A Religion Emerges from Exile

"The Destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple was in some profound sense the end of the world"(79). This sentence begins Armstrong's fifth chapter Exile and Return. The city of Jerusalem was demolished and Yahweh had deserted the people of Israel. Armstrong describes the destruction of the city as "an act of de-creation,"(79). Exile, however, allowed for the creation of a unified Jewish people. Some exiles integrated into Babylonian society while others grasped onto tradition. Armstrong describes that after losing their homes the people of Israel were in a state of "spiritual dislocation"(82). As an outsider in a foreign land, exiles lose their sense of meaning and feel lost. Some people clung to the old mythology of Zion. Armstrong explains that, "the history of religion shows that in times of crisis and upheaval, people turn more readily to myth than to the more rational forms of faith. As a form of psychology, myth can penetrate deeper than cerebral discourse and touch the obscure cause of distress in the farthest reaches of our being"(82).[This quote reminded me of our class discussion about mythology and how today we often disregard it as irrational] Mythology can be more comforting to people than other forms of religion. Often it is easier to find meaning in the stories of mythology than in other religious texts. The exiles who tried to maintain their identity and traditions performed practices that would distinguish them as unique group of people like food laws and circumcision.
The Judaeans' elaborate description of the Temple and its practices were written when the Temple was a pile of rubble. Their writings were creative ideas for a new temple and a new way of life out of exile. Armstrong states that, "the most detailed Jewish texts regarding sacred space and the sanctity of Jerusalem describe a situation that no longer existed at the time of writing. 'Jerusalem' had become an internalized value for the exiled Judaeans: it was an image of a salvation that could be achieved far from the physical city in the desolate territory of Judah"(89). Jerusalem became a symbol of hope, a light city at the end of a dark tunnel, and a place of salvation. Today Jerusalem is still a symbol for the three monotheistic religions. As a city of salvation, it is easy to understand why people attach such strong emotions to Jerusalem. It is not just an ordinary city but a city of redemption and hope.
One theme in this chapter is how separation marks holiness. In Ezekiel's plans for the new Temple, rooms would be separated on a scale of holiness. Walking through the Temple, each room would become more sacred with the innermost room, the Devir, being the holiest. The people of Israel's conception of God was also becoming separate from humanity. Armstrong explains that, "God was becoming a more transcendent reality, more radically separate (kaddosh) from the rest of mundane existence"(85). The Jewish people separated themselves as more holy than the peoples of the rest of the world; "the Golah must live apart from the Goyim"(99). All of these examples indicate that separateness marks holiness. In this chapter holiness is also described as an order where everything and everyone has a correct place; "By meditating on this idealized cultic map, the Israelites would learn the nature and meaning of holiness, where every person and object had its place. They must find a center for their lives and a new orientation"(86). The people of Israel had to locate themselves after their dislocation. They had to find meaning in the meaninglessness that accompanies exile.
Writing this post I realize that I'm struggling with what to call the People of Israel. Are the Judeans Jews? Are the exiles in Babylonia considered People of Israel? Are the Golah Jews? My confusion is due to the constant changes and evolutions of the Jewish people throughout history. I have always thought of the Jewish people as one cohesive unit--from slavery to Mount Sinai to Canaan. This idea of unity was a misconception. I found the most interesting aspect of this reading to be how a religion was born out of exile. In their dislocation, the people of Israel joined together into a distinct group. They found common ground in their suffering. In attempt to maintain their identity, they found comfort in traditions and ritualistic practices that would separate themselves from the people of Babylon. In this chapter, I found more recognizable descriptions of the Judaism that I have practiced. The religion became solely monotheistic and the people practiced the Law of Moses and mitzvoh.