Introduction I Our knowledge and understanding of Judaism in antiquity is constantly chang- ing as each generation of scholars reads the ancient sources anew, and applies differing approaches to the interpretation of already familiar texts and sources. At the same time, the careful decipherment of the primary evidence, in the tra- dition of the historical philological school, remains crucial for any attempt to reconstruct the past. Yet, it is the discovery of new material sources, includ- ing new archaeological findings, and the benefit of improved readings of epi- graphic sources such as papyri, or early manuscripts of rabbinic texts, which stimulate new insights into Jewish history. The systematic analysis of the pri- mary sources, their collection, collation, and integration with previous data, must necessarily come before any effort to elucidate antiquity. Based on a solid platform of primary evidence, the balanced and judicious application of new approaches to reading ancient sources can impact greatly on the way we inter- pret the past. Modern research challenges traditional understandings of Jewish texts, recasts the histories of formative events and people, and questions fun- damental ideas and beliefs. This volume, reasserting the importance of this set of priorities offers new innovative studies, many of an interdisciplinary nature, in the broad field of ancient Judaism. It is dedicated to Tal Ilan as a tribute to her in recognition of the importance of her pioneering scholarship in ancient Judaism. II Tal Ilan was born on Kibbutz Lahav in the Negev desert on January 21st, 1956. She studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and in 1991, submitted her PhD thesis on the subject, Jewish Women in Palestine during the Hellenistic- Roman Period (332BCE–200CE). This thesis was written initially under the supervision of the late Menahem Stern z”l, whose murder deeply affected the scholarly world. Subsequently, Tal finished her thesis with Isaiah Gafni as her supervisor. For many years Tal taught in the Department of the History of the Jewish People at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2003 she became Pro- fessor of Jewish Studies at the Freie Universität in Berlin. Furthermore, Tal has received fellowships and lectured at many universities throughout the world, including the universities of Frankfurt and Oldenburg in Germany; Harvard, © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2018 | doi: 10.1163/9789004366985_002 2 introduction Yale, and the Jewish Theological Seminary in the United States; the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute, and Ben Gurion University in Israel; Trinity College in Ireland, and Oxford and Leo Baeck College in England. Tal Ilan impresses those who meet and get to know her with her enthusiasm and her dedication to the subject of her research. The long list of her publica- tions testifies to her commitment and her creativity (see below). Tal’s academic interests focus on Judaism in antiquity, rabbinic literature, Jewish onomastics and gender studies and she has initiated and collaborated in a number of major projects to advance research in these fields. Although Tal herself always insists on being a historian of Late Antiquity, by no means does she represent the tra- ditional approach to history. Tal has combined two seemingly diametrically opposed subjects into a highly innovative and pioneering scholarly attitude: women’s studies and Late Antique/rabbinic literature. What started as a topic for a PhD turned into a lifetime’s project. With her trilogy on Women in the Sec- ond Temple period and in Late Antiquity, Tal tackled a huge corpus of sources with a hitherto completely neglected question: Where are the women? Beginning with her PhD, Women in Second Temple Literature, continuing with Mine and Yours are Hers, and finally with Integrating Women, Tal has explored gender issues in the vast corpus of the Bible, in Hellenistic and in rab- binic literature, and integrated feminist historiography into the treatment of these sources. Cautiously balancing the relationship between text and method- ology, Tal has introduced a methodological innovation into the traditional schools of historical inquiry. Her research is characterized not only by her awareness of methodological subtleties, but she has also dared to give auda- cious interpretations and new possible readings to sources which had been read in a much more traditional, if not to say, male-sighted way. In her many publications, Tal does not always stick to history in the strict sense, but she also demonstrates a sensitivity to language, text, textual traditions, and different lay- ers of interpretation which have all contributed substantially to her innovative readings of the sources. This new approach has not been accepted unequivocally. Tal has encoun- tered critical voices, but also won over a steadily growing number of followers which has resulted in numerous studies published on the subject. A new phase began when Tal became Professor of Jewish Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin in 2003. She expanded her activities by launching the ambitious project of the Feminist Commentary on the Babylonian Talmud and engaged a number of younger scholars as well as several senior ones. The successful collaboration has resulted in eight volumes published so far, and more are in preparation. It is to be hoped that this project will continue and cover as many tractates as possible..