Was the NT wrong about roosters being allowed
in Jerusalem?
Posted: Aug 28/2k
This question came in:
I read a
Jewish counter-missionary the other, arguing that the NT had to have been written
AFTER the fall of Jerusalem, and my non-Jews who were IGNORANT of the city. He
based his arguments on some passages in the Rabbinical writings that Cocks were
not allowed in the city, and that there they could NOT have 'crowed' in the
famous story of Peter's denial. Is this true?
I responded:
Your counter-missionary guy is being
highly selective in his use of the rabbinx, and not distinguishing between what
the rabbis WANTED TO HAPPEN, and WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
In this case, the Mishnah refers to 'cocks crowing' in Jerusalem in THREE places:
1. M.
Sukk 5.4: "at cock crow
they blew a blast..." to signal time for sanctuary;
2. M.
Tamid 1.2 refers to the officer (over the lots) coming sometimes at
'cock crow'
3. M.
Yoma 1.8: "every day they used to remove the ashes from off the
Altar at cock-crow, or near to it,
either before it or after it; but on the Day of Atonement at midnight, and on
the Feast at the first watch. And before the
cock-crow drew near the Temple Court was filled with Israelites"
[There is also a passage in the Tosepha B.K. 8:10,361 that says that
chicken keeping was permitted if there was a garden or dungheap in which the
chickens could scratch.]
I hope this helps...glenn