Aristokrat Bir Yahudi Mezhebi Olarak Sadukiler - Kimlik, Tarih ve İnanç

<jats:p>The Sadducees as an Aristocratic Jewish Sects Identity, History and Belief This study examines the identity formation, historical development, and core beliefs of the Sadducees, one of the most influential religious- political groups in Jewish society during the final two centuries of the Second Temple period. The Sadducees, who are at the center of this study, represented a temple-centered aristocracy and held decisive power within both the religious and economic hierarchies of Jewish society. The Sadducees social status was largely based on their priestly origins. This class privilege granted them absolute authority over the Temple -the heart of Jewish religious life- while also fostering a political pragmatism. To preserve this privileged position, the Sadducees formed strategic alliances with both the Hasmonean dynasty and the Roman authorities, the superpower of the era. Although the sects origins are associated with Zadok, the high priest of King Davids era, the group did not develop an independent sectarian identity until the Hasmonean period following the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century BCE. The Sadducees ceased to exist with the destruction of the Beit ha-Mikdash (Temple) in 70 CE; this event led to the sect losing its socio-political function and ultimately fading from the historical stage. The aim of this study is to identify the identity, history, core beliefs, and halakhic system of the Sadducees. Within this framework, the primary sources used in the research include the works of Flavius Josephus, the Gospels, patristic texts, rabbinic literature, and the Qumran (Dead Sea) Scrolls. When examining the geopolitical structure of the period, it is evident that the Sadducees, who held the authority of the Temple, played a decisive role in this process. In this context, the study focuses on the question of whether the claim to messiahship or the act known as the Purification of the Temple was the dominant motive behind the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah. Within this framework, the dimensions of the interaction between the Sadducees and Jesus the Messiah, as well as the political-religious backdrop of this tension, are analyzed in depth. Additionally, the potential connections between Sadducee doctrine and contemporary Judaism, along with the denominations within it, are evaluated. The study consists of three chapters. The first chapter examines Sadducee identity and historical development; the second chapter explores the religious, philosophical, political, and social dynamics that shaped Sadducee beliefs and halakha; and the third chapter discusses Sadducee beliefs and halakha. The study concludes that the Sadducees fundamentally accepted the Torah as authoritative; however, regarding certain beliefs and halakhic practices not explicitly stated in the Torah, they relied not only on literal interpretation but also on their own unique interpretive methods. In terms of belief, their rejection of the doctrine of resurrection and their emphasis on human free will are among the primary characteristics that distinguish them from other Jewish sects of the period. Sources indicate that the Sadducees had various disagreements with the Pharisees regarding worship and temple practices, purification rituals, Shabbat observances, and issues related to civil and criminal law. Keywords: History of Religions; Judaism; Jewish Sects; Tsedukim; Temple of Solomon</jats:p>