Jewish Encyclopedia Research Articles

The Transformation of the Synagogue After 70 C.E.: Its Import for Early Christianity

It is instructive to see the similarities and the differences between the account of the origins of the synagogue in the Jewish Encyclopedia of 1907 and the more extended discussion of the subject in the Encyclopedia Judaica of 1971. In the earlier work, Wilhelm Bacher observes that by the time the synagogue had become the central institution in Judaism, it was already regarded as of ancient origin, dating back to Moses.1 He was of the opinion that the synagogue as a permanent institution originated during the Babylonian captivity,2 and conjectured that the reference in Isa 56. 7 to the temple as a ‘house of prayer’ was to be understood as connected with the term for place of prayer, proseuche, which was used during the exile and among Jews in the diaspora in later centuries. Balcher's theory continues that it was Ezra and his successors who reorganized the religious life of Israel into congregational worship, with special place for prayers and the reading of the scriptures. This development, he proposed, took place in parallel with the revival of the temple cult and led to the building of synagogues. He finds evidence for synagogues in Palestine in the pre-exilic period in Ps 74. 8, although in fact this psalm comes from the Maccabean period or even later.3 Then, astonishingly and without any attempt to explain, he asserts that the complete absence of allusions to synagogue in 1 or 2 Maccabees is the result of the author's primary concern for the purity of the temple ritual.

Animal models for human diseases.

The use of animal models for the study of human disease is, for the most part, a recent development. This discussion of the use of animal models for human diseases directs attention to the sterile period, early advances, some personal experiences, the human as the model, biological oddities among common laboratory animals, malignancies in laboratory animals, problems created by federal regulations, cancer tests with animals, and what the future holds in terms of the use of animal models as an aid to understanding human disease. In terms of early use of animal models, there was a school of rabbis, some of whom were also physicians, in Babylon who studied and wrote extensively on ritual slaughter and the suitability of birds and beasts for food. Considerable detailed information on animal pathology, physiology, anatomy, and medicine in general can be found in the Soncino Babylonian Talmudic Translations. The 1906 edition of the "Jewish Encyclopedia," has been a rich resource. Although it has not been possible to establish what diseases of animals were studied and their relationship to the diseases of humans, there are fascinating clues to pursue, despite the fact that these were sterile years for research in medicine. The quotation from the Talmud is of interest: "The medical knowledge of the Talmudist was based upon tradition, the dissection of human bodies, observation of disease and experiments upon animals." A bright light in the lackluster years of medical research was provided by Galen, considered the originator of research in physiology and anatomy. His dissection of animals and work on apes and other lower animals were models for human anatomy and physiology and the bases for many treatises. Yet, Galen never seemed to suggest that animals could serve as models for human diseases. Most early physicians who can be considered to have been students of disease developed their medical knowledge by observing the sick under their care. 1 early medical investigator proposed that an aggressive invasive cancer of the dog that he had observed be used to study cancer in a generic sense. Other researchers who recognized the value of animals in medical research were Jenner, Claude Bernard, and Pasteur. The human can also serve as an animal model. Some of those situations are presented, and in all a common theme exists. There was no known animal model that could be used, and in some cases the situation has not changed today. In all cases the discoveries must be regarded as serendipitous. The state of the art of the pathology of laboratory animal diseases and neoplasia is unsatisfactory. There is much empirical speculation and little substance. Cancer studies with mice and rats as now conducted are of minimal value. Although a tradition of excellence in the use of animal models to help understand human disease has been established, much remains to be learned.

REVIEWS

Exploration Into God. By John A. T. Robinson, Bishop of Woolwich The Private Sea. LSD and the Search for God. By William Braden Phenomenology and Humanism. A Primer in Existential Phenomenology. By William A. Luijpen God‐Talk. An Examination of the Language and Logic of Theology, By John Macquarrie Connaissance de L’être. Traité d'Ontohgie. By Joseph de Finance Cicero on Moral Obligation. A new translation of Cicero's ‘De Officiis’ with an Introduction and Notes by John Higginbotham La Psychologic de l'Activité chez Albert le Grand. By Pierre Michaud‐Quantin Two Tracts on Government. By John Locke. Edited with an Introduction, Notes and Translation by Philip Abrams Limits of Liberty: Studies of Mill's ‘On Liberty’. Edited by Peter Radcliff World Come of Age, A Symposium on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Edited and Introduced by Ronald Greoor Smith New Frontiers in Theology: Vol. III Theology as History. Edited by James M. Robinson and John B. Cobb Salvation in History. By Oscar Cullmann The Historical Jesus in the Gospel of St John. By Franz Mussner A Basic Jewish Encyclopedia. By Rabbi harry A. Cohen The Serpent and the Dove: Five Essays on early Christianity. By Samuel Laeuchli The Making of Christian Doctrine. By Maurice Wiles The Commentaries on Boethius by Gilbert of Poitiers. Edited by Nikolaus M. Huuring, s.a.c. The Efficacy of Putative Attrition in the Doctrine of Theologians of the XVIth and XVIIth Centuries. By Hugh Patton, m.s.c. The Royal Society: Concept and Creation. By Margery Purver Educational Psychology in the U.S.S.R. Edited and translated by Brian and Joan Simon Education and Society in Tudor England. By Joan Simon

The Name “Iscariot”

One of the puzzles of the Gospel tradition has been the interpretation of the epithet which distinguishes the betrayer of Jesus from other bearers of the very common name Judas. The attempt to explain it has brought forth perhaps as many impossible theories as any other New Testament riddle of the kind. The most recent authoritative work dealing with Palestinian affairs, the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. 6 (1942), merely mentions three attempted explanations of the name: 1. “man of Kerioth”; 2. derivation from Hebrew sheker (“falsehood”); 3. from Latin scortea, meaning the “leather bag” which Judas as treasurer carried (John 12: 6, 13: 29). The reader is left to make his own choice, as no preference is expressed.

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FOR INTER‐FAITH UNDERSTANDING

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsIsaac Landman∗Rabbi, Congregation Beth Elohim, Brooklyn; Founder and Director of the Academy for Adult Jewish Education ; Editor of The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, now nearing completion. Rabbi, Congregation Beth Elohim, Brooklyn; Founder and Director of the Academy for Adult Jewish Education ; Editor of The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, now nearing completion.

New Encyclopaedias

Whatever title to intellectual distinction the future historian may deny to our time, its right to be called the age of encyclopaedias will hardly be challenged. We have general encyclopaedias on a scale almost Chinese and special encyclopaedias of every branch of learning, science, and art. No generation has put so much of its time—profitably or unprofitably—into co-operative enterprises for alphabetizing all knowledge. We have had within the last few years two large Bible dictionaries—one of them with two supplements; a Jewish Encyclopedia in twelve volumes; new editions of the standard Protestant encyclopaedia of Herzog-Plitt-Hauck and of the Catholic encyclopaedia of Wetzer and Welte-Hergenröther-Kaulen; the beginning of a great Catholic Encyclopaedia in English and of an encyclopaedia of Islam; and now the first instalment of an Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, which will extend to at least ten volumes.

Folk-Lore in "The Jewish Encyclopedia"

Folk-Lore in "The Jewish Encyclopedia"

Recent Encyclopædic and Bibliographical LiteratureEncyclopædia Biblica: A Critical Dictionary of the Literary, Political and Religious History, the Archæology, Geography, and Natural History of the Bible. T. K. Cheyne , J. Sutherland BlackA Dictionary of the Bible: Dealing with Its Language, Literature and Contents, including Biblical Theology. James Hastings , John A. SelbieThe Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History,

Previous articleNext article FreeRecent Theological LiteratureRecent Encyclopædic and Bibliographical Literature Encyclopædia Biblica: A Critical Dictionary of the Literary, Political and Religious History, the Archæology, Geography, and Natural History of the Bible . T. K. Cheyne , J. Sutherland Black A Dictionary of the Bible: Dealing with Its Language, Literature and Contents, including Biblical Theology. James Hastings , John A. Selbie The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. A Dictionary of the Bible. John D. Davis Theologischer Jahresbericht. G. Krüger , W. Köhler J. M. P. Smith, J. W. Moncrief, C. W. Votaw, and W. Muss-ArnoltJ. M. P. Smith Search for more articles by this author , J. W. Moncrief Search for more articles by this author , C. W. Votaw Search for more articles by this author , and W. Muss-Arnolt Search for more articles by this author PDF Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Journal of Religion Volume 9, Number 3Jul., 1905 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/478549 Views: 53 Journal History This article was published in The American Journal of Theology (1897-1920), which is continued by The Journal of Religion (1921-present). Copyright 1905 The University of Chicago Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

The Jewish Encyclopedia. A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. Vol. I: Aach-Apocalyptic Literature. Isidore Singer , American and Foreign Boards of Consulting Editors

The Jewish Encyclopedia. A Descriptive Record of the History, Religion, Literature, and Customs of the Jewish People from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. Vol. I: Aach-Apocalyptic Literature. Isidore Singer , American and Foreign Boards of Consulting Editors