ABSTRACT
Demographic claims are estimates based on a variety of assumptions and theories. Our knowledge about ancient communities derives from archaeological remains, insider literature written by and probably for elites, and references to the group from non-members. The Jews' acceptance of the Hebrew Bible as their foundational document demanded that they interpret and reinterpret it to inform their ways of life and define their systems of belief. Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible therefore is as old as the Bible itself. The extent to which the rabbis responded to the needs of their time and setting is highlighted by the different approaches to biblical interpretation that were taken up by diverse Jewish communities, each one drawing upon its own particular cultural orbit. The rabbis of Babylonia had a good deal of information about the rabbis and their teachings in the Land of Israel, and travel between the two rabbinic centers continued during this period.
