Zoroastrian Influence on Post-Exilic Jewish Belief and Practice

2012

My dissertation examines the critique of Judaism in Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen of the Škand Gumānīg Wizār. The Škand Gumānīg Wizār is a ninth century CE Zoroastrian theological work that contains polemics against Islam, Christianity, and Manichaeism, as well as Judaism. The chapters on Judasim include citations of a Jewish sacred text referred to as the "First Scripture" and critiques of these citations for their contradictory and illogical portrayals of the divine. This dissertation comprises two parts. The first part consists of an introductory chapter, four interpretative essays, and a conclusion. The second part consists of a text and new English translation of Škand Gumānīg Wizār Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen. My first essay presents a new approach to the relation between the citations from the First Scripture in the Škand Gumānīg Wizār and Jewish literature. Previous scholars have tried to identify a single parallel text in the Hebrew Bible or rabbinic literature as the origin for each of citation. Borrowing approaches developed by scholars of the Qurʾān and early Islamic literature, I argue that the Škand Gumānīg Wizār's critique draws on a more diverse and, likely, oral network of traditions about the biblical patriarchs and prophets. My second essay contains a close reading of three linked passages concerning angels in Škand Gumānīg Wizār Chapter Fourteen. I argue that the depiction of angels in these passages responds to a widespread Jewish belief in Metatron, an angelic co-regent whose power equals God's,. This essay analyzes the these angelic passages in light of the traces of this belief that can be found in the Babylonian Talmud, Jewish mystical literature, and other texts. My third essay concerns one of the longest citations in the critique of Judaism, a version of the story of the Garden of Eden from the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis. This essay

Zoroastrianism has been known as "the world oldest monotheism." The Critical Perspective of the Hebrew Bible places its composition written under heavy Zoroastrian influence. In this paper, I study ancient Achaemenid Religion and challenge the belief that Zoroastrianism in modern times is the same Zoroastrian religion that exists during the Persian Empire. I argue that a thematic approach is not substantial enough evidence to prove that the OT writers appropriated themes and typologies from the state religion of Achaemenid Persian Empire.

In the Sasanian Empire, where Zoroastrianism was the religion of the ruling elite, Jews and Christians shared the status of a religious minority. Even if the state's attitude to them may be generally characterized as one of tolerance, the changing political situation -in view of the conversion of Rome to Christianity and the Christianization of formerly Zoroastrian Armenia -engendered tensions and, sometimes, dramatic shifts in policy. Having the minority-majority issue as its backdrop, this paper presents a comparative analysis of two narratives -one rabbinic (attested in Kohelet Rabbah) and the other, Syriac Christian (The Story of Yeshu'sabran). Both narratives describe cases of Persians leaving their native tradition and embracing the minority faith -Judaism or Christianity respectively -via study of the characters of the language of the Holy Scripture and, subsequently Scripture itself. The discussion highlights the common traits and the differences in the perception of the Persian cultural model attested in our stories, and corrobo- This is a reworked version -with an added

2010

Orientalia, 2021

Routhledge/Taylor & francis, 2020

Introducing Judeo-Persian writings, this original collection gives parallel samples in Judeo-Persian and Perso-Arabic script and translations in English. Judeo-Persian writings not only reflect the twenty-seven centuries of Jewish life in Iran, but they are also a testament to their intellectual, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions. Such writings, found in the forms of verse or prose, are flavored with Judaic, Iranian and Islamic elements. The significant value of Judeo-Persian writing is found in the areas of linguistics, history and sociocultural and literary issues. The rhetorical forms and literary genres of epic, didactic, lyric and satirical poetry can be a valuable addition to the rich Iranian literary tradition and poetical arts. Also, as a Judaic literary contribution, the work is a representation of the literary activity of Middle Eastern Jews not so well recognized in Judaic global literature. This book is a comprehensive introduction to the rich literary tradition of works written in Judeo-Persian and also serves as a guide to transliterate many other significant Judeo-Persian works that have not yet been transliterated into Perso-Arabic script. The collection will be of value to students and researchers interested in history, sociology and Iranian and Jewish studies.