The Fertile Crescent

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The Fertile Crescent

• Chapter 2, Section 5
• Judaism
• TN SPI 6.1.3, 6.3.5

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Objectives

• Learn about the basic beliefs of Judaism.
• Find out about the effect that Judaism has had on
  other religions.

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Key Terms

• Covenant a binding agreement
• Moses an Israelite leader whom the Torah
  credits with leading the Israelites from Egypt to
  Canaan
• Prophet a religious teacher who is regarded as
  someone who speaks for God
• Diaspora the scattering of people who have a
  common background or belief

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Canaan
Abrahams Journey to Canaan
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Israelite History

• The early Israelites (Hebrews) came to believe
  that God was taking part in their history.
• The Torah records events and laws important to
  the Israelites.
• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Later Christians adopted the Torah as the first
  five books of the Old Testament.

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Torah

• According to Genesis 176-7, God made a promise
  or covenant (agreement) with Abraham. (2000 B.C.)
• I will make you exceedingly fruitful and I will
  make nations of you, and kings will come forth
  from you. And I will . . .be God to you and to
  your descendants . . .
• The Israelites considered themselves Gods chosen
  people.

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Moses

• Moses (1200 B.C.) told the Israelites that God
  would lead them to Canaan, the promised land.
• Slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh
• Exodus from Egypt
• Escape across the Red Sea
• Forty years in the desert
• Ten Commandments

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The Beliefs of Judaism

• Jews followers of Judaism
• Judaism held the belief in one God
  monotheistic.
• Most ancient people thought of their gods as
  being connected to certain places or people.
• The Israelites believed that God is present
  everywhere, and that he knows everything and has
  complete power.

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Prophets

• The history of the Israelites tells of prophets,
  or religious teachers who spoke for God.
• The prophets
• Explained how God wanted them to live
• Warned the people not to disobey Gods law
• Urged the Israelites to live good/decent lives
• Called on the rich and powerful to protect the
  poor and weak
• Said all people were equal before God

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Prophets

• In many ancient societies, a ruler was seen as a
  god.
• To the Israelites, their leaders were human.
• Kings had to obey Gods law just as shepherds and
  merchants did.

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The Effects of Judaism

• After their exile from Judah in 587 B.C., the
  Jews saw their homeland controlled by various
  foreign powers.
• The Romans drove the Jews out of their homeland
  in A.D. 135.
• As a result the Jewish people were scattered to
  different parts of the world. (see map page 59)

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The Effects of Judaism

• Judaism had influence on two later religions,
  Christianity and Islam.
• Both faiths
• Originated from the same area
• Were monotheistic
• Honor Abraham, Moses, and the prophets
• Share the same moral point of view

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Dead Sea Scrolls

• The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947 in
  ancient jars.
• The scrolls helped historians reconstruct the
  early history of the Israelites.