Books by Joshua Brumbach
John's Three Letters include some of the most beloved and often-quoted portions of scripture. Cou... more John's Three Letters include some of the most beloved and often-quoted portions of scripture. Countless sermons have been given on their verses, and they are intimately familiar to innumerable individuals across time. Therefore, most people conversant on the Bible - scholars included - are confident they already have John's letters figured out. But have they really? There is a need for a fresh and post-supersessionist reading of John's letters that challenges common presuppositions regarding their purpose, message and relevance. By delving into their original Jewish context we will discover a world of hope, love, and God's ongoing covenant-faithfulness to Israel. We will also demonstrate that the author's theology, particularly his understanding of the divine nature of Messiah, was thoroughly embedded within the Jewish world of the first century.
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Almost no other canonical book has been as neglected and overlooked as the Epistle of Jude. Why ... more Almost no other canonical book has been as neglected and overlooked as the Epistle of Jude. Why would such a little book, especially one said to have been written by one of Jesus’s own brothers, be so ignored? There are many possible reasons for this. Some consider it controversial, difficult to follow, containing archaic imagery and taboo subjects better left alone.
But, this little book deserves far more attention than it currently receives. Jude is a small book packing an intellectual wallop! It may be small, but it has a big and fascinating message that is just as relevant today as when it was originally written.
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Journal Articles by Joshua Brumbach
Kesher Journal, 2024
The question of women serving in spiritual leadership is still quite controversial. To complicate... more The question of women serving in spiritual leadership is still quite controversial. To complicate matters, the debate often depends on the particular role(s) under discussion. Obviously, a woman serving in children's education is far less controversial than a woman serving as an elder or ordained clergy. Furthermore, all sides argue their respective position is the most biblical, authoritative, or historically continuous. The reality is that gender norms have continuously evolved and regressed throughout history, and much of our modern discussion was shaped, not during the biblical eras, but during the Middle Ages and early modern periods (especially the Victorian era), when many of the most famous theologians and biblical commentators lived and when the roles of women were much more restricted and less nuanced than at other times throughout history. There are those who might argue, for example, that the discussion of women in spiritual leadership is a result of the "women's liberation" movement or the product of more recent social agendas. However, this discussion is neither a new phenomenon nor a unique product of the modern world, as many ancient sources also wrestle with similar questions concerning the roles of women. This article explores the question of women in spiritual leadership from a biblical and socio-historical perspective and demonstrates that women have served in all positions of spiritual leadership-in biblical and subsequent history-as deacons, elders, evangelists, congregational leaders, apostles, and ordained clergy. Women were leaders in ancient Israel. Yeshua had female disciples. And Paul ordained and supported women in all levels of spiritual leadership. The biblical text is much more nuanced on this subject than often argued or assumed. Therefore, after a careful and critical review of biblical and historical examples, this paper will argue for the full support of greater participation of women within a variety of leadership roles and for the ordination of women as rabbinic and spiritual authorities.
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Kesher Journal , 2016
A conference response paper on practical and pastoral concerns regarding intimacy, sexuality and ... more A conference response paper on practical and pastoral concerns regarding intimacy, sexuality and parenting (2016 Hashivenu Forum).
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Kesher Journal (A Festschrift in Honor of Elliot Klayman), 2021
In May of 1893, while clearing collapsed debris from a room overlooking the ancient ruins of Nipp... more In May of 1893, while clearing collapsed debris from a room overlooking the ancient ruins of Nippur, a group of Kaffej workmen made a startling discovery. Buried beneath the rubble they found a number of clay tablets. Their exciting discovery caused a great tumult among the Expedition from the University of Pennsylvania. The excavators quickly worked to clear the debris, carefully searching the entire room. Within a few hours, a total of seven hundred and thirty tablets had been uncovered beneath the layers of rubble. All the tablets were carefully gathered and stored in the expedition’s fortified camp, known as the “castle.”
After further examination of both the room in which the texts were found, and the contents of the archive, it became apparent that the location had once been used as a business archive by the wealthy and influential Murashu family of Nippur who lived in the 5th Century BCE – during the reigns of the Persian kings Artaxerxes I and Darius II (c.464-404 BCE, coinciding with the Biblical accounts of Ezra and Nehemiah). According to William N. Goetzmann, the financial and political role of the Murashu clan in late Mesopotamian society “reads like a mystery story full of intrigue, scandal, and a web of secret financial deals.”
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Kesher Journal, 2023
Throughout history we have plenty of examples of ideas or ways thinking that either originated ou... more Throughout history we have plenty of examples of ideas or ways thinking that either originated outside of or predate the emergence of the Jewish people or the Hebrew Bible, but were incorporated into its texts and thought, resulting in a new type of Jewish thinking. Using the concept of Leviathan, this paper explores how an idea, which originated outside of Israel, was incorporated into its scriptures and cultural memory, and in the process, and through further evolution and development, became a uniquely Jewish concept.
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Kesher Journal, 2011
Do the terms “Judaism” and “Christianity” represent two distinct religious entities in late antiq... more Do the terms “Judaism” and “Christianity” represent two distinct religious entities in late antiquity, and are they the direct result of a very early parting of ways over the issue of an exalted messianic figure? In Border Lines, Daniel Boyarin, Professor of Talmudic Culture at University of California, Berkeley, seeks to dispel commonly accepted notions of each community’s origins and presents a striking case for re-imagining the historic development and partition of Judaeo-Christianity.
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Kesher Journal, 2009
There is a popular assumption within modern Jewish and academic circles that Judaism has never be... more There is a popular assumption within modern Jewish and academic circles that Judaism has never believed in a divine Messiah. However, is this truly the case? To better the ideology of of early Jewish messianism, it is incumbent to understand the first-century Jewish world as well as the broader influence of ideas that existed within Ancient Near Eastern thought. A divine Messiah concept was consistent with views that were circulating in the first-century CE. The earliest Jewish followers of Jesus were able to make the claims they did because their views were firmly rooted in Jewish soil. Although this understanding within Judaism would not last long, there was a period in time when belief in a divine Messiah was indeed Jewish.
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Papers by Joshua Brumbach
Dissertation, 2024
Judaism is uniquely comfortable with arguing with God. While this tradition of protest finds its ... more Judaism is uniquely comfortable with arguing with God. While this tradition of protest finds its origins in the Hebrew Bible, during the early rabbinic period the sages explicitly opposed challenging God. However, in Amoraic and post-Amoraic sources ample evidence exists for pious resistance, including challenges to divine unethical action and perceived injustice. This work delves into theological confrontation specifically in Midrash Tehillim, and demonstrates that theological protest is a significant, recurring theme. It provides examples where confrontation is subtle and nuanced, as well as instances where it is bold and direct. This work also examines the methods used to launch these challenges and explores why these acts of protest were not considered futile but legitimate expressions of frustration and critique. Furthermore, protests in Midrash Tehillim are primarily dialogical, and exponentially increased compared to the biblical Psalter. Critiques either amplify biblical protests or insert critiques into passages that did not originally contain protest. This dissertation contributes original work both to scholarship on Midrash Tehillim, and to the emerging field of theological protest in rabbinic literature.
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This paper provides a brief explanation for what halakhah is and will propose that although halak... more This paper provides a brief explanation for what halakhah is and will propose that although halakhah must be approached with careful consideration for proper procedure and process, it must also be engaged with holy chutzpah (spiritual audacity). A vibrant and spiritually relevant Judaism in the twenty-first century must be guided by a halakhah that is based on precedence, yet flexible, and guided by ethical and relational considerations.
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This paper explores the question of women in spiritual leadership, particularly as rabbis, from a... more This paper explores the question of women in spiritual leadership, particularly as rabbis, from a biblical and socio-historical perspective, and demonstrate that women have served in all positions of spiritual leadership – in biblical and subsequent history – as deacons, elders, evangelists, congregational leaders, apostles, and ordained clergy. Women were leaders in ancient Israel. Yeshua had female disciples. And Paul ordained and supported women in all levels of spiritual leadership. The biblical text is much more nuanced on this subject than often argued or assumed. Therefore, after a careful and critical review of biblical and historical examples, this paper argues for the full support of greater participation for women within a variety of leadership roles, and for the ordination of women as rabbinic and spiritual authorities.
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It is not unusual that throughout the history of the Chassidic movement there have been a number ... more It is not unusual that throughout the history of the Chassidic movement there have been a number of women praised for their piety, wisdom, leadership and/or scholarship. However, what is unusual is that there are a handful of these women who actually functioned as (or were in their own right) Chassidic Rebbes.
Ada Rapoport-Albert notes at least eleven additional women “who are said to have commissioned a following in their own right.” Most of the women who functioned as rebbes, or in specific roles usually reserved for rebbes, were the wives, widows or daughters of great rebbes. Their yichus (family lineage) and otherwise conventional roles as wives and mothers usually allowed for their unsual leadership positions. The primary exception to this is the Ludmirer Moid, who was neither married to nor descended from a prestigious rabbinic family.
These women are described as leaders in their own right, regularly receiving kvitlekh (slips of paper on inscribed with requests for assistance or blessing), teaching and preaching, performing miracles, and building their own following. They are additionally often described as adopting rigorous standards of personal piety, including practices unusual for women, often including wearing tzitizit and tefillin, kapote and gartl (belt) during prayer, and in some cases, engaging in learned literary work and producing original Hasidic writings.
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This paper analyzes eight biblical passages containing instructions and accounts specifically reg... more This paper analyzes eight biblical passages containing instructions and accounts specifically regarding captive woman and children, and demonstrates that the harshest commandments were seldom observed in full. Although many captive women and children were exploited for labor as slaves or concubines, they were also often absorbed into the fabric of Israelite society, becoming part of the people over time, and contributing significantly to Israel’s future.
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Various forms of Judaism vied against one other, wrestling for control over the shape and directi... more Various forms of Judaism vied against one other, wrestling for control over the shape and direction of Jewish life. As Rabbinic Judaism emerged and developed, it intentionally sought to establish itself and its own interpretations as the ultimate authority. This imposed influence included constructing and enforcing artificial boundaries with clear definitions of who was “in” and who was “out.” This was achieved through various means, particularly through labels such as “meshumad,” “min,” “apikoros,” and “kofer.” Another important device was the institution of a benediction against heretics added to the weekday Amidah, called “Birkat HaMinim.” This paper will explore the concept of heresy and deviance within early rabbinic thought, how normalization and control was achieved through socially-constructed labels applied to those it sought to marginalize, and the origin and intention of Birkat HaMinim, and how it was understood and applied in succeeding generations.
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NOTE: I have a much more updated paper on this topic, also available on Academia, titled, Called ... more NOTE: I have a much more updated paper on this topic, also available on Academia, titled, Called to Lead: Women as Spiritual Leaders in Messianic Judaism (2023).
Paper presented to the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council, February 2012.
We now live in a Jewish world where every major denomination within Judaism has ordained women as rabbis. However, some movements are much more open about this fact than others. Despite the growing numbers and the positive contributions of woman rabbis throughout the Jewish community, many still voice great opposition to women serving in spiritual leadership.
If there seems to be no valid social, biblical, or halachic reason to continue refusing Messianic Jewish smicha to qualified women, then maybe our current position should be reevaluated. Therefore I argue that it is time for Messianic Judaism to join our larger Jewish world in openly ordaining women as Messianic rabbis.
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Talks/Presentations by Joshua Brumbach
A response to a discussion on a Messianic Jewish approach to sexuality, intimacy and relationships.
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The Torah and the Jewish people are interwoven together and cannot be separated. The Torah, and t... more The Torah and the Jewish people are interwoven together and cannot be separated. The Torah, and the way it has been uniquely interpreted and applied over time, defines us as a people. In a play on the famous quote from Ahad Ha’Am,1 one could even say: More than the Jews have kept Torah, Torah has kept the Jews.
For us as Jews, the Torah is more than the stipulations of the covenant between ourselves and God. It is more than just 613 different ways to connect with our Creator. The Torah speaks into the deepest places of our souls and tells us where we came from, who we truly are, and where we are going. It defines our behavior and shapes our interaction with the world around us. The question of the role of Torah and Jewish tradition within the Messianic Jewish community is a question that should be seriously wrestled with. There are no simple answers. But we need to also recognize that what we Jews are seeking today is really the same thing we have always sought – to simultaneously connect with God and to find our place within thirty centuries of Jewish history. And that simply cannot be done without Torah and wrestling with our tradition.
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We now live in a world where Jewishness is no longer a given. It is a choice. And any message we ... more We now live in a world where Jewishness is no longer a given. It is a choice. And any message we hope to share must be communicated in a way that reflects this new paradigm.
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Translated Articles by Joshua Brumbach
(Portuguese Translation - Called to Lead: Women as Spiritual Leaders in Messianic Judaism) Este a... more (Portuguese Translation - Called to Lead: Women as Spiritual Leaders in Messianic Judaism) Este artigo explorará a questão das mulheres na liderança espiritual, particularmente como rabinas, de uma perspectiva bíblica e sócio-histórica, e demonstrará que as mulheres serviram em todas as posições de liderança espiritual — na história bíblica e subsequente — como diaconisas, presbíteras, evangelistas, líderes congregacionais, apóstolas e clérigas ordenadas. As mulheres eram líderes no antigo Israel. Yeshua tinha discípulas. E Paulo ordenou e apoiou mulheres em todos os níveis de liderança espiritual. O texto bíblico é muito mais nuançado sobre este assunto do que muitas vezes argumentado ou assumido. Portanto, após uma revisão cuidadosa e crítica de exemplos bíblicos e históricos, este documento defenderá o pleno apoio a uma maior participação das mulheres em vários cargos de liderança e à ordenação de mulheres como autoridades rabínicas e espirituais.
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(Portuguese Translation - Role of Torah and Jewish Tradition in the Messianic Jewish Community) A... more (Portuguese Translation - Role of Torah and Jewish Tradition in the Messianic Jewish Community) A Torá e o povo judeu estão entrelaçados e não podem ser separados. A Torá e a maneira como ela foi interpretada e aplicada ao longo do tempo nos definem como povo. Em uma adaptação da famosa citação de Ahad Há’Am, poderia ser dito: Mais do que os judeus têm guardado a Torá, é a Torá que tem guardado os judeus.
Para nós, judeus, a Torá é mais do que as estipulações d aliança entre nós e Deus. É mais do que apenas 613 maneiras diferentes de nos conectarmos com nosso Criador. A Torá fala aos lugares mais profundos de nossas almas e nos diz de onde viemos, quem realmente somos e para onde estamos indo. Ela define nosso comportamento e molda nossa interação com o mundo ao nosso redor.
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Books by Joshua Brumbach
But, this little book deserves far more attention than it currently receives. Jude is a small book packing an intellectual wallop! It may be small, but it has a big and fascinating message that is just as relevant today as when it was originally written.
Journal Articles by Joshua Brumbach
After further examination of both the room in which the texts were found, and the contents of the archive, it became apparent that the location had once been used as a business archive by the wealthy and influential Murashu family of Nippur who lived in the 5th Century BCE – during the reigns of the Persian kings Artaxerxes I and Darius II (c.464-404 BCE, coinciding with the Biblical accounts of Ezra and Nehemiah). According to William N. Goetzmann, the financial and political role of the Murashu clan in late Mesopotamian society “reads like a mystery story full of intrigue, scandal, and a web of secret financial deals.”
Papers by Joshua Brumbach
Ada Rapoport-Albert notes at least eleven additional women “who are said to have commissioned a following in their own right.” Most of the women who functioned as rebbes, or in specific roles usually reserved for rebbes, were the wives, widows or daughters of great rebbes. Their yichus (family lineage) and otherwise conventional roles as wives and mothers usually allowed for their unsual leadership positions. The primary exception to this is the Ludmirer Moid, who was neither married to nor descended from a prestigious rabbinic family.
These women are described as leaders in their own right, regularly receiving kvitlekh (slips of paper on inscribed with requests for assistance or blessing), teaching and preaching, performing miracles, and building their own following. They are additionally often described as adopting rigorous standards of personal piety, including practices unusual for women, often including wearing tzitizit and tefillin, kapote and gartl (belt) during prayer, and in some cases, engaging in learned literary work and producing original Hasidic writings.
Paper presented to the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council, February 2012.
We now live in a Jewish world where every major denomination within Judaism has ordained women as rabbis. However, some movements are much more open about this fact than others. Despite the growing numbers and the positive contributions of woman rabbis throughout the Jewish community, many still voice great opposition to women serving in spiritual leadership.
If there seems to be no valid social, biblical, or halachic reason to continue refusing Messianic Jewish smicha to qualified women, then maybe our current position should be reevaluated. Therefore I argue that it is time for Messianic Judaism to join our larger Jewish world in openly ordaining women as Messianic rabbis.
Talks/Presentations by Joshua Brumbach
For us as Jews, the Torah is more than the stipulations of the covenant between ourselves and God. It is more than just 613 different ways to connect with our Creator. The Torah speaks into the deepest places of our souls and tells us where we came from, who we truly are, and where we are going. It defines our behavior and shapes our interaction with the world around us. The question of the role of Torah and Jewish tradition within the Messianic Jewish community is a question that should be seriously wrestled with. There are no simple answers. But we need to also recognize that what we Jews are seeking today is really the same thing we have always sought – to simultaneously connect with God and to find our place within thirty centuries of Jewish history. And that simply cannot be done without Torah and wrestling with our tradition.
Translated Articles by Joshua Brumbach
Para nós, judeus, a Torá é mais do que as estipulações d aliança entre nós e Deus. É mais do que apenas 613 maneiras diferentes de nos conectarmos com nosso Criador. A Torá fala aos lugares mais profundos de nossas almas e nos diz de onde viemos, quem realmente somos e para onde estamos indo. Ela define nosso comportamento e molda nossa interação com o mundo ao nosso redor.
But, this little book deserves far more attention than it currently receives. Jude is a small book packing an intellectual wallop! It may be small, but it has a big and fascinating message that is just as relevant today as when it was originally written.
After further examination of both the room in which the texts were found, and the contents of the archive, it became apparent that the location had once been used as a business archive by the wealthy and influential Murashu family of Nippur who lived in the 5th Century BCE – during the reigns of the Persian kings Artaxerxes I and Darius II (c.464-404 BCE, coinciding with the Biblical accounts of Ezra and Nehemiah). According to William N. Goetzmann, the financial and political role of the Murashu clan in late Mesopotamian society “reads like a mystery story full of intrigue, scandal, and a web of secret financial deals.”
Ada Rapoport-Albert notes at least eleven additional women “who are said to have commissioned a following in their own right.” Most of the women who functioned as rebbes, or in specific roles usually reserved for rebbes, were the wives, widows or daughters of great rebbes. Their yichus (family lineage) and otherwise conventional roles as wives and mothers usually allowed for their unsual leadership positions. The primary exception to this is the Ludmirer Moid, who was neither married to nor descended from a prestigious rabbinic family.
These women are described as leaders in their own right, regularly receiving kvitlekh (slips of paper on inscribed with requests for assistance or blessing), teaching and preaching, performing miracles, and building their own following. They are additionally often described as adopting rigorous standards of personal piety, including practices unusual for women, often including wearing tzitizit and tefillin, kapote and gartl (belt) during prayer, and in some cases, engaging in learned literary work and producing original Hasidic writings.
Paper presented to the Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Council, February 2012.
We now live in a Jewish world where every major denomination within Judaism has ordained women as rabbis. However, some movements are much more open about this fact than others. Despite the growing numbers and the positive contributions of woman rabbis throughout the Jewish community, many still voice great opposition to women serving in spiritual leadership.
If there seems to be no valid social, biblical, or halachic reason to continue refusing Messianic Jewish smicha to qualified women, then maybe our current position should be reevaluated. Therefore I argue that it is time for Messianic Judaism to join our larger Jewish world in openly ordaining women as Messianic rabbis.
For us as Jews, the Torah is more than the stipulations of the covenant between ourselves and God. It is more than just 613 different ways to connect with our Creator. The Torah speaks into the deepest places of our souls and tells us where we came from, who we truly are, and where we are going. It defines our behavior and shapes our interaction with the world around us. The question of the role of Torah and Jewish tradition within the Messianic Jewish community is a question that should be seriously wrestled with. There are no simple answers. But we need to also recognize that what we Jews are seeking today is really the same thing we have always sought – to simultaneously connect with God and to find our place within thirty centuries of Jewish history. And that simply cannot be done without Torah and wrestling with our tradition.
Para nós, judeus, a Torá é mais do que as estipulações d aliança entre nós e Deus. É mais do que apenas 613 maneiras diferentes de nos conectarmos com nosso Criador. A Torá fala aos lugares mais profundos de nossas almas e nos diz de onde viemos, quem realmente somos e para onde estamos indo. Ela define nosso comportamento e molda nossa interação com o mundo ao nosso redor.