Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism

The rabbinic corpus begins with a question, "when?" and is filled with discussions about time and the relationship between people, God, and the hour. Sarit Kattan Gribetz's book explores the rhythms of time that animated the rabbinic world of late antiquity, revealing how rabbis conceptualized time as a way of constructing difference between themselves and imperial Rome, Jews and Christians, men and women, and human and divine. She shows how the ancient rabbinic texts artfully subvert Roman imperialism by offering rabbinic time as an alternative to Roman time, examines rabbinic discourse about the Sabbath, gendered daily rituals, and rabbinic writings that reflect on how God spends time and how God's use of time relates to human beings.

Format: Hardback
Length: 408 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2020
Publisher: Princeton University Press

The rabbinic corpus, which serves as the foundational text of Rabbinic Judaism, begins with a fundamental question: "When?" This question permeates the entire corpus and is filled with rich discussions about the relationship between individuals, God, and the hour. Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism delves into the intricate rhythms of time that shaped the rabbinic world of late antiquity. By exploring how rabbis conceptualized time, the book reveals how they constructed differences between themselves, imperial Rome, Jews, Christians, men, and women, as well as between human beings and the divine.

In each chapter of the book, Sarit Kattan Gribetz examines a distinct aspect of rabbinic discourse on time. She demonstrates how the ancient rabbinic texts cleverly subverted Roman imperialism by presenting rabbinic time as an alternative to Roman time. Gribetz explores rabbinic discussions about the Sabbath, highlighting how the weekly day of rest marked Jewish time distinct from Christian time. She also examines gendered daily rituals, showing how rabbis allocated specific rituals for men and others for women. Furthermore, Gribetz delves into rabbinic writings that reflect on God's time and how God's use of time relates to human beings, merging divine time with human time. Finally, she traces the enduring legacies of rabbinic constructions of time in the medieval and modern periods.

Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism offers a fresh perspective on the crucial role that time played in the formation of Jewish identity, subjectivity, and theology during this transformative period in the history of Judaism. By examining the rabbinic discourse on time, the book sheds light on the complex ways in which individuals and communities negotiated their relationships with God, the empire, and each other, ultimately shaping the distinctive identity of Rabbinic Judaism.

Weight: 718g
Dimension: 167 x 242 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691192857