JUDAISM DEFINITION, HISTORY, BELIEFS, SACRED TEXTS, SECTS-DENOMINATIONS, RITES AND OBSERVANCES, GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION, VOCABULARY
DEFINITION n The word Judaism has two meanings. It can mean the civilization of the Jews, the culture of those who claim to be Jews or whom others call Jewish. And it can also mean the religion of the Jews.
HISTORY IMPORTANCE, HISTORICAL CONTEXT, BIBLICAL JUDAISM, THE PATRIARCHS, MOSES AND SINAI, CANAAN AND THE JUDGES, UNITED MONARCHY, DIVIDED MONARCHY, THE HASMONEAN KINGDOM, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE, RABBINICAL JUDAISM, FALL OF ROME, EARLY MIDDLE AGES, THE CRUSADES, EXPULSION, ENLIGHTENMENT, HOLOCAUST
IMPORTANCE n History is of great importance in Judaism. It is significant that whereas the sacred texts of most ancient religions focus on myths and philosophical concepts, the Jewish sacred text is centered around historical narrative.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT Judaism traces its history back to the creation of mankind, but the explicitly Jewish historical origins begin with Abraham and the Hebrews. n According to the Torah, Abraham's home was the northern Mesopotamian town of Haran. n
HISTORICAL CONTEXT… From there, he migrated to the region of Canaan, which is roughly equivalent to modern Israel and Lebanon. n For a time the Hebrews lived in servitude in Egypt, then returned to Canaan. n
BIBLICAL JUDAISM The period of Jewish history designated by some historians as "Biblical Judaism" (as distinguished from “Rabbinical Judaism”). n Biblical Judaism represents the centuries covered by the narratives of the Tanakh (sacred scriptures), from the creation and primitive history of mankind to the last of the prophets in the 4 th century BCE. n
BIBLICAL JUDAISM… The Tanakh follows the Hebrew nation as it experiences cycles of favor and discipline by God. n God establishes successive covenants with humanity (Adam, Noah and Abraham) and issues an extensive set of laws (through Moses) by which the Hebrews are to be set apart as God's people. n
BIBLICAL JUDAISM… When they stray, God sends prophets and invading armies to bring them back to himself. n "It is this particular claim-to have experienced God's presence in human events-and its subsequent development that is the differentiating factor in Jewish thought. " n
THE PATRIARCHS The biblical book of Genesis (from the Greek, meaning “beginning”) begins with a single, all-powerful God creating the world out of chaos in six days, with human beings created on the sixth day. n Genesis goes on to chronicle an ancient history in which mankind repeatedly turns away from God and to immorality until God destroys the earth with a flood. n
THE PATRIARCHS… n God then makes a covenant with Noah, the one man saved from the flood (8 with wife, 3 sons, and their wives, that he will never destroy the earth again.
PATRIARCHS… The specifically Hebrew element of biblical history begins with Abraham (c. 2100 BCE), who is considered the founder of the Jewish religion. n However, he does not discover God but is rather called by the God who is already known into a covenant, in which God promises to many descendents and the land of Canaan. n
PATRIARCHS… The religion of the patriarchs was simple, and centered on the agreement (unilateral covenant) between Abraham and God. n Religious practice consisted of sacrifice and prayer. n Circumcision was the defining mark of the religious community. n Its eschatology (future things) was the promise of land many descendents. n
MOSES AND SINAI According to biblical tradition, a famine caused the Hebrew tribes to migrate to Egypt, where they were enslaved. n God rescued them from bondage by afflicting the Egyptians with successive plagues then drowning the Egyptian army in the Red Sea to allow the Hebrews to escape. n
MOSES AND SINAI… At Mount Sinai, God established the nation of Israel (named for Abraham's grandson Jacob. Israel) as his own, and gave them the terms of his covenant with them. n He then sustains the Israelites through 40 years of journeying in the wilderness before leading them into Canaan, the land promised to Abraham. n Central to all these events is Moses who fulfills many leadership roles, including religious, political, legislative and military. n
MOSES AND SINAI… Mosaic religion centers on the covenant (bilateral) between God and the people of Israel. n The covenant required exclusive loyalty to Yahweh, who rescued them from bondage in Egypt. n Worship of other gods, veneration of idols (even of Yahweh), and magical practices are prohibited. n Rituals and festivals are established to celebrate God's historical and continuing provision. n
CANAAN AND THE JUDGES The conquest of Canaan is narrated in the biblical book of Joshua, with miraculous events (city walls fell at a shout, the sun stood still) rivaling those of the Exodus. n After the conquest of Canaan, Israel was led by leaders called "judges, " during which time the Israelites are described as repeatedly falling into idolatry and apostasy. n
CANAAN AND THE JUDGES… At the same time, numerous altars to the God of Israel sprung up, and the Levites rose to the priesthood to conduct sacrifices at many of them. n The ark of the covenant was housed and carefully protected at the Shiloh sanctuary, which was staffed by priests of the family of Eli. n
UNITED MONARCHY To maintain occupation of the Promised Land, it became necessary to have centralized authority and organized armies that could hold off external enemies. n Two diverging views of the prospect of a monarchy arose: a rejection of God's kingship (1 Sam. 8 -12) or a God-given way to defend Israel (1 Sam. 9: 16). n The former view is represented by the prophetjudge Samuel, who reluctantly crowned the first king. n
UNITED MONARCHY… Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin, was made king (in c. 1020 BCE) after defeating the Ammonites. He ruled from his hometown of Gibeah, a few miles north of Jerusalem. n Saul's reign was marred by conflicts with the prophet Samuel, who held ongoing authority over the kingship. n
UNITED MONARCHY… n King David, Saul's successor, solved these problems by combining religious and political authority in one person (David and his descendents) and in one place (the city of Jerusalem). n NB…Nathan (another prophet) was the instrument of divine justice when David disobeyed God.
UNITED MONARCHY… David was succeeded by his son Solomon. n During Solomon's long reign of 40 years the Hebrew monarchy gained its highest splendor. n The first half of his reign was, however, by far the brighter and more prosperous; the latter half was clouded by the idolatries into which he fell, mainly, according to the scribes, from his intermarriages. n
DIVIDED MONARCHY After Solomon's reign the nation split into two kingdoms, Israel (in the north) and Judah (in the south). n Israel was conquered by the Assyrian ruler Shalmaneser V in the 8 th century BCE. n The kingdom of Judah was conquered by a Babylonian army in the early 6 th century BCE. n
DIVIDED MONARCHY… The elite of Judah were exiled to Babylon, but later at least a part of them returned to their homeland, led by prophets Ezra and Nehemiah, after the subsequent conquest of Babylonia by the Persians. n Already at this point the extreme fragmentation among the Israelites was apparent, with the formation of political-religious factions, the most important of which would later be called Sadducees and Pharisees. n
THE HASMONEAN KINGDOM After the Persians were defeated by Alexander the Great, his demise, and the division of Alexander's empire among his generals, the Seleucid Kingdom was formed. n A deterioration of relations between Hellenized Jews and religious Jews led the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes to impose decrees banning certain Jewish religious rites and traditions. n
HASMONEAN KINGDOM… Consequently, the orthodox Jews revolted under the leadership of the Hasmonean family, (also known as the Maccabees). n This revolt eventually led to the formation of an independent Jewish kingdom, known as the Hasmonaean Dynasty, which lasted from 165 BC to 63 BC. n
HASMONEAN KINGDOM… The Hasmonean Dynasty eventually disintegrated as a result of civil war between the sons of Salome Alexandra, Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II. n The people, who did not want to be governed by a king but by theocratic clergy, made appeals in this spirit to the Roman authorities. n A Roman campaign of conquest and annexation, led by Pompey, soon followed. n
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE Judea under Roman rule was at first an independent Jewish kingdom, but gradually the rule over Judea became less and less Jewish, until it became under the direct rule of Roman administration, which was often callous and brutal in its treatment of its Judean subjects. n In AD 66, Judeans began to revolt against the Roman rulers of Judea. n
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE… The revolt was defeated by the Roman emperors Vesesapian and Titus Flavius. n The Romans destroyed much of the Temple in Jerusalem and, according to some accounts, stole artifacts from the temple, such as the Menorah. n
RABBINICAL JUDAISM Rabbinical Judaism developed out of the Pharisaic movement and in response to the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. n The rabbis sought to reinterpret Jewish concepts and practices in the absence of the Temple and for a people in exile. n
RABBINICAL JUDAISM… Rabbinical Judaism was the dominant form of the Jewish religion for nearly 18 centuries. n It produced the Talmud, the Midrash, and the great figures of medieval Jewish philosophy. n
THE FALL OF ROME The Eastern Roman Empire, under assault from barbarian invasion, passed a number of laws in the early Middle Ages, including the legislation of Justinian which culminated in the principle of taking away civil rights from heretics and unbelievers and of making their existence as difficult as possible. n The public observance of their religion was forbidden the Jews. The loss of their civil rights was followed by disregard for their personal freedom. n
THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES The general condition of the Jews in Western lands depended on the changing political conditions in their respective countries. n Those Jews who still wished to remain true to the faith of their fathers were protected by the Church herself from compulsory conversion. n
THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES… n Charlemagne, moreover, was glad to use the Church for the purpose of welding together the loosely connected elements of his kingdom when he transformed the old Roman empire into a Christian one, and united under the imperial crown all the German races at that time firmly settled.
EARLY MIDDLE AGES… n When, a few decades after his death, his world empire fell apart (843), the rulers of Italy, France, and Germany left the Church free scope in her dealings with the Jews, and under the influence of religious zeal hatred toward the unbelievers ripened into deeds of horror.
THE CRUSADES The trials which the Jews endured from time to time in the different kingdoms of the Christian West were only indications of the catastrophe which broke over them at the time of the Crusades. n A wild, unrestrained throng, for which the crusade was only an excuse to indulge its rapacity, fell upon the peaceful Jews and sacrificed them to its fanaticism. n
EXPLUSIONS n Jews were held responsible for numerous crimes imputed to them: n a false charge was circulated that they wished to dishonor the host which was supposed to represent Jesus' body n being the cause of every calamity n the plundering raids of the Mongols n the Black Death
EXPULSIONS… n The Jews, who were driven out of England in 1290, out of France in 1394, and out of Numerous districts of Germany, Italy, and the Balkan peninsula between 1350 and 1450, were scattered in all directions, and fled preferably to the new Slavic kingdoms, where for the time being other confessions were still tolerated.
ENLIGHTENMENT During the period of the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, significant changes were happening within the Jewish community. n Jews began in the 1700 s to campaign for emancipation from restrictive laws and integration into the wider European society. n Reform and Conservative movements and planted the seeds of Zionism while at the same time encouraging cultural assimilation into the countries in which Jews resided. n
ENLIGHTENMENT… n Hasidic Judaism began in the 1700 s by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, and quickly gained a following with its more exuberant, mystical approach to religion.
HOLOCAUST n n Anti-Semitism was common in Europe in the 1920 s and 1930 s. Adolf Hitler's fanatical anti. Semitism was laid out in his 1925 book Mein Kampf.
HOLOCAUST… n Mein. Kampf German for ( "My Struggle") is a book written by Adolf Hitler, combining elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political ideology of National Socialism.
HOLOCAUST… n Mein Kampf makes clear Hitler's racist worldview, dividing humans up based on ancestry. Hitler stated that German "Aryans" with blond hair and blue eyes were at the top of the hierarchy (Hitler himself had brown hair and blue eyes), and assigned the bottom of the order to Jews and Gypsies. Hitler went on to say that dominated peoples benefit by learning from the superior Aryans.
HOLOCAUST… n Hitler further claimed that the Jews were conspiring to keep this "master race" from rightfully ruling the world, by diluting its racial and cultural purity and by convincing the Aryan to believe in equality rather than superiority and inferiority. He described the struggle for world domination as an ongoing racial, cultural, and political battle between Aryans and Jews.
HOLOCAUST… On April 1, 1933 the recently elected Nazis organized a one-day boycott of all Jewishowned businesses in Germany. n This policy helped to usher-in a series of anti-Semitic acts that would eventually culminate in the Holocaust. n The last remaining Jewish enterprises in Germany were closed on July 6, 1939. n
HOLOCAUST… In many cities throughout Europe, Jews had been living in concentrated areas. n During the first years of World War II, the Nazis formalized the borders of these areas and restricted movement, creating modern ghettos to which Jews were confined. n
HOLOCAUST… The ghettos were, in effect, prisons in which many Jews died from hunger and disease; others were executed by the Nazis and their collaborators. n Concentration camps for Jews existed in Germany itself. n During the invasion of the Soviet Union, over 3, 000 special killing units conducted mass killings of Communist officials and of the Jewish population that lived on Soviet territory. n
HOLOCAUST… Entire communities were wiped out by being rounded up, robbed of their possessions and clothing, and shot at the edges of ditches. n In December 1941, Hitler finally decided to exterminate European Jews. In January 1942, during the Wannsee conference, several Nazi leaders discussed the details of the "Final Solution of the Jewish question. " n
HOLOCAUST… n They began to systematically deport Jewish populations from the ghettos and all occupied territories to the seven camps designated as Vernichtungslager, or extermination camps: Auschwitz, Belzec, Chelmno, Majdanek, Maly Trostenets, Sobibór and Treblinka II.
THE STATE OF ISRAEL n The sudden rapid growth of Zionism and the post-Holocaust displacement resulted in the emigration of a great many Jews to what became the modern State of Israel on May 14, 1948.
BELIEFS INTRODUCTION, THE FOUNDATIONS OF JEWISH BELIEF, GOD, HUMAN NATURE, THE WORLD TO COME, THE MESSIAH
INTRODUCTION Unlike Christianity and Islam, Judaism has no official creed or universal doctrinal requirements for membership. n In general, a person can be considered “Jewish” whether he adheres to a complete system of beliefs about God and the afterlife, holds only a few simple beliefs that give meaning to ritual, or even (at least in liberal Judaism) does not believe in God at all. n
INTRODUCTION… This diversity in Jewish belief arises in part because actions (good deeds and the mitzvot), not beliefs, are the most important aspect of Jewish religious life. n This is in marked contrast to Christianity and Islam, in which belief in at least in a few basic doctrines is of primary importance. n
INTRODUCTION… Nevertheless, the Torah and Talmud have a great deal to say about God, humanity, and the meaning of life, and Jewish history features significant theological and mystical inquiry into religious concepts. n And these beliefs are of great significance because of their strong influence on Christianity and Islam, the two largest world religions. n
THE FOUNDATIONS OF JEWISH BELIEF The Thirteen Foundations of the Ramba'm
The Thirteen Foundations of the Ramba'm n The thirteen foundations of Jewish belief were compiled by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, also known as Maimonides, generally referred to by the acronym Ra. MBa’M.
The Thirteen Foundations… 1. THE FIRST FOUNDATION is to believe in the existence of the Creator. Ø This means that there exists a Being that is complete in all ways and He is the cause of all else that exists. He is what sustains their existence and the existence of all that sustains them. He does not need the existence of anything else. All that exists apart from Him, the angels, the universe and all that is within it, all these things are dependent on Him for their existence.
The Thirteen Foundations… 2. THE SECOND FOUNDATION is the unity of God, that this being, which is the cause of all, is one. Ø This does not mean one as in one object that is made up of many elements, but a unity unlike any other possible unity. 3. THE THIRD FOUNDATION is that He is not physical. Ø This means to believe that the One whom we have mentioned is not a body and His powers are not physical. In all places where the Holy Scriptures speak of Him in physical terms, as walking, standing, sitting, speaking and anything similar, it is always metaphorical.
The Thirteen Foundations… 4. THE FOURTH FOUNDATION is that He is first. Ø This means to believe that the One was the absolute first and everything else in existence is not first relative to Him. 5. THE FIFTH FOUNDATION is that it is proper to serve Him, blessed be He, to ascribe to Him greatness, to make known His greatness, and to fulfill His commandments. Ø This fifth foundation is based in the prohibition against idolatry about which much of the Torah deals.
The Thirteen Foundations… 6. THE SIXTH FOUNDATION is prophecy. Ø That is, that a person must know that there exists amongst mankind individuals who have very lofty qualities and great perfection; whose souls are prepared until their minds receive perfect intellect.
The Thirteen Foundations… 7. THE SEVENTH FOUNDATION is the prophecy of Moshe (Moses) our Teacher. Ø This means to believe that he is the father of all the prophets and that all of them were below his level. He was the chosen one from all of Mankind, for he attained a greater knowledge of the Blessed One, more than any other man ever attained or ever will attain. For he rose up from the level of man to the level of the angels and gained the exalted status of an angel. There did not remain any screen that he did not tear and penetrate; nothing physical held him back. He was devoid of any flaw, big or small. His powers of imagination, the senses, and the perceptions were nullified; the power of desire was separated from him leaving him with pure intellect.
The Thirteen Foundations… 8. THE EIGHTH FOUNDATION is that the Torah is from Heaven. Ø This means that we must believe that this entire Torah, which was given to us from Moshe Our Teacher, is entirely from the mouth of the Almighty. In other words, that it all was conveyed to him from God in the manner which is called, for lack of a better term, "dibur" - "speech". It is not known how it was conveyed to him, except to Moshe, to whom it was given, and he was like a scribe writing from dictation, and he wrote all the incidents, the stories, and the commandments.
The Thirteen Foundations… 9. THE NINTH FOUNDATION is the transcription, meaning that this Torah, and no other, was transcribed from the Creator and we may not add to it or remove from it, not in the Written Torah or in the Oral Torah. 10. THE TENTH FOUNDATION is that God, blessed be He, knows the actions of mankind and does not turn His eyes from them.
The Thirteen Foundations… 11. The Eleventh Foundation is that God, blessed be He, gives reward to one who obeys the commandments of the Torah and punishes one who violates its prohibitions. 12. The Twelfth Foundation is the time of the Moshiach (literally, the anointed). Ø This means to believe and be certain that he will come, and not to think that he is late in coming.
The Thirteen Foundations… 13. THE THIRTEENTH FOUNDATION is the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection is only for the righteous.
GOD In Judaism, ultimate reality is a single, allpowerful God. It is this belief that made the Jews unique among other ancient Semitic peoples and that became the legacy Judaism has passed on to the entire Western world. n The sacred name of God, as revealed to Moses in the book of Exodus, is YHWH. n
GOD… Since ancient Hebrew was written without vowels, we do not know the original pronunciation of this word. n The common pronunciation "Jehovah, " however, is incorrect. n It is derived from combining the vowels for Adonai ("Lord") with the four consonants of YHWH. n
HUMAN NATURE A fundamental Jewish belief about human beings is that they are created in the image of God. This does not mean that we look like God, for God is incorporeal. n The general rabbinical interpretation of this concept is that humans have the ability to reason. n
HUMAN NATURE… When Genesis 2: 7 says "God formed man, " it uses the Hebrew word vayyitzer ("formed"). n The Talmud finds special meaning in the unique spelling of the word in this context, with two yods instead of one. n The two yods, the rabbis explain, stand for the two impulses found in humans: the yetzer tov and the yetzer ra. n
HUMAN NATURE… According to this view, the yetzer tov is the moral conscience that reminds a person of God's law when one considers a specific action or choice. n The yetzer ra is the impulse to satisfy one's own needs and desires. n There is nothing intrinsically evil about the yetzer ra, as it was created by God and is natural to humankind. n
HUMAN NATURE… It is also what drives us to good things such as eating, drinking, having a family, and making a living. n However, it can easily lead to sin when not kept in check by the yetzer tov. n The idea of human free will is Fundamental to Judaism. n The concept of original sin is rejected, and every person has the ability to choose good or evil. n
THE WORLD TO COME n Jewish sacred texts and literature have little to say about what happens after death. This may seem surprising to non-Jews, since the sacred texts of Christianity and Islam (both of which have their foundations in Judaism) elaborate rather fully about the afterlife.
THE WORLD TO COME… n But we have already seen that Judaism is much more focused on actions than beliefs, so it is to be expected that its prophets and sages have not spent as much time on speculations about the world to come as elaborations on the mitzvot to be performed in this life.
THE WORLD TO COME… Despite the subject's general exclusion from the Jewish sacred texts, however, Judaism does incorporate views on the afterlife. n Yet unlike the other monotheistic religions, no one view has ever been officially agreed upon, and there is much room for speculation. n
THE WORLD TO COME… The Hebrew word Olam Ha-Ba ("the world to come") is used for both the messianic age (see below) and the afterlife (see Gan Eden, below). n The world to come is important and something to look forward to. A Mishnah passage says, "This world is like a lobby before the Olam Ha. Ba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall. " n
THE WORLD TO COME… For the most part, the Torah describes the afterlife in vague terms, many of which may simply be figurative ways of speaking about death as it is observed by the living. n An early common theme is that death means rejoining one's ancestors. n Another recurring biblical image of the afterlife is as a shadowy place called Sheol. n
THE WORLD TO COME… Taken together, these early biblical descriptions of death seem to indicate that the soul continues to exist in some way after death, but not consciously. n Later in the Torah, the concept of conscious life after death begins to develop. n Daniel 12: 2 declares, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to reproaches and everlasting abhorrence. " Nehemiah 9: 5 n
THE WORLD TO COME… Today, most traditional Jewish movements accept the concept of the resurrection of the dead. n A notable exception is Reform Judaism, which official rejects the doctrine. n Traditional Judaism includes belief in both heaven and hell. n
THE MESSIAH Many of the world's Religions have hope in a future heroic figure who will rescue the righteous, judge the wicked, and restore peace to the world (Krishna in Hinduism, Maitreya in Buddhism and the Second Coming in Christianity). n In Judaism, this figure is the messiah. Christians believe the messiah has come in the form of Jesus of Nazareth; Jews emphatically do not. n
THE MESSIAH… Jews do not believe that the messiah will be divine. n A fundamental difference between Judaism and Christianity is the Jewish conviction that God is so essentially different from and beyond humanity that he could never become a human. n A wide variety of opinions have been given by Jewish scholars as to the circumstances that will prompt the messiah's arrival. n
THE MESSIAH… Some say the messiah will come when the world is especially good; others say when the world has become especially evil. n When the messiah does come, he will inaugurate the messianic age (sometimes called the Olam Ha-Ba, World to Come). n The Tanakh employs the following descriptions about this period: n
THE MESSIAH… 1. 2. 3. 4. Peace among all nations Perfect harmony and abundance in nature All Jews return from exile to Israel Universal acceptance of the Jewish God and Jewish religion 5. No sin or evil; all Israel will obey the commandments 6. Reinstatement of the Temple
SACRED TEXTS THE HEBREW BIBLE, ORAL TORAH AND RABBINICAL JUDAISM, TALMUD
THE HEBREW BIBLE n TORAH (PENTATEUCH) = 5 books n PROPHETS — FORMER AND LATTER n WRITINGS torah prophets writings
Torah ("Law"/Pentateuch/Books of Moses) Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers Deuteronomy Nevi'im ("Prophets") Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings Latter Prophets, Major: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Latter Prophets, Minor: Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum Habakkuk, Obadiah, Haggai Zechariah, Joel, Malachi Jonah Kethuvim ("Writings") Psalms Job Proverbs Ruth Song of Solomon Ecclesiastes Lamentations Esther Daniel Ezra Nehemiah 1 & 2 Chronicles
![TANAKH n Tanakh [ ( ]תנ״ך also spelt Tanach or Tenach) is an acronym](https://present5.com/presentation/78699b74dfc80100b66de6b2b45af5a4/image-112.jpg "TANAKH n Tanakh [ ( ]תנ״ך also spelt Tanach or Tenach) is an acronym")
TANAKH n Tanakh [ ( ]תנ״ך also spelt Tanach or Tenach) is an acronym for the three parts of the Hebrew Bible, based upon the initial Hebrew letters of each part:
![TANAKH 1. Torah [ "( ]תורה The Law"; also: Teaching or Instruction), Chumash [](https://present5.com/presentation/78699b74dfc80100b66de6b2b45af5a4/image-114.jpg "TANAKH 1. Torah [ \"( ]תורה The Law\"; also: Teaching or Instruction), Chumash [")
TANAKH 1. Torah [ "( ]תורה The Law"; also: Teaching or Instruction), Chumash [ "( ]חומש The five", also Pentateuch or The five books of Moses) 2. Nevi'im [ "( ]נביאים The Prophets") 3. Ketuvim [ "( ]כתובים The Writings" or "Hagiographa")
TORAH n n God’s instruction-revelation Can have 3 meanings: 1. (strictest) the first 5 books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy 2. (broader) the whole Hebrew bible 3. (broadest) – all teaching that comes from God “the oral torah”
TORAH… n Torah n foundational stories: n primeval history; n the ancestors (Abraham-Sarah; Isaac-Rebecca; Jacob [Israel]-Leah & Rachel; the sons of Jacob) n Exodus = the formative event for Israel’s identity n Slavery in Egypt & freedom – the hero, Moses n Wandering & on the brink of possessing the land n Covenant and “Law”
PROPHETS n Prophets n Former: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings n the settlement of the land (Joshua), the rise (David), split (after Solomon), and fall of the nation (ends with Babylonian exile – 586 BCE) n Latter: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Book of the Twelve n Israel’s “conscience” in living out Torah: covenant faithfulness to God n 8 th century through the 5 th century BCE
WRITINGS n The Writings – a diverse collection of later literature n n Wisdom/worship: Psalms, Job, Proverbs 5 scrolls for 5 festivals: Song of Songs (Passover), Ruth (Weeks), Lamentations (ninth of Av), Ecclesiastes (Booths), Esther (Purim) An apocalyptic book: Daniel (set in Babylon during exile, but dealing with Seleucid regime of 2 nd century) “History Books”: Ezra-Nehemiah; 1 -2 Chronicles
ORAL TORAH & RABBINICAL JUDAISM n After 70 c. e. → a religion of “Scripture” n Mishnah (ca. 200 c. e. ) – collation of biblical laws in 6 parts Gemara – additional comments on the Mishnah n Palestinian Talmud (ca. 400) n Babylonian Talmud (ca. 600) n n n Halakhah – legal material/instructions Haggadah – stories and tales for teaching
TALMUD n The Talmud ( )תלמוד is considered an authoritative record of rabbinic discussions on Jewish law, Jewish ethics, customs, legends and stories. n It is a fundamental source of legislation, customs, case histories and moral exhortations.
TALMUD… n The Talmud comprises two components, the Mishnah, and the Gemara, a discussion of the Mishnah (though the terms Talmud and Gemara are generally used interchangeably).
TALMUD… n It expands on the earlier writings in the Torah in general and in the Mishnah in particular, and is the basis for all later codes of Jewish law, and much of Rabbinic literature.
SECTSDENOMINATIONS ANCIENT AND MODERN
ANCIENT SECTS PHARISEES, SADDUCCEES, ESSENCES, ZEALOTS
PHARISEES n The Pharisees were a prominent sect of Jews in Christ's time. They opposed Jesus and His teachings. They plotted His death (Matt 12: 14). They were denounced by Him (Matt 23). Their characteristic teachings included: belief in oral as well as written Law; resurrection of the human body; belief in the existence of a spirit world; immortality of the soul; predestination; future rewards and punishments based upon works.
SADDUCEES n n Sadducee beliefs included: 1. acceptance only of the Law and rejection of oral tradition; 2. denial of bodily resurrection; 3. immortality of the soul; existence of a spirit world They supported the Maccabeans.
SADDUCEES… The Sadducees were a relatively small group, but they generally held the high priesthood. n They denounced John the Baptist (Matt 3: 7 -8) and Jesus (Matt 16: 6, 11, 12). n They actively opposed Christ (Matt 21: 12 ff; Mark 11: 15 ff; Luke 19: 47) and the apostolic Church (Acts 5: 17, 33). n
ESSENES The Essenes were a Jewish religious sect not actually mentioned in the Bible, but described by Josephus, Philo, and mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls. n Most members lived communal, celibate lives. They observed Jewish Law very strictly. n They practiced ceremonial baptisms. n Essenes were apocalyptic, and they opposed Temple priesthood. n
QUMRAN COMMUNITY n Though there remains much disagreement among scholars, many now believe that the Dead Sea Scrolls were possibly written by the Essenes - a priestly Jewish sect who lived a very separate life, even keeping themselves apart from the Jewish religious officials in Jerusalem. They didn't want much to do with other people, and according to most accounts, most people didn't want much to do with them. What eventually happened to them is not known.
QUMRAN COMMUNITY…
MODERN SECTS ORTHODOX, REFORM, CONSERVATIVE AND HASSIDIC
ORTHODOX JUDAISM Orthodox Judaism is the most traditional expression of modern Judaism. n Orthodox Jews believe the entire Torah including "Written, " the Pentateuch, and "Oral, " the Talmud) was given to Moses by God at Sinai and remains authoritative for modern life in its entirety. n According to a 1990 nationwide survey, 7 percent of American Jews are Orthodox. n
REFORM JUDAISM Reform Judaism is organized under the Union for Reform Judaism, whose mission is "to create and sustain vibrant Jewish congregations wherever Reform Jews live. " n About 1. 5 million Jews in 900 synagogues are members of the Union for Reform Judaism. n According to 1990 survey, 42 percent of American Jews regard themselves as Reform. n
CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM Conservative Judaism may be said to be a moderate position between Orthodox and Reform Judaism. n It seeks to conserve the traditional elements of Judaism, while allowing for modernization to a less radical extent than Reform Judaism. n
HASIDIC JUDAISM Hasidic (or Chasidic) Judaism arose in 12 thcentury Germany as a mystical movement emphasizing asceticism and experience born out of love and humility before God. n The austere religious life of these early Hasids ("pious ones") is documented in the Sefer Hasidim ("Book of the Pious"). n The modern Hasidic movement was founded in Poland in the 18 th century by Israel ben Eliezer. n
RITES AND OBSERVANCES MAJOR FESTIVALS AND IMPORTANT PRACTICES
Major Festivals of Judaism n SABBATH – weekly n DAYS OF AWE (“the High Holy Days”) n n (“stop doing in order to enjoy being”) ROSH HASHANA — NEW YEAR— autumn – creation of the world YOM KIPPUR—DAY OF ATONEMENT – 10 days later n SUKKOT— BOOTHS - Harvest festival — autumn n HANUKKAH—Feast of Dedication (second temple) — winter festival of lights. Special nine-branch menorah recalls the story of the Maccabees taking back the temple after desecration in 165 b. c. e.
Major Festivals of Judaism n n PURIM— Story of Esther, a festival of joy and hope in late winter PESACH—PASSOVER— Spring festival remembering Exodus. n n n Ritual meal of symbolic foods Blessings Haggadah – telling “our” story YOM HASHOAH – memorial of the Holocaust SHAVUOT— Feast of Weeks or “Pentecost” (50 days after Passover)
Important Practices n n n Circumcision / naming ceremony Bar / Bat mitvah Prayer Mezuzah, (literally, “doorpost”) containing the Shema and other scriptures, on the doorpost Kashrut / Keeping Kosher (for some)
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
VOCABULARY
Abraham Considered to be the father of the Jewish people. Monotheism The belief in one god, in opposition to polytheism or the belief in more than one god. Canaan The original name of the land promised by God to the followers of Moses when they left Egypt in search of a new land. Mount Sinai The mountain on which Moses received the complete code of ethics and laws, known as the Ten Commandments. Torah The first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The word “Torah” comes from the Hebrew word for “instruction. ” Israelites The children of Israel and the name God gave to Jacob, the third patriarchal ancestor of the Jews. Messiah The Expected One who will free and elevate the Jewish people to new levels of devotion in practicing God’s law. Diaspora The Jews who live outside of Israel, originating during the time when Jews went from Palestine in exile into Bablonia.
Synagogue The central place for congregational worship and fellowship for Jewish communities and the place where customs, religious practice and faith are maintained. Talmud One of the major texts of Judaism, it contains three million words that instruct on codes of behavior for both religious and secular life. Rabbi The respected teacher and leader of worship usually associated with a particular congregation at a specific synagogue. Minion A necessary quorum of at least ten men so that the rabbi can conduct full religious services. Sabbath The weekly holiday (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) reserved for worship and attention to family and community. Kosher Very specific dietary laws regarding food restrictions as well as proper animal slaughter. Bar Mitzvah & Bat Mitzvah Respectively means “son” and “daughter” of the Commandment and are the religious rites of passage for 13 -yearold boys and 12 -year-old girls. After the ceremony they are fully responsible in the eyes of God and are seen as adult members of the congregation.
Скачать презентацию JUDAISM DEFINITION HISTORY BELIEFS SACRED TEXTS SECTS-DENOMINATIONS RITES
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