Professor Marc Saperstein
A survey of Messianism as a central force in Jewish history, stressing both theoretical implications and concrete manifestations. Topics include Biblical Messianism, the origins of Christianity as a Jewish messianic movement, medieval speculations, the Sabbatian movement, Zionism.
(This course is being offered in conjunction with Blackboard. More detailed information about individual sessions, links for additional resources, and a chat room for discussing issues pertaining to the course, will be available. Most important: assigned readings of primary sources and secondary works in addition to the two required books will be accessible through Blackboard in the Gelman electronic reserve, enabling you to access them from your own computer. In addition some sources are available through links on Blackboard.)
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Marc Saperstein, ed., Essential Papers on Messianic Movements and Personalities in Jewish History (bookstore)
Harris Lenowitz, The Jewish Messiahs: From the Galilee to Crown Heights (bookstore)
The Bible (any translation, including New Testament)
Sources accessible through Blackboard e-reserve or links under the appropriate session; please print and bring to class.
(*indicates that the text should be brought to class)
COURSE OUTLINE:
1. Th, Sept 2: Introduction to the Course, Origins in the Bible
Readings:
From the *Bible (to be read in class)
Gen 49:10, Num 24:1718, Deut 30:110
2 Sam 7:129
2. Tu, Sept 7: Prophetic Eschatology
Readings:
From the *Bible
Amos 5:1820, 9:715
Isaiah 2:14, 11:112
Jeremiah 23:58, chapters
3133
Saperstein, 131, Schweid in Saperstein, 5362
Lenowitz, 321
3. Th, Sept 9: Prophetic Eschatology, cont.
Readings:
From the *Bible:
Ezekiel 20:3038, 34:1130, chapters 3739
4. Tu, Sept. 14: Messianism and Apocalyptic in the Second Commonwealth
Readings:
From the *Bible:
Isaiah 44:2145:7,
49:2226, chapters 52 and 53
Zechariah chapters 9, 1214
Daniel chapters 79, 12
Thursday, Sept 16: No Meeting: Rosh Hashanah (see Lev. 23:23-25; Neh. 8:1-12)
5. Tu, Sept 21: Messianic Ideas and Popular Movements in the First Century: The "Jesus Movement"
Readings:
From the *New Testament:
Matthew 1, 16:1320,
17:113, chapters 2728
Acts 3:1124, 8:2640
Revelation 19:1121:4
Lenowitz, 2349
Werblowsky, Smith, Horsley in Saperstein, pp. 3545, 7398
Recommended Reading: see link in Blackboard
6. Th, Sept 23: Messianism and Rebellion (The Great Revolt, the Bar Kokhba Revolt)
Readings:
Lenowitz, 49-59
Horsley in Saperstein, pp. 98-106
Recommended Readings: see links in Blackboard
7. Tu, Sept 28: Messianic Doctrines in the Talmud
Readings:
*Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 96a99a (e-reserve)
Thursday, Sept 30: No Meeting: First Day of Sukkot (see Lev. 23:33-43)
8. Tu, Oct 5: Messianic Doctrines in the Talmud and Midrash
Readings:
*Pesikta Rabbati, Piska 36 (e-reserve)
Short written exercise¾approx. 4 pages¾analyzing Pesikta Rabbati, Piska 36, due in class Tues, Oct 5 (will not be accepted late)
Thursday, Oct 7: No Meeting: Shemini Atzeret (see Lev. 23:39 end)
9. Tu, Oct 12: Messianic Movements under early Islam
Readings:
Baron in Saperstein, pp. 162-86
Friedlander in Saperstein, pp. 11361
Lenowitz, 6179
10. Th, Oct 14: Messianic Movements under early Islam, continued
Readings:
*Steven Wasserstrom, Between Muslim and Jew: the Problem of Symbiosis in Early Islam (Princeton, 1995), chap. 2, pp. 52-88 (e-reserve)
11 . Tu, Oct 19: Medieval Systematizations
Readings:
*Saadia Gaon and Maimonides (e-reserve)
*Schweid in Saperstein, pp. 6265
Berger in Saperstein, pp. 2505
12. Th, Oct 21: Messianic Movements in the Crusader Period
Readings:
Goitein, Cohen, and Baron in Saperstein, pp. 189249
Lenowitz, 65-66, 8191, 22729
13. Tu, Oct 26: Messianism in JewishChristian Disputation
Readings:
Moses ben Nahman, Disputation (e-reserve)
Short written exercise¾approx. 4 pages¾analyzing Disputation due in class Tues, Oct 26 (will not be accepted late)
14. Th, Oct 28: In the Wake of the Expulsion
Readings:
Lenowitz, 93123, 136-47
Tishby in Saperstein, pp. 25986
15. Tu, Nov 2: The Sabbatian Movement: Beginnings
Readings:
Lenowitz, pp. 149-56
*Matt Goldish, The Early Messianic Career of Shabbatai Zvi, in Judaism in Practice, pp. 470-82 (e-reserve)
*Rycaut, from The Jew in the Medieval World, pp. 295-303 (e-reserve)
Scholem in Saperstein, pp. 289-307
16. Th, Nov. 4: The Sabbatian Movement: Climax
Readings:
Lenowitz, pp. 156-60, 231-35
Scholem, pp. 307-15
17. Tu, Nov. 9: The Sabbatian Movement: After the Conversion
Readings:
Lenowitz, pp. 160-165
Scholem and Davies in Saperstein, pp. 315374
18. Th, Nov 11: Jacob Frank
Readings:
Lenowitz, pp. 16797
19. Tu, Nov 16: Messianism in the early Hasidic Movement
Readings:
Lenowitz, pp. 199214
Dinur and Green in Saperstein, pp. 374432
20. Th, Nov. 18: Yemenite Messiahs of the 19th Century
Readings:
Lenowitz, pp. 22527, 23562
(optional: Morgenstern in Saperstein, pp. 43355)
Short written exercise¾approx. 5-6 pages¾on texts in Lenowitz, pp. 23739 and 242245 middle, due in class Thurs, Nov 18 (will not be accepted late)
21. Tu, Nov 23: Messianism and Modernity: Enlightenment and Emancipation
Readings:
Selections from The Jew in the Modern World (e-reserve)
Thurs, Nov 25: Happy Thanksgiving
22. Tu, Nov 30: Messianism and Modernity: The Reform Movement
Readings:
Selections from The Jew in the Modern World (e-reserve)
23. Th, Dec 2: Contemporary Messianism: Redemptive Zionism, Gush Emunim
Readings:
Schweid, Katz, Tal, Kellner in Saperstein, pp. 6570, 475518
24. Tu, Dec 7: Contemporary Messianism: Chabad Hasidism
Readings:
Lenowitz, pp. 21523, 263-76
NB: final paper due at 2142 G Street on Monday, December 13, by 5:00 P.M. (see below)
All Students must take the Final Examination
REQUIREMENTS:
The requirements for the course are as follows:
1. Analysis of a passage from Midrash Pesikta Rabbati, Piska 36 (ca. 4 pages, due Tuesday, October 5) (10%)
2. Analysis of a passage from Nahmanides Disputation (ca. 4 pages, due Tuesday, October 26) (10%)
3. Analysis of texts on a 19th-century Yemenite messianic figure (5-6 pages, due Thursday, November 18) (15)
3. Final Paper on a relevant topic approved in consultation with the instructor (1215 pages, due on Monday, December 13 (30%)
4. Final exam (30%)
5. Preparation for and participation in class discussion (5%).
Instructor's Office Hours are Tuesdays from 4:00-5:30 and Wednesdays from 23:30 in 2142 G Street, second floor (Judaic Studies Building). Students are welcome and encouraged to come and discuss any issues arising from the material of the course.
In order to receive accommodations on the basis of disability, students with special needs must give notice and provide proper documentation to the Office of Disability Support Services, Marvin Center 436, 9948250.