The Biblical Period
It has become customary to segment the history of Judaism into several discrete “epochs,” each marked by certain key events that help to shape the direction of Jewish religious behavior and thought.
The earliest of these epochs is the biblical period, which can be dated (speculatively) from the eighteenth century âñå to the sixth century âñå. The key events of this era are the rise of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob); the Exodus from Egypt; the formation of the monarchy; and the rise and fall of the two kingdoms—Israel and Judah—that followed. Viewed historically, the Patriarchal period remains shrouded in myth and legend, with the towering figures of Abraham as the principal bearer of the covenant that YHWH first establishes with the people of “Israel.”The Exodus from Egypt remains a problematic event for which little credible historical evidence exists today. Nevertheless, in the minds of biblical writers—and in the consciousness of Jews for centuries thereafter—it remained one of the crucial turning points in the history of Judaism. For whether or not it occurred exactly as described in the Hebrew Bible, the escape of Israelite slaves from Egypt marked a significant reversal of fortune for the tribes that called themselves “Israel,” and it served as proof of God’s power and willingness to intervene in history on their behalf.
More than that, however, the Exodus also marked a decisive moment in Israel’s history of divine revelation and lawgiving, for it was on a mountain peak in the Sinai Peninsula (variously identified as Mount Horeb or Mount Sinai) that divine instruction was provided to their leader Moses, who then imparted these teachings to the assembled Israelite masses. From this era on, “Israel” could no longer regard itself as a simple tribal society, cherishing memories of remote patriarchal leaders. The moment Israel encountered YHWH at Sinai it became a “confessional” community, bound together by a common faith in a Creator God and committed to his service.
As for the land the Israelites were poised to invade, that was understood to be a gift from YHWH, as well as the fulfillment of promises made to their ancestor Abraham. But it was theirs only as long as they remained faithful to the God who had brought them into their “Promised Land” and true to the covenant He had established with them.Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
As a nation in the making, Israel began to emerge as a distinctive political entity only in the tenth century âñå, with the establishment of the dynasty of King David (c. 1000-961 âñå). For a time, David managed to unite a warring tribal society under his leadership, finally passing on the throne to his son Solomon (c. 961-922 âñå), whose even more exalted reign—at least in the eyes of biblical writers—brought a united monarchy to its height of power and fame.
The most important achievement of Solomon’s reign, however, was not the extent of his legendary wealth and power, but rather the construction of the First Temple—a permanent sanctuary, designed to replace the portable tent (or “Tabernacle”) of Moses’s time, wherein prayers and animal sacrifices were offered to YHWH. By building this temple in the capital city of Jerusalem, Solomon ensured not only that the political and religious life of Israel would be geographically concentrated within one “holy” city but also that the Davidic monarchy would forever be associated with the most sacred site in Judaism.
Following Solomon’s death, the northern tribes seceded to form a kingdom of their own, subsequently identified as the kingdom of Israel. The southern tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David and his descendants, and it bore the name of the kingdom of Judah. Both of these kingdoms, as we have noted, were relatively short-lived, and each in turn was overrun by the armies of more powerful empires. Of the two invasions, it was the second, by the Babylonians (587 âñå), that resonated most powerfully with Jews for centuries thereafter, if only because it was the occasion of the destruction of Solomon’s Temple. In time, the loss of the First Temple and of the kingdom of Judah became the archetype of all later tragedies of displacement that the Jews were to endure and would be commemorated in both prayer and practice.