371 GAL 3,28 AND ITS ALLEGED RELATIONSHIP TO RABBINIC WRITINGS blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic texts is much more complex than scholars have thus far imagined. To do that, we are going to situate the four versions of the three blessings of gratitude found in Jewish texts in their social-historical context. We will then compare Gal 3,28 with the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic texts focusing on the basic question, to what extent, if any, these Jewish formulas may be connected to Paul’s message in Gal 3,28 ? 1. An assessment of the three blessings of gratitude in context a) Different versions of the three blessings of gratitude compared It has been noted that there are at least four versions of the three blessings of gratitude found in Jewish texts. The most common one states: “Rabbi Meir (some translations use Judah) used to say, ‘a man is obliged to bless three blessings on every day’ these are the ones ‘For not making me a gentile (non Jew), for not making me a woman, for not making me a boar” 2. The Genizah fragments of the Tosefta 3 Palestinian Talmud 4 Babylonian Talmud 5 Palestinian order of Service 6 Rabbi Judah says: Rabbi Judah says, Rabbi Meir used to say, three blessings “ three sayings must a “ a man is obliged to you have to bless man recite every day” bless three blessings on on every day every day” these are the ones (to be followed) See J. NEUSNER (trans.), The Talmud of Babylonia. An American 2 Translation.Vol. XXIX.B: Tractate Menahot, Chapters 4-7 (Atlanta, GA 1991) 29-30. See also Der Babylonische Talmud (ed. L. GOLDSCHMIDT) (Berlin 1935) Menahot 43b; Y.H. KAHN, “Gentiles, Slaves and Women: The Blessings ‘Who Did Not Make Me”, My People’s Prayer Book (ed. L.A. HOFFMANN) (Woodstock, VT 2001) V 17-34, 17. , The first of these is found in Berachot 6 :23 of the Tosefta, dating to the 3 third century C.E. The translations are mine. “Thank you for not making me a