]
The Centre for Jewish Studies
University of Manchester
Limmud Day, Sunday February
27th 2000
---------
Title: 'THE HAVURAH'.
Abstract: The ritual purity Havurah of
the first century has figured prominently in recent discussions of the nature
of Pharisaism. It has been argued that these groups, dedicated to ritual
purity, were very significant in the formation of rabbinic Judaism. The
conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees has thus been explained in terms
of Jesus' criticism of the dominance of ritual purity concepts. However,
the importance of ritual purity in Jewish society has been much exaggerated.
The havurot were voluntary societies and those who did not join them
were not stigmatized. It was never the aim of the Pharisees to impose ritual
purity on all Jews except where holy areas and foodstuffs were concerned.
The Speaker: Hyam Maccoby is Visiting
Professor
at the Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Leeds. He is the author
of many books and articles on the history of Jewish-Christian relations
and on rabbinic studies, including Judaism on Trial (1982), The
Mythmaker (1986), Early Rabbinic Writings (1988), A Pariah
People (1996), Ritual and Morality (1999).
The Centre for Jewish Studies
The Department of Religions and Theology
University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9PL
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)161 275 3614; Fax +44 (0)161 275 3613
e-mail: Bernard.Jackson@man.ac.uk