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Single Idea 7345

[filed under theme 29. Religion / B. Monotheistic Religion / 2. Judaism ]

Full Idea

In exile the Jews, deprived of a state, became a nomocracy - voluntarily submitting to rule by a Law which could only be enforced by consent. Nothing like this had occurred before in history.

Clarification

'Nomos' is the Greek word for law

Gist of Idea

In exile the Jews became a nomocracy

Source

Paul Johnson (The History of the Jews [1987], Pt II)

Book Ref

Johnson,Paul: 'A History of the Jews' [Phoenix 1993], p.83

A Reaction

It is the most remarkable case in history of a people united and strengthened by adversity, and it became an important experiment in the building of human cultures. But what is the point of preserving a culture, with no land? Why not just integrate?

The 16 ideas from Paul Johnson

7337 In Mosaic legal theory, crimes are sins and sins are crimes [Johnson,P]
7339 Because human life is what is sacred, Mosaic law has no death penalty for property violations [Johnson,P]
7340 Mosaic law was the first to embody the rule of law, and equality before the law [Johnson,P]
7338 Man's life is sacred, because it is made in God's image [Johnson,P]
7336 A key moment is the idea of a single moral God, who imposes his morality on humanity [Johnson,P]
7341 Sampson illustrates the idea that religious heroes often begin as outlaws and semi-criminals [Johnson,P]
7342 Isaiah moved Israelite religion away from the local, onto a more universal plane [Johnson,P]
7348 The Jews sharply distinguish human and divine, but the Greeks pull them closer together [Johnson,P]
7353 The Pharisees undermined slavery, by giving slaves responsibility and status in law courts [Johnson,P]
7344 Judaism involves circumcision, Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, New Year, and Atonement [Johnson,P]
7345 In exile the Jews became a nomocracy [Johnson,P]
7347 Zoroastrians believed in one eternal beneficent being, Creator through the holy spirit [Johnson,P]
7349 Immortality based on judgement of merit was developed by the Egyptians (not the Jews) [Johnson,P]
7354 The main doctrine of the Pharisees was belief in resurrection and the afterlife [Johnson,P]
7356 Pious Jews saw heaven as a vast library [Johnson,P]
7355 The Torah pre-existed creation, and was its blueprint [Johnson,P]