User:Tdwyer9532/sandbox

My Sandbox
This is my sandbox. =Editing Examples= This sentence is bold. This sentence is italic.

=Jewish History= The Shema is a Jewish prayer.

Legacy of King Herod
King Herod ruled Jerusalem from 37-4 BCE as a vassal king for the Roman Empire. Most consider Herod the Great tyrannical since he habitually murdered anyone who could claim the throne, including all members of the previous dynasty, the Hasmonean dynasty. This included his wife, the daughter of a Hasmonean King, and all of her family members. Herod also created a new line of nobility that would have loyalties to only him. He specifically appointed high priests from families that were not connected to the former leadership of the Temple cult. Because Herod killed all ties to the Hasmonean dynasty and named new high priests, there was a void of power when he died.

Another aspect of Herod's legacy was economic hardship. Labor workers, which had been employed at Herod's large-scale construction sites, lost their jobs and suffered economically. After Herod's death, impoverishment led to riots that were unresolved in the absence of strong leadership. Herod's legacy ultimately left the region vulnerable to riots and his death can be considered an anticipatory cause of the Great Revolt.

Rise of the Rabbis
The rabbis were founded by Rabban Gamaliel, a Pharisee. The rabbis lineage to the Pharisees is debated. However, scholars agree that the rabbis replaced the high priest role in Jewish society post 70 C.E.

The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. marked a turning point in Jewish history. In the absence of the Temple, the synagogue became the center of Jewish life. When the Temple was destroyed, Judaism responded by fixating on the commandments of the Torah. Synagogues replaced the temple as a central meeting place, and the rabbis replaced high priests as Jewish community leaders. Because of the rabbis dominance post-70 C.E., the era is called the rabbinic period. The Rabbis filled the void of Jewish leadership created by the Great Revolt and with their literature and teachings, shaped a new Judaism.