L’EXODE : MYTHE, HISTOIRE… OU MÉMOIRE VIVANTE ?

·18 min·1 clip

Historian Dan Jaffé explains why we lack archaeological evidence for the Exodus, challenging its historical certainty.

The episode begins by questioning the historical validity of the Exodus, with host Rachel introducing Dan Jaffé, a historian specializing in ancient Judaism. Jaffé states that there is no archaeological or epigraphic evidence for the Exodus beyond the biblical text, placing it in the context of antiquity where such records are scarce. He explains that the story became a foundational myth after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, during the Mishnah period (first to third centuries CE), when it was integrated into liturgy and prayers to unify Jewish society. Jaffé details how Passover rituals, such as drinking four glasses of wine, were linked to biblical verses about deliverance, ritualizing the Exodus. He compares this to other founding myths, like Homer's Iliad used by Alexander the Great, emphasizing how such narratives define collective identity and exclude outsiders. The conversation shifts to the evolution of Passover practices, noting that customs like reclining while drinking wine derived from Greek symposium traditions. Jaffé mentions Philon of Alexandria's first-century practices and how the Passover Haggadah took shape by the ninth century with added literary layers. He highlights Professor Yacov Yuvahal's thesis that the Dayenu prayer in the Haggadah might respond to Christian substitution theology, as seen in the Improperia prayer. The episode concludes by discussing the Exodus's role in modern Jewish identity, particularly in Israel, and Jaffé reflects on the ongoing need for founding myths while encouraging critical historical inquiry.

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