Introduction to Rabbinic Literature: Mishnah, Talmud and Midrash - Einzelansicht

Mishnah, Talmud and Midrash are the classical sources of Rabbinic Judaism, the religious movement named after the “rabbis” who are the scholars and sages whose teachings appear in these texts. Rabbinic Judaism emerged in Late Antiquity, after the Biblical and Second Temple periods but before the rise of Islam. This form of Judaism eventually became the foundation for all later forms of Judaism.

The course will introduce the student to various approaches to these texts: the literary-critical, historical and history-of-religions (Religionsgeschichte).

The larger picture that emerges will contribute to our understanding of the rise and formation of Rabbinic Judaism.

The course is based on the reading of primary and secondary texts, brief writing exercises and presentations.

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