Early Judaism

4. Early Judaism

The destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E. initiated massive political, social, and religious changes among the survivors. The character of biblical faith and society changed markedly due to this crisis. Israel would not exist again as a sovereign state until the second century B.C.E. The disappearance of the temple from Jerusalem (and therefore the ability to offer sacrifices) initiated a reconsideration of what could constitute worship. The changes were so fundamental that the debacle of 587 marks the shift from a people called the Israelites to a people called the Jews. Their religion came to be called Judaism.

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Praying Jew, by Marc Chagall (1887-1985) 1923, Art Institute of Chicago -- CGFA

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    This time also marks the beginning of a significant branching of Israelite people. The exile of thousands of Judeans to Babylonia was the start of an enduring population of Jews who live outside the Promised Land. Some would later return when given the opportunity, but many chose to remain expatriates indefinitely while retaining a Jewish identity. This scattered group of Jews is called the Diaspora, and their lifestyle is called Diaspora Judaism. They lived in Babylonia, Persia, Syria, Anatolia, and Egypt; anywhere but in Palestine.
    The Jews who continued to live in the Promised Land are called Palestinian Jews, and their lifestyle Palestinian Judaism. The character of Diaspora Judaism often differed markedly from that of Palestinian Judaism because it was more open to influences from non-Jewish culture. Palestinian Judaism was more conservative and traditional, as defined by the Hebrew Bible. There were no doubt many Jews who intermarried with non-Jews and assimilated to the local population, but they cease to be part of the mainstream biblical tradition.