One of the world's experts on classical Jewish history and literature here offers a clear and useful interpretation of the three major periods of Jewish history from the time of the Bible up to the present. It is a view from the inside, a description of the actual practice and thought of three epochs:the time of the Jerusalem templesthe Judaism of any place (the dispersion)the modern periodThe inner dynamics of each period are capsulized in terms of three meals: the priest's meal with God in the Temple, all Israel's meals with God in no particular place, and all Israel's meals at home on the special occasion of the gathering of the family. This book offers a distinctive solution to the problem that all teachers of the study of religion face: how to relate the religion described in books to the same religion as it is lived in the world. What emerges is a captivating account of the life-forming nature of a dynamic religion in vastly differing historical contests. Included are maps, illustrations, photographs, and a glossary.