such splits, and for a time a mixed form of Judaism with many varieties flourishes. No one was sure what to do once the heart of Judaism (the temple) had been destroyed, but it soon became apparent that an appealing option was arising. Two major social groups of the time period were vying for power. The first group, the Saducees were associated with the displaced Hasmonean kings. The second group, the Pharisees, had an idea that would help work around the tragic destruction of the temple. People were split, once again. They could stay with the traditional Saducees (who had the political power, believed in only written Torah, and did not subscribe to resurrection -- basically a conservative view), or they could side with the newcomers, the Pharisees (who had religious power, believed in both the written and the oral Torah, and believed in resurrection) and hope to preserve their Jewish heritage by worshiping outside of the temple, in their everyday life. It was not a hard decision, and the Pharisees eventually gained power, leading the Jewish religion into its next phase of Rabbinic Judaism. It is apparent that in each of the three time periods discussed above that many factions of the same religion were active. Competing philosophies, outside political forces, and geographic isolation are among the most obvious of the dividing forces. However many other influences ‘pound’ each and every day on a given social institution, subtly forming it and changing it into something it was not. For this reason, the answer to the debate whether Judaism is a single, or multiple religion(s) is an obvious one, depending upon how you choose to look at it. Every religion has many pieces, but as long as there are a few constants (such as the birthplace, the language, literature, etc) it is possible to view the whole as a single force, and still acknowledge variations that will inevitably spring-up....
