Sacred Editors

Sacred Editors: Judaism

This volume traces how Jewish sacred texts emerged, adapted, and were redefined over millennia. From oral tradition to canon, from exile to rebirth, it examines how power, persecution, and perseverance shaped the texts that define Judaism today—and how sacredness itself was constantly debated and reimagined.

Judaism Book Cover

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Table of Contents

  1. Introduction: The “Why” of the Book
  2. Prologue: A Story to Begin

    3. Part I: Origins and Formation

  3. Chapter 1: Myths, Stories, and Oral Traditions — Pre-Textual Judaism
  4. Chapter 2: From Story to Scripture — The Birth and Evolution of the Torah
  5. Chapter 3: Shaping the Canon — The Prophets and Writings
  6. Interlude A: The Shock of Translation — The Septuagint and Hellenism
  7. Chapter 4: Capstone – What Defined “Sacred”? Boundaries and Identity in Early Judaism

    8. Part II: Text Under Pressure

  8. Chapter 5: Crisis and Adaptation — Exile, Diaspora, and Redefining Authority
  9. Chapter 6: The Rise of Interpretation — From Text to Commentary
  10. Chapter 7: The Canon Firmed — Fixing the Hebrew Bible
  11. Interlude B: Sects and Divergence — Samaritans, Karaites, and Parallel Canons
  12. Chapter 8: Capstone – Survival, Suppression, and Innovation

    13. Part III: The Rabbinic Revolution

  13. Chapter 9: The Mishnah and Oral Torah — From Law to Literature
  14. Chapter 10: Talmud and Midrash — Debate, Story, and Community Memory
  15. Chapter 11: Text Stabilized — The Masoretes and Vocalization
  16. Interlude C: Voices from the Margins — Women, Outsiders, and Unofficial Texts
  17. Chapter 12: Capstone – The Living Scroll

    18. Part IV: Modernity and Beyond

  18. Chapter 13: Modern Scholarship, Archaeology, and the Dead Sea Scrolls
  19. Chapter 14: Denominational Responses — Orthodox, Conservative, Reform
  20. Chapter 15: Ongoing Debate — Responsa and Global Diversity
  21. Interlude D: Sacred Texts in a Pluralistic World
  22. Chapter 16: Capstone – Sacredness Reimagined
  23. Conclusion: The Ongoing Conversation
  24. Research Methodology

    25. Appendices

  25. Appendix A: Chronological Timeline of Major Events
  26. Appendix B: Key Texts and Canonical Boundaries
  27. Appendix C: Glossary of Terms
  28. Appendix D: Major Manuscripts and Textual Discoveries
  29. Appendix E: Scholar Biographies