The Greatest Mirror: Heavenly Counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Greatest Mirror: Heavenly Counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha The Greatest Mirror Heavenly Counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha Andrei A. Orlov On the cover: The Baleful Head, by Edward Burne-Jones. Oil on canvas, dated 1886– 1887. Courtesy of Art Resource. Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2017 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production, Dana Foote Marketing, Fran Keneston Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Orlov, Andrei A., 1960– author. Title: The greatest mirror : heavenly counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha / Andrei A. Orlov. Description: Albany, New York : State University of New York Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016052228 (print) | LCCN 2016053193 (ebook) | ISBN 9781438466910 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438466927 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Apocryphal books (Old Testament)—Criticism, interpretation, etc. Classification: LCC BS1700 .O775 2017 (print) | LCC BS1700 (ebook) | DDC 229/.9106—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016052228 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For April DeConick . in the season when my body was completed in its maturity, there imme- diately flew down and appeared before me that most beautiful and greatest mirror-image of myself. —Cologne Mani Codex 17 Contents Preface xi Abbreviations xiii Introduction 1 Chapter One: The Heavenly Counterpart Traditions in the Enochic Pseudepigrapha 7 Chapter Two: The Heavenly Counterpart Traditions in the Mosaic Pseudepigrapha 43 Chapter Three: The Heavenly Counterpart Traditions in the Pseudepigrapha about Jacob 61 Chapter Four: The Heavenly Counterpart Traditions in Joseph and Aseneth 119 Conclusion 149 Notes 153 Bibliography 267 Index 295 ix Preface This study represents the culmination of several years of work. My initial inter- est in the heavenly counterpart imagery was developed in the late 1990s, when I started working on my doctoral dissertation devoted to the development of the Enoch-Metatron tradition. Part of my dissertation dealt with the exploration of heavenly doubles found in such Jewish works as the Book of the Similitudes, 2 Enoch, the Exagoge of Ezekiel the Tragedian, the Prayer of Joseph, and the Ladder of Jacob.1 Many of these initial probes into doppelganger lore were sub- sequently reported in several articles published in various journals and edited volumes.2 In the last decade, I also extended the scope of my study to Jewish demonological reinterpretations of otherworldly counterparts, which resulted in the publication of several articles and two books devoted to the symmetrical correspondences between heavenly and demonic realities.3 In 2011, during my sabbatical in Jerusalem, as a fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, I began to work systematically on a monograph concerning heavenly counterpart traditions in the Jewish pseudepigrapha, which I was able to finish only now, six years later. Several people helped me in my work on this project. I would like to express my appreciation to Paul Pasquesi, who helped to improve the manu- script’s grammar. I am especially grateful to my research assistant, Caroline Redick, who worked very hard through different versions of the manuscript to help improve the text in both style and substance. I also extend my gratitude to Michael Cover, who read the manuscript at its various stages of evolution and offered numerous constructive ideas. I owe special thanks to my colleagues at the Department of Theology of Marquette University for their continued human and scholarly support and encouragement. I am grateful to Art Resource, New York, for permission to use a digital reproduction of Edward Burne-Jones’ painting, The Baleful Head, as the cover image. xi xii ■ Preface Sincere thanks are also due to Rafael Chaiken, Dana Foote, and the edito- rial team of SUNY Press for their help, patience, and professionalism during the preparation of the book for publication. —Andrei Orlov Milwaukee The Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, 2017 Abbreviations ÄAT Ägypten und Altes Testament AAWG Abhandlungen der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Göttingen AB Anchor Bible AC Anthropology of Consciousness ACF Annuaire du Collège de France AGAJU Arbeiten zur Geschichte des antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums AnBib Analecta Biblica ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt AOASH Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae ArBib Aramaic Bible ASOR American Schools of Oriental Research Series ASTI Annual of the Swedish Theological Institute BEATAJ Beiträge zur Erforschung des Alten Testaments und des antiken Judentums BI Beiträge zur Iranistik BIS Biblical Interpretation Series BJS Brown Judaic Studies BKP Beiträge zur klassischen Philologie BSJS Brill’s Series in Jewish Studies BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CBQMS Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series CEJL Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature CEUSH Central European University Studies in Humanities CMC Cologne Mani Codex COIDR Chtenija v Obschestve Istorii i Drevnostej Rossijskih Corp. Herm. Corpus Hermeticum CRINT Compendia rerum iudaicarum ad Novum Testamentum xiii xiv ■ Abbreviations CSCO Corpus scriptorum christianorum orientalium DSD Dead Sea Discoveries EB Eichstätter Beiträge ECLS Early Christian Literature Series EJL Early Judaism and Its Literature EPRO Études préliminaires aux religions orientales dans l’Empire romain EvQ Evangelical Quarterly ExpTim Expository Times Frag. Targ. Fragmentary Targum FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments FSBP Fontes et Subsidia ad Bibliam Pertinentes GAP Guides to Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha GCS Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte Gen. Rab. Genesis Rabbah Gos. Phil. Gospel of Philip Gos. Thom. Gospel of Thomas HAR Hebrew Annual Review HNT Handbuch zum Neuen Testament HR History of Religions HSM Harvard Semitic Monographs HTR Harvard Theological Review HUAS Hebrew University Armenian Studies ICS Illinois Classical Studies Imm Immanuel IORJS Izvestija Otdelenija Russkago Jazyka i Slovesnosti JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JCS Journal of Cuneiform Studies JJS Journal of Jewish Studies JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies Jos. Asen. Joseph and Aseneth JPsJ Journal of Psychology and Judaism JQR Jewish Quarterly Review JR Journal of Religion JRelS Journal of Religious Studies JSHRZ Jüdische Schriften aus hellenistisch-römischer Zeit JSJ Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period Abbreviations ■ xv JSJSS Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period: Supplement Series JSNT Journal for the Study of the New Testament JSNTSS Journal for the Study of the New Testament. Supplement Series JSOR Journal of the Society of Oriental Research JSOTSS Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. Supplement Series JSP Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha JSPSS Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha. Supplement Series JSQ Jewish Studies Quarterly JTS Journal of Theological Studies KEK Kritisch-exegetischer Kommentar über das Neue Testament Keph. Kephalaia LCJP Library of Contemporary Jewish Philosophers LCL Loeb Classical Library LIS Literatura Intertestamentària Supplementa LSAAR Lund Studies in African and Asian Religions MAS Mitteilungen aus der Ägyptischen Sammlung MH Museum Helveticum NedTT Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschrift NHC Nag Hammadi Codex NHMS Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies NHS Nag Hammadi Studies NovT Novum Testamentum NovTSup Supplements to Novum Testamentum NPAJ New Perspectives on Ancient Judaism NSBT New Studies in Biblical Theology NTOA Novum Testamentum et Orbis Antiquus NTS New Testament Studies OBO Orbis biblicus et orientalis PPS Popular Patristic Series PRE Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer PTS Patristische Texte und Studien PVTG Pseudepigrapha Veteris Testamenti Graece QM Qumranica Mogilanensia REJ Revue des études juives RevQ Revue de Qumrân RHR Revue de l’Histoire des Religions SAALT State Archives of Assyria Literary Texts SANE Sources from the Ancient Near East SBLSCS Society of Biblical Literature Septuagint and Cognate Studies SBLSP Society of Biblical Literature Seminar Papers xvi ■ Abbreviations SBLSS Society of Biblical Literature Symposium Series SBLTT Society of Biblical Literature Texts and Translations SC Sources chrétiennes SCL Sather Classical Lectures ScrTh Scripta theologica SHR Studies in the History of Religions SII Studien zur Indologie und Iranistic SJ Studia Judaica SJJTP Supplements to the Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy SJLA Studies in Judaism in Late Antiquity SJS Studia Judaeoslavica SNTSMS Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series SOR Studies in Oriental Religions SORJS Sbornik Otdelenija Russkogo Jazyka i Slovesnosti SPB Studia Post-Biblica SR Studies in Religion SSEJC Studies in Scripture in Early Judaism and Christianity SSS Sagners slavistische Sammlung STAC Studien und Texte zu Antike und Christentum
Recommended publications
  • Menu of Volunteer Opportunities
    Menu of Volunteer Opportunities For the Sherburne County, Minnesota Area Review the whole list or click on a desired category: MOST RECENTLY ADDED OPPORTUNITIES CHILDREN & YOUTH ACTIVITIES DISASTER SERVICES $ ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY EDUCATION – ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION – CHILDREN & YOUTH ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS FOOD & CLOTHING SERVICES GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC SAFETY HEALTH CARE HUMAN & VETERAN SERVICES MEAL SERVICE/DELIVERY OTHER NON-PROFIT SENIOR SERVICES Contact RSVP Sherburne County for more information: 763-635-4505 1 Heather.Brooks @ci.stcloud.mn.us MOST RECENTLY ADDED OPPORTUNITIES RSVP- Retired and Senior Volunteer Program 55+ Volunteers - If you are 55+, this is your invitation to volunteer service! Start with a discussion about your individual interests, skills and time available to volunteer. Explore the possibilities for service through a wide variety of local agencies, including many projects with limited or flexible commitments. End with a rewarding volunteer experience that fits perfectly into your lifestyle and comes with some additional perks because you’re experienced at life! Where to Help? Do you wonder where your volunteer time investment is needed most? What are all the choices? What will fill the time you have available and not more than you expected? Contact RSVP/Volunteer Bridge to explore the possibilities that will fit perfectly into your lifestyle and match your interests, skills and passions! Choose what works best for you and receive help getting connected. Extra perks for those 55+ because you’re experienced at life! One-time events – 55+ RSVP volunteers are asked to assist for a couple hours at a variety of one-time events in the community. From ticket taking at a performance to helping at a blood drive, from a school book sale to counting patrons at the public library.
    [Show full text]
  • Who Is Our God?
    Who Is Our God? Lessons from the book of Exodus Week #12: Community Leadership Exodus 18: 1-6 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done 2 for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; 4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.” Exodus 18:7-12 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each 8 other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met 9 along the way and how the LORD had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the 10 good things the LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.
    [Show full text]
  • "And the Lord Sought to Kill Him" (Exod 4:24): Yet Once Again
    "AND THE LORD SOUGHT TO KILL HIM" (EXOD 4:24): YET ONCE AGAIN By LAWRENCE KAPLAN McGill University ABSTRACT: The central question regarding the strange and mysterious incident of the encounter at the lodging place (Exod 4:24-26), the reso­ lution of which determines our interpretation of the passage as a whole, is: who was subject to the deadly attack of God, Moses or Moses' (and Zipporah's) son? This paper argues that the redactor has structured the present narrative in which Exod 4:24-26 is embedded so as to allow for and indeed compel both readings, this despite the fact that they are mu­ tually exclusive. The redactor has strung together three narrative units: vv. 18-20; 21-23; 24-26. If the second unit is bracketed and the first and third units are linked, then it emerges that it is Moses who was subject to God's attack. If, on the contrary, the first unit is put aside and the second and third units read as a whole it becomes equally clear that it was Moses' son who was subject to the attack. The paper concludes by offering some tentative suggestions as to the literary function of this built-in, double, mutually contradictory meaning. The strange and mysterious incident of the encounter at the lodging place (Exod 4:24-26) is certainly one of the most obscure and most dis­ cussed texts in the entire Bible. Its problems, difficulties and ambiguities are well-known, as are the wide variety of solutions that scholars have offered, none fully satisfactory, and it would seem that at this late date there is little that can be added.
    [Show full text]
  • When God Says “No” Lesson One
    When God Says “No” Lesson One Focal Text: 1 Chronicles 28:1-10 Background: Job 38:1-8 Teaching Aim: To lead members to reflect on the legacy they are leaving behind and determine ways to make that legacy more in keeping with God’s plan for their lives. Connect with Life: Begin with a challenge for members to reflect on the legacy they are leaving behind if today was the last day of their life. In other words, what would their loved ones and friends say was most important in their life based on their actions? Then ask members if they would like to make any changes in their life message? Share with members that in our study for today we will be reminded of the legacy left behind by David with his final words that reflected the life he lived. We will discover some aspects of his legacy that can be applied to our own legacy revisions. Guide Bible Study: Then lead members to identify these aspects of David’s legacy as found in our focal passage for this study. Suggested aspects and related commentary are as follows: 1. Humility (28:1-2a). David demonstrated humility throughout his life and in this final gathering of the Jewish leaders. Even though David was their king, he referred to them as brothers and “my people.” He was certainly identifying with them as an equal before God. We will also see his humility in our discussion of verse 5. David included all of the leaders in this final gathering before his death in order to remind them of the legacy he was leaving behind.
    [Show full text]
  • Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam
    Institute of Asian and African Studies at The Hebrew University The Max Schloessinger Memorial Foundation REPRINT FROM JERUSALEM STUDIES IN ARABIC AND ISLAM I 1979 THE MAGNES PRESS. THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY. JERUSALEM PROPHETS AND PROGENITORS IN THE EARLY SHI'ATRADITION* Uri Rubin INTRODUCTION As is well known, the Shi 'I belief that 'Ali' should have been Muhammad's succes- sor was based on the principle of hereditary Califate, or rather Imamate. 'Ali's father, Abu Talib, and Muhammad's father, 'Abdallah, were brothers, so that Muhammad and 'Ali were first cousins. Since the Prophet himself left no sons, the Shi 'a regarded' All as his only rightful successor.' Several Shi 'I traditions proclaim 'All's family relationship (qariiba) to Muhammad as the basis for his hereditary rights. For the sake of brevity we shall only point out some of the earliest.A number of these early Shi T traditions center around the "brothering", i.e. the mu'akhiih which took place after the hijra; this was an agreement by which each emigrant was paired with one of the Ansar and the two, who thus became brothers, were supposed to inherit each other (see Qur'an, IV, 33? 'All, as an exception, was paired not with one of the Ansar but with the Prophet himself." A certain verse in the Qur'an (VIII, 72) was interpreted as stating that the practice of mu iikhiin was confined only to the Muhajinin and the Ansar, to the exclusion of those believers who had stayed back in Mecca after the hijra. They re- tained the old practice of inheritance according to blood-relationship." This prac- tice, which was introduced in al-Madi na, affected the hereditary rights of the families of the Muhajiriin who were supposed to leave their legacy to their Ansari * This article is a revised form of a chapter from my thesis on some aspects of Muhammad's prophethood in the early literature of hadt th.
    [Show full text]
  • Chronological Bible Readings
    CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE READINGS a guide to reading through the bible in one year Personal Notes: Jan 1 .........Genesis 1:1-3:24 Feb 3 .........Exodus 4:18-7:13; Jan 2 .........Genesis 4:1-6:22; ...................1 Chronicles 6:1-4 ...................1 Chronicles 1:1-4 Feb 4 .........Exodus 7:14-9:35 Jan 3 .........Genesis 7:1-9:29 Feb 5 .........Exodus 10:1-12:51 Jan 4 .........Genesis 10:1-11:26; Feb 6 .........Exodus 13:1-15:27 ...................1 Chronicles 1:5-27 Feb 7 .........Exodus 16:1-18:27 Jan 5 .........Genesis 11:27-15:21 Feb 8 .........Exodus 19:1-21:36 Jan 6 .........Genesis 16:1-18:33 Feb 9 .........Exodus 22:1-24:18 Jan 7 .........Genesis 19:1-21:34; 25:12-18; Feb 10 .......Exodus 25:1-27:21 ...................1 Chronicles 1:28-31 Feb 11 .......Exodus 28:1-29:46 Jan 8 .........Job 1:1-3:26 Feb 12 .......Exodus 30:1-33:6 Jan 9 .........Job 4:1-7:21 Feb 13 .......Exodus 33:7-36:7 Jan 10 .......Job 8:1-10:22 Feb 14 .......Exodus 36:8-38:31 Jan 11 .......Job 11:1-14:22 Feb 15 .......Exodus 39:1-40:38 Jan 12 .......Job 15:1-18:21 Feb 16 .......Leviticus 1:1-4:35 Jan 13 .......Job 19:1-21:34 Feb 17 .......Leviticus 5:1-7:38 Jan 14 .......Job 22:1-26:14 Feb 18 .......Leviticus 8:1-10:20 Jan 15 .......Job 27:1-29:25 Feb 19 .......Leviticus 11:1-13:46 Jan 16 .......Job 30:1-31:40 Feb 20 .......Leviticus 13:47-15:33 Jan 17 .......Job 32:1-34:37 Feb 21 .......Leviticus 16:1-18:30 Jan 18 .......Job 35:1-37:24 Feb 22 .......Leviticus 19:1-21:24 Jan 19 .......Job 38:1-39:30 Feb 23 .......Leviticus 22:1-23:44 Jan 20 .......Job 40:1-42:17
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Chronicles Chapter 28
    1 Chronicles Chapter 28 In verses 28:1 – 29:20: A record is given of David’s last assembly in which the king charged Solomon and the people to build the temple for God’s glory. These final chapters present the transition from David to Solomon. The chronicler does not mention Adonijah’s conspiracy (1 Kings 1:5-9), or David’s weakness (1 Kings 1:1-4), but looks at the positive contribution of the Davidic kingdom. Verses 1-2: David is portrayed as a healthy man who “stood up upon his feet”, a quite different description than that of the elderly, dying David (in 1 Kings 1:1). Neither Adonijah’s rebellion (1 Kings 1:5-10), nor the dramatic way Solomon became king (1 Kings 1:11-31), is mentioned. The details were chosen to present David as a unifier of Israel. 1 Chronicles 28:1 "And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem." This is the third telling of the Lord’s promise to “David.” The Davidic covenant was announced to David (17:1-27; compare 2 Sam. 7:2-29), and was related by David to Solomon (22:6-13), and is now rehearsed by David in the hearing of “all Israel” (verses 2-8).
    [Show full text]
  • I C U: 35 Days to Revive My Faith
    I C U: 35 Days to Revive My Faith Revelation 3:20 tells us that Jesus not only came to redeem us 2000 years ago, but every day pursues us - personally, persistently. Over the next 5 weeks, we will take a few minutes every day to open the door again to the work of God in our lives. Outside of the work on the cross and the empty tomb on the third day, God has given us another incredible gift: the gift of His word. It is through His word, the Bible, that God continues to speak, revive, and restore broken lives, dreams, and souls. I invite you to set aside 15 minutes, 5 days a week to open the door again to the work of God. Suggested daily outline: read 2 Timothy 3:16-17, pray, read the devotional, write a simple response to the devotional, and work on the weekly memory verse throughout the day ___________________ Week Five Sermon -- Making the Broken Pieces Fit: Dinah This week’s emphasis: Multiplying in Another (Coaching) ​ Day One Read Luke 1:1-66 Elizabeth to Mary When you are “greatly troubled” do you have other believers you can open up to? Mary ran to Elizabeth, who was a truth teller in her life: “blessed are you!” Do you have someone in your life that can help you see the blessing through your troubles? It is important to find others who can lovingly walk through life with you, impart wisdom, truth, and remind you of God’s purpose and plan in your life, especially when you are under stress.
    [Show full text]
  • The Jews of Hellenistic Egypt Jews in Egypt Judahites to E
    15 April 2019 Septuagint, Synagogue, and Symbiosis: Jews in Egypt The Jews of Hellenistic Egypt Those who escaped the Babylonian advance on Jerusalem, 605‐586 B.C.E. Gary A. Rendsburg Rutgers University Jeremiah 44:1 ַה ָדּ ָב ֙ר ֲא ֶ ֣שׁר ָהָי֣ה ֶ ֽא ִל־יְר ְמָ֔יהוּ ֶ֚אל ָכּל־ ַהְיּ ִ֔הוּדים ַהיֹּ ְשׁ ִ ֖בים ְבּ ֶ ֣אֶר ץ ִמ ְצָ ֑ר ִים Mandelbaum House ַהיֹּ ְשׁ ִ ֤בים ְבּ ִמ ְגדֹּ ֙ל ְוּב ַת ְח ַפּ ְנ ֵ ֣חס ְוּב֔נֹף וּ ְב ֶ ֥אֶרץ ַפּ ְת ֖רוֹס ֵל ֽ ֹאמר׃ April 2019 4 The word which was to Jeremiah, concerning all the Jews who dwell in the land of Egypt, who dwell in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph, and the land of Pathros, saying. Judahites to Egypt 600 – 585 B.C.E. Pathros Map of the Persian (Achaemenid) Empire 538 – 333 B.C.E. Bust of the young Alexander the Great (c. 100 B.C.E.) (British Museum) Empire of Alexander the Great (356‐323 B.C.E.) / (r. 336‐323 B.C.E.) 1 15 April 2019 Cartouche of Alexander the Great N L c. 330 B.C.E. D I K A (Louvre, Paris) R S S The Four Successor Kingdoms to Alexander the Great Ptolemies – Alexandria, Egypt (blue) Selecudis – Seleukia / Antioch (golden) Ptolemy Dynasty Jews under Alexander and Ptolemy I 305 B.C.E. – 30 B.C.E. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 12, Chapter 1 • Ptolemy brought Jews from Judea and Jerusalem to Egypt. Founded by Ptolemy I, • He had heard that the Jews had been loyal to Alexander.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes on Zechariah 202 1 Edition Dr
    Notes on Zechariah 202 1 Edition Dr. Thomas L. Constable TITLE AND WRITER The title of this book comes from its traditional writer, as is true of all the prophetical books of the Old Testament. The name "Zechariah" (lit. "Yahweh Remembers") was a common one among the Israelites, which identified at least 27 different individuals in the Old Testament, perhaps 30.1 It was an appropriate name for the writer of this book, because it explains that Yahweh remembers His chosen people, and His promises, and will be faithful to them. This Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo (1:1, 7; cf. Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Neh. 12:4, 16). Zechariah, like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, was both a prophet and a priest. He was obviously familiar with priestly things (cf. ch. 3; 6:9-15; 9:8, 15; 14:16, 20, 21). Since he was a young man (Heb. na'ar) when he began prophesying (2:4), he was probably born in Babylonian captivity and returned to Palestine very early in life, in 536 B.C. with Zerubbabel and Joshua. Zechariah apparently survived Joshua, the high priest, since he became the head of his own division of priests in the days of Joiakim, the son of Joshua (Neh. 12:12, 16). Zechariah became a leading priest in the restoration community succeeding his grandfather (or ancestor), Iddo, who also returned from captivity in 536 B.C., as the leader of his priestly family (Neh. 12:4, 16). Zechariah's father, Berechiah (1:1, 7), evidently never became prominent.
    [Show full text]
  • Miriyam Goldman OA Thesis 9Dec20.Pdf (247.7Kb)
    The Living Stone: The Talmudic Paradox of the Seventh Month Gestational Viability vs. the Eighth Month Non-Viability Presented to the S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Completion of the Program Stern College for Women Yeshiva University December 9, 2020 Miriyam A. Goldman Mentor: Rabbi Dr. Richard Weiss, Biology Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………….…. 4 Background to Pregnancy ……………………………………………………………………… 5 Talmudic Sources on the Dilemma ……………………………………………………………. 6 Meforshim on the Dilemma ……………………………………………………………………. 9 Secular Sources of the Dilemma ………………………………………………………………. 11 The Significance of Hair and Nails in Terms of Viability……………………………….……... 14 The Definition of Nefel’s Impact on Viability ……………………………………………….. 17 History of Premature Survival ………………………………………………………………… 18 Statistics on Prematurity ………………………………………………………………………. 19 Developmental Differences Between Seventh and Eighth Months ……………………….…. 20 Contemporary Talmudic Balance of the Dilemma..…………………………………….…….. 22 Contemporary Secular Balance of the Dilemma .……………………………………….…….. 24 Evaluation of Talmudic Accreditation …………………………………………………..…...... 25 Interviews with Rabbi Eitan Mayer, Rabbi Daniel Stein, and Rabbi Dr. Richard Weiss .…...... 27 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………….…. 29 References…..………………………………………………………………………………..… 34 2 Abstract This paper reviews the viability of premature infants, specifically the halachic status of those born in
    [Show full text]
  • Archons (Commanders) [NOTICE: They Are NOT Anlien Parasites], and Then, in a Mirror Image of the Great Emanations of the Pleroma, Hundreds of Lesser Angels
    A R C H O N S HIDDEN RULERS THROUGH THE AGES A R C H O N S HIDDEN RULERS THROUGH THE AGES WATCH THIS IMPORTANT VIDEO UFOs, Aliens, and the Question of Contact MUST-SEE THE OCCULT REASON FOR PSYCHOPATHY Organic Portals: Aliens and Psychopaths KNOWLEDGE THROUGH GNOSIS Boris Mouravieff - GNOSIS IN THE BEGINNING ...1 The Gnostic core belief was a strong dualism: that the world of matter was deadening and inferior to a remote nonphysical home, to which an interior divine spark in most humans aspired to return after death. This led them to an absorption with the Jewish creation myths in Genesis, which they obsessively reinterpreted to formulate allegorical explanations of how humans ended up trapped in the world of matter. The basic Gnostic story, which varied in details from teacher to teacher, was this: In the beginning there was an unknowable, immaterial, and invisible God, sometimes called the Father of All and sometimes by other names. “He” was neither male nor female, and was composed of an implicitly finite amount of a living nonphysical substance. Surrounding this God was a great empty region called the Pleroma (the fullness). Beyond the Pleroma lay empty space. The God acted to fill the Pleroma through a series of emanations, a squeezing off of small portions of his/its nonphysical energetic divine material. In most accounts there are thirty emanations in fifteen complementary pairs, each getting slightly less of the divine material and therefore being slightly weaker. The emanations are called Aeons (eternities) and are mostly named personifications in Greek of abstract ideas.
    [Show full text]