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By the end of this lesson, you should be able to: >Identify key leaders of the Jewish religion > Understand key terminology of the Jewish faith Judaism In this chapter you will learn about the land of Canaan, the rise of Judaism as a religion and the major figures who made an impact in the Jewish religion. Abraham and Canaan The father of the Hebrew people is known as Abraham. Known as Abram, he was born in Ur in Mesopotamia. Ur worshipped many gods, and Abram believed that there was one God, making Judaism different than any other religion in the ancient world. The Torah, the Jewish holy writing or the Old Testament, says that God made a covenant, or agreement, with Abram to leave his country for Canaan. Then, at 99 years old, God promised to protect Abram’s descendants if they were devoted to God. God also had Abram change his name to Abraham to mark this agreement. Abraham’s Sacrifice According to the Torah, God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience. In this era, animal sacrifice was common. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. On a hilltop, Abraham was stopped by an angel sent by God. Abraham had proved his obedience, and God let the Hebrew people flourish. Michelangelo’s The Sacrifice of Isaac shows Abraham’s obedience and devotion to God. Moses Video Moses: Leader of the Hebrews The greatest Hebrew prophet was Moses. According to the Torah, the Hebrews were being enslaved in Egypt. God chose Moses to lead the Hebrews out of slavery and free the Hebrew people. God sent Moses to the pharaoh and asked for freedom. The pharaoh refused, and Moses warned of ten plagues, or disasters, to punish Egypt. After the plagues, the pharaoh released the Hebrews. He soon changed his mind and chased the Hebrew people. The Hebrews crossed the Red Sea to safety, and Moses led the Exodus, or the Hebrew departure from Egypt. The Ten Commandments The Torah states that after the Exodus, the Hebrews wandered the wilderness for 40 years. During that time, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, or the laws for the foundation of Judaism. Moses received the commandments on Mt. Sinai. While he was there to pray, God sent the laws for all Jews to obey. If they obeyed, God promised to protect them. David: Israel’s King After the Exodus, the Hebrews returned to Canaan. According to the Torah, a young David rose to power as king after defeating the Philistine warrior Goliath. David’s courage and faith were rewarded by God as he became the king of the Hebrews. David established Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. David built Israel into a powerful kingdom with an army and a government. He also made Jerusalem the most holy city by bringing the Ark of the Covenant, the chest holding the Ten Commandments, to the city. King Solomon After David’s death, his son Solomon became king. Solomon wanted to build a temple to house the Ark of the Covenant. According to the Torah, Solomon’s temple would make his name famous throughout the world. The temple became a huge undertaking for the Hebrews. Solomon forced the Hebrews to help build the temple. He also taxed his people heavily to complete the project. His methods angered many Hebrews. Near his death, some Hebrews split into a Northern kingdom called Israel. Struggles of the Jews Because of religious differences during the era, the Jewish people became the religious rebels of their time. Most empires had a polytheistic belief. In this belief, people worship more than one god. The Egyptians and other Mesopotamian peoples had this belief. Jews, however, had a monotheistic belief. In this belief, people worship one god. Jewish people see God as an allpowerful and all-knowing God who stands for morality. They also have a personal relationship with God through prayer. Because of these beliefs, Jews scattered to live in places where they could practice their religion. This is known as the diaspora.