Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: Cronos

Note that the date 520-70 BCE is for the whole 2nd Temple period, not for the Men of the Great Assembly. Jewish history records their dates rather precisely, naming each leader after them. Christian sources have their own reasons for altering dates.

http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/anshei.htm

Judaism 101
A Glossary of Basic Jewish Terms and Concepts

Anshei Knesset HaGedolah

Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (Men of the Great Assembly) founded by Ezra in approximately 520 B.C.E., this institution of Torah Sages led the Jewish People at the beginning of the Second Temple Era (ca. 520 B.C.E. - 70 C.E.). It included Mordechai and the last of the prophets Chaggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

Among the accomplishments of the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah were finalizing the contents of the Tanach,the 24-Book Hebrew Bible, instituting the Shemoneh Esray Prayer (recited at least three times daily, and ultimately to serve as a substitute for the Temple Sacrifices), and the enacting of many Laws to protect and bolster the observance of the Torah Commands.

According to Pirkei Avot (1:1), they are the fifth link in the Chain of Jewish Tradition: 1) Moshe receives it from Sinai and teaches it to 2) Yehoshua to the 3) Elders to the 4) Prophets to the 5) Anshei Knesset HaGedolah, at the end of the Biblical Period (ca. 520 B.C.E.). Pirkei Avot (1:2) also identifies Shimon HaTzaddik (Shimon the Righteous) among the last of the Men of the Great Assembly at the beginning of the Talmudic Period (ca. 200 B.C.E.)...


5,486 posted on 09/16/2010 5:25:23 AM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5473 | View Replies ]


To: jjotto

thank you for that link.


5,489 posted on 09/16/2010 5:28:33 AM PDT by Cronos (This Church is holy, the one Church, the true Church, the Catholic Church-St.Augustine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5486 | View Replies ]

To: jjotto; maryz; kosta50; Mr Rogers
There have been and still are, many groups in the Middle East that are in between the four big groups of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism.

The Samaritans claim they are the last remnants of the Israelite religion from before the Babylonian exile and keep the old ways distinct from rabbinical Judaism (Incidently the idea of angels and the Messiah -- would you say that comes from after the exile, and influenced by Zoroastrianism and Zoroastrian magi (priests)?)

Then you have Mandaens who claim Adam, Noah, John the Baptist etc as their prophets, but the Mandaeans believe that Abraham, Moses,Jesus and Muhammad were false prophets

then you have the Druze (The Druze call themselves Ahl al-Tawhid "People of Unitarianism or Monotheism" or al-Muwaḥḥidūn "Unitarians, Monotheists.") which seems a mixture of all four religious groups + Platonic ideals.

Then the Yazidi belief system, in which God created the world and it is now in the care of a Heptad of seven Holy Beings, often known as Angels or heft sirr (the Seven Mysteries). Preeminent among these is Tawûsê Melek (frequently known as "Melek Taus" in English publications), the Peacock Angel. According to the Encyclopedia of the Orient,

The reason for the Yazidis reputation of being devil worshipers is connected to the other name of Melek Taus, Shaytan, the same name the Koran has for Satan

Yazidis, however, believe Tawûsê Melek is not a source of evil or wickedness. They consider him to be the leader of the archangels, not a fallen angel. They also hold that the source of evil is in the heart and spirit of humans themselves, not in Tawûsê Melek

Then you have the Alawis (of whom the leader of Syria, Assad is one) who are strictly speaking a mixture of Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism again.

And in the first millenium, this mix was even crazier with Nestorians, Gnostics, Mazdaism, Manichaenism, Arians, pagan Arabic religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. all vying for attention with the big four.
5,490 posted on 09/16/2010 5:43:01 AM PDT by Cronos (This Church is holy, the one Church, the true Church, the Catholic Church-St.Augustine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5486 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson