When the Persian King Cyrus the Great sponsored a Jewish return to the Land of Israel to rebuild a temple in Jerusalem he launched an era in Jewish History known as the Second Temple Period. In this podcast episode, David explores the first four centuries of the Second Temple Period. Beginning with the return from exile in Babylonia, he charts a historical path through Alexander’s conquest, examining the consequences of Hellenism on Jewish life. David then discusses the extraordinary rise of the Hasmonean Dynasty, its ultimate decay, and final disastrous consequences.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:16 — 97.9MB)
This episode was recorded in 2009 at the OU Israel Center. Notes for the lecture will be available to Patreon subscribers when all four lectures have been released.