In this new edition of a best-selling classic, Shaye Cohen offers a thorough analysis of Judaism's development from the early years of the Roman Empire to the formative period of rabbinic Judaism. Cohen's synthesis of religion, literature, and history offers deep insight into the nature of Judaism at this key period, including the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, the function of Jewish religion in the larger community, and the development of normative Judaism and other Jewish sects. In addition, Cohen provides clear explanations concerning the formation of the biblical canon and the roots of rabbinic Judaism. Now completely updated and revised, this book remains the clearest introduction to the era that shaped Judaism and provided the context for early Christianity.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Limited but Brilliant:
If a history of the Jewish polity from about 167 BCE to 70 CE is part of what you are looking for here, you will need to look elsewhere. The text is comprised of an introduction and six stand alone essays. This material concerns the socio-religious development of the proto-Judaism of 539 BCE into the Rabbinic Judaism of 600 CE with a concentration on the period from 167 BCE to 200 CE, hence the title, "From the Maccabees to the Mishnah." In an era where government and religion were co-joined to each other,... more info
Excellent Cultural History of the Period. Buy It and Read It!:
`From the Maccabees to the Mishnah, Second Edition' by Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy at Harvard, Shaye J. D. Cohen, is a type of book I always dread and revere at the same time, after having reviewed lesser books on the same subject, and after having given these lesser books relatively high scores.
Professor Cohen's book is a fine example of a scholarly (read scrupulously accurate and judicious in its opinions) book which is also relatively easy for a lay person, that... more info
Jewish identity from the time of the Maccabees:
"But for Shaye Cohen, ..., the subject of Jewish identity from the first century B.C.E. ... is not only fascinating in itself but has many parallels with the efforts of people in our own pluralistic and secular society to preserve ethnic or religious identities." Ken Gewertz Maccabees & the Mishnah:
The Mishnah (Hebrew: repetition), was redacted ca 200 CE by Yehudah Ha-Nasi (Judah the Prince), is the first written recording of the oral law of the Jewish people, as championed by the... more info
Wraps Around Early Christianity:
Early in his book, Shaye Cohen points out that Christianity is responsible for the use of the term "late Judaism." The term was disparaging and meant to suggest that 2nd Temple Judaism was in dire need of an infusion, i.e. Christianity. Moreover after Christianity came along, "late Judaism" suggested that Judaism could be altogether ignored despite the fact that Judaism has continued to flourish for the last couple of millenia.
So Cohen's book wraps around early Christianity in terms of time and thought.... more info
