The Ethos of Masada in Halakhic Literature
Josephus Flavius is the only source on the rebellion of Masada and the heroic mass suicide at its end. This tragic event was not mentioned in the Halakhic literature. Chazal, rabbinic sages, who lived at that time, didn’t mention it and one should wonder why. The common explanation is that Chazal we...
| Published in: | The review of rabbinic Judaism |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2016
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| In: |
The review of rabbinic Judaism
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| Further subjects: | B
Offensive Ethos
Defensive Ethos
Shlomo Goren
Masada
Zionism
Religious Zionism
Halakhah
Suicide
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | Josephus Flavius is the only source on the rebellion of Masada and the heroic mass suicide at its end. This tragic event was not mentioned in the Halakhic literature. Chazal, rabbinic sages, who lived at that time, didn’t mention it and one should wonder why. The common explanation is that Chazal were against committing suicide and did not want to raise the issue in a heroic context. However, thorough review of the rabbinic literature shows that Chazal did not have a problem with suicide. It all depended on the reason: suicide for religious principle was considered a positive and heroic act. But suicide due to a national principle was considered a negative act that shouldn’t be mentioned. That is why the events of Masada and Gamla are not mentioned in Chazal’s literature. This conception of ignoring the event of Masada in the Halakhic literature even in discussions about committing suicide has changed in the twentieth century. |
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| ISSN: | 1570-0704 |
| Contains: | In: The review of rabbinic Judaism
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15700704-12341293 |