Herod's Ascent to the Throne: Two Approaches to Contending with Evil

The Babylonian Talmud records an aggadah that relates the story of Herod's ascent to the throne and his building of the Temple (Bava Batra 3b-4a). In this article the author analyzes the aggadah and reaches the conclusion that the narrator of the story presents two ways of contending with the rise of the wicked king Herod to royalty. The first is represented by the maiden from the Hasmonean house who commits suicide rather than marry Herod, and seeks in this way to undermine the legal basis for his reign. The second is represented by the Sage Baba b. Buta, who chooses to remain at Herod's side despite his wickedness, and counsel him; in the end, the Sage's approach leads to the positive outcome of the building of the Temple.