Institutional Transformations

The destruction of the First Temple in 587/586 BCE at the hands of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar threatened the continuity of ancient Israelite culture. The Temple service, with its incense rituals and animal sacrifices performed by priests, was the primary mode of worship for the ancient Israelites. The Temple service was also associated with political leadership, as the high priest and the king were the two most important leaders of the community. According to the biblical account, the Temple was rebuilt and then rededicated in the late sixth and fifth centuries BCE, once again becoming the central locus of Jewish worship. In the aftermath of its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE, other Jewish institutions, such as the synagogue, which had already begun to emerge in the Hellenistic period, took on new importance and began to fulfill new social and cultural roles, as did the texts of the Jewish people. This section focuses on the emerging concept of Torah, its role in public worship, its study, and the transmission of its text; developments in the institutions of the Temple and the priesthood; the emergence and role of the synagogue; and the development of the liturgy.