1 INTRODUCTION 1. Purity in the Second Temple Era The Second Temple period of ancient Judaism was marked by a heightened concern for purity. Issues of cult and purity engaged and divided Jews more in this period than at any other time in antiquity. Purity was not limited to a handful of extremists who lived in the desert, but was rooted at the heart of Jewish life. Although arguments continued over the degree of purity required, there was general agreement among Jews that purification was necessary