Pharisaic

Pharisaic is an adjective derived from Pharisee(s), a Jewish religious group active during the Second Temple period in Judea. It denotes principles, beliefs, or practices associated with Pharisees, or a style of interpretation that emphasizes scrupulous adherence to both the written Torah and an expanding oral tradition.

Historically, the Pharisees emerged in the 2nd century BCE as a party within Judaism that engaged with civil and ritual law, sought to apply Torah to daily life, and emphasized the authority of teachers and interpreters of the law. They differed from the Sadducees in part over belief in an oral tradition and in doctrines such as the resurrection and the afterlife.

In practice, Pharisaic Judaism provided a framework for continuous study and interpretation of the law, extending Torah observance beyond temple sacrifices to purity rules, Sabbath observance, and tithing, with later rabbinic authorities formulating rules and debates central to Rabbinic Judaism.

In Christian writings, Pharisees appear as opponents of Jesus, and the term Pharisaic is often used to describe legalistic or hypocritical behavior; however, modern scholarship distinguishes critical polemics in ancient sources from the broader historical Pharisaic movement, which influenced later Judaism.

Legacy: after the destruction of the Second Temple, Rabbinic Judaism drew on Pharisaic legal and interpretive methods, shaping Jewish law and practice for centuries. Etymology: from Hebrew perushim, via Greek Pharisaioi.