Jewish mysticism and folklore

1
Jewish mysticism and folklore
By Mirel Chifan
2
Outline of the presentation
Brief presentation of Israel Four characters
out of the Jewish history that in essence
describe the culture and the traditions (Abraham,
Moses, David, Jesus) Books of great importance
for the Jewish society (Torah, Tanak, Zohar,
Talmud) Role of the prophets in the historical
times in Israel. Names of God , when? how? what
do they mean? Decalogue, blessings,
cursings Folkloric creatures from Old
Testament ( angels ,demons) Importance of
Judaism for other religions Characters that
played a important role in the development of the
Jewish society( Maimonides, other) Examples of
famous Jews that influence the world
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
Important books in Judaism

• Torah- the most important book in the Judaic
  Society. It means teaching or the law and it is
  the most respected book from all the teaching .It
  represents the first 5 books of the Old Testament
  .Traditionally according to the church it was
  written by Moses , and given to him directly from
  God .In Greek it is called Pentateuch which means
  the 5 books or scrolls .It contains the 613
  mitzvoth that latter were extracted in the list
  of Maimonides.
• Tanak- it is practically the whole Bible of the
  Jews .A series of 24 books that contains the
  Torah, Neviilim ( the Prophets), Ketuvim or
  Writings( Psalms , Proverbs, Lamentations, Songs
  of Solomon). To be remembered that in the Jewish
  bible there is no New and Old Testaments .
• Talmud- represents the rabbinical literature
  which provides a interpretation of the Torah
  .Also it incorporates the Oral law , which
  compiles a lot of the traditions , customs and
  important issues in society are settled here It
  was first teached only by oral means because of
  the instability of the society and the fact that
  it was restricted .
• Zohar- another important book , especially for
  the Kabala movements.As the Talmud it was passed
  down from the rabbi to the students onlyu by oral
  means.It was compiled as a book for the first
  time in the 13th century by Moses de Leon.

7
Role of the Prophets in the bible

• The role of the prophets in the Old Testament
  especially, is a major feature that makes
  distinct the Jewish religion among the Semite and
  Middle east religions.
• Starting with Samuel who was the first prophet in
  the time of the first king of Israel Saul, they
  played a crucial religious role in the society.
• We can say that the Prophet was almost at a level
  of a institution. It was always consulted in any
  important issue of the country, he was the one
  that one that would anoint the King and would
  declare if the king has gone on the wrong side
  from a religious point of view.
• Prophets claim to be foretellers and forth
  tellers arguing their direct connection with
  the Divinity.
• Their career so the be told starts with them
  being chosen by God to be his voice for his
  chosen people, they are considered the
  ambassadors and the messengers of God among his
  people.
• In the Jewish religion the prophet can be tested
  , whatever he prophecies if it does not come to
  pass in the time foretold he will be put to death
  since he is considered a false prophet
  (Deuteronomy 1820-22).
• Famous prophets Samuel, Elijah, Moses, John the
  Baptist, Daniel in Christianity but not in
  Judaism.
• Islam acknowledges the prophets and considers
  that the first prophet is Adam and the last is
  Muhammad.

8
Names of God

• Yahweh (YHVH)-a term used to describe the name of
  God , in fact the most Holly one , never
  pronounced by the Jews , used instead is Hashem
  (The Name). In Greek it is called the
  Tetragramon, the adaptation in Europe of this
  word is Jehovah. In Islam the correspondent name
  would be Allah.
• Elohim- it signifies The Strong One.
• Adonai- My Lord.It comes from a Phoenician
  deity or a possible connection with Adonis.
• Shadday- according to the Bible this is the name
  that Abraham called God .
• Shallom-The Talmud says that he is a God of
  Peace.
• Elyon- God Most High is a term to describe the
  supremacy of his Divinity.
• Yahweh Raffa- God will provide term used in
  the mount Moriah.
• Ehiyeh sh'Ehiyeh I am that I am term
  first used when Moses had a theophany on the
  mount Sinai.
• Boreh- The Creator.
• Adon Olan- Master of the world

9
Blessings vs. Curses

• The blessings were given directly by God to Moses
  and the people of Israel on the mountain of
  Gerizim.
• Ex1
• The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up
  against thee to be smitten before thy face they
  shall come out against thee one way, and flee
  before thee seven ways.
• And all these blessings shall come on thee, and
  overtake thee,   if thou shall hearken unto the
  voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shall thou be
  in the city, and blessed shall thou be in the
  field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body,
  and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy
  cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks
  of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy
  store. Blessed shall thou be when thou comes in
  and blessed shall be when though goes out.
• Ex2 The LORD shall send upon three cusing,
  vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest
  thine hand unto for to do, until thou be
  destroyed, and until thou perish quickly because
  of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou
  hast forsaken me

10
Angels vs. Demons

• Angels (Angelis in Latin , angelos in Greek) are
  supernatural beings regarded as the messengers of
  God .They are inferior to people and are only to
  assist God in his work.
• According to the Catholic theology there are nine
  ranks of angels (Angels, Virtues, Powers,
  Principalities, Dominations, Throne, Cherubim,
  Seraphim, Archangels).
• The apocryphycal books of Enoch explain a lot
  about the angels , and a lot of information was
  take by scholars from this writing.
• The most important ones Michael , Uriel ,
  Gabriel, Raphael.
• Demons are angels as well which according to the
  Bible either chose to be on the same side with
  Lucifer ( the angel of praise that wanted the
  throne of God ) or another kind of angels that
  chose to come down on Earth on the time of Noah (
  the time of the Giants).
• The demons have prevalence over the world and
  they were cast out of heaven on Earth.
• In general the Jewish demonology is taken from
  its neighbors.
• Most prominent Satan, Beelzebub ,Ball, Kemosh,
  Moloch,

11
Gabriel
Michael
Uriel
12
Lucifer
Raphael
13
Famous Jews

• Alan Greenspan
• Michael Dell
• Georges Soros
• Larry Ellisson
• Vladimir Zhirinovsky
• Dick Cheney
• Albert Einstein