The short answer
Second Temple Judaism was more diverse and Temple-centered — including Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, and other groups — whereas rabbinic Judaism, after the Temple's destruction (70 CE), centered on law, text, and the rabbi, building from the Pharisaic tradition.
Why people ask this
Understanding the diversity of Second Temple Judaism and its successor explains how modern Judaism came to be.
Key terms
No specialized terms for this question.
Jewish perspectives
- Academic: Second Temple Judaism was plural; rabbinic Judaism is one strand that predominated after 70 CE.
- Traditional: rabbinic Judaism continues the authentic tradition through the Pharisaic-rabbinic line.
Scholarly & historical context
The destruction of the Second Temple ended Temple-centered Judaism and enabled the rise of rabbinic Judaism as the dominant form.
What is agreed upon
Second Temple Judaism was more diverse than later rabbinic Judaism.
Where the disagreement begins
How to characterize the continuity from one to the other.
Practical consequences
Recognize rabbinic Judaism as a development, not simply the unchanged ancient form.
Original sources
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