Nov
02
2011

The House of Shammai & The House of Hillel Part 1

Categories:

Shalom
This teaching is going to challenge our perspective of the first century writings and the context of the arguments of Yeshua toward the Pharisees. Did you know that in the first century the house of Shammai was the ruling house of study and many leaders and sages were submitted under the ruling of Shammai? Have you ever heard of the 18 Edits of Shammai? Did you know that according to the context of Galatians the ones creating the trouble preaching another Gospel were the Pharisees that believed in Yeshua but follow the rulings of Shammai? Have you ever wonder why Paul and Peter always had disagreements with one another? This teaching in my opinion will give a revealing perspective to the first century view of the religious influences and the different groups of the Judaism of the time. I believe this is going to be a 7 part teaching that will pave the foundation for our future studies on the first century writings the rest of the year.

Shalom
RICO

Part 1

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22 comments

Teresa C. says:

November 26, 2011 at 2:25 PM (UTC -5 )

Resources;
Jesus and the Pharisee; A New Look at the Jewishness of Jesus by Harvey Falk ISBN 0-8091-2677-X

The Encyclopedia of Talmudic Sages by Gershom Bader ISBN 1568210361

The Babylonian Talmud (10 volumes listed below which can be found at http://e-daf.com/index.asp?cboTractateID=9&cboDaf=16b) The entire Talmud can be found at this site. First select the tract “RoshHaShanah” and the location “16b”; it will then display in Hebrew but just above it, it gives the option to display a PDF in English. If you open the PDF then to view 16b, type it in the search bar, hit return, and it will take you to that page where you can read through to 17a.

Below are the Books and the tracts they contain with a brief description of the contents which I got from http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/talmud.htm. (Rodkinson is the translator of the books listed below which is explained in book 10.)

Book 1: Tract Sabbath

Tract Sabbath discusses what can and cannot be done on the Jewish Holy day. This tract has a wealth of information on everyday Jewish life in late Classical times, including, for some reason, a great number of medical recipes. Because almost everything is done differently on the Sabbath, this contains an incredible level of ethnographic detail about a wide range of household activities including livestock, clothing, meals, horticulture, hunting, and other more obscure topics, such as fire-fighting and feminine hygiene. Rodkinson makes the point in an appendix that many of the Talmundic regulations which seem to be arbitrary were developed as a response to political persecution. He also includes a prayer which is offered upon the conclusion of studying any tract.

Book 2: Tracts Erubin, Shekalim, Rosh Hashana

Tracts from section Moed (Festivals). Tract Erubin deals with regulations concerning travel on the Sabbath, and the proper construction of ‘Erub’, propitiatory offerings for transgressions of these rules, usually, but not always, constructed of food. Tract Shekalim deals with tithes. Tract Rosh Hashana discusses the Jewish New Year, a floating holiday tied to lunar observations.

Book 3: Tracts Pesachim, Yomah and Hagiga

Continuing with tracts from section Moed (Festivals). These are primarily discussions of the rituals to be performed on important holy days: principally Passover and the Day of Atonement. The short third tract, Hagiga, discusses the Holocaust ceremony, (meaning a burnt-offering), which today has come into use as a term for the Nazi genocide. Among other points of interest is description of the ritual of the scapegoat in Chapter VI. of Tract Yomah; and Chapter II. of Tract Hagiga has a notable digression on a variety of subjects, including the cryptic Chariot of God, and the names and characteristics of the seven heavens.

Book 4: Tracts Betzh, Succah, Moed Katan, Taanith, Megilla and Ebel Rabbathi or Semahoth

Completing the Festivals portion of Rodkinson’s Talmud translation. Tract Betzah details regulations about cooking, fishing, hunting and other activities on feast days. Tract Succah discusses the Festival of the Tabernacles, particularly the construction and use of the Succah, or booth. Moed Katan is about miscellaneous laws about some minor festivals, for instance activites which are permissible during intercalendary periods. Taanith has discussions about the beginning of the rains, including a sequence of folktales about rainmaking Rabbis. Megilla is about Purim, particularly about the public reading of the book of Esther during that festival. Ebel Rabbath is about mourning and other funerary activities.

Book 5: Tracts Aboth, Derech Eretz-Rabba, Derech Eretz-Zuta, and Baba Kama (First Gate)

This book starts out with three tracts on ethics, including the lucid and moving Pirqe Aboth (Sayings of the Fathers), (also available at sacred-texts in a translation by Taylor). This edition of Aboth comes with extensive commentary. The Baba Kama is the first section of a three-part opening arc of the Jurisprudence section. To the modern reader it is of interest because of the unintentional and (sometimes pungent) atmospheric details of everyday life in first century Israel. Many of the Baba Kama cases start when ‘an ox gores’ someone or something; the modern equivalent would probably be automobile moving violations. The debates are notable because they are based equally on scripture and appeals to an emerging standard of common-sense justice and human rights.

Book 6: Tract Baba Kama (First Gate), Part II and Tract Baba Metzia (Middle Gate)

The conclusion of Baba Kama, the First Gate, and Baba Metzia, the Middle Gate. The second half of Baba Kama continues with cases involving stolen items. Baba Metzia continues with civil law, particularly cases involving damages: among the topics are found and loaned articles, real estate, loans, titles, what constitutes usury and fraud, and labor law. Many of the cases in Baba Metzia are extremely convoluted, more so than usual. There are a few scattered legends about the life and death of the principal authors of the Talmud, and some notable passages, mostly in Chapter IV.

Book 7: Tract Baba Bathra (Last Gate)

This, the third part of the ‘Gate’ sequence of tracts, deals with issues of civil law regarding property, including real estate, moveable possessions, and inheritance, in the usual great detail. At times the discussion becomes so hypothetical that Rodkinson, thankfully, skips ahead a bit. Sandwiched in this very dry volume is one wild section of Haggada (at the end of Chapter V) which consists of some very tall tales about fish, alligators and nautical going-ons. Also, notably, this tract includes what has to be one of the first attempts to discuss where transgender people fit into the legal framework.

Book 8: Tract Sanhedrin: Section Jurisprudence (Damages)

The subject matter of Tract Sanhedrin is principally crime and punishment. One of the most notable discussions in this book is the debate about the ‘stubborn and rebellious son’ (Chapter VIII). The rabbis openly express scepticism that a son who disrespects his father in a particular way should be put to death. Out of this quibble over an obscure ‘worst case scenario’ we see the emergence of a key principle of jurisprudence: the execution of divine law must be tempered by human mercy. This book also wanders far and wide, dispensing wisdom on such topics as the location of the lost tribes, what the windows on Noah’s ark were made of, and when the Messiah is due to arrive.

Book 9: Tracts Maccoth, Shebuoth, Eduyoth, Abuda Zara, and Horioth

This is the final book of the Rodkinson translation of the Talmud; it contains the remaining portions of the Jurisprudence section. Tract Maccoth deals with corporal punishment. Tract Shebuoth discusses oaths: what constitutes an oath, false oaths, and so on. Tract Eduyoth is a grab-bag of Mishna without commentary which give various cases related to other Talmud tracts. Tract Abuda Zara elaborates the Biblical commandment not to worship idols; it is of historical interest because of the tangential information about what the idolators (i.e. ancient Pagans) did or did not do. Tract Horioth is another short tract which discusses a number of very technical issues, including the hierarchy of dogs, cats and mice.

Book 10: History of the Talmud

This is the introduction to Rodkinsons’ Talmud translation. A history of the Talmud, starting with its five hundred years of composition from the first to fifth centuries C.E., and its bitter persecution from antiquity, through the Reformation up to the 19th Century. Includes biographies of the dozens of authors who wrote the Talmud, and a detailed bibliography through 1900.

Tractate Rosh Ha Shanah 16B-17A
This section can be found at the following link to read on-line. In the search bar of the PDF you can enter “16b” and it will take you to that page. http://halakhah.com/pdf/moed/Rosh_HaShanah.pdf

So now when someone mentions a tract and location just go to E-DAF.com and you can find it there!

Shalom
ransompaid says:

November 25, 2011 at 8:59 AM (UTC -5 )

Love it!!
rocky says:

November 14, 2011 at 7:55 AM (UTC -5 )

Is anyone besides me having MAJOR trouble trying to listen to this or anyother portion last few weeks, I have to constantly restart it every few words and yes full signal on this droid!
Hello eva1
rocky
Bayit Yisrael says:

November 10, 2011 at 7:11 PM (UTC -5 )

Very nice. Thank you much and Shalom
Teresa C. says:

November 10, 2011 at 6:47 PM (UTC -5 )

Hi Bayit,

You have to go back to Rico’s home page.

wisdomintorah.com/the-house-of-shammai-the-house-of-hillel/

The above will take you to Part 1.

This is the homepage – wisdomintorah.com/

Shalom
Bayit Yisrael says:

November 10, 2011 at 5:48 PM (UTC -5 )

I justed noticed Rico posted Part 2. I am not finding this teaching for Part 1. Can someone help please?
Thanks and Shalom
thinote says:

November 8, 2011 at 10:20 AM (UTC -5 )

Thank you for the time and effort you put into this teaching. My husband and I are new to “Hebrew roots” and learning the context has been a constant blessing.
Pakinpastor says:

November 8, 2011 at 8:03 AM (UTC -5 )

Rico,
I found a verse for you, I believe it fits.
1 Corinthians 14:9-12:
9 It’s the same with you: how will anyone know what you are saying unless you use your tongue to produce intelligible speech? You will be talking to the air!
10 There are undoubtedly all kinds of sounds in the world, and none is altogether meaningless;
11 but if I don’t know what a person’s sounds mean, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.
12 Likewise with you: since you eagerly seek the things of the Spirit, seek especially what will help in edifying the congregation.
CJB
Pakinpastor says:

November 8, 2011 at 6:24 AM (UTC -5 )

WoW! Rico, I have been blown away! In this and the weekly Parahsha you have made some statements that have been so right on. I have been telling my pastor about this and he says that I’m into a sort of “legalism” and that I’m crazy. I have had a group that have been together for 8 years and some have stayed, but now a few are leaving and some that do come are more here for the fellowship, and not sure what to think. You hit it on the head about understanding the context of what is being read!
Blessings and Shalom to you and your family!
sjzlab says:

November 5, 2011 at 2:23 PM (UTC -5 )

Awesome! Fabulous! Keep them coming! I can’t get enough of this stuff — thank you for offering your time to study these vital issues and sharing your knowledge with us. I have been praying that Yah would lead and guide me into ALL Truth, and surely this is part of His answer. If we don’t understand the context of the text, we understand nothing and are prey to all kinds of error in interpreting the Scriptures. (So when do you want to come back to Central California and teach us this stuff in person??)

Shalom from Modesto,

Stephanie Zlab
becky ortiz says:

November 5, 2011 at 6:13 AM (UTC -5 )

thank you Rico for your dedication to The Father in serving His people. You are a blessing to me and my husband. Really enjoyed our time in Israel even tho it was cut short what a wonderful group of people I felt at home with family. look forward to the rest of this teaching. Thank you for the foundation you are laying this is helping me to have a clearer understanding of the background and culture. blessing
EVA1 says:

November 4, 2011 at 9:53 PM (UTC -5 )

Rico, wow – this is profound! I love all the information! How can we appreciate a scripture and writings WITHOUT understanding the proper context and historical background?? – impossible!!! It’s like watching the foreign movie without translation!
How many interpretations of the conversations one could come up with?? – too many – that’s for sure ) Thank you very much for your generosity – of your time, of your heart, and of your mind!!! May YHVH bless you continuously!
1. Rico Cortes says:
  
  November 5, 2011 at 2:58 AM (UTC -5 )
  
  Shalom
  Thanks and I would like to use the example you used. foreign movie without translation. I would like to use it is perfect.
  I am glad that you like the teaching and I pray that it is a blessing.
  1. EVA1 says:
    
    November 5, 2011 at 7:16 AM (UTC -5 )
    
    I’m honored -please, do.
Lou Ann says:

November 4, 2011 at 1:55 PM (UTC -5 )

There is only a two things I have to say is and the is your teaching is such a blessing, and could you please list somewhere on a teaching the books you are using? I have trouble finding the books you are using and I cant always decipher what you are saying.
LindaMelin says:

November 4, 2011 at 1:12 AM (UTC -5 )

Thank You for the disclaimer on the book ‘Jesus the Pharisee’ by Falk. I have to say it was a hard not to throw it across the room at times, (yes, the verbage got my emotions in an uproar more than a few times), yet I couldn’t seem to put it down.

I found another book online for free that has a lot of good information that you and the other members might be interested in. As with your disclaimer, the views of the book are of the author, not I. It is inforamtion regarding 1st century idioms & what life was like that we seek for edification & discernment of the Scriptures.

The Pharisees and Jesus: the Stone lectures for 1915-16 By A. T. Robertson

http://books.google.com/books?id=4hpFAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Now question time. Do you know of a good website where one can read the Talmud Tract Shabbat online? I found one, but I am not sure of what I am reading as there are no references to ‘a’s', ‘b’s', etc.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/t01/index.htm
HearGodsHeart says:

November 2, 2011 at 8:48 AM (UTC -5 )

Are we going to have the opportunity to download these teachings?
1. Rico Cortes says:
  
  November 2, 2011 at 3:09 PM (UTC -5 )
  
  Shalom
  Sure but after I get back from israel.