Jews and Judaism in the Rabbinic Era

Image and Reality - History and Historiography

By (author) Isaiah M. Gafni

Book cover: Jews and Judaism in the Rabbinic Era

Extent: 557 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Jewish Studies, Religious Studies

Series: Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(January 2019)

ISBN: 9783161527319

6.73 x 9.53 inches

Price: $291.00

In stock

How is Jewish life represented in rabbinic and post-rabbinic literature? This collection of essays by Isaiah M. Gafni reflects over forty years of research on central issues of Jewish history in one of its formative eras. Throughout the collection the author addresses the tension between realities on the ground and the historiography that shaped the image of that reality for all subsequent generations.


This collection of essays by Isaiah M. Gafni reflects over forty years of research on central issues of Jewish history in one of its formative eras. Questions relating to representations of the past, beginning with Josephus but primarily in rabbinic and post-rabbinic literature, represent an axial theme in this volume. Throughout the collection the author addresses the tension between realities on the ground and the historiography that shaped the image of that reality for all subsequent generations. Two specific clusters of studies analyze the emergence and development of the Babylonian rabbinic community, as well as the complex relationship between the Judaean centre and the Jewish diaspora in Late Antiquity. A final selection of essays examines the impact of modern ideologies and revised methods of research on the image of Jewish life and rabbinic leadership in late antique Judaism.

  • By (author) Isaiah M. Gafni