JUDAISM

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JUDAISM
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Judaism

• Worldwide 14,551,000 Jews
• US 5.6 million
• Asia 4.5 million
• Europe 2.4 million
• Many different groups/divisions of Judaism that
  exist
• Conflicting beliefs about observances, etc.

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Importance of History

• The basis of the Jewish religion is its history.
  It is the most important aspect.
• demonstrated through the celebration of life
  cycle events in peoples lives
• holiday celebrations commemorate historic events
• The key event is the Exodus from Egypt (recorded
  Book of Exodus)
• Many important aspects of observances are linked
  to this event

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• From the beginning, the Jewish people have
  interpreted acts of history as God acting on
  behalf of the Jewish people
• Either to promote them or to punish them
• History is seen as the story of Gods
  intervention in the lives of His Chosen People

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Six Periods of Jewish History

• The Patriarchs Abraham?Moses (19th - 13th cent.
  BCE)
• Moses?the Hebrew Monarchy (13th - 6th cent. BCE)
• The Babylonian Exile and Post Exilic Judaism (6th
  cent BCE - 1st cent. CE) ("Second Temple" period)
  
• Rabbinic period (1st - 7th cent CE)
• Medieval Judaism (7th - 18th cent. CE)
• Modern Judaism (18th cent. - current)

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Judaism as a Race

• Judaism is an ethnic religion
• Began as a religion of an extended family, a
  tribe of peoples known as the Hebrews
• Jewish people today continue to think of
  themselves as a family, a nation of peoples, as
  well as a religion
• God is understood by the Jews to intervene, to
  act, in and through history time and again,
  especially in the history of Israel (the people)
• Jews look to Gods action in the world

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Sacred Texts

• The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh
• Known by Christians as "Old Testament
• contains the same books as the Christian version
  but in a different order after the first five
• Considered revealed and inspired by God
• Interpretation of early history of the Hebrew
  people, establishment of a nation
• Story of Gods interaction with His "Chosen
  People" (His-Story)
• Foundation of Jewish life
• Called the Bible
• (Biblia) means "little books
• Actually a library of 39 independent books
  divided into 3 categories

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The 3 Categories

• Torah
• Most important text
• Divine instruction and guidance or "Written Law
• Books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
  Deuteronomy
• Covers history from creation through the Exodus
  and wandering in the desert
• 613 commandments from God

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• 2. Prophets Words and revelations of the minor
  and major prophets
• Ezekiel, Isaiah, Amos, Jonah, etc.
• 3. Writings poetic and devotional material
  written and used during the same time as the
  Prophets, words and works of the sages
• Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ruth, Esther, Daniel, etc.
  

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• The Talmud
• Oral tradition passed to Moses and beyond
• Finally written down in the 2nd century
• Contains info on rituals, marriages, agricultural
  laws, festivals, etc.

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The Nature of God

• Covenants with good people
• Responds to their needs?deliverance
• Guides directs His people
• Compassionate
• Controls with justice
• Source of forgiving, redeeming love
• Establishes peace on earth

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The Name of God

• Written by Hebrew consonants YHVH
• Means I am
• Jews do not have a personal name for God
• Christians and others have Anglicized it to
  Yahweh or Jehovah
• Written by Orthodox Jews as G-d
• God referred to as
• Adonai (The Lord)
• Elohim, or HaShem (the Name) - the
  unpronounceable name of God

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A Few Main Beliefs

• Jews do not believe in "original sin" (no need
  for a "savior" in the Christian sense)
• The Ten Commandments
• first 4 have to do with our relationship with God
  
• Next 6 refer to our relationship with other people

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• Importance of family
• Story/experience of exile and exodus
• "Let my people go."
• Compassion and concern for freedom of all peoples
• history of continual fight for freedom and
  continued survival

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Humans

• Gods highest creatures
• Earth has been given to them for food pleasure
• They are the caretakers
• Created in Gods image
• Each is a soul and body united
• Each should have a fellowship with God
• Responsible
• Answer to God for conduct
• Humans have choices/can make decisions?suffer
  consequences

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Problem for Humans

• Rebellion against God and consequential expulsion
• Adam and Eve
• Who is the Messiah?
• Has not arrived yet to usher in a new age
• He is expected

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Life after Death

• Emphasis on good life on earth more than good
  afterlife
• References in Psalms to heaven and hell
• Influenced by Zoroastrians?
• Lack specific descriptions of life beyond death

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Rituals

• Jewish calendar based on lunar month
• Sabbath/Shabbat
• Observed each week
• Sundown on Friday?sundown on Saturday
• Rosh Hashanah
• New year
• Begins the Days of Awe
• Concentrate on prayer, contemplation,
  self-searching
• Yom Kippur
• 10th day (of awe)
• Holiest day observed
• Repentance 24 hours of atonement and fasting

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Shabbat dinner
Sweets for a sweet new year
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• Chanukkah
• Celebrated rededication of Jerusalem temple in
  164 BCE (after destruction by Greeks)
• Sacred oil lasted 8 days for celebration
• Minor festival

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Passover

• Most important holiday
• Marks deliverance form slavery in Egypt under
  Moses leadership
• Sacred meal seder
• Unleavened bread (matzah)

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Mitzvah

• 613 mitzvot
• 258 positive, 365 negative
• Boys 131 day, girls 121 day
• Bar Mitzvah means son of the commandment
• Commands from God
• No immediate reward
• Obedience rewards in afterlife

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