Ithaca
College
Fall Semester 2004
Ithaca
College
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Hebrew Scriptures
Jewish Studies 340-103/ Religion 344-103
01 MWF 12:00-12:50
02 MWF 1:00-1:50
Room: CNS 118
Rebecca Lesses
Office: Gannett G122
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 2:30-4:00 or by appointment. You may also
drop by at other times because I am frequently in my office, but to make sure
that I will be there, call first.
Telephone: 274-3556
E-mail: rlesses@ithaca.edu
The Hebrew Bible
(referred to by Christians as the Old Testament) is one of the foundational
books of both western and world culture, and serves as the basis for Judaism
and Christianity. In this course, we will read the books of the Bible critically
as literature, as religious and moral text, and as a source of sociological
knowledge. This course surveys the biblical literature, acquaints the students
with critical methods for the study of the Bible, situates the Bible within
the literature and culture of the ancient Near East, and discusses the religion
of ancient Israel. We will deal with questions of history and archaeology, and
with questions of meaning – what the biblical text meant to its ancient
readers, and what meanings it has today. All texts will be read in English translation.
Requirements:
Class attendance (5%) (3 unexcused absences permitted; if class is missed
because of illness, student must present a note from the health center or a
doctor; more absences will lead to a lower grade)
Class participation (10%): this includes asking questions and speaking
up during class discussions, participating in small group work (chevruta, explained
below), handing in Entry Tickets (explained below), and active listening to
lectures and to classmates.
Map exercise – due September 13 (5%)
Several (3-5) short quizzes – (15% total; lowest quiz grade will
be dropped)
Midterm exam – October 13, in class (20%)
Exegesis paper (6-8 pages) – due November 17, in class (20%)
Final exam— because this class has two sections, there are two exam
times scheduled. You may go to the exam at either time. Tuesday, Dec. 14, 7:30
a.m.-10:00 a.m.; Thursday, Dec. 16, 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (25%)
HOW THIS CLASS WILL BE CONDUCTED
1. BRING THE BIBLE TO CLASS! The main activity of this class will be reading
and interpreting the Bible. We will always be referring to the Bible, therefore
you must always have a Bible before you in class. Looking on with your neighbor
is not sufficient.
2. CLASS PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED. This class will be conducted partly as a
lecture, partly as small group work, partly as large group discussion. I expect
you to come to class having done each day’s reading and prepared to say
something about it. To further this goal, you are required to bring Entry Tickets
to class each day.
3. ENTRY TICKETS. For each class, prepare at least two questions or comments about the reading (especially the biblical passages themselves) and hand in an index card with your questions at the beginning of class. The purpose of the entry tickets is to get you thinking about the reading and the questions it raises for you – not all questions will necessarily be answered directly in class. Periodically, I will read out your questions or ask you to state them to the whole class.
4. CHEVRUTA. In class I will often ask you to read a particular text together with another person, so that you can discuss your own questions about the text and spark each other’s ideas. This method is taken from the rabbinic way of studying a text, a method called chevruta (fellowship). It stems from the idea that learning is acquired best through the active interaction between self, fellow, and text. Your chevruta partner may have different questions than you do, or different answers.
5. ACTIVE LISTENING. Listening to another person speak is not a passive enterprise. Really to understand another person requires paying attention to his or her words, taking notes on what the other person says, making associations with what you already know, asking questions when you don’t understand. This is true when you listen to your classmates in small or large group discussions or to my lectures. I expect you to pay attention in class and learn both from your classmates and from my lectures. Take notes. Do not expect simply to remember everything said in class. If you are unfamiliar with taking notes for a class, please speak to me.
6. BIBLE TRANSLATIONS: Use one of the Bible translations ordered for this class. The Jewish Study Bible, and the New Oxford Annotated Bible provide different English translations plus commentary. They both include discussions of modern critical theories of the Bible, and the Jewish Study Bible also includes references to traditional Jewish interpretations. The Artscroll Tanach includes the Hebrew text plus a different English translation and a short commentary from a traditional Jewish perspective. I recommend that you buy either the Jewish Study Bible or the New Oxford Annotated Bible, and if you know Hebrew and want to refer to the Hebrew texts, also buy the Artscroll. All texts are available in the bookstore.
CLASS POLICIES
1. ALL WRITTEN WORK MUST BE YOUR OWN. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. I refer
cases of plagiarism to the Judicial Affairs Office – plagiarism may result
in an F for the course and being placed on Academic Probation. Please consult
pages 116-118 of the Student Handbook for a complete statement of the Ithaca
College policy on plagiarism, including definitions of plagiarism and proper
citation of sources.
2. ALL WRITTEN WORK MUST BE DONE IN ORDER TO PASS THE COURSE. This includes
all exams (midterm, final, and short quizzes), map exercise, and exegesis paper.
3. IF YOU NEED HELP WITH YOUR WRITING: Please come speak to me. I also recommend
the Writing Center, 228 Park, which is open 9-5 Mon.-Fri. and 7-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs.
To schedule an appointment, call 274-3315.
4. ATTENDANCE POLICY. 3 unexcused absences are permitted; if class is missed
because of illness, student must present a doctor’s excuse. More than three
unexcused absences will lead to reduction of the course attendance and participation
grades.
5. STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES: please approach me early in the semester
and let me know your needs in terms of papers or exams. Also, please have the
Office for Support Services send me a letter with your specific needs.
6. IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE IN YOUR LIFE that interferes with completing the
course work (for example, a death in the family, grave illness, family discord,
relationship problems) please come to me and we can talk about how to get your
work done. DO NOT JUST STOP COMING TO CLASS!
BOOKS FOR PURCHASE
All books will also be placed on reserve in the library.
Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, by John J. Collins (Minneapolis: Fortress
Press, 2004).
Adele Berlin and Marc Brettler, eds., The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford/New
York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Michael Coogan, ed., The New Oxford Annotated Bible (Oxford University
Press, 2001).
Nosson Scherman, ed., The Tanach: Stone Edition (Artscroll Series; Mesorah,
1996).
Books also on reserve (the recommended readings are found in these texts)
Alice Bach, Women in the Hebrew Bible (New York: Routledge, 1999) Call
number: BS1199.W7 W65 1999.
Hershel Shanks, Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Roman Destruction of
the Temple (Washington, D.C.: Biblical Archaeology Society, 1999). Call
number: DS121 .A53 1999.
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
Wednesday, August 25: Introduction
What is the Bible and why is it important? How do we study the Bible? What does
the Bible tell us about the past? What preconceptions do we bring to the study
of the Bible?
Handout: Comparative translations of Genesis 1 & questions for discussion
Friday, August 27: Text and canon of the Bible
When we use the word "Bible," what book or books are we referring
to? Do Jews and Christians have different lists of books included in the Bible?
And how do biblical scholars arrive at the text of the Bible itself?
Handout: History of the Hebrew Biblical Text
Readings: Collins, pp. 1-10
Monday, August 30: How to Read the Bible
What are the different methods that scholars use to interpret the Bible?
chevruta and discussion of Gen. 1-2 (bring your Bible and handout of questions
to class)
Readings: Collins, pp. 16-20; key words are: literary criticism; source criticism;
form criticism; redaction criticism;
Also read the handout: "Reading the Bible."
Wednesday, September 1: Biblical history and the history of ancient Israel
Slide presentation on archaeology and the biblical text
Readings: Collins, pp. 11-15.
handout: Timeline of ancient Israelite history: know these key dates
The map exercise will be handed out today – due Sept. 13
in class.
Friday, September 3: The Near Eastern Context of biblical literature
Readings: Collins, pp. 25-45.
Monday, September 6: Labor Day, no classes
Wednesday, September 8: The historical-critical approach to the study of
the Bible
Readings: Genesis 1-3 (creation of the world and of humans)
Collins, pp. 47-64 (take careful notes)
Friday, September 10: Historical-critical approach continued
Readings: Gen. 6:5-9:18 (the flood story)
Monday, September 13: Creation and Flood
Readings: Genesis 1-11
Collins, pp. 67-82.
Map exercise due in class
Wednesday, September 15: Abraham and Sarah
Readings: Genesis 12-25 (especially Gen. 22)
Collins, pp. 83-98.
Recommended Reading:
Phyllis Trible, "Genesis 22: The Sacrifice of Sarah," in Bach, pp.
271-290.
Friday, September 17: No class: Second day of Rosh Hashanah
Monday, September 20: Jacob and his family; Jacob the trickster
Readings: Genesis 25-36
Collins, pp. 98-101.
Recommended Reading:
Carol Meyers, "Women and the Domestic Economy of Early Israel," in
Bach, pp. 33-43.
Wednesday, September 22: Joseph and his brothers
Readings: Genesis 37-50 (concentrate on chs. 37-38, 49)
Collins, pp. 101-104.
Friday, September 24: Moses, Miriam, and the Exodus
Themes: women, God’s power, role of Moses, hardening of Pharaoh’s
heart, historicity
Readings: Exodus 1-18
Collins, pp. 107-119.
Friday, September 26: Revelation and covenant; "holy nation";
golden calf
Readings: Exodus 19-20, 24, 32-34
Collins, pp. 121-130.
Monday, September 27: the Covenant Code and ancient Near Eastern law
Readings: Exodus 21-23
Collins, pp. 130-136.
Wednesday, September 29: the Torah of the priests:
the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the sacrificial service; sacred spaces
Readings: Exodus 25-31, 40, Leviticus 1-8 (skim—get the flavor of what
the sacrifices are)
Collins, pp. 139-145.
Friday, October 1: the Torah of the Priests: purity and holiness
Readings: Leviticus 11, 17 (laws of kosher food), 15 (sexual purity), 16 (Yom
Kippur), 18 (sexual prohibitions), 19 (holiness), Numbers 5:11-6:27 (law of
the Sotah, or the woman suspected of adultery).
Collins, pp. 145-156.
Recommended Reading:
Tikva Frymer-Kensky, "Law and Philosophy: the Case of Sex in the Bible,"
in Bach, pp. 293-304; Tikva Frymer-Kensky, "The Strange Case of the Suspected
Sotah," in Bach, pp. 463-474.
Monday, October 4: Moses retells history (Deuteronomy)
Readings: Deuteronomy 1-7 (compare Deut. 5 with Ex. 20 – two slightly different
versions of the ten commandments)
Collins, pp. 159-164, 169-173.
Recommended Reading:
Collins, pp. 173-178 (detailed discussion of the relationship between the Priestly
and Deuteronomistic sources)
Wednesday, October 6: the Torah of Moses (Deuteronomy)
Readings: Deuteronomy 12-26, 31-34
Collins, pp. 164-169.
Friday, October 8: No class, Simhat Torah
Monday, October 11: Study session for Midterm Examination
Wednesday, October 13: Midterm Examination (in class)
Friday, October 15: Fall break, no classes
Monday, October 18: Deuteronomistic history and archaeology
Readings: Joshua 1-6.
Collins, pp. 183-191.
Exegesis paper assignment will be handed out in class (due Nov. 17)
Wednesday, October 20: Was there a conquest?; holy war ideology
Readings: Joshua 6-12, Judges 1
Collins, pp. 191-200.
Recommended Reading
Hershel Shanks, ed., Ancient Israel, ch. 3: "The Settlement in Canaan:
The Period of the Judges"
Friday, October 22: Women and death in the book of Judges
Readings: Judges 2-5, 11-16, 19-21.
Collins, pp. 203-214.
Recommended Reading (all in Alice Bach, ed., Women in the Hebrew Bible):
Susan Niditch, "Eroticism and death in the Tale of Jael," in Bach,
pp. 305-315.
Mieke Bal, "Dealing/With/Women: Daughters in the Book of Judges,"
in Bach, pp. 317-333.
Alice Bach, "Rereading the Body Politic: Women and Violence in Judges 21,"
in Bach, pp. 389-401.
Monday, October 25: Samuel and Saul; Saul and holy war against Amalek
Readings: 1 Samuel 1-15.
Collins, pp. 217-225.
Wednesday, October 27: David vs. Saul
Readings: 1 Samuel 16-31, 2 Samuel 1
Collins, pp. 225-232.
Friday, October 29: David’s reign and the struggle over succession
Readings: 2 Sam 2-8, 11-19.
Collins, pp. 233-243.
Monday, November 1: Solomon’s reign
Readings: 1 Kings 1-11.
Collins, pp. 245-253.
Wednesday, November 3: Division of the kingdom; Elijah and the priests of
Ba’al
prophecy and ecstasy
Readings: 1 Kings 12-19
Collins, pp. 254-269.
Friday, November 5: Assyrian conquest and Josiah’s reform
Readings: 2 Kings 15-23.
Collins, pp. 269-276.
Monday, November 8: Isaiah
Readings: Isaiah 1-12, 29-39.
Collins, pp. 283-286 (on the phenomenon of prophecy), 307-321 (on the composition
of the book of Isaiah and the prophecy of Isaiah of Jerusalem, in the 8th century
B.C.E.)
New Oxford Annotated Bible, pp. 969-973 (Hebrew Bible section) OR Jewish
Study Bible, pp. 780-784.
Wednesday, November 10: Jeremiah
Readings: Jeremiah 1-7, 13, 17, 21-25, 29 (letter to the exiles in Babylon),
30-31 (words of consolation).
Collins, pp. 334-347.
Friday, November 12: Conquest and Exile
Readings: 2 Kings 24-25; Jeremiah 32-44, 52, Lamentations 1.
Collins, pp. 276-278 (on the historical accounts); 348-350 (on Lamentations).
Monday, November 15: Popular Religion
Readings: Lev. 19:26-31, 20:27; Num. 21:1-9; Deut. 18:9-14; 1 Samuel 28; Jeremiah
44.
Recommended Reading:
Susan Ackerman, "‘And the Women Knead Dough’: The Worship of
the Queen of Heaven in Sixth-Century Judah," in Bach, pp. 21-32.
Wednesday, November 17: Return to Zion
Readings: Ezra (skip over the long lists of returnees), Nehemiah 8-9.
Collins, pp. 427-442.
6-8 page paper due in class
Friday, November 19: No class (instructor attending the Society of Biblical
Literature Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas)
Monday, November 24-Friday, November 28: Thanksgiving break, no classes
Monday, November
29: In the Court of the Foreign King
Readings: Esther
Collins, pp. 529, 536-543.
Recommended Reading:
Esther Fuchs, "Status and Role of Female Heroines in the Biblical Narrative,"
in Bach, pp. 77-84.
Wednesday, December 1: Psalms in Israel’s worship
Readings: Psalms 3-5, 19, 24, 30, 72, 80, 91, 97, 121-122, 124, 137
on the Levites’ song in the Temple: 1 Chronicles 6:31-48, 15:16-16:43;
2 Chronicles 5:11-14, 29:25-30.
Collins, pp. 461-480.
Friday, December 3: Wisdom
Readings: Proverbs 1-9
Collins, pp. 487-502.
Recommended Reading:
Carol A. Newsom, "Woman and the Discourse of Patriarchal Wisdom,"
in Bach, pp. 85-98.
Monday, December 6: Job
Readings: Job 1-14, 38-42
Collins, pp. 505-517.
Wednesday, December 8: Parody
Readings: Jonah
Collins, pp. 534-536.
Friday, December 10: Evaluation and Review
Final Exam times (you may take the exam at either time)
Tuesday, Dec. 14, 7:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Thursday, Dec. 16, 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
This
page maintained by: Rebecca Lesses
Last revised August 25, 2004