The Rabbinic System: How the Aggadah and the Halakhah Complement Each Other(Studies in Judaism)

This book recapitulates chapters in two comprehensive accounts of the theology of Rabbinic Judaism, which deal with the two principal components of the native categories of the Rabbinic canon—Aggadah, lore, and Halakhah law. Jacob Neusner abbreviates some chapters in the two systematic accounts, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God (1999) and The Theology of the Halakhah (2001). In this book, Neusner supplies a précis of the principal theological topics that have occupied him for the past two decades. In this way, he gains an audience of colleagues with an interest in the theology of Rabbinic Judaism who are unlikely to read the long books with their elaborate repertoire of sources that set forth Neusner’s principal results. The systematic Theology of the Halakhah and its equally systematic companion for the Aggadah, The Theology of the Oral Torah: Revealing the Justice of God, tell a single, continuous story. Seen together, the two large and distinct realms of discourse portray one Judaism: an integrated world-view (Aggadah), way of life (Halakhah), and account of the social entity, Israel. All together, these represent Neusner’s answer to the critical question of defining Rabbinic Judaism: how do the diverse, autonomous documents of Rabbinic Judaism in its formative age coalesce, like the Mishnah, which transcends documentary limits and joins the Halakhah to the Aggadah in a single coherent formulation, and of what does that statement consist? In The Rabbinic System, he conveys, as a single continuous narrative, the tale that the Halakhah and the Aggadah as theological constructions jointly tell.

Table of Contents:
Preface Part One: The Theology of the Aggadah 1. Monotheism i. The Theology of Monotheism ii. Imagining Eden and Re-presenting the Result iii. The Moral Order: Reward and Punishment 2. Israel and the Nations i. Legitimate Violence ii. Who is Israel? 3. Intentionality Part Two: The Theology of the Halakhah 4. Eden i. What, Where and When Is Eden? ii. Shebi‘it iii. ’ Orlah iv. Kilayim v. Shabbat-Erubin vi. Who Owns Eden? vii. Ma‘aserot viii. Terumot ix. Hallah x. Ma’aser Sheni xi. Bikkurim xii. Pe’ah xiii. Dema‘i 5. Intentionality and the Civil Order i. Legitimate Violence: Who Does What to Whom ii. Keritot iii. Sanhedrin-Makkot iv. Baba Qamma-Baba Mesi’a-Baba Batra vi The Rabbinic System v. Horayot vi. Shebuot 6. The Enemies of Eden, Tangible and Invisible i. Death and life, Uncleanness and Sanctification: [1] The Sources of Uncleanness ii. Tangible Enemies: Abodah Zarah iii. Invisible Enemies: Death. Ohalot iv. Negaim v. Zabim and Niddah vi. The Contest between Death and Life vii. Makhshirin viii. Tohorot ix. Uqsin x. Kelim xi. Overcoming Death I. Rites of Purification xii. Parah xiii. Miqvaot xiv. Tebul Yom xv. Yadayim xvi. Where the Contest is Resolved: Home and Temple in Hierarchical Formation: Hagigah xvii.Cause and Effect: Where and Why Man’s Will Matters Epilogue: 7. The Halakhah Theology Seen Whole. Actualizing The Torah’s Story

About the Author :
Jacob Neusner is a leading figure in the American academic study of religion. He revolutionized the study of Judaism and brought it into the field of religion, and he built intellectual bridges between Judaism and other religions, thereby laying the groundwork for durable understanding and respect among religions. He has advanced the careers of younger scholars and teachers through his teaching and publication programs. Neusner’s influence on the study of Judaism and religion is broad, powerful, distinctive, and enduring.