Whereas the Pharisees and Sadducees have been distinct Jewish sects throughout the Second Temple interval, they ceased to exist as organized teams after the Temple’s destruction in 70 CE. Nonetheless, exploring their beliefs and practices supplies precious perception into the complexities of Jewish life and thought at the moment. The Pharisees, identified for his or her emphasis on oral custom and meticulous observance of spiritual regulation, are sometimes seen as forerunners of contemporary Rabbinic Judaism. The Sadducees, primarily composed of the priestly elite, adhered to a stricter, literal interpretation of the Torah and rejected the idea of an afterlife. Understanding these variations illuminates the various views inside Judaism throughout a pivotal interval in its historical past.
Learning these historic teams gives a lens via which to look at the evolution of Jewish non secular thought and apply. Their contrasting interpretations of scripture and custom contributed considerably to the theological debates of the time, and the legacy of Pharisaic thought will be noticed within the growth of Rabbinic Judaism after the destruction of the Temple. This exploration sheds mild not solely on historic Judaism but additionally on the foundations of many modern Jewish practices and beliefs.
