A Popular Dictionary of Judaism
The supreme religious and political body of the Jews in the period of the Second *Temple and later. It was referred to as the ‘court of seventy-one’ and *talmudic sources describe it as a permanent assembly of *sages. Different sources give different pictures as to its function and composition. The *High Priest may have served as its president.
After the destruction of the *Temple in 70CE, the Sanhedrin was reformed initially at *Jabneh and subsequently in Galilee. It was re-established after the *Bar Kokhba revolt at the Synod of *Usha. The Romans withdrew their recognition of it in the 5th Century and it fell into disuse. Since the establishment of the State of *Israel, there have been moves to re-establish the Sanhedrin, but as yet nothing has come of them. (See also *BET DIN).
This is the complete article, containing 135 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page).
View More Summaries on Sanhedrin
