Shlomo Sand, The Invention of the Jewish People - Rafapal

20 THE INVENTION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
scholars in specific portions of the past. Narratives grow toward inclusiveness,
but for a heretical metanarrative to take shape, it is necessary that historical
research be conducted in a pluralistic culture, free from the tension of armed
national conflict and from chronic anxiety about its identity and sources.
In light of Israeli reality in 2008, such a statement may justifiably be called
pessimistic. In the sixty years of Israel's existence, its national history has
hardly developed, and there is no reason to expect it to attain maturity anytime
soon. The author has few illusions about the reception of this book. He does,
nevertheless, hope that a small number of readers will be willing to risk a more
radical re-evaluation of the past, and thus help to erode the essentialist identity
that permeates the thoughts and actions of almost all Jewish Israelis.
Though the present work was composed by a professional historian, it
takes risks not usually permitted or authorized in this field of endeavor. The
accepted rules of academe demand that the scholar follow prescribed pathways
and stick to the field in which he is supposedly qualified. A glance at the
chapter headings of this book, however, will show that the spectrum of issues
discussed herein exceeds the boundaries of a single scientific field. Teachers
of Bible studies, historians of the ancient period, archaeologists, medievalists
and, above all, experts on the Jewish People will protest that the author has
encroached on fields of research not his own.
There is some truth in this argument, as the author is well aware. It would
have been better had the book been written by a team of scholars rather than by
a lone historian. Unfortunately, this was not possible, as the author could find no
accomplices. Some inaccuracies may therefore be found in this book, for which the
author apologizes, and he invites critics to do their best to correct them. He does
not see himself as an Israeli Prometheus, stealing the fire of historical truth for the
Israelis. So he does not fear an omnipotent Zeus, in the shape of the professional
corporation of Jewish historiography. He seeks only to draw attention to a wellknown
phenomenon—that venturing outside a specific field, or walking on the
fences between several of them, may occasionally yield unexpected insights and
uncover surprising connections. At times, thinking beside, rather than thinking
within, can fertilize historical thought, despite the drawbacks of being a nonspe¬
cialist and of exercising a high degree of speculation.
Because the recognized experts in Jewish history are not in the habit of
confronting simple questions that at first glance may seem surprising yet are
fundamental, it may be worthwhile doing it for them. For instance, has a Jewish
nation really existed for thousands of years while other "peoples" faltered and
disappeared? How and why did the Bible, an impressive theological library
(though no one really knows when its volumes were composed or edited),