Fallen Angels: The Rabbis: Talmud And Midrash

Turning from the Fathers of the Church to the Fathers of the Synagogue, we encounter an entirely different kind of literature, with entirely different problems. The Talmud comes from the same period as the writings of the Church Fathers and dea1s with some of the same issues. Talmudic literature, like patristic literature, is largely an exposition of authoritative Scripture. But there the resemblance ends.

The Church Fathers wanted to clarify Christian doctrine, combat heresy and construct a complete theological system. To this end they composed elaborate treatises. Almost every statement quoted in the preceding chapter can be ascribed to a known author, dated with accuracy and interpreted with confidence in the light of an extended context.

But the talmudic-midrashic literature which we are now to consider is a compilation of materials from various ages, which were transmitted by word of mouth for a long time before they were written down. The Mishnah was edited about 200 C.E., the Babylonian Talmud (Gemara) in the middle of the fifth century, the Midrashim later still. But these works contain some elements that go back centuries before the Christian era.

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Author: Bernard J. Bamberger

Keywords: Evil Inclination, Yetser hara, Yetser ha ra, Hara Yezer, Yezer hara, Yezer ha-ra, Yetzer ha ra, Yetzer Hara, Hara Yetzer, Ha-ra Yetzer, Hara Yetser, Ha-ra Yetser, Ha-ra Yezer, Satan, The adversary, Devil, The devil, Evil One, Angel of Death, Death angel, Giants, Nephilim, rebel angels, angel rebellion, Fallen angels, Dualism

Bible reference(s): Genesis 6:1-4, Job 1:6-9, Job 1:12, Job 2:1-4, Job 2:6-7, Psalm 109:6, Zechariah 3:1-2, Matthew 4:10, Matthew 16:23, Matthew 4:1, Matthew 4:3, Matthew 4:5, Matthew 4:8, Matthew 4:11, Matthew 5:37, Matthew 6:13, Matthew 13:19, Matthew 13:38, Matthew 25:41, Mark 1:13, Mark 4:15, Luke 4:2-3, Luke 4:5-6, Luke 4:8, Luke 4:13, Luke 8:12, Luke 13:16, Luke 22:3, Luke 22:31, John 6:70, John 8:44, John 13:2, John 13:27, John 17:15, Acts 5:3, Acts 13:10, Acts 26:18, Romans 16:20, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Corinthians 7:5, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 6:15, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Ephesians 4:27, Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:16, 1 Thessalonians 3:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 1 Timothy 1:20, 1 Timothy 3:6-7, 1 Timothy 5:14-15, 2 Timothy 2:26, James 4:7, 1 John 2:13-14, 1 John 3:8, 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:12, 1 John 5:18-19, Revelation 2:9-10, Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:24, Revelation 3:9, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 12:12, Revelation 20:2, Revelation 20:7, Revelation 20:10

Source: Fallen Angels (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1952), pp. 89-103.

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