Abstract
During the time of the Second Temple, the term 'am-ha-arescombining dot below referred to Jews whose performance of the religious precepts was deficient. This designation was used by some Pharisee groups, that were more scrupulous as far as religious practice was concerned. After the destruction of the Second Temple, the Sages who were trying to restore Jewish life in Yabneh progressively made a selection by excluding those who did not subscribe to the Sages' standards. Thus, the 'amei-ha-arescombining dot below, who were not inclined to the values of study, were strongly condemned. The phenomenon reached its peak at the end of the insurrection of Bar-Kokhba, during which the talmudic literature displayed heavy invectives and vehement remarks about them. Only in the third century, when the Sages' power was made official, with the reinforcement of the patriarch's authority, did the relationships between the Sages and the 'amei-ha-arescombining dot below become more balanced and more positive.
Translated title of the contribution | The 'amei-ha-aresh' during the 2nd and 3rd century. State of the sources and researches |
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Original language | French |
Pages (from-to) | 1-40 |
Number of pages | 40 |
Journal | Revue des Études Juives |
Volume | 161 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |