סיפורי מופתים וניסים הם מאפיין כללי של אתרים מקודשים ומוקדי עלייה לרגל, ולא
מעט סיפורים כאלה סופר... more סיפורי מופתים וניסים הם מאפיין כללי של אתרים מקודשים ומוקדי עלייה לרגל, ולא מעט סיפורים כאלה סופרו אף על בית המקדש שבירושלים. אין ספק שלסיפורים אלה הייתה חשיבות גדולה בהעלאת קרנו של האתר הקדוש בעיני המאמינים ובהוספת הילה של קדושה ופליאה למקום. אם נביט מעבר לממד הניסי והמיתולוגי של סיפורים אלה, ייתכן שנוכל לזהות את הרקע הריאלי שבו מתרחשת העלילה הפלאית. אתמקד במקרה מבחן אחד בסיפור מאוסף סיפורי הניסים האלה, והוא המעשה הפלאי של העלאת האבן של רבי חנינא בן דוסא לבית המקדש (שיר השירים רבה א, ד; קהלת רבה א, א; ילקוט שמעוני על נ"ך תתק״ס, י״ט). את הגרעין הקדום והתשתית הריאלית של המעשה אציע לאתר במקורות הכתובים משלהי ימי הבית השני, בהתרחשות ההיסטורית בת הזמן ובממצא הארכאולוגי.
במחקר בו נבדקו התוכנית והממצא החומרי והפיזי
מכמה עשרות מערות קבורה מירושלים ויהודה
בנות המאה הראש... more במחקר בו נבדקו התוכנית והממצא החומרי והפיזי מכמה עשרות מערות קבורה מירושלים ויהודה בנות המאה הראשונה לפנה"ס ועד המאה הראשונה לסה"נ, זוהו דפוסי קבורה מיוחדים ברבים מהקברים, אותם ניתן לפרש כסימנים להיררכיה ומעמדות. מבין הדפוסים השונים שזוהו, ניכר רמת הבולטות והמידור של אחד ממכלולי הקבורה על פני שאר מכלולי הקבורה שבקבר. במהלך מאמר זה, אציג את דפוס ייחודי זה ואת המאפיינים העיקריים בהם ניתן לזהותו, ואסקור מספר דוגמאות לקברים בהם ניתן לראות את אותם דפוסים. לאחר מכן, אציע כי דפוס זה עשוי להצביע על מקום קבורתו של ראש המשפחה הקוברת, ואדון בשאלה האם מעמדו של ראש המשפחה, כפי שהוא מוצג בקבר המשפחתי, יכול ללמד אותנו על מעמדו בחיי המשפחה והחברה בירושלים ויהודה בשלהי ימי הבית השני.
Olive press caves are widespread in the archaeology of Judea but have not received due
attention.... more Olive press caves are widespread in the archaeology of Judea but have not received due attention. This paper provides an integrative analysis of the caves and explains their use in oil production. The phenomenon has clear geographic and chronological parame- ters as a feature of early Roman period Judean settlement. This article proposes that olive press caves represent ethnically-bounded practices identified with Jewish society and are linked to production of ritually pure oil for temple rites and pilgrimage festivals in Jerusalem. It is argued that their architectural layout helped to maximize the ability to supervise, monitor and control the purity of workers.
The pilgrimage to the Second Temple included ceremonial elements of strong spiritual significance... more The pilgrimage to the Second Temple included ceremonial elements of strong spiritual significance that elevated the participants to spiritual exaltation. This ceremonial process began with the first steps pilgrims took from their homes towards Jerusalem and concluded when they reached the Temple. This article presents the ceremonial element of the pilgrimage in light of archaeological and anthropological research, integrated with historical sources and with reference to the topography of Jerusalem and its surroundings (including the use of geographic information systems). These tools are used to retrace the path that pilgrims walked and present what the pilgrimage meant for them. The article also investigates whether the physical act of walking can shape the pilgrimage experience and, if so, how this occurs. It is also argued that the main approach to the Temple Mount for Jewish pilgrims led from the south (via the Kidron and Hinnom valleys), and that the construction of this route was designed with geophysical and architectural details meant to enhance the spiritual experience of the pilgrims.
This paper presents a unique case of the application of remote sensing methods in archaeological ... more This paper presents a unique case of the application of remote sensing methods in archaeological survey devoted to ancient pre-Roman Imperial roads in the Southern Levant. The results of our preparatory remote sensing research and subsequent fieldwork in Jordan and Israel between 22 February and 23 March 2023, within the framework of the research project entitled “Travel and Mobility in Hellenistic and Early Roman Palestine”, are reported and discussed. Part of this project is a large-scale, systematic research attempt to discover additional ancient pre-Roman roads and to suggest a working methodology for future research. The methodology is supposed to combine remote sensing research and archaeological survey. The project’s first fieldwork achieved several goals. First, the modern methods enabled us to provide a high-resolution capture of the detected features and artifacts, including the courses of ancient roads and the locations of road-related archaeological sites. Altogether, 10...
Starting from the late 1st century BCE (around 20 BCE) and throughout the 1st century CE, dozens ... more Starting from the late 1st century BCE (around 20 BCE) and throughout the 1st century CE, dozens of monumental burial caves were constructed around Jerusalem and in the Judea region. These caves were notable for their size and elaborate decorations. Although these burial caves represented a minority among the hundreds of burial caves in Judea and Jerusalem, they garnered significant research interest. Previous studies focused mainly on the unique architectural design of these burial caves and the distinctive architectural and artistic elements found in their facades and burial chambers. Less emphasis was placed on the social and cultural context that gave rise to the phenomenon of monumental burial caves. The aim of this paper is to bridge this gap and explore whether the monumental burial caves can shed light on social, cultural and political processes in Jewish society during the late Second Temple period.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region, 2023
This article seeks to reevaluate the purpose of the pits excavated in the southern part of the ea... more This article seeks to reevaluate the purpose of the pits excavated in the southern part of the eastern slope of the City of David. Based on a renewed examination of the animal bones found in these pits, the article suggests that, similar to the pits discovered to the north, in the vicinity of the Temple Mount, these are the byproducts of festive banquets of pilgrims and not everyday refuse. Therefore, the primary purpose of this disposal was to bury or 'conceal' waste originating from celebratory and ritual activities.
The description of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt (68–70 CE)... more The description of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt (68–70 CE) in the Babylonian Talmud (Gittin 55b–56b) constitutes one of the most organized and detailed collections of rabbinic traditions on the event. A recent study by Vered Noam, Tal Ilan, et al., “Between Josephus and the Rabbis” (Vol. 2), demonstrates how many of these rabbinic traditions contain historical accounts that find parallels in Josephus's writings. In this article, I illustrate how yet another tradition in this collection, not discussed by Noam and Ilan and unparalleled elsewhere in rabbinic literature, may also be seen to contain historical information that recurs in Josephus. This tradition, which I call “the legend of Emperor Nero's campaign on Jerusalem,” describes the first Roman military campaign on the city, said to have been led by Emperor Nero. Upon reaching his destination, Nero solicits an oracle, who advises him that his imperial mission against Jerusalem needs divine approval (corresponding to the story of the four arrows falling in the direction of Jerusalem). The emperor then seeks additional confirmation—the story of his consulting with a Jewish child and asking him to recite a passage from Scripture (which turns out to be a passage detailing the destruction of Jerusalem and the punishment to be meted out to the person responsible for it). Nero takes an unexpected decision, retreats from Jerusalem, and converts to Judaism. Most scholars consider this story folklore, a fictional account invented by late-Babylonian Amoraic rabbis centuries after the event. Following a proposed new reading of the Talmudic text and replacing the figure of Nero with one of his commanders, I propose that the “legend of Emperor Nero” is actually based on an historical event that has its recognizable parallel in Josephus' documentation of the Jewish revolt.
The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as... more The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as “Jewish script” or “Assyrian”) by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. From the Persian period until the Bar Kokhba Rebellion, Paleo-Hebrew script was used in various Jewish contexts (official, sacred, funerary) and on a variety of substrates (parchment, stone, coins, and pottery). The most representative artefacts bearing inscriptions in the Paleo-Hebrew script are Jewish coins of that time and the Dead Sea Scrolls. One common view is that because the Hasmoneans and the rebels in both revolts sought to establish their sovereignty, they employed symbols of Jewish significance and the archaic and obsolete – but prestigious – Paleo-Hebrew script, which was a reminder of the glorious past. Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls commonly premise that greater holiness and value was attached to the Paleo-Hebrew script than to the square script. The article shows that, in the S...
The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as... more The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as “Jewish script” or “Assyrian”) by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. From the Persian period until the Bar Kokhba Rebellion, Paleo-Hebrew script was used in various Jewish contexts (official, sacred, funerary) and on a variety of substrates (parchment, stone, coins, and pottery). The most representative artefacts bearing inscriptions in the Paleo-Hebrew script are Jewish coins of that time and the Dead Sea Scrolls. One common view is that because the Hasmoneans and the rebels in both revolts sought to establish their sovereignty, they employed symbols of Jewish significance and the archaic and obsolete – but prestigious – Paleo-Hebrew script, which was a reminder of the glorious past. Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls commonly premise that greater holiness and value was attached to the Paleo-Hebrew script than to the square script. The article shows that, in the S...
The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as... more The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as “Jewish script†or “Assyrianâ€) by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. From the Persian period until the Bar Kokhba Rebellion, Paleo-Hebrew script was used in various Jewish contexts (official, sacred, funerary) and on a variety of substrates (parchment, stone, coins, and pottery). The most representative artefacts bearing inscriptions in the Paleo-Hebrew script are Jewish coins of that time and the Dead Sea Scrolls. One common view is that because the Hasmoneans and the rebels in both revolts sought to establish their sovereignty, they employed symbols of Jewish significance and the archaic and obsolete – but prestigious – Paleo-Hebrew script, which was a reminder of the glorious past. Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls commonly premise that greater holiness and value was attached to the Paleo-Hebrew script than to the square script. The article shows th...
M. Hidvegi (ed.), Oriental Studies and Interfaith Dialogue: Essays in Honour of Jozsef Szecsi, (L'Harmattan: Budapest 2018), 2019
Omri Y. Abadi and Boaz Zissu, 'Paleo-Hebrew Script vs. "Jewish" Script: More on the Scripts Used ... more Omri Y. Abadi and Boaz Zissu, 'Paleo-Hebrew Script vs. "Jewish" Script: More on the Scripts Used by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman Periods', In: M. Hidvegi (ed.), Oriental Studies and Interfaith Dialogue: Essays in Honour of Jozsef Szecsi, (L'Harmattan: Budapest 2018). Pp. 117- 128.
סיפורי מופתים וניסים הם מאפיין כללי של אתרים מקודשים ומוקדי עלייה לרגל, ולא
מעט סיפורים כאלה סופר... more סיפורי מופתים וניסים הם מאפיין כללי של אתרים מקודשים ומוקדי עלייה לרגל, ולא מעט סיפורים כאלה סופרו אף על בית המקדש שבירושלים. אין ספק שלסיפורים אלה הייתה חשיבות גדולה בהעלאת קרנו של האתר הקדוש בעיני המאמינים ובהוספת הילה של קדושה ופליאה למקום. אם נביט מעבר לממד הניסי והמיתולוגי של סיפורים אלה, ייתכן שנוכל לזהות את הרקע הריאלי שבו מתרחשת העלילה הפלאית. אתמקד במקרה מבחן אחד בסיפור מאוסף סיפורי הניסים האלה, והוא המעשה הפלאי של העלאת האבן של רבי חנינא בן דוסא לבית המקדש (שיר השירים רבה א, ד; קהלת רבה א, א; ילקוט שמעוני על נ"ך תתק״ס, י״ט). את הגרעין הקדום והתשתית הריאלית של המעשה אציע לאתר במקורות הכתובים משלהי ימי הבית השני, בהתרחשות ההיסטורית בת הזמן ובממצא הארכאולוגי.
במחקר בו נבדקו התוכנית והממצא החומרי והפיזי
מכמה עשרות מערות קבורה מירושלים ויהודה
בנות המאה הראש... more במחקר בו נבדקו התוכנית והממצא החומרי והפיזי מכמה עשרות מערות קבורה מירושלים ויהודה בנות המאה הראשונה לפנה"ס ועד המאה הראשונה לסה"נ, זוהו דפוסי קבורה מיוחדים ברבים מהקברים, אותם ניתן לפרש כסימנים להיררכיה ומעמדות. מבין הדפוסים השונים שזוהו, ניכר רמת הבולטות והמידור של אחד ממכלולי הקבורה על פני שאר מכלולי הקבורה שבקבר. במהלך מאמר זה, אציג את דפוס ייחודי זה ואת המאפיינים העיקריים בהם ניתן לזהותו, ואסקור מספר דוגמאות לקברים בהם ניתן לראות את אותם דפוסים. לאחר מכן, אציע כי דפוס זה עשוי להצביע על מקום קבורתו של ראש המשפחה הקוברת, ואדון בשאלה האם מעמדו של ראש המשפחה, כפי שהוא מוצג בקבר המשפחתי, יכול ללמד אותנו על מעמדו בחיי המשפחה והחברה בירושלים ויהודה בשלהי ימי הבית השני.
Olive press caves are widespread in the archaeology of Judea but have not received due
attention.... more Olive press caves are widespread in the archaeology of Judea but have not received due attention. This paper provides an integrative analysis of the caves and explains their use in oil production. The phenomenon has clear geographic and chronological parame- ters as a feature of early Roman period Judean settlement. This article proposes that olive press caves represent ethnically-bounded practices identified with Jewish society and are linked to production of ritually pure oil for temple rites and pilgrimage festivals in Jerusalem. It is argued that their architectural layout helped to maximize the ability to supervise, monitor and control the purity of workers.
The pilgrimage to the Second Temple included ceremonial elements of strong spiritual significance... more The pilgrimage to the Second Temple included ceremonial elements of strong spiritual significance that elevated the participants to spiritual exaltation. This ceremonial process began with the first steps pilgrims took from their homes towards Jerusalem and concluded when they reached the Temple. This article presents the ceremonial element of the pilgrimage in light of archaeological and anthropological research, integrated with historical sources and with reference to the topography of Jerusalem and its surroundings (including the use of geographic information systems). These tools are used to retrace the path that pilgrims walked and present what the pilgrimage meant for them. The article also investigates whether the physical act of walking can shape the pilgrimage experience and, if so, how this occurs. It is also argued that the main approach to the Temple Mount for Jewish pilgrims led from the south (via the Kidron and Hinnom valleys), and that the construction of this route was designed with geophysical and architectural details meant to enhance the spiritual experience of the pilgrims.
This paper presents a unique case of the application of remote sensing methods in archaeological ... more This paper presents a unique case of the application of remote sensing methods in archaeological survey devoted to ancient pre-Roman Imperial roads in the Southern Levant. The results of our preparatory remote sensing research and subsequent fieldwork in Jordan and Israel between 22 February and 23 March 2023, within the framework of the research project entitled “Travel and Mobility in Hellenistic and Early Roman Palestine”, are reported and discussed. Part of this project is a large-scale, systematic research attempt to discover additional ancient pre-Roman roads and to suggest a working methodology for future research. The methodology is supposed to combine remote sensing research and archaeological survey. The project’s first fieldwork achieved several goals. First, the modern methods enabled us to provide a high-resolution capture of the detected features and artifacts, including the courses of ancient roads and the locations of road-related archaeological sites. Altogether, 10...
Starting from the late 1st century BCE (around 20 BCE) and throughout the 1st century CE, dozens ... more Starting from the late 1st century BCE (around 20 BCE) and throughout the 1st century CE, dozens of monumental burial caves were constructed around Jerusalem and in the Judea region. These caves were notable for their size and elaborate decorations. Although these burial caves represented a minority among the hundreds of burial caves in Judea and Jerusalem, they garnered significant research interest. Previous studies focused mainly on the unique architectural design of these burial caves and the distinctive architectural and artistic elements found in their facades and burial chambers. Less emphasis was placed on the social and cultural context that gave rise to the phenomenon of monumental burial caves. The aim of this paper is to bridge this gap and explore whether the monumental burial caves can shed light on social, cultural and political processes in Jewish society during the late Second Temple period.
New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region, 2023
This article seeks to reevaluate the purpose of the pits excavated in the southern part of the ea... more This article seeks to reevaluate the purpose of the pits excavated in the southern part of the eastern slope of the City of David. Based on a renewed examination of the animal bones found in these pits, the article suggests that, similar to the pits discovered to the north, in the vicinity of the Temple Mount, these are the byproducts of festive banquets of pilgrims and not everyday refuse. Therefore, the primary purpose of this disposal was to bury or 'conceal' waste originating from celebratory and ritual activities.
The description of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt (68–70 CE)... more The description of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt (68–70 CE) in the Babylonian Talmud (Gittin 55b–56b) constitutes one of the most organized and detailed collections of rabbinic traditions on the event. A recent study by Vered Noam, Tal Ilan, et al., “Between Josephus and the Rabbis” (Vol. 2), demonstrates how many of these rabbinic traditions contain historical accounts that find parallels in Josephus's writings. In this article, I illustrate how yet another tradition in this collection, not discussed by Noam and Ilan and unparalleled elsewhere in rabbinic literature, may also be seen to contain historical information that recurs in Josephus. This tradition, which I call “the legend of Emperor Nero's campaign on Jerusalem,” describes the first Roman military campaign on the city, said to have been led by Emperor Nero. Upon reaching his destination, Nero solicits an oracle, who advises him that his imperial mission against Jerusalem needs divine approval (corresponding to the story of the four arrows falling in the direction of Jerusalem). The emperor then seeks additional confirmation—the story of his consulting with a Jewish child and asking him to recite a passage from Scripture (which turns out to be a passage detailing the destruction of Jerusalem and the punishment to be meted out to the person responsible for it). Nero takes an unexpected decision, retreats from Jerusalem, and converts to Judaism. Most scholars consider this story folklore, a fictional account invented by late-Babylonian Amoraic rabbis centuries after the event. Following a proposed new reading of the Talmudic text and replacing the figure of Nero with one of his commanders, I propose that the “legend of Emperor Nero” is actually based on an historical event that has its recognizable parallel in Josephus' documentation of the Jewish revolt.
The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as... more The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as “Jewish script” or “Assyrian”) by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. From the Persian period until the Bar Kokhba Rebellion, Paleo-Hebrew script was used in various Jewish contexts (official, sacred, funerary) and on a variety of substrates (parchment, stone, coins, and pottery). The most representative artefacts bearing inscriptions in the Paleo-Hebrew script are Jewish coins of that time and the Dead Sea Scrolls. One common view is that because the Hasmoneans and the rebels in both revolts sought to establish their sovereignty, they employed symbols of Jewish significance and the archaic and obsolete – but prestigious – Paleo-Hebrew script, which was a reminder of the glorious past. Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls commonly premise that greater holiness and value was attached to the Paleo-Hebrew script than to the square script. The article shows that, in the S...
The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as... more The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as “Jewish script” or “Assyrian”) by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. From the Persian period until the Bar Kokhba Rebellion, Paleo-Hebrew script was used in various Jewish contexts (official, sacred, funerary) and on a variety of substrates (parchment, stone, coins, and pottery). The most representative artefacts bearing inscriptions in the Paleo-Hebrew script are Jewish coins of that time and the Dead Sea Scrolls. One common view is that because the Hasmoneans and the rebels in both revolts sought to establish their sovereignty, they employed symbols of Jewish significance and the archaic and obsolete – but prestigious – Paleo-Hebrew script, which was a reminder of the glorious past. Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls commonly premise that greater holiness and value was attached to the Paleo-Hebrew script than to the square script. The article shows that, in the S...
The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as... more The article focuses on the use of the Paleo-Hebrew script versus the square script (known also as “Jewish script†or “Assyrianâ€) by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. From the Persian period until the Bar Kokhba Rebellion, Paleo-Hebrew script was used in various Jewish contexts (official, sacred, funerary) and on a variety of substrates (parchment, stone, coins, and pottery). The most representative artefacts bearing inscriptions in the Paleo-Hebrew script are Jewish coins of that time and the Dead Sea Scrolls. One common view is that because the Hasmoneans and the rebels in both revolts sought to establish their sovereignty, they employed symbols of Jewish significance and the archaic and obsolete – but prestigious – Paleo-Hebrew script, which was a reminder of the glorious past. Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls commonly premise that greater holiness and value was attached to the Paleo-Hebrew script than to the square script. The article shows th...
M. Hidvegi (ed.), Oriental Studies and Interfaith Dialogue: Essays in Honour of Jozsef Szecsi, (L'Harmattan: Budapest 2018), 2019
Omri Y. Abadi and Boaz Zissu, 'Paleo-Hebrew Script vs. "Jewish" Script: More on the Scripts Used ... more Omri Y. Abadi and Boaz Zissu, 'Paleo-Hebrew Script vs. "Jewish" Script: More on the Scripts Used by the Jews of Judea during the Hellenistic and Roman Periods', In: M. Hidvegi (ed.), Oriental Studies and Interfaith Dialogue: Essays in Honour of Jozsef Szecsi, (L'Harmattan: Budapest 2018). Pp. 117- 128.
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Papers by Omri Abadi
מעט סיפורים כאלה סופרו אף על בית המקדש שבירושלים. אין ספק שלסיפורים אלה
הייתה חשיבות גדולה בהעלאת קרנו של האתר הקדוש בעיני המאמינים ובהוספת הילה
של קדושה ופליאה למקום. אם נביט מעבר לממד הניסי והמיתולוגי של סיפורים אלה,
ייתכן שנוכל לזהות את הרקע הריאלי שבו מתרחשת העלילה הפלאית. אתמקד במקרה
מבחן אחד בסיפור מאוסף סיפורי הניסים האלה, והוא המעשה הפלאי של העלאת האבן
של רבי חנינא בן דוסא לבית המקדש (שיר השירים רבה א, ד; קהלת רבה א, א; ילקוט
שמעוני על נ"ך תתק״ס, י״ט). את הגרעין הקדום והתשתית הריאלית של המעשה אציע
לאתר במקורות הכתובים משלהי ימי הבית השני, בהתרחשות ההיסטורית בת הזמן
ובממצא הארכאולוגי.
מכמה עשרות מערות קבורה מירושלים ויהודה
בנות המאה הראשונה לפנה"ס ועד המאה הראשונה
לסה"נ, זוהו דפוסי קבורה מיוחדים ברבים מהקברים,
אותם ניתן לפרש כסימנים להיררכיה ומעמדות.
מבין הדפוסים השונים שזוהו, ניכר רמת הבולטות
והמידור של אחד ממכלולי הקבורה על פני שאר
מכלולי הקבורה שבקבר. במהלך מאמר זה, אציג
את דפוס ייחודי זה ואת המאפיינים העיקריים בהם
ניתן לזהותו, ואסקור מספר דוגמאות לקברים בהם
ניתן לראות את אותם דפוסים. לאחר מכן, אציע כי
דפוס זה עשוי להצביע על מקום קבורתו של ראש
המשפחה הקוברת, ואדון בשאלה האם מעמדו של
ראש המשפחה, כפי שהוא מוצג בקבר המשפחתי,
יכול ללמד אותנו על מעמדו בחיי המשפחה והחברה
בירושלים ויהודה בשלהי ימי הבית השני.
attention. This paper provides an integrative analysis of the caves and explains their use
in oil production. The phenomenon has clear geographic and chronological parame-
ters as a feature of early Roman period Judean settlement. This article proposes that
olive press caves represent ethnically-bounded practices identified with Jewish society
and are linked to production of ritually pure oil for temple rites and pilgrimage festivals
in Jerusalem. It is argued that their architectural layout helped to maximize the ability
to supervise, monitor and control the purity of workers.
A recent study by Vered Noam, Tal Ilan, et al., “Between Josephus and the Rabbis” (Vol. 2), demonstrates how many of these rabbinic traditions contain historical accounts that find parallels in Josephus's writings.
In this article, I illustrate how yet another tradition in this collection, not discussed by Noam and Ilan and unparalleled elsewhere in rabbinic literature, may also be seen to contain historical information that recurs in Josephus.
This tradition, which I call “the legend of Emperor Nero's campaign on Jerusalem,” describes the first Roman military campaign on the city, said to have been led by Emperor Nero. Upon reaching his destination, Nero solicits an oracle, who advises him that his imperial mission against Jerusalem needs divine approval (corresponding to the story of the four arrows falling in the direction of Jerusalem). The emperor then seeks additional confirmation—the story of his consulting with a Jewish child and asking him to recite a passage from Scripture (which turns out to be a passage detailing the destruction of Jerusalem and the punishment to be meted out to the person responsible for it). Nero takes an unexpected decision, retreats from Jerusalem, and converts to Judaism.
Most scholars consider this story folklore, a fictional account invented by late-Babylonian Amoraic rabbis centuries after the event.
Following a proposed new reading of the Talmudic text and replacing the figure of Nero with one of his commanders, I propose that the “legend of Emperor Nero” is actually based on an historical event that has its recognizable parallel in Josephus' documentation of the Jewish revolt.
מעט סיפורים כאלה סופרו אף על בית המקדש שבירושלים. אין ספק שלסיפורים אלה
הייתה חשיבות גדולה בהעלאת קרנו של האתר הקדוש בעיני המאמינים ובהוספת הילה
של קדושה ופליאה למקום. אם נביט מעבר לממד הניסי והמיתולוגי של סיפורים אלה,
ייתכן שנוכל לזהות את הרקע הריאלי שבו מתרחשת העלילה הפלאית. אתמקד במקרה
מבחן אחד בסיפור מאוסף סיפורי הניסים האלה, והוא המעשה הפלאי של העלאת האבן
של רבי חנינא בן דוסא לבית המקדש (שיר השירים רבה א, ד; קהלת רבה א, א; ילקוט
שמעוני על נ"ך תתק״ס, י״ט). את הגרעין הקדום והתשתית הריאלית של המעשה אציע
לאתר במקורות הכתובים משלהי ימי הבית השני, בהתרחשות ההיסטורית בת הזמן
ובממצא הארכאולוגי.
מכמה עשרות מערות קבורה מירושלים ויהודה
בנות המאה הראשונה לפנה"ס ועד המאה הראשונה
לסה"נ, זוהו דפוסי קבורה מיוחדים ברבים מהקברים,
אותם ניתן לפרש כסימנים להיררכיה ומעמדות.
מבין הדפוסים השונים שזוהו, ניכר רמת הבולטות
והמידור של אחד ממכלולי הקבורה על פני שאר
מכלולי הקבורה שבקבר. במהלך מאמר זה, אציג
את דפוס ייחודי זה ואת המאפיינים העיקריים בהם
ניתן לזהותו, ואסקור מספר דוגמאות לקברים בהם
ניתן לראות את אותם דפוסים. לאחר מכן, אציע כי
דפוס זה עשוי להצביע על מקום קבורתו של ראש
המשפחה הקוברת, ואדון בשאלה האם מעמדו של
ראש המשפחה, כפי שהוא מוצג בקבר המשפחתי,
יכול ללמד אותנו על מעמדו בחיי המשפחה והחברה
בירושלים ויהודה בשלהי ימי הבית השני.
attention. This paper provides an integrative analysis of the caves and explains their use
in oil production. The phenomenon has clear geographic and chronological parame-
ters as a feature of early Roman period Judean settlement. This article proposes that
olive press caves represent ethnically-bounded practices identified with Jewish society
and are linked to production of ritually pure oil for temple rites and pilgrimage festivals
in Jerusalem. It is argued that their architectural layout helped to maximize the ability
to supervise, monitor and control the purity of workers.
A recent study by Vered Noam, Tal Ilan, et al., “Between Josephus and the Rabbis” (Vol. 2), demonstrates how many of these rabbinic traditions contain historical accounts that find parallels in Josephus's writings.
In this article, I illustrate how yet another tradition in this collection, not discussed by Noam and Ilan and unparalleled elsewhere in rabbinic literature, may also be seen to contain historical information that recurs in Josephus.
This tradition, which I call “the legend of Emperor Nero's campaign on Jerusalem,” describes the first Roman military campaign on the city, said to have been led by Emperor Nero. Upon reaching his destination, Nero solicits an oracle, who advises him that his imperial mission against Jerusalem needs divine approval (corresponding to the story of the four arrows falling in the direction of Jerusalem). The emperor then seeks additional confirmation—the story of his consulting with a Jewish child and asking him to recite a passage from Scripture (which turns out to be a passage detailing the destruction of Jerusalem and the punishment to be meted out to the person responsible for it). Nero takes an unexpected decision, retreats from Jerusalem, and converts to Judaism.
Most scholars consider this story folklore, a fictional account invented by late-Babylonian Amoraic rabbis centuries after the event.
Following a proposed new reading of the Talmudic text and replacing the figure of Nero with one of his commanders, I propose that the “legend of Emperor Nero” is actually based on an historical event that has its recognizable parallel in Josephus' documentation of the Jewish revolt.