Department of Religion REL248

St. Olaf College Tu, 11:45-1:10; Th 12:45-2:05

Spring 2019 OM20
Instructor: Prof. Gottsegen Office hours: W, 1-3
gottse1@stolaf.edu Office: OM330

JUDAISM:
RELIGION, HISTORY, CULTURES

A. Course description and learning objectives

This course surveys key events and themes in Jewish history, practice, culture, and religion from
the biblical period to contemporary times. Among the topics we will treat in some detail are the
following:

1. The development of Judaism as an interpretive tradition and a textual culture.

2. Anthropological, theological, and practical aspects of Jewish life, with a focus on
everyday and holiday ritual life.
3. The challenges and opportunities posed to traditional Jewish identity and practice in
the modern period.

My aim is to help you leave this course with a basic working knowledge of the history of Judaism;
the major components of its sacred texts; a familiarity with a range of Jewish religious customs, and
a general appreciation of ancient, medieval and contemporary Jewish cultural expression. At the
very least, you will leave this class knowing that one cannot define in one sentence “what Judaism
says” or “what Jews believe” about any given topic.

Experiential learning, which includes critical thinking about experience, is integral to this course.
Students will attend several Jewish worship services and other events and reflect on them in
relationship to written material, lectures, and discussions with peers.

B. Required Texts

 Raymond P. Scheindlin, A Short History of the Jewish People: From Legendary Times to Modern
Statehood. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000 (abbreviated as SHJP).

 Recommended: Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds. The Jewish Study Bible. New York:
Oxford University Press, 2004 (abbreviated as JSB). Note: should you need or wish to reduce
your book-buying costs, you may access all material in the JSB (commentaries, essays, and
biblical text) via the Oxford Biblical Studies database, available via the library.

1
Course texts can be found on reserve or in the Reference Room at Rølvaag. Since I do not allow
electronic devices to be used during class, you should print out readings to which you will want
to refer in class. All readings not in course books can be found on Moodle.

C. Schedule of Meetings and Readings (subject to revision; Moodle will be kept up-
to-date)

I.
Beginnings

Feb. 12 Israelites and Jews. What is Judaism?

Introduction to the course; logistical matters

What is Judaism? What is a "mythic structure" and how does it

function? What are the key elements of the "Jewish structure"?
What do you think of Neusner's definition? What are its merits
and what are its drawbacks? How does it compare with your own
definition?
 Neusner, The Way of Torah, pp. 2-8, 42-49 [Moodle]
Introduction to the Torah, Jewish Study Bible [JSB] (available via Oxford
Biblical Studies Online)
 Scheindlin, Short History of the Jewish People [SHJP], ch. 1 [Moodle]

Feb. 14 The People of Israel: Family Saga

 Genesis 12:1-9; 15:1-18; 21:1-21; 22:1-19; 28:10-19; 32:4-33, 35:1-
29.
 Exodus 1-4:23; 10:1-15:22
Note: for all readings from the Hebrew Bible, read the commentary as well
as the scriptural text in the Jewish Study Bible (available via Oxford Biblical
Studies Online)

Feb. 19 Revelation, Covenant and Law

 Exodus 19:1-24:18; 31:18-34:35
 Deuteronomy 4:1-7:13; 9:4-20; 10:12-20; 11:8-28; 28:1-30:20
 II Kings 22-23:3
 Legal texts: Ex 18-20, 24-25; Lev 17, 19, 25; Num 35; Deut 15, 17,
19, 22, 25
 Seltzer, “Covenantal Law,” pp 66-77 [Moodle]
 Recommended: Buber, “The Man of Today and the Jewish Bible”
[Moodle]
 Recommended: Eisen, “Covenant” in MF

Feb. 19 Sacred space: Tabernacle, Temple, Zion

 Exodus 35-36:7, 39:32-40:38; note the diagram of the Tabernacle in
2
 JSB (near Ex. 25)
 Leviticus 1:1-7:38; 16:1-34, 18:1-19:37; 23:1-44; 26:1-46
 II Samuel 7
 I Kings 8-9
 Introduction to Leviticus (JSB)
 Klawans, “Concepts of Purity in the Bible” (JSB)
 Recommended: Mary Douglas, Purity and Danger, pp. 41-57 [Moodle]

Feb. 21 History: From Exile to Return, Hellenism and Second Temple Judaisms
 Seltzer, pp. 112-119, 128-131, 155-158, 162-164, 171-182, 195-197,
213-224
 II Kings 17-25
 Jeremiah 29:1-14; 31
 [Ezekiel 3, 11, 37:1-14]
 Ezra 7-10
 Nehemiah 7-8, 10
 Daniel 7-12
Feb 26: History: From Christianity as a Judaic Sect to Christianity against Judaism
 Seltzer, pp. 231-242
 [Neusner, The Way of Torah, 29-39]
 Reuther, Faith and Fratricide, pp. 95-116
 Fonrobert, “Judaizers, Jewish Christians, and Others” (JANT 554-557)
 Garroway, “Ioudaios” (JANT 524-526)
 Cohen, “Judaism and Jewishness” (JANT 513-515)

***PUP HERE

Feb. 26 The formation of classical rabbinic Judaism

 Scheindlin, SHJP, chs. 2 and 3
 Robert Seltzer, “Ch. 5, Varieties of Judaism in the Late Second Temple
Period” [excerpts] in Jewish People, Jewish Thought (Moodle)
 Rabbinical Writings, Supplemental “A” (Moodle)
 Schiffman, TT:
• Mourning the Destroyed Temple (TT, 471)
• From Temple to Synagogue (TT, 472-474)
• From Pharisees to Rabbis (TT, 503-516)
• Written and Oral Torah (TT, 517-522)
• Halakhah and Aggadah (TT, 531-535)
• On Rabbinical Hermeneutic Method (TT, 535-537)

Feb. 28 The rabbis and their teachings I: On Rabbinical Interpretation and Rabbinical
3
 Interpretive Authority
 Barry Holtz, “On Reading Jewish Texts,” Back to the Sources
 Handouts: BT Baba Kamma, page 83b-84a; BT Baba Metzia 59b
 Qinyan Torah [the Acquisition of Torah] (Schiffman, TT, 732)
 Rabbinical Writings, Supplemental “B” (Moodle)
 Talmud page layout

March 5 The rabbis and their teachings II: Theology and Theodicy
 Robert Seltzer, “The Efflorescence of Rabbinic Judaism” [excerpts] in
Jewish People, Jewish Thought (Moodle)
 Genesis Rabbah on Genesis 1:1 (aggadah: theology) (Moodle)
 Song of Songs Rabbah II:16:2.(aggadah: theodicy) (Moodle)
 Song of Songs Rabbah VII:8,1 (aggadah: theodicy) (Moodle)
 Midrashim on the Divine Nature (Schiffman, TT, 677-682)

March 7 The rabbis and their teachings III: On Everyday Holiness

 Kashrut, in rabbinical understanding (Schiffman, TT, pp.715-718)
 Leviticus 11 (re laws of kosher and non-kosher)
 Clean hands, from the Temple to the Table (Schiffman, TT, p. 730)
 Blessings over Food and Grace After Meals (Schiffman, TT, pp. 694-
695)
 Other Daily Blessings (Schiffman, TT, p. 730)
 The Obligation of the Commandments (Schiffman, p. 730)

March 12 The rabbis and their teachings IV: Rabbinic Interpersonal Ethics
 Selections from Avot de-Rabbi Natan (Moodle)
 Lifnei mi-shurat ha’din – the rabbis debate whether one is commanded to
act above and beyond the Call of Duty (Moodle)

March 14 The Rabbis and their Teachings V: Areyvut, the Principle of Mutual Aid and
Co-Responsibility in Social Life
 Halakhic Obligations (Moodle)
 Biblical Sources (Moodle)
 Rabbinic Discussion (Moodle)
 Contemporary Applications

II.
Time

March 19 Shabbat/The Sabbath I

4
  Greenberg, “The Dream and How to Live It: Shabbat,” JW
 Biblical references concerning the Sabbath: Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus
16:29; Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 23:10-12; Exodus 31:12-17;
Exodus 35:1-3; Numbers 15:32-36; Numbers 28:9-10;
Deuteronomy 5:12- 15; Jeremiah 17:19-27; Isaiah 56:1-8; Isaiah
58:13-14
 Source sheet: on the Sabbath

***October 21 (SATURDAY) Visit Beth Jacob Congregation in Mendota Heights. Leave campus at
8:45 AM, arrive back around 2:00 PM***

March 21 Shabbat/The Sabbath II

 Heschel, The Sabbath
 Due in class: Paper on synagogue experience
March 26/28 Mid-Semester Break

April 2 Sacred Time: The Liturgical Year I

 Greenberg, “The Holidays as the Jewish Way,” JW
 Schiffman, TT (pp. 699-714)

April 4 Sacred Time II: The Liturgical Year II

 Greenberg and Schiffman (cont.)

April 9 Prayer: The Prayerbook

 Schiffman, Prayer’s Rules, Times & Right Intention, TT, pp. 692-
694
 Schiffman, The Shema & the Laws Regarding it, TT, pp. 682-690
 Schiffman, “Jewish Liturgy,” TT, pp. 656-668
 Diagram of Structure of Morning Prayer (Moodle)
 Alan Mintz, “Prayer and the Prayerbook,” Back to the Sources
 Koren Siddur (excerpts)
 Explore (or at least visit) the Open Siddur Project website
April 11 Medieval Jewish Philosophy
 Maimonides, Guide of the Perplexed, I: 50-60, III 26-28, 51-5

III.
Modern challenges and
opportunities

5
April 16 Early Modernity, Emancipation and Haskalah: An Era of Choices
 Scheindlin, ch. 7
 Batnitzky, pp. 1-28
 Mendelssohn, Jerusalem, pp. 97-102 (Moodle)
 Primary source documents (Moodle):
France: “Debate on the Eligibility of Jews for Citizenship (December 23,
1789).” German lands: ChristianWilhelm von Dohm, “Concerning the
Amelioration of the Civil Status of the Jews;” Joseph II, “Edict of Tolerance;”
The New Israelite Temple Association, “Constitution of the Hamburg
Temple” (all from The Jew in the Modern World, ed. Mendes-Flohr and
Reinharz)

April 18 German Jewry: Reform Movement and the Rise of Denominations

 Batnitzky, 32-49
 Geiger, Judaism and its History, 24-48 (Moodle)
 Freehof, Reform Responsa, selections (Moodle)
 Documents on denominations from The Jew in the Modern World

April 23 (“Modern”) Orthodoxy: (Neo-) Traditional Responses to Modernity

 Batnitzky, 40-43, 59-64, 122-127
 Hirsch, Horeb (selections) (Moodle)

April 28 Zionism: Breaking Away from Judaism as a Religion

 Scheindlin, SHJP chapter 10
 Batnitzky, 147-162, 64-68, 95-100
 Theodor Herzl, short intro and selections from The Jewish State, in The
Zionist Idea, ed. Arthur Hertzberg (Moodle)
 Ahad Ha’am, “The Jewish People and the Jewish Problem,” in ibid.
 Rabbi A. I. Kook, “The Land of Israel;” “Prayer for the Land of Israel”

April 30 Judaism in America

 Batnitzky, 166-173, 183-191
 Scheindlin, SHJP, ch. 8
 Primary documents (Moodle): The Hebrew Congregation of Newport,
RI, “Message of Welcome to George Washington” (August, 1790);
George Washington, “A Reply to the Hebrew Congregation of
Newport” (August, 1790); Conference of Reform Rabbis, “The
Pittsburgh Platform” (all from The Jew in the Modern World, ed. Mendes-
Flohr and Reinharz)
 (Optional) Sarna, “American Judaism in Historical Perspective”
(Moodle)

May 2 Holocaust and Response

 Scheindlin, ch. 9
 Weltsch, “Wear the Yellow Badge with Pride” (Moodle)
6
  Cohen, The Tremendum (Moodle)
 Berkovitz, “Faith after the Holocaust” (Moodle)
 Fackenheim, “The Jewish Return to History” (Moodle)

May 7 Feminism: critique and innovation

 Scheindlin, SHJP chapter 11
 Judith Plaskow, Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist
Perspective, 1-24 (Moodle)
 Adler, “The Jew who Wasn’t There: Halakha and the Jewish
Woman” (Moodle)

May 9 Post-Modernity: New Jews

 Caryn Aviv and David Schneer, New Jews (excerpts, t.b.a.)
 Recommended: Shaul Magid, “Introduction,” American Post-Judaism
(Moodle)
 Marc Ellis, “On Performing the Indigenous Jewish Prophetic at the End
of Jewish History: Further Notes on a Jewish Theology of Liberation.”
(Moodle)

May 14

Friday, May 18 Final Exam

Monday, Final Essay due

Dec. 18 4:00 PM

7
D. Course requirements and grading

1. Active engagement in class (10%):

a. Attend regularly and punctually. Unexcused absences will negatively affect your
grade; missing four sessions or more will imperil your grade. Students will be held
responsible for the material discussed in every class session.
b. Actively and intelligently participate in discussions that arise; read assigned texts
closely and critically; display familiarity with assignment materials, bring
significant questions they raise to class discussion. Merely showing up and being awake
gets you a “C”; evident engagement is essential to a strong participation grade. That
engagement can take some of the following forms:
i. trying to make a point that is difficult to articulate
ii. asking a classmate to further explain his or her views
iii. explaining why you disagree with something one of us has said
iv. pointing out unwarranted assumptions
v. stopping the discussion to ask for clarification
vi. bringing in some provocative material about course content which you’ve
discovered on your own
vii. emailing the whole class with an idea you had after the class ended, posting
to our online forum, commenting there on a colleague’s post.
c. Inform yourself regarding a missed session. Arrange to obtain notes from class,
missed handouts, and logistical information from your fellow students; then you are
welcome to consult with me about what you missed.
d. Regarding electronic and other distracting electronic activity in class: Because this class
strives to be a community of learning, we will not use private technology in class.
Turn off and put away your phone, music player, laptop, etc.; also put away
knitting needles and other non-electronic distractions.
2. Analytical weekend writing assignments (15%): Each Thursday via e-mail, I will
provide one or more questions relating to our current readings. You will write a one-
page analytical response to a question. Turn in a paper copy on Tuesday during
(not after) class; place in my mailbox on Jewish holidays that fall on Tuesdays. I do not
accept late submissions. These response papers will not be graded, but read for
genuine, thoughtful analysis of the material. I may call on you to share your thoughts with
the class as a discussion starter. You may write one per week. Plan ahead! Choose your
participation level: you will write: 10 for an A; 9 = B; 8 = C; 7 = D; 6 or fewer = F.
Anything other than highest quality receives a check minus and counts as half. The rare
checkplus will earn you an extra half of one writing assignment.
3. Field trips for holidays and Sabbath (20%): This course requires you to visit a
variety of Jewish spaces, especially worship and/or study spaces, and to interpret what you
experience using the categories and questions scholars of religion bring to their study.
For the holiday field trips, you will:
a. Attend your choice of two “field trips” (listed as FT options) during the fall
holidays, plus one Sabbath morning service (October 21 at Beth Jacob
Congregation in Mendota Heights). You should attend FTs for two different
holidays (e.g., one day of Rosh Hashana services plus one evening of Sukkot
services). I strongly encourage you to go to the Cities for at least one of your FTs.

8
 b. Before your first FT, read Greenberg, “Holidays as the Jewish Way” from JW and
Ehrlich, “September” and “October” from MK.
c. Before each FT, read the appropriate chapter from Greenberg (“Rebirth and
Renewal: The High Holy Days” and “Journey to Liberation: Sukkot”) and the
relevant Torah source(s) (listed on syllabus for each date).
d. Within 48 hours of each FT, you will submit a short (~3 pages) analytical report
on your experiences and relevant readings. More details will be provided on the
content of those papers.
e. Each FT paper is worth 5% of your total grade (x2 = 10% of your grade for both
field trips).
For the Sabbath field trip, you will
f. Attend Sabbath morning synagogue services as a class on October 21, and will
bring a short (~3 pages) analytical report on your experiences and relevant
readings on November 8 at the beginning of class. More details will be provided on
the content of that paper. This paper is worth 10% of your grade.
4. Small group presentation (5%): You, together with several colleagues, will offer a
~20-minute presentation on a topic that remains to be determined sometime during the
course of the semester.
5. Demonstrate satisfactory understanding of the materials evidenced through
in-class quizzes and exams and other written assignments, including:
a. Short exam on September 28 (5%)
b. An exam on November 2 (10%)
c. An exam on December 7 (15%)
d. A final take-home essay exam due Monday, December 18 at 4:00 PM (20%)

Students with serious medical problems or major family emergencies may ask for an extension
before a paper/exam is due. Without an extension granted, late papers will be marked down one-
third of a grade, and papers turned in more than 24 hours after the due date will not be
accepted. When emergency situations affect your class attendance or ability to execute
assignments or exams, you should present a note from the Dean’s office.

For all writing assignments, including ungraded response papers, you are expected
to:
 Paginate; date, staple, and double-space work; use a twelve-point font and one-inch
margins
 Check for grammatical and typographical errors
 Use inclusive (“people”/“human beings”/“individuals”/“one”, etc.), rather than masculine
(“man”/“mankind”) formulations when the intent is to refer to people or individuals in
general
 Provide accurate citations, either with page numbers in parentheses (e.g., Ehrlich, Miriam’s
Kitchen, 34) or with footnotes (use a style handbook such as the Chicago Manual of Style)

I strongly encourage you to visit the Writing Help Desk as you prepare your written work for
submission. Students can get help with writing “on the spot” when tutors are available or they may
make appointments by calling x3288. The Writing Help Desk is located in Rølvaag Memorial
Library next to the Reference Desk.

9
E. Other important information

E-Mail: E-mail is my primary means of communication outside of class. You are expected to
check your email once a day. Please feel free to e-mail me with questions, concerns, comments,
etc. I will try to respond to your messages within 24 hours (Mon.-Fri. noon, Jewish holidays
excepted).

Your writing: Keep a copy of any work you turn in and any work that is returned to you. This is
important in case an assignment gets misplaced, you wish to discuss a grade, or you wish to refer to
feedback offered throughout the semester.

Accommodations:
I am committed to supporting the learning of all students in my class. If you have already registered
with Disability and Access (DAC) and have your letter of accommodations, you must meet with me
early in the course to discuss, plan, and implement your accommodations in the course. If you have
or think you have a disability (learning, sensory, physical, chronic health, mental health or
attention), please contact DAC at 507-786-3288 or wp.stolaf.edu/asc/dac. It is your
responsibility to arrange alternate testing rooms, should you need them.

Academic integrity: Plagiarism of any kind (including unacknowledged cutting-and-pasting from

web sites) is an offense against the ideal of a conversation. The penalty for plagiarism may include
failing the course. Read the College’s statement on academic integrity. Contact me if you have any
questions whatsoever on what constitutes a breach of academic integrity.

1
0