A Social and Religious History of the Jews (1952-1983 Baron), book
A Social and Religious History of the Jews (1952-1983) is a book by Salo W. Baron.
Abstract
Although technically a revised and enlarged edition of his work from 1937, Baron admits that the extent of the revisions and additions qualify this ‘edition’ as an essentially new work. Baron spent the last 30 plus years of his life working on this history, working to complete the nineteenth volume up to his death in 1989. Baron’s focus on Judaism as an essentially historical religion with the Jews compiling monumental history in times of crisis can potentially be seen as the background and motivation of his own monumental history. Volumes 1-2, “Ancient Times,” concerning the origins of the Jewish people to the end of the Talmudic period, is where Baron devotes space to the history of the second temple period. His history is not strictly chronologically based, but rather more thematically oriented. Drawing from every possible source at his disposal, whether Jewish, Christian, or Pagan, literary or archaeological, Baron attempts to set forth an incredibly full, rich history, touching on every aspect of Jewish life. Even with the material at his disposal, sometimes this goal stretches his sources to their limits and beyond. But, the history he develops nevertheless is intriguing in its scope and depth, often taking the reader to places other historians would not dare to venture. – Jason Zurawski, University of Michigan
Editions and translations
Published in New York: Columbia University Press, <3 volumes> 1937. Second edition, revised and enlarged, published in New York: Columbia University Press, <18 volumes> 1952-1983. Translated into Hebrew (3 volumes) (1954-1957), and French (1956-1986).
- Historyah hevrutit ve-datit shel `am Yisrael (1954 Baron), book (Hebrew ed.)
- Histoire d’Israël Vie sociale et religieuse (1956 Baron), book (French ed.)
Table of contents
- Volume 1: Ancient Times, Part I
- 1. Jewish Society and Religion
- 2. Israel’s Origins
- 3. Kings and Prophets
- 4. Crucial Test
- 5. Rethinking Fundamentals
- 6. Expansion of Judaism
- 7. Palestinian Center
- 8. Social Turmoil
- Volume 2: Ancient Times, Part II
- 9. New Horizons
- 10. The Great Schism
- 11. Breakdown and Reconstruction
- 12. Closing the Ranks
- 13. Incipient Medievalism
- 14. World of the Talmud
- 15. Talmudic Law and Religion
- Volumes 3-8: High Middle Ages (500-1200)
- Volumes 9-18: Late Middle Ages and the Era of European Expansion (1200-1650)