What was a "teruah" trumpet blast?

ROSH HASHANAH IS COMING: Rosh Hashanah: The Original Meaning of Blowing a Teruah (Rabbi Shawn Ruby, TheTorah.com).

Rosh Hashanah in the Torah is described as a day of teruah, a reference to one of the two types of blasts: a regular horn blast (tekiah) and a teruah blast. Interpreters ancient and modern understand the distinction as differing in sound, length, or pitch, but the biblical description of the shofar blowing during the siege of Jericho implies that the nature of a teruah lies in the people’s response to the blast.

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From Paul to John within Judaism

ANCIENT JEW REVIEW: SBL 2021 Panel I Adele Reinhartz on John Within Judaism.

My main argument is that situating John within Judaism provides a comfortable answer to the uncomfortable question of anti-Judaism. I pinpoint three basic strategies, which I identify as historiographical, logical, and evangelical. All three are examples of Christian apologetics, at least in my view, if not in the view of their proponents.

This essay is part of a series. I noted the first three essays in it here.

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More on "The Samaritans"

EXHIBITION: New museum exhibit seeks to show Samaritans are more than a biblical parable. The Samaritans: A Biblical People,' opened Sept. 16 at the Museum of the Bible and includes artifacts spanning from the second century before the Common Era to contemporary paintings made in the past couple of years (Menachem Wecker, Religion News Service).

[Steven] Fine co-curated the exhibit “The Samaritans: A Biblical People,” which opened Sept. 16 at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, and edited a new scholarly volume of the same title. He was academic adviser to the first-ever Samaritan cookbook in 2020 and to a new documentary about Samaritans by filmmaker Moshe Alafi.

An informative article.

Background here and links.

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Review of Berthelot, Jews and their Roman rivals

BRYN MAYR CLASSICAL REVIEW: Jews and their Roman rivals: pagan Rome’s challenge to Israel.

Katell Berthelot, Jews and their Roman rivals: pagan Rome's challenge to Israel. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2021. Pp. 552. ISBN 9780691199290 $45.00.

Review by
Amit Gvaryahu, Hebrew University. amit.gvaryahu@mail.huji.ac.il

... This is a broad and ambitious book. Even without accepting all of its readings, or even the broadest version of its thesis, it will be an important reference point for years to come. Berthelot’s Jewish corpus spans four centuries, from the books of Maccabees to the middle stratum of rabbinic literature, known as amoraic literature. ...

I noted the publication of the book here.

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Byzantine-era mosaic found in Gaza

DECORATIVE ART: Unearthed Byzantine mosaic hailed as one of Gaza’s greatest archaeological treasures. Discovered and painstakingly excavated by an olive farmer planting a tree, find sparks excitement among archeologists, but also concern it could be damaged in conflict-ravaged zone (FARES AKRAM, Times of Israel).

The patch of land holding the mosaic is about 500 square meters (5,400 square feet) and three dug-out spots reveal glimpses of the mosaic.

The largest of the holes in the ground, about 2 meters by 3 meters (6 feet by 9 feet), has the 17 drawings of animals. The other two show intricate patterns of tiles. Roots of an old olive tree have damaged parts of the mosaic, which appears to be about 23 square meters (250 square feet) altogether in size.

According to archaeologist René Elter, the mosaic dates to the fifth to seventh centuries CE. There are photos.

The Jerusalem Post also covers the story: Gaza farmer uncovers Ancient Byzantine-era mosaic floors - watch. The Byzantine-era site was uncovered about half a mile away from the border with Israel by Suleiman al-Nabahin, a Gazan farmer (Tzvi Joffre). There is a video.

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Four Aramaic inscriptions excavated in eastern Turkey

ARAMAIC WATCH: Aramaic four inscriptions found for the first time in eastern Turkey (Oğuz Büyükyıldırım, Arkeonews).

The excavation director, Erol Uslu, is quoted as follows:

“Four inscriptions with Aramaic inscriptions carved into the surface of the outer walls were found. Scientific studies are continuing on these inscriptions. Four inscriptions need to be analyzed and translated in order to provide a clear periodical information. The first data is that this structure belongs to the Parthian Empire period. It must say that there are serious data and findings that the Persians and Parthians established dominance in this region after the Urartian period. Apart from the ancient city of Zernaki Tepe [that is, the site being excavated - JRD], no architectural remains from the Parthian Empire period have been recorded in the museum records to date. We saw that these typefaces, which we define as Aramaic, were used for the first time in this ancient city.”

It sounds as though the inscriptions have not been deciphered. There is a photo, but it is not very informative.

For more on the Parthian Empire, see here and links, plus here.

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"The Samaritans" at the Museum of the Bible

EXHIBITION: First-of-its-kind exhibition about Samaritans opens in Washington. The exhibition at the Museum of the Bible features some of the most important objects from Samaria’s history (All Israel News).

“Created in partnership with the Yeshiva University Center for Israel Studies, directed by Dr. Steven Fine, the exhibition is the first of its kind,” the Museum of the Bible said on its website, noting that it “will offer unprecedented access to the life, culture and history of the Samaritans.”

For more on the exhibition at YU, see here.

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Oegema et al. (eds.), Overcoming Dichotomies (Mohr Siebeck)

NEW BOOK FROM MOHR SIEBECK:Overcoming Dichotomies. Parables, Fables, and Similes in the Graeco-Roman World. Edited by Albertina Oegema, Jonathan Pater, and Martijn Stoutjesdijk. 2022. XV, 508 pages. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 483. 164,00 € including VAT. cloth ISBN 978-3-16-161157-5.

Published in English.
This volume aims to broaden our understanding of the related genres of parables, fables, and similes in the Graeco-Roman world. These genres, which make use of narrative analogy, appear in early Christian and ancient Jewish literatures and in various Graeco-Roman sources. However, despite the fact that these texts were part of the wider cultural context of Graeco-Roman antiquity, they have not yet been thoroughly studied in relation to each other. The present volume brings together contributions on a range of Graeco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian sources, so as to contribute to the study of parables, fables, and similes across disciplinary boundaries. The contributions highlight the fluid boundaries between these different genres, but also demonstrate how their adoption and adaption in different literary works give expression to the distinct identities of the composers.

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Was Elizabeth a "Palestinian?"

RELIGION PROF: Elizabeth the Palestinian? I agree with James McGrath that applying the term to Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist in this context is misleading.

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Regev, The Social Archaeology of Late Second Temple Judaea (Routledge)

NEW BOOK FROM ROUTLEDGE:

The Social Archaeology of Late Second Temple Judaea
From Purity, Burial, and Art, to Qumran, Herod, and Masada

By Eyal Regev

Copyright Year 2023

Hardback
£120.00

eBook
£33.29

ISBN 9781138358881
Published July 20, 2022 by Routledge
286 Pages 45 B/W Illustrations

Book Description

This book analyzes social ideology and social relationships in late Second Temple Judaea, studying a range of archaeological material and sites to better understand both communal and individual trends in Jerusalem and its environs.

Using several different methodologies, the book brings to light new ideas about social trends such as individualism among Jews and Judeans during the late Second Temple period. It provides in-depth analysis of the social aspects of ritual baths, burial caves, ossuaries, and decorated oil lamps, as well as thorough examinations of the sites of Khirbet Qumran, Herod’s palaces, and Masada during the First Jewish Revolt against Rome.

Social Archaeology of the Late Second Temple Judaea is suitable for students and scholars interested in the history, society, and archaeology of the Jews in the Second Temple period as well as the social background of early Christianity, early Rabbinic Judaism, and Levantine archaeology.

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Comparing the Aleppo Codex with the Leningrad Codex

BIBLE HISTORY DAILY: Comparing Ancient Biblical Manuscripts. The Leningrad Codex and the Aleppo Codex are from the same period, so which is superior?

For many PaleoJudaica posts on the Aleppo Codex, start here and here and follow the links. For posts on the Leningrad Codex, see here and links (cf. here and here).

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Those Hanging Gardens of Babylon again

ANCIENT HORTICULTURAL ARCHITECTURE? A 2,500-Year-Old Mystery: The Hanging Gardens World Wonder. Scholars have no direct evidence of this ancient site in Babylon. Speculations vary about where it was located, how it looked and whether it actually existed among the seven wonders of the world (Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine).

This is a good article that covers the ancient evidence and brings the current scholarly debate up to date.

In sum, no archaeological excavation has recovered on evidence for those Hanging Gardens at the site of Babylon. Where does that leave us?

One possibility is that they are entirely legendary. Another is that later Greek authors (who produced what I call the Greek Fantasy Babylon tradition) accidentally misplaced hanging gardens of the Assyrian capital, Nineveh, to Babylon. But at least one Assyriologist thinks they could have been terranced along the huge walls of Babylon. Presumably that means that traces of them might not survive today.

The article asserts that the existence of the legendary Assyrian Queen Semiramis is debated, but I'm not sure what this means. There was an historical Assyrian Queen Shammuramat (cf. here) who ruled in the late eighth century BCE. She was clearly the inspiration for the legendary Queen Semiramis, whose apocryphal exploits included the founding of Babylon. No one doubts her existence or that she didn't found Babylon (which existed for many centuries before her).

Background here and links.

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The Cartagena Festival 2022

PUNIC WATCH: September 16 to 25 Fiestas de Cartaginenses y Romanos Cartagena 2022. The celebration of the Carthagenians and the Romans in Cartagena is one of the biggest Fiestas in the Region of Murcia (Murcia Today).

This is the only annual festival I know of which celebrates a town's Punic/Phoenician heritage. I have not been able to attend, but it sounds like fun.

Cartagena, Spain, was a Punic town (Carthago Nova - New Carthage) founded in the third century B.C.E. For more on its historical importance, notably in the Second Punic War, see here. I noted last year's festival here. Follow the links from there (plus, more recently, here) for more on the archaeology of the site and notices of past festivals.

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Five books on Kabbalah

KABBALAH WATCH: The Jewish Experience: 5 Must-Read Books on Kabbalah. Kabbalah, literally "reception" or "tradition" in Hebrew, is a vast and rich body of texts, ideas, and practices, dating to antiquity and a living tradition until today. (Yehudah Mirsky, Brandeis University).

I have noted the 2022 De Gruyter reprint (apparently) of the book by Arthur Green with the same title here.

The link for Ariel Evan Mayse, ed. From the Depth of the Well is broken. But you can find the book at the Paulist Press website here.

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Kaniel, Birth in Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis (De Gruyter)

NEW BOOK FROM DE GRUYTER:

Birth in Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis

Ruth Kara-Ivanov Kaniel

Volume 18 in the series Perspectives on Jewish Texts and Contexts
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110688023

PDF & EPUB £91.00

Hardcover £91.00

eBook
Published: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 9783110688023

Hardcover
Published: July 18, 2022
ISBN: 9783110687491

About this book

Birth in Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis examines the centrality of "birth" in Jewish literature, gender theory, and psychoanalysis, thus challenging the centrality of death in Western culture and existential philosophy. In this groundbreaking study, Ruth Kara-Ivanov Kaniel discuss similarities between Biblical, Midrashic, Kabbalistic, and Hasidic perceptions of birth, as well as its place in contemporary cultural and psychoanalytic discourse. In addition, this study shows how birth functions as a vital metaphor that has been foundational to art, philosophy, religion, and literature. Medieval Kabbalistic literature compared human birth to divine emanation, and presented human sexuality and procreation as a reflection of the sefirotic structure of the Godhead – an attempt, Kaniel claims, to marginalize the fear of death by linking the humane and divine acts of birth. This book sheds new light on the image of God as the "Great Mother" and the crucial role of the Shekhinah as a cosmic womb.　

Birth in Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis won the Gorgias Prize and garnered significant appreciation from psychoanalytic therapists in clinical practice dealing with birth trauma, postpartum depression, and in early infancy distress.

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Tar Heels at Huqoq

VOLUNTEER REPORT: UNC students participate in successful dig at an ancient synagogue. (Reagan Allen, The Daily Tar Heel).

While some students took on internships or indulged in travels this summer, 11 students and specialists from UNC participated in a dig at an ancient Jewish synagogue in Israel.

The group unearthed mosaics almost 1,600 years old in a synagogue at Huqoq, a village in Lower Galilee.

[...]

For the new Huqoq mosaics depicting Deborah and Jael, see here. Follow the links from there for much more on the Huqoq excavation.

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Ancient coins etc. seized in Hebron

APPREHENDED: Rare artifacts seized from man's home in Hebron.The items were reportedly looted from a cave near Tel Hebron and kept illegally by the man (Jerusalem Post).

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Dell (ed.), Cambridge Companion to Biblical Wisdom Literature

NEW BOOK FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS:

The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Wisdom Literature

Part of Cambridge Companions to Religion

EDITOR: Katherine J. Dell, University of Cambridge
DATE PUBLISHED: June 2022
AVAILABILITY: Available
FORMAT: Paperback
ISBN: 9781108716475

£ 34.99 Paperback

Description

Study of the wisdom literature in the Hebrew Bible and the contemporary cultures in the ancient Near Eastern world is evolving rapidly as old definitions and assumptions are questioned. Scholars are now interrogating the role of oral culture, the rhetoric of teaching and didacticism, the understanding of genre, and the relationship of these factors to the corpus of writings. The scribal culture in which wisdom literature arose is also under investigation, alongside questions of social context and character formation. This Companion serves as an essential guide to wisdom texts, a body of biblical literature with ancient origins that continue to have universal and timeless appeal. Reflecting new interpretive approaches, including virtue ethics and intertextuality, the volume includes essays by an international team of leading scholars. They engage with the texts, provide authoritative summaries of the state of the field, and open up to readers the exciting world of biblical wisdom.

• Offers a high quality overview of the state of studies of the wisdom literature at the present time
• Makes the volume user-friendly and accessible as a reference book to a wide range of readers
• Provides depth and breadth to readers with a range of relevant topics and overviews by key scholars

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Silver quarter shekel from Great Revolt returned to Israel

RECOVERED: U.S. Returns Rare Coin Minted by Jews During Rebellion From Rome. The silver quarter shekel, estimated to be worth as much as $1 million, was minted in the first century by Jews who created it as a statement of sovereignty during the uprising known as The Great Revolt (Tom Mashberg and Graham Bowley, New York Times).

American investigators returned a rare silver coin to Israel on Monday that they say was minted as a marker of independence during the Great Revolt against Roman oppression of A.D. 66-73 and centuries later was looted from an archaeological site in the Valley of Elah.

The coin was seized in 2017 when collectors tried to sell it at an auction in Denver, where it was listed as having an estimated value between $500,000 and $1 million. But it did not clear the legal hurdles to be returned to Israel until this summer.

[...]

If you can't get past the NYT subscription wall, the story is also covered in the Denver Post: A 2,000-year-old coin, looted from Israel, was up for auction in Denver. Now it’s headed home. The silver shekel, valued at $1 million, dates to A.D. 69 (Sam Tabachnik).

Cross-file under Numismatics.

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Not ancient synagogues after all?

ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE: Monumental Ancient Structure in Central Israel Isn’t a Synagogue After All. On the road to Beit Guvrin, Israeli archaeologists found two structures they thought were synagogues. Wrong both times (Viktoria Greenboim Rich, Haaretz).

Oddly, the article does not name the site where the two ruins are located. It appears to be Khirbet Midras (Horvat Midras, Hirbet Madras) on which more here and links.

Results like these illustrate how cautious we should be about identification of ancient ruins as certain types of buildings or as used for certain purposes.

I have some related thoughts here, albeit involving a much older site.

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