some evidence that maybe a Temple like the one described that Solomon built could have existed in spite of lack of evidence. We are missing some evidence because when Herod the Great built the 2nd Temple, he essentially cleared out the ruins of the first Temple to build his second Temple. This is why we might not be able to find anything remaining from Solomon's Temple.
The idea of the Temple also changed the idea of a House of G-d for the Jewish people as time passed. In that time, it was believed that the Temple was the dwelling place of the deity that those people built the Temple for. When the Israelites were traveling through the desert, they had the mobile Ark because they were a mobile people...but now that they settled in one area, the Temple replaced the Ark as the dwelling place of G-d. Once he 2nd Temple would be destroyed, the idea of G-d, and religion would be changed completely to cater more towards individual communities and the individual person. We will see this once we learn about modern Jerusalem.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
11/18/2011
Topics Covered
- Debate about use of Warren's Shaft
- Gihon spring is where the king is anointed
- David Takes Jerusalem
- the ark of the covenant
- founding the temple
it was discussed that the Gihon spring was a central place and part of the anointing ceremony that took place when a new king was anointed over Israel. It says "ride my own mule...Gihon...Anoint him king...Gihon" in 1 Kings 1:32-40 where the anointing of Solomon takes place. This again repeated in Zechariah 9:9-10 "yout kind comes to you...riding on a donkey, on a cold, the foal of a donkey" As part of the anointing process, the future king is taken down to the river. This only seems appropriate, since the Gihon river is mentioned in the creation story - it says that it is one of the 4 rivers that came from a main river in the Garden of Eden. It is only natural that the king should be anointed in a holy place.
It is interesting that there is a debate as to whether the Ark of the Covenant is considered to be an idol, even though it was commanded to be built by G-d. Why would G-d command His people to build something that He, Himself forbids? The only explanation that I could possibly think of is that G-d saw the sin that the people of Israel committed in the desert with the golden calf, and He understood that a wandering people might need physical proof that there is something that is protecting them. This way, the ark could be a protector for holy objects while still providing the people of Israel the reassurance that they craved.
- Debate about use of Warren's Shaft
- Gihon spring is where the king is anointed
- David Takes Jerusalem
- the ark of the covenant
- founding the temple
it was discussed that the Gihon spring was a central place and part of the anointing ceremony that took place when a new king was anointed over Israel. It says "ride my own mule...Gihon...Anoint him king...Gihon" in 1 Kings 1:32-40 where the anointing of Solomon takes place. This again repeated in Zechariah 9:9-10 "yout kind comes to you...riding on a donkey, on a cold, the foal of a donkey" As part of the anointing process, the future king is taken down to the river. This only seems appropriate, since the Gihon river is mentioned in the creation story - it says that it is one of the 4 rivers that came from a main river in the Garden of Eden. It is only natural that the king should be anointed in a holy place.
It is interesting that there is a debate as to whether the Ark of the Covenant is considered to be an idol, even though it was commanded to be built by G-d. Why would G-d command His people to build something that He, Himself forbids? The only explanation that I could possibly think of is that G-d saw the sin that the people of Israel committed in the desert with the golden calf, and He understood that a wandering people might need physical proof that there is something that is protecting them. This way, the ark could be a protector for holy objects while still providing the people of Israel the reassurance that they craved.
11/13/2011
Topics covered - Canaanite Jerusalem
- Earliest Settlement
- Execration Texts
- Fortifications
- Armarna Letters
- Early Political History - textual problem with "conquest"
- How did the Israelites get there?
Davidic Jerusalem
- conquest
Hill of Offense/Hill of Evil counsel
- Tel Dan Inscription
the professor spoke a lot about findings and excavations during this time. Archaeology has always interested me, and I can only imagine the feeling of digging and digging and digging for hours upon end, and finally getting to something that is big - a house such as the House of Ahiel and the house of Bullah.
I never really thought about it, but when the professor mentioned that certain historians are part of a certain organized group that doesn't buy historical artifacts because it makes them lose their authenticity and credibility, it made be realize how much time and effort is really put into placing artifacts and making sure that no history is "made up" by false interpretations.
- Earliest Settlement
- Execration Texts
- Fortifications
- Armarna Letters
- Early Political History - textual problem with "conquest"
- How did the Israelites get there?
Davidic Jerusalem
- conquest
Hill of Offense/Hill of Evil counsel
- Tel Dan Inscription
the professor spoke a lot about findings and excavations during this time. Archaeology has always interested me, and I can only imagine the feeling of digging and digging and digging for hours upon end, and finally getting to something that is big - a house such as the House of Ahiel and the house of Bullah.
I never really thought about it, but when the professor mentioned that certain historians are part of a certain organized group that doesn't buy historical artifacts because it makes them lose their authenticity and credibility, it made be realize how much time and effort is really put into placing artifacts and making sure that no history is "made up" by false interpretations.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
1/11/2011
Topics Discussed:
- Temples
- Primeval Bibile History
- Recreation of the "New Jerusalem"
- Consecration of a sacred space
- Jerusaelm as an Axis Mundi
- Jerusalem as the Cosmic Mountain
I learned something back in high school about why the 2 different reasons for why keeping Shabbat is so important to the Jewish people. It says that one reason why we should keep Shabbat is because G-d created the first 6 days, and on the 7th day, He rested and this 7th day of rest was Shabbat. Later on, it says, that the reason why we should keep Shabbat is because we were slaves in Egypt, and G-d freed us. So what do these 2 have to do with each other? We learn that these two reason, explain to us the two different aspects of living. There is a spiritual aspect and a physical aspect.
1. Spiritual. G-d created the world on the first 6 days of creation and on the 7th day, He rested. This is a spiritual rest. Shabbat is a more spiritual day of the week, and there are many laws regarding Shabbat to help us keep this spiritual holiness. It demonstrates our connection and devotion to G-d and reaffirms our source of holiness. Shabbat connects us both to G-d and to the rest of the Jewish people, therefore Shabbat is where we get our spiritual fulfillment and rest.
2. Physical. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. We worked hard, just like we work all week. We become slaves to our jobs and to money, that if we didn't have this physical day of rest, we might go insane. The fact that this physical rest is related to the story of the Exodus is a constant reminder that we are free people. We have the right to rest and the right to chose when we do what. It is a day to take time for ourselves and our families, and become rejuvenated for the rest of the week.
- Temples
- Primeval Bibile History
- Recreation of the "New Jerusalem"
- Consecration of a sacred space
- Jerusaelm as an Axis Mundi
- Jerusalem as the Cosmic Mountain
I learned something back in high school about why the 2 different reasons for why keeping Shabbat is so important to the Jewish people. It says that one reason why we should keep Shabbat is because G-d created the first 6 days, and on the 7th day, He rested and this 7th day of rest was Shabbat. Later on, it says, that the reason why we should keep Shabbat is because we were slaves in Egypt, and G-d freed us. So what do these 2 have to do with each other? We learn that these two reason, explain to us the two different aspects of living. There is a spiritual aspect and a physical aspect.
1. Spiritual. G-d created the world on the first 6 days of creation and on the 7th day, He rested. This is a spiritual rest. Shabbat is a more spiritual day of the week, and there are many laws regarding Shabbat to help us keep this spiritual holiness. It demonstrates our connection and devotion to G-d and reaffirms our source of holiness. Shabbat connects us both to G-d and to the rest of the Jewish people, therefore Shabbat is where we get our spiritual fulfillment and rest.
2. Physical. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. We worked hard, just like we work all week. We become slaves to our jobs and to money, that if we didn't have this physical day of rest, we might go insane. The fact that this physical rest is related to the story of the Exodus is a constant reminder that we are free people. We have the right to rest and the right to chose when we do what. It is a day to take time for ourselves and our families, and become rejuvenated for the rest of the week.
1/6/2011
Topics Discussed:
- Visiting Sacred Places
- Routs - routs leading to and from to make a sacred place
- Jerusalem's Topography
- Jerusalem's lack of natural resources
- Literature
- Jerusalem as the Center of the World
- Construction of Sacred Space
Something that particularly grabbed my attention during lecture was when the topic of water was discussed and how Israel is seriously lacking in water - as all of their usable water comes from the Kineret. If I remember correctly, something that you mentioned was that because of the water crisis, the conflict in Israel boiled down, ultimately to water, and allocation of water. While this is a big point of disagreement among the Israelis and the Palestinians and Israeli Arabs, this is by no means, the basis of the conflict. Israel does, in fact, provide water, electricity...etc to the Arab cities in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. Israel is one of the leaders in the world in desalination technologies so that they don't have to have water as something that they are constantly worrying about.
The basis of the conflict can be taken all the way back to the rise of Arab Nationalism much before the creation of the Jewish state in 1948. Some even date it to the time when Israel was a Kingdom during the book of Kings. Before 1948, the last independent state to have existed in Palestine was the Jewish state that had been destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE (Dershowitz, The Case for Israel p. 60).
That being said, water is a HUGE problem in all of Israel, though something exciting is that the Kineret DID rise by 2 meters last year after the immense rain fall in the winter, which is uncommon for such a climate.
- Visiting Sacred Places
- Routs - routs leading to and from to make a sacred place
- Jerusalem's Topography
- Jerusalem's lack of natural resources
- Literature
- Jerusalem as the Center of the World
- Construction of Sacred Space
Something that particularly grabbed my attention during lecture was when the topic of water was discussed and how Israel is seriously lacking in water - as all of their usable water comes from the Kineret. If I remember correctly, something that you mentioned was that because of the water crisis, the conflict in Israel boiled down, ultimately to water, and allocation of water. While this is a big point of disagreement among the Israelis and the Palestinians and Israeli Arabs, this is by no means, the basis of the conflict. Israel does, in fact, provide water, electricity...etc to the Arab cities in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. Israel is one of the leaders in the world in desalination technologies so that they don't have to have water as something that they are constantly worrying about.
The basis of the conflict can be taken all the way back to the rise of Arab Nationalism much before the creation of the Jewish state in 1948. Some even date it to the time when Israel was a Kingdom during the book of Kings. Before 1948, the last independent state to have existed in Palestine was the Jewish state that had been destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE (Dershowitz, The Case for Israel p. 60).
That being said, water is a HUGE problem in all of Israel, though something exciting is that the Kineret DID rise by 2 meters last year after the immense rain fall in the winter, which is uncommon for such a climate.
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