Essay #2- Judaism and Hellenism: Defining Hellenism in relation to Judaism.

Variety in
Jewish responses to contact with Greek culture.
Hellenism
Alexander- Macedonian- low class greek, learned with Aristotle as a
young boy, Macedonia is the territory in modern day Greece
His policy was homonoia, which is the thought that we should all be of
the same mind, after he saw how great greek ideals were
Actively promoted Greek language
Builds polis- city- main organizational unit of the Hellenistic empires
They had gymnasiums- administrative center, theaters, public baths
This is not atheninan democracy- this is conquest
When he dies, his kingdom splits into 4 separate pieces- his successors
are called didochi
The one who had control over the Israeli part was Ptolemy
The biggest area was ruled by seleucus, which eventually ended up
taking over Israel
Greco Roman- the Romans did not turn to Latin, they kept Greek
because they admired greek culture
The instruments of Hellenization- language
Gradual adaptation for it instead of Aramaic and Hebrew
Adaptation of GREEK NAMES
Adoption of Greej uducational institutuions
Growth of jewish Hellenistic literatre and philosophy
And art
Defining Hellenism- a couple of generations ago, we had dichotomies,
either you were Hellenized or you werent
Now, we think that things werent this black and white
Complex combinations
The extreme left- reject Jewish heritage and completely adopt
Hellenistic culture
Very small group
Right- The dead sea sect is one example- torah all day, extremely
closed off, ascetisicism, but some still seeped in
Monday, February 16, 2015
There were also Jews in the middle- middle right and middle left- they
tried to strike a balance
The middle left tried to accommodate the Jewish traditions in to the
Hellenistic worldview
Middle right accepted a shell of Hellenism but the core was Jewsih
Middle right may include hazal
Things that were strange in Jewish culture to the grecco romanscircumcision, Shabbat, dietary laws, and worship of a single imageless
god with a special relationaship with the Jewish people

Appolonius Molon- important roman philosopher who wrote a whole

book against the Jews, and Josephus wrote a book systematically going
against him
The romans believed in a divine pyramid- one god on top, then the
great gods, then local gods, then the lowest level,
They were most likely to worship the lowest gods- the higher gods
were served less frequently
Letter of Aristeuas- written by a Jew, claiming to be aristeas
Aristeas was a advisor to the king, and this Jews writes in his name
that Jews call God god but its the same god as the greeks
Another way to make Judaism disappear or less bothersome is through
allegory
Allegory- the representation of abstract idea through characters etc.
This could have been used though to make Jewish law unnecessaryand philo did strongly believe in keeping the commandments- but he
complains about Jews who did this
Philo believed that the halacha is the body and the soul is the essence
of the halacha, and we have to keep both
He criticizes those who say that only the allegorical meaning is
important
The rabbis feared allegorical interpretations in general because they
feared what the Christians were doing with it in that they said the
actual law isnt important anymrre
Nevertheless, the rabbis never fully accepted philo, as we see he did
not make it into the cannon, and they never even mention him, but
they were probably in the same group- the middle right
Alexandria was the biggest diasporan community in the second temple
period. Philo was from there
Rambam knew about philo and read him in Arabic
Philo- 20 bce- 45 ce
He wrote history
Philosophy
And biblical exegesis
- his philosophy was attracting to the Christian church fathers, was part
of the neoplatanic trend which discussed how a spiritual god can
manifest iin the physical world
philo believed in the logos- word- he identifies logos as the son of god
he reads the torha in an interesting way, interpreting it literally and
figuratively and the same tiem
he also explains taameh hamisvot
he always shows how the torah is better than Hellenism- one of the
reasons is because it has a purer form and is monotheistic
allegory- saying like- this river represents courage, or adam harishon
represents the intellect- mashal is learning a lesson from a story
Jews start to write in Greek- 2 3 4 maccabees

Ben sira- originally written in Hebrew, and translated to greek by his

grandson
Josephus
Jewish Hellenistic authors- philo the epic poet, ezekial the tragedian,
artapanus, eupolemus
Dactylic hexameter- the meter which homer wrote his poems
Philo the epic poet (another guy) writes about Jerusalem in the same
meter
The jews are looked at as lepers by the greeks and they interpret
everything in history as us being very bad- these authors above wrote
counterhistories to these greek propagandas
Artopanus said greek culture is amazing, but it is all because of the
jews
Talmud Bavli Megillah 9b- the only language you can write the holy
books in is Greek- Rav Abhu says this is the halacha (rabbi shimon ben
gamliel)
Rav abhu let his daughter learn greek, as an ornament
Rabbi said in sotah 49b- why use Aramaic- either use the holy tongue
or greek
The rabbis thus welcomed greek language
Hagiga 18a- about aher- he was very educated in greek, and he learnt
books of the minim

Judaism and Hellenism

Hellenism Hellas is the word for Greece. The world is starting to be
influenced by the West instead of the East. Cultural influence that Alexander
the Great brought to the Eastern places he conquered.
Timeline and Map! see slides!!
Alexander(student of Aristotle maybe) destroyed Persians with his innovative
military technique called The Phalanx
After Alexander dies, his empire is cut up into 4 parts the Diadochi the
generals who split it up. Egypt Ptolemy. Selecus/Selucid is to the east all
the way down to India pretty much. Asia Minor and other one.
Alexanders philosophy Homonoia same mind changing everyones
hearts to the Greek ideal. Have cities- the polis. Emphasis on aesthetics,
physical body, exercising, gymnast means naked, the place you go naked, to
exercise. Also pursuit of knowledge, the sciences and philosophy and
metaphysics. A great clash and melding that changes the world Greek
tradition of philosophy and art encountering eastern cultures based on law
and religion, and particularly the encounter with torah changed the world.
274 201, the Syrian wars between and Israel is right in the middle and is
very tough for Jews. 1 Enoch is written to this time, claims to be written by
Hanoch but was written by a Jew at that time.
Alexanders Mission
1) Actively promoted using Greek language
2) Built Greek style cities with gymnasia, theaters, and public baths

3) Encouraged the adoption of Greek culture and religion throughout his

cities especially among the native upper class
(Attitudes of the Rabbis in Yerushalmi/Bavli and how they argued with each
other)
Major aspects of Jewish Hellenization
1) Adopting Greek language (as a substitute or in addition to Hebrew and
Aramaic)
2) Greek names
3) Greek institution
4) Jewish Hellenistic culture and philosophy
5) Religious syncretism in Jewish institutions and art(the zodiacs on floor
of synagogue, greek god helios in center)
Defining Hellenism
The Old Model: Rigid dichotomies
Alexander tried to Conquer and force it on anyone

Greek vs. Hebrew

Polytheism vs. Monotheism

Greek philophy vs. Jewish Scripture

Assimilated Diaspora Judaism vs. Judaism of Israel

Rigid dichotomy either accept it or reject it (20-30 yrs old)

New Model: The Process of Hellenization
1) More than just simply accepting or rejecting there is influence both
ways. Hellenization in the ancient world was as much a process of
selection, adoption and adaptation as it was of conquest and
subjugation
2) Not just west influencing east but both west and east influencing each
other in varying degrees and complex combinations. You will see
different degrees of openness. (also, it was pure Greek culture.
Alexander was Macedonian, not Greek and it passed through many
eastern cities before it got to Israel so there was already a mixture)
What did we give Greeks?
1) Bible. Non Jews start keeping kosher and attending synagogue.
2) Monotheism. And suddenly Jews have angels, dead-sea sect there was
even one who challenged G-d)

When history is simple and clean, its probably not true even though its
comfortable not accurate
Jewish Reactions to Hellenization
1) The Left: Apostates composed a vast minority. For instance, Philos
nephew, Tiberias Julius Alexander assimilated. It is very rare for Jews to
give up their Judaism completely.
Reasons:
1) to fit in socially
2) to make more money
3) to gain political power
4) disgruntled intellectuals
A few Jewish Laws made them feel weird:
1) Circumcision. Greco-Romans thought this was barbaric and couldnt
believe it. They worshipped beauty of body and were open sexually
with nudity
2) Shabbat. Think Jews are lazy and its a way out of doing duties
3) Dietary laws pork and shellfish are the best. If you cant eat with
someone you cant intermarry
4) Worshipping single imageless G-d, with a special relation ship
with the Jewish people this is the height of arrogance, how do you
explain it.(many even agreed though it was ridiculous for god to have a
human body. Like Vero)
2) The Right: Reject Greek forms (such as language, pottery, etc.)
Extreme ones even philosophy. Kumrans moved to a desert and said
those in Jerusalem were terrible and they separated from them also.
They though Mashiach was coming to them. But Hellenistic culture still
got to them called themselves Yachad (unity) same things Greeks
called themselves, also they wanted to make utopian society like
Greeks (were killed by Romans)
3) The Middle of the Road Jews : Majority
a. Jews who wanted to accommodate Jewish tradition to Hellenism (i.e.
how can we make Jewish tradition fit better with the new and
cutting-edge cultural values?)
b. Jews who wanted to accommodate Hellenism to Jewish tradition
(how can we best absorb new cultural elements into our sacred
traditional culture?)
(Key both of them want to remain Jews)(Again, this is a heuristic
device we dont know if it is objective truth)
Jewish American or American Jew. How much do you accept the non-Jews.
Group A if they have the 4 big things separating them, what do you do? 1)
Apollonius Molon on the JewsAgainst Apian). They believe God of Israel was

the same as Supreme power of Greeks. You can call him Hashem, you can
call him Zeus/Jupiter/Other Deities. Whatever you wanna call him. (Fake
Aristeas a minister who served Ptolemy Jews worship Same God, Hashem
as all other men, we just call him by different names like Zeus . Jews leave
inscriptions at Temples saying just to God Majority of Jews didnt buy into
this but even high priests
Judaism among Greco-Roman religions many commonalities
World run by a supernatural force/God

God was to be honored in a temple w/particular forms of prayer and

service/korbanot

Prayers were for communal a personal needs like peace, fertility,

health

Practice more important than belief

Greco-Roman Religions had this Divine Pyramid angels under etc. (see
slides maybe)
One more strategy --wanted to get rid of laws without getting rid of torah
call the Torah Allegory.
Allegory: representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters,
figures, or laws even or events in narrative dramatic or pictorial form. Like
Rambam says Adam and Hava were allegory. Adam represents human
intellect, Eve represents emotion and passion, and the snake represents
Dimayon, imagination. When the snake wants to seduce he goes to the
emotion, not the intellect. Its only your passion that takes you off the pa
Philo complains about how he hates some people. Ex. Circumcision
represents cutting off lust, but in reality you can circumcise. I just want the
spiritual message.(this was key to Christianity). A pig represents filth, you
should keep yourself clean.
Group B Jews who wanted to accommodate Hellenism to Jewish tradition.
- A. Jewish Hellenistic authors
-

B. philo/ the jewish Alexandrian

C. Rabbis

A. Jewish Hellenistic Authors.

1. Eupolemus c.150 BCE It was really Moses who taught the alphabet
to the Jews, who in turn passed it on to the Phoenicians, who finally
transmitted to the Greeks. (this is closer to reality than what people
think that the Greeks created the alphabet)
2. Artapanus(c100) Moshe was the true founder of the Greek arts of
navigation, architecture, strategy, and philosophy(and taught Plato
who lived 800 yrs later). Abraham taught astrology in the world,

Joseph was the first to divide up the land of Egypt systematically.

(this literature is polemic)
3. Cleodemus (c100) Boasts that two of the sons of Abraham
accompanied Hercules in his campaign against Libya and that
Hercules married the daughter of one of them.(he is maybe Group
A)
4. Ezekiel the tragedian wrote tragedies int eh trimetric style of
Eurepedes. We have one thats lost called Exodus which may have
been performed in the theater in Jerusalem on Pesach.
Philo
The crowning Jewel of Jewish education in Alexandria which he claims had a
million Jews.This powerful Jewish forced. What happened to them? They were
destroyed by pogroms starting in 1st century C.E. by the time of the Bar
Kochva revolt there is no one left(within 100 years)
Philo was wealthy and educated. He allegorizes the 4 rivers of Bereshit and
compares them to the 4 cardical virtues of Plato. But Torah has primacy
because he is interpreting it.
The Rabbis
2500- 3000 Greek terms in their language. In Megillah 9b you
canwrite the Torah in no other language except the beautiful Greek
language
Sota 49b Rebbi why use Syrian in the land of Israel? Either use
holy tongue or Greek!
so they respected greek language.
Theres a big debate though about studying Greek wisdom. Hagigah
18a It was said about Acher when he would leave the yeshiva the
books of the Minim would fall off his lap
Mishna Sotah 9:14 During war of Titus, they legislated that a man
shouldnt teach his son Greek
Sotah 49b Some say allowed, some say only household of Rabban
Gamliel could study because they were aristocrats. So language was
accepted but Greek wisdom was debatable.
1. Hellenistic jewish authors portrayed jewish culture as older/superior
2. Philo made Judaism look even better than best greek philosophy
through allegorical interepretation of Lxx
3. Rabbis used greek language/theoretical models to package jewish
legal and theological ideas.
Septuagint
The Greek translation of the Bible. Really its the number 70, thats why its
called LXX. Humash rest of Tanach was really translated later though the
whole thing was called Septuagint.

Alexandrian community said this was perfecttranslation and they said it

was amazing and Hashem wanted it. But really it wasnt that accurate.It was
translated during Ptolemy the Second during 3rd century BCE.
Septuagints Importance
1. Greek speaking Jews could now get by without knowing Hebrew at all
2. The Hebrew terms and concepts of the Bible were now identical with
many of the terms and concepts of Plato, Aristotle, and the other great
Greek philosophers.
3. The previously mysterious ideas of the Jews became accessible to the
entire Greco-Roman world. (who perceived the Jews as intellectuals
and wanted this knowledge)
Great book by Thomas Kuhn, and also one more by Bein did the Greeks
believe their own myths
Non-Jews came to synagogue and were very interesting in Judaism
without becoming Jews. Were very upset about the whole having to
circumcise thing. the vanquished have given laws to their victors.
Josephus talks about Greeks who have veneration for our laws.
The New Testament talks about a group of Goyim called the god-fearers.
They went to synagogue on Shabbat, kept kashrut, observed jeiwh
holidays, fasted on jewish holidays. But maybe held on to their household
gods too and didnt do brit milah. But they also donated to synagogues.
----examples of mistakes in the Septuigant, see the slides-----------------(jo
angel thinks the story was just there to authorize it, but it didnt really
happen)
The Maccabean Revolt
History
201 Antiochus III takes EY from the Ptolemies(called himself Alexander
Megas(the Great)
Ca. 180 Ben sSra writes his book of wisdom
175 Antiochus 4 reingns, Jason buy high priesthood(Onias ran to Egypt
and set up a Temple in Heliopolis with similar dimensions). Jason starts
making the city into a polis, builds roads, gymnasium, and wants to
rename Jerusalem to Antioch.(We can still keep laws and have Temples, so
ok)
172 Menelaus replaces Jason buys Jason out, takes Temple funds to pay
for it. Hes an even bigger Hellenizer.
169 Jasons uprising against Menelaus. Antiochus 4 defeated in Egypt.
Jasons uprising against Menelaus
169 Antiochus attacks Jerusalem and loots the Temple
168 Seleucid forces take over Jerusalem
167-164 Persecution of Jews. No Shabbat, no circumcision, made jews
sacrifice bigs. Judahs victories
Kislev, 164 Hannukat ha-Bayit. Hasidim stop fighting. Maccabees fight on.
When Antiochus 3 came in, he followed Alexanders example and authorized
Jews to keep their laws. (Antiquities of the Jews 12:138-146) He frees the

slaves and gives money to the Bet Hamikdash. Huge fine for a gentile going
to temple or letting unclean animals into the city.
Ben Sira 50:1-4 says how great a Kohen Gadol Shimon HaTzaddik was,
repaired the house, fortified the temple (compares him almost to Yoshiyahu
and Hizkiyau with the same Hebrew) and loved him
Question What was the reason for the persecution??? This was never done
before that time
1) Antiochus was an enthusiastic Hellenist and Refusal of Jews to keep it
= Persecution. This is unlikely because Hellenists never did this!!
Though they did refuse, until Samaritons. But the question here is why
didnt the Jews revolt in 175? And the Greeks didnt persecute others
either.
2) Cultural Unification as Political Strengthening. Antiochus wanted to
unite his kingdom bc of pressure from the romans. The center of his
unification was Himself(Daniel 11:36) Maccabees 1 he said everyone
should leave his laws so we could be united. Problem Zeus-worship
was pushed but it wasnt forced by Antiochus. But there are coins we
found portraying Antiochus as Zeus.
3) By Elias Bickerman the God of the Maccabees ==
Antiochus didnt know what to forbid. Jason and Menelaus were
Enlighted reformers and they helped Antiochus and they wanted to
make all the Jews Hellenized. And they forced the lifestyle on the Jews.
Proof 1 Maccabees 11-13, 2 Maccabees 4:9-10
Persecution is not the cause of the Revolt Its the result why didnt
the revolt happen in 175 is the big question
4) Tzerekovers scheme -----------I missed the lasted 2 minutes of class
here