Jewish schisms

Schisms among the Jews are cultural as well as religious. They have happened as a product of historical accident, geography, and theology.

The Hebrew Bible describes Levantine civilization at the time of Solomon's Temple as prone to idol worship, astrology, worship of reigning kings, and paganism. The divinities or idols worshipped included Ba'al and possibly Asherah. This was in direct contrast to the teachings in the Torah, and was condemned by the ancient Biblical prophets who attacked those Israelites and Judeans who became idol worshipers.

The biblical narrative describes the split by the Kingdom of Israel from the Kingdom of Judah. It points to Solomon's unfaithfulness to the divine covenant as the reason for the schism. When Rehoboam, Solomon's son, became king, the people requested tax reform. Rehoboam refused. This caused the break. At first, Rehoboam considered a military solution but the prophet Shemaiah told him not fight because God had caused the schism. Jeroboam, the leader of the tax revolt, became the leader of the Northern Kingdom. He built a northern temple with calf-like idol images that were condemned by the Judeans of Judah.

After the destruction and exile of the northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria, non-Yahwistic practices continued. The narratives of Jeremiah and others interpreted this as the cause of the failure, destruction, and exile of the southern Kingdom of Judah by Babylonia. Nebuchadnezzar had additional reasons for taking over Judah and turning its inhabitants into exiles, including challenging its great rival Egypt.

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