Why were the zealots important to the Jews?

Answer 1

For Judaism: They were not important. They were non-traditional and influenced the Jewish religion not at all.

For the Jewish people:

The Zealots' significance is one of infamy. They were responsible for the destruction of the Second Temple because they violently provoked the Roman army (Talmud, Gittin 56a).

Answer 2

The Zealots were a small but influential sect of Judaism in the middle of the first century CE. They were instrumental in the actions that led up to the First Roman-Jewish War and encouraged the Idumeans to enter Jerusalem and help fight the Romans. However the Idumeans were soon sickened by the regime of terror being imposed by the Zealots and left the city.

Answer 3

They were important only in a negative sense. It was they, against the advice of the Torah-sages, who fomented battle against the Romans in a hopeless attempt to defeat Rome (Talmud, Gittin 56).See also:

How did Judaism survive?

Answer 4

For Judaism: They were very unimportant. Like the Essenes, they are forgotten, they died out two thousand years ago, they are not commemorated, and they influenced the Jewish religion not at all.

For the Jewish people:

The Zealots' significance is one of infamy. They were directly responsible for the destruction of the Second Temple because they flouted the advice of the Torah-sages and violently provoked the Roman army, in addition to destroying Jerusalem's food storehouses so that myriads of Jews died unnecessarily during the Roman siege (Talmud, Gittin 56a).

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