The article proposes a new interpretation of Megillat Esther as a philosophical text conducting systematic polemic against the Achaemenid dualistic worldview. Megillat Esther is the only text of the Tanakh in which the name of God is not mentioned even once — a fact traditionally explained by the concept of hester pānīm (hiding of the face). The present study proposes an additional dimension: the absence of God’s name is a theologically precise gesture — there is no adversary beside whom God needs to be named. The central thesis is that the archetype of Amalek, embodied in the figure of Haman the Agagite, functions in the text as a radical negation of dualistic cosmology. The Achaemenid Empire of the 6th–5th centuries BCE constituted a cosmological system based on the arta/drauga (order/lie) opposition, the sacralization of royal power through xvarenah, and astral fatalism inherited from Babylonian tradition. The Megillah works from within this system: the precise reproduction of Persian onomastics, administrative terminology, and toponymy creates an authentic background against which an immanent critique unfolds. The chiastic structure of the text realizes a systematic inversion of each element of the Persian matrix. At the ontological level, Haman functions not as a ‘dark force’ equal to the ‘light,’ but as privatio boni — absence simulating presence. Methodologically, the article stands at the intersection of Iranian studies, biblical studies, and Jewish philosophy of evil.

Keywords: Megillat Esther, Achaemenid cosmology, Zoroastrian dualism, Amalek archetype, privatio boni, chiasm, astral fatalism, Book of Esther, philosophy of evil, Jewish biblical studies, theology.

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Kogan G. Persian Cosmology and the Archetype of Amalek: On the Theological Polemic in the Book of Esther: Dismantling Achaemenid Dualism. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 7–30. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp057

The article traces the evolution of the metaphor of the city-woman from the Old Testament prophetic tradition to Jewish Apocalyptics, analyzing the image of the city-woman in the prophetic texts of the Tanakh, transitional texts between the prophetic tradition and apocalypticism (Lamentations, the Book of Baruch, the Book of Judith) and in apocalyptic texts (a fragment of the apocrypha “Joseph and Aseneth” and the Fourth Book of Ezra). The article shows that in the prophetic books, the image of the “daughter of Zion” and the “city-harlot” serves primarily as an instrument of accusation, punishment and judgment, whereas in apocalyptic texts the metaphor undergoes a transformation: it becomes a means of consolation and eschatological hope. The metaphor ceases to be a figure of speech and becomes reality: Aseneth is called the “City of Refuge,” and the grieving woman in Ezra’s vision is transformed into the Heavenly Jerusalem. Attention is given to transitional texts in which the city-woman first acquires voice and subjectivity (Lamentations, Book of Baruch). The article demonstrates that the transformation of the metaphor reflects a shift from the rhetoric of accusation to the rhetoric of salvation, from symbolic similarity to ontological identity, and is accompanied by the endowment of the city-woman with personal status and a mediating function in the work of salvation.

Keywords: city-woman, Zion, daughter of Zion, Joseph and Aseneth, Fourth Book of Ezra, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Book of Baruch, Book of Judith, theology, Judaism.

The study was conducted within the framework of Russian Science Foundation grant No. 25-18-00922, "A Study of the Symbolic Narrative “Joseph and Aseneth”: The Problem of Identity in a Multi-Confessional Society."

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Davidoglu S.N., Villud D.P. Transformation of the City-Woman Metaphor: From Biblical Prophecy to Jewish Apocalyptics. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 31–46. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp058

The article is devoted to the structural and semiotic analysis of the apocryphon Joseph and Aseneth. It focuses on the transformation of a laconic mention of Joseph’s marriage (Gen. 41:45) into a dramatic tale of Aseneth’s conversion and transfiguration. The methodological basis of the study is Daniel Patte’s three-stage model of structural exegesis (narrative, mythological, and semantic levels), which integrates the approaches of Claude Lévi-Strauss and Algirdas Julien Greimas, critically adjusted to account for Robert Polzin’s concept of the researcher’s subjectivity. The article examines in detail the mechanism of meaning-generation in the text — specifically, how the transformation process shifts from a “cold” mythological structure to the “hot” narrative fabric of a religious symbolic tale. Through the analysis of binary oppositions and ritual codes, the study reconstructs a holistic actantial model of the work, where Aseneth acts as a single subject of transformation — from ritual death to attaining the status of the “City of Refuge.” The paper substantiates the thesis that structural analysis does not replace theological meaning but rather describes the rules by which this meaning functions and becomes evident to the reader.

Keywords: Joseph and Aseneth, Joseph, Aseneth, biblical structuralism, exegesis, Daniel Patte, Claude Lévi-Strauss, actant model, mediation, Judaism, theology.

The study was conducted within the framework of Russian Science Foundation grant No. 25-18-00922, "A Study of the Symbolic Narrative “Joseph and Aseneth“: The Problem of Identity in a Multi-Confessional Society."

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Babkina S.V. When the Sun Changes Its Name: An Essay in Structural Analysis of the Apocryphon Joseph and Aseneth. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 47–63. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp059

At the turn of the 15th–16th centuries, Samaritan theology underwent a series of significant transformations. In addition to the movement to create a religious corpus of texts in Arabic, the community’s theologians initiated a search for a new eschatological doctrine. The first step on this challenging path of mythological creativity was the Kitāb al-maʿād (“The Book of the Resurrection”) by Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ṣūrī (11th century), who was the first to provide a textual foundation for the Samaritan belief in the afterlife and the re-creation of bodies. Munajjā b. Ṣadaqah, the author of the Kitāb al-ẖilāf (“The Book of Differences”, 13th century), significantly refined al-Ṣūrī’s argumentation, supporting his eschatological manifesto with dozens of quotations from the Pentateuch. Nevertheless, “historical” eschatology, which depicted the fate of the community and its political destiny, long remained neglected by the Arabic-speaking Samaritans, who were preoccupied with the problems of the “minor” eschaton. The situation changed during the period of Ottoman political expansion, which forced the Samaritan priesthood to leave Shechem and settle in Damascus. It was at this time that Ibrāhīm al-Qābāṣī, commissioned by the High Priest, wrote a short treatise, Maqālah fī Tāheb (A Treatise on Taheb”), which was polemically directed against a certain Hībah b. Najm al-Maṭarī. The latter, a contemporary of al-Qābāṣī, insisted on the inevitability of the coming of a Messiah from the line of Phinehas, son of Eleazar. In turn, Ibrāhīm identified the Taheb with the biblical Enoch and substantiated his eschatological role with references to the Torah (Gen. 5; Ex. 31; Num. 12, 33). According to al-Qābāṣī, the Taheb was to unite the functions of a religious leader and a political leader (malik) of the Samaritans; he was destined to return the Tabernacle to Gerizim and “gather” all the nations of the Earth in an act of repentance (tawbah). Furthermore, al-Qābāṣī insisted on the “common Abrahamic” nature of messianic expectations: according to the theologian, Muslims, Christians, and Rabbanite Jews, relying on divine revelation, all await the coming of the Taheb, who is to restore global justice and subject humanity to a single Law. The information provided by al-Qābāṣī concerning the messianic polemics of his time, as well as the sources he used — which are still considered lost today — shed light both on the eschatological theology of the Samaritans and on the reasons for the intensification of eschatological debates, which were driven by a profound administrative and demographic crisis within the community. Thus, the mythologeme of the Taheb, which had not attracted the attention of Arabic-speaking Samaritan writers in the 11th–13th centuries, had evolved by the time of al-Qābāṣī into an ideologeme — a national-religious symbol set in opposition to Muslim mythology and repression.

Keywords: Samaritans, Ibrāhim al-Qabāṣī, Pentateuch, Eschatology, Messianic Idea, Taheb, Judaism.
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Nofal F.O. “A Treatise on Taheb” by Ibrāhīm al-Qābāṣī and 16th-Century Samaritan Eschatology. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 64–72. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp060

The problem of the relationship between material and spiritual, the quest for the metaphysical or religious in human consciousness, was one of the key issues in early Hasidism. In the panentheistic Hasidic worldview, material objects derive their form from an ideal world, which in turn could be recreated through psychic or somatic objects. Physical desires should be rooted in the divine and elevated (through sublimation) to their divine source, instead of the previous suppression through various ascetic practices. The doctrine of imbuing everyday activities with religious significance came to be known as "service through corporeality" ("avodah be-gashmiyut"). While this was not an innovation unique to Hasidism, Hasidism differed from earlier traditions in that both the action and its outcome were centered within the individual — or, more specifically, within the individual’s mystical experience. In certain interpretations, "service through corporeality" was accorded a status equal to that of the traditional fulfillment of religious commandments. This position was not shared by all Hasidic authors, but it was accepted as the legacy of the Besht, Pinchas of Koretz and Maggid of Mezhirichi. This article examines the problem of perceiving the material and spiritual realms using the example of Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv’s biblical commentary in his homiletical work “Kedushat Levi”.

Keywords: Judaism, Kabbalah, Hasidism, Levi Itzhak of Berdychiv, Asceticism, sexuality, theology, religion, Ukraine, Jew.

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Shpirt A.M. What did men in Berdychiv talk about? “Erotic” imagery of Levi Itzhak of Berdychiv. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 73–82. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp061

The article examines the methods of persuasion employed during the missionary campaign among Jewish cantonists in the era of Nicholas I. The analysis is based on a normative and methodological document introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time — the "Instruction to Clergymen of Military Institutions regarding the Conversion of Pupils of the Jewish Faith to Christianity" (1843), compiled by Chief Priest V.I. Kutnevich. An examination of archival materials and memoirs reveals that the system of gradual persuasion recommended in the "Instruction" was frequently replaced in practice by administrative pressure. Baptism often became a merely formal act, while official reports recorded only the number of converts. Thus, the declared objectives of the mission came into contradiction with the actual methods of their implementation. Ultimately, the campaign did not lead to a mass adoption of Orthodoxy. Its main outcome, however, was the emergence of a large group of cantonists who, having been separated from their families and communities for many years of military service, lost their connection to Jewish tradition without acquiring a deep commitment to Christianity. This newly formed secularized stratum significantly transformed the social fabric of Russian Jewry.

Keywords: Jews, cantonists, Christian mission, Judaism, Orthodoxy, Kutnevich, Nicholas I, theology, Christianity, missionary work.

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Povolotskaya N.A. The Christian Mission among Jewish Cantonists during the Reign of Nicholas I: Techniques and Methods of Persuasion and Their Results. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 83–103. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp062

This article examines the development of the institution of conversion to Judaism (giyur) in Jewish society. At various times and depending on external circumstances, Jews sometimes opened themselves to converts, automatically accepting them simply based on cohabitation, while at other times they sought to distance themselves from converts, fearing the erosion of their ethno-religious identity. For example, in the 12th–11th centuries BCE, even before the institution of conversion emerged, a foreigner became part of the people of Israel simply by cohabitation and acceptance of the rules of Jewish society. After the Babylonian exile, beginning in the 6th century BCE, a series of strict restrictions were gradually introduced, making the process of conversion to Judaism more difficult. This article examines the ongoing process of developing rules for conversion to Judaism. Modern movements in Judaism approach the conversion process with varying degrees of religious strictness. Orthodox communities emphasize the practice of religious life, while Reform communities highlight the intellectual work of potential converts (studying Jewish texts and making an informed decision about conversion). Conservative Judaism maintains a middle ground on the issue of conversion. This diversity of approaches leads to mutual non-recognition of conversions within communities of different denominations of Judaism. This article provides examples of such controversial conversions, an overview of the debates surrounding these cases, and an analysis of them from the perspective of Israeli law (Israeli court decisions) and halakha (Jewish religious law).

Keywords: giyur, acceptance of Judaism, proselytism, Reform Judaism, Halakha, religious ethics, theology, Judaism.

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Bimbat L.N. Giyur in the Context of Various Denominations of Judaism: From Naturalization to Religious Process. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 104–116. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp063

This article analyzes the phenomenon of teshuva (religious return) in the post-Soviet Moscow context, based on twelve biographical interviews with baalei and baalot teshuva collected in 2025. The study aims to compare classical theological models of teshuva (biblical, Talmudic, medieval, and Hasidic) with their contemporary manifestations in conditions of a disrupted tradition. Methodologically, the research combines narrative and thematic analysis and adopts an approach that treats personal testimonies as theologically meaningful texts. The central argument is that the classical theology of teshuva, which presupposes a return to a previously known and violated norm, only partially captures the experience of the informants. For most of them, categories such as the search for meaning, family memory, and belonging prove more relevant than the language of sin and repentance. The analysis also demonstrates that, in the post-Soviet context, religious return more often takes the form of gradual integration into religious infrastructure rather than a sudden spiritual transformation. Mediators play a decisive role in this process. They are both institutional (community, educational programs, camps, the experience of Israel) and interpersonal (family, mentors). The article also examines the retrospective theologization of biography through the categories of divine providence and chosenness. As a result, teshuva emerges as a "return without a past": a process of entering a new religious system that is experienced as the recovery of something lost.

Keywords: Orthodox Judaism, Moscow, teshuva, religious return, identity formation, Jewish marriage, narrative analysis, divine providence, chosenness, theological interpretation, theology.

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Halevina H-T.R. Teshuva in Post-Soviet Moscow: Biographical Narratives, Social Mediators, and Theological Interpretation. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 117–135. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp064

The article is devoted to the situation with the supply of kosher meat to observant Jews in the post-Stalin USSR. It is noted that this problem was much more complicated than the supply of matzo, since matzo was needed only once a year, and kosher meat was needed all year round, and a specially trained person was needed to slaughter poultry and livestock. At the same time, shochets carvers who had survived since the 1920s gradually disappeared, both for natural reasons and because of the authorities’ struggle with the official trade in kosher meat in the 1950s as part of the authorities’ general anti-religious efforts. As a result, in the early 1960s, all stalls and shops selling kosher meat were closed (Georgia was the exception). And the official quotas for poultry slaughter for synagogues have been severely curtailed. As a result, Jewish believers had to rely on semi-legal and illegal shochets. However, their efforts were not enough, besides, sometimes even in the presence of shochets, observant Jews did not consider their shchita kosher. The memoirs of observant Jews repeatedly note the shortage of kosher meat and its high cost, so many ate it once or twice a year. Some of them had not seen meat at all for years and almost turned into vegetarians. This situation became especially acute after the emergence of the Jewish Independent Movement in the late 1960s, within which the “Baalei Teshuva” movement (Jews who returned to Judaism) developed. An attempt to remedy the situation was the appearance of new shochets from among religious activists, whose exams were informally accepted by rabbis who came from abroad. The most famous of them was the refusenik, and then Rabbi Yitzhak Kogan. Another channel through which kosher meat (or rather, meat products, canned goods, etc.) reached Soviet Jews was foreign tourists who sympathized with Soviet Jews. However, neither shochets, nor sympathetic tourists could meet the growing demand anyway, especially outside Moscow and Leningrad. However, the shortage persisted among the Jews who lived in these cities. It is characteristic of the memory of one of the Moscow religious activists that in the 1980s there was so little kosher meat that they did not even have dishes for meat “as unnecessary” The situation with the shortage of kosher meat began to change significantly for the better only in the last years of the USSR, due to the liberalization of the Soviet regime in the period of Perestroika.

Keywords: kosher meat, shochets, shortage, Yitzhak Kogan, Judaism, theology, religion, USSR, Jews.

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Charny S.A. The Problem of Kosher Meat Supply in the Post-Stalin USSR. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 136–145. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp065

The article examines the process of institutionalization of the theology of Judaism as a scientific and educational discipline at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH) within the context of the nationwide trend following the inclusion of theology in the nomenclature of scientific specialties by the Higher Attestation Commission in 2016. Special attention is paid to historical continuity — the creation of the department based on the Center for Biblical Studies and Judaica, which has existed since 1996 — and the role of the department’s founder, L.F. Katsis (1958–2022), in developing a model for the “academic translation” of traditional religious knowledge into the language of secular humanities. Based on an analysis of regulatory documents, archival materials of RSUH, data on the state accreditation of bachelor’s and master’s programs in 2024–2025, and a series of in-depth interviews with direct participants in the process, the article concludes that the department’s model is institutionally sustainable, has been integrated into the structure of a modern university, and that this experience is significant for the development of interfaith dialogue in the Russian academic space.

Keywords: theology, Judaism, Russian State University for the Humanities, Jewish studies, institutionalization, state accreditation, interfaith dialogue, biblical studies, Jewish studies.

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Mitina E.A. Teaching Theology of Judaism through the Eyes of the Rabbinate and the University (The Case of the Department of Theology of Judaism, Biblical Studies and Judaica at Russian State University for the Humanities). Theology: Theory and Practice, 2026, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 146–159. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp066