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Judaism • Who is a Jew? • Cannot only be defined religiously, • Or racially, • Or linguistically or ethnically— – Because there are many kinds of people who consider themselves Jews, – And they come from many places, – And believe different things. • Judaism as a religion: • Belief in the oneness of a God, – (YHWH) • Who works in and through historical events, • And has chosen the Jewish people as agents. • The Patriarchs • After the Biblical disasters, • God chose to communicate with only one nation— – The descendants of Abraham. – Genesis 12-50 • He would father a great nation if he were faithful to a covenant with God. • Isaac (son), Jacob (grandson), and twelve great-grandsons • Practices • Worship God by burning animal sacrifices on an altar. • Some basic animistic practices. • Circumcision. • Keeping a Sabbath day. • Moses • Abraham’s descendants – • in slavery to Egypt. Moses– Raised by Pharaoh’s family – Discovers his Israelite heritage • • Is exiled Exodus – Moses returns to Egypt at God’s command • (the burning bush) • to free the Israelites • God sends10 plagues, – including death to the firstborn of each family » • “Passover” Escape from Egypt: – Parting of the Red Sea • The Burning Bush: • Plagues of Egypt: • Parting the Red Sea: • Ten Commandments • God gives them to Moses on Mt. Sinai. • – pg. 246 – Stress obedience and loyalty to God. – Decent behavior to one another. This, plus other legal material in the first five books (Pentateuch)— – Central for Judaism, – A religion of the law. – Jews primarily concerned with obedience to the laws of God. • The Ark of the Covenant • A coffinlike box • Contained the sacred relics of the Exodus • Most sacred treasure of the Israelites • Lost when Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, 586 BC • David • First truly effective “king” of the Israelites. • Captured Jerusalem and made it the capital. – Made it one of the most important and disputed cities in the world. • Made the religion more formal in practice. • Solomon • Son of David. • Built the temple in Jerusalem. • Burning of animal sacrifices. • Prophets • Healed the sick, cursed, blessed, and worked other miracles. • Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah: – Boldly denounced social injustices – Bade the Israelites to return to God – Beautiful, poetic language • Their messages were written into the Bible. • Babylonian Captivity • 922 BC: – A rebellion splits the nation in half. – Northern half is destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 BC and vanishes • “The Lost Tribes.” – Southern half (Judah) conquered by the Babylonians, 586 BC. – The people become slaves in Babylon • But maintain their identity • Led by a prophet/priest: Ezekiel • Ezekiel, by Raphael • “The One True God” • Ezekiel says that YHWH was not just in Jerusalem but “mobile.” • Isaiah says that YHWH was no longer just the god of the Israelites— – • Is “the one true God” for all the people of the world The mission of the Jews: – Present his message to all the nations. • Rebuilt Jerusalem • Persia frees the Jews from Babylon • Many return to Jerusalem • Ezra: – Priest who began process of canonizing books as the word of God. – God no longer spoke through prophets but through his book. • Second temple built in 6th Century BC. • The Second Temple • King Herod the Great (37-4 BC) – Restores and decorates the second temple – Far more elaborate than before. – Just after it is finished, the Romans destroy it in 70 AD. • Wall of the Second Temple • Diaspora • Scattering of the Jewish people all over the world. • Forced on them, or by choice. • Synagogue • “Assembly” • Can exist wherever there is a copy of the Torah (scripture), – • Came about during the Diaspora, – • And ten adult Jewish males. When Jews could no longer worship at the temple. Rabbi: – Studies scripture – Teaches the community – Works from an accepted body of opinion • The Talmud • The repository of Jewish legal material, sermons, history, and folklore. – • Includes the Mishna: – • Completed in the 5th / 6th Centuries. A collection of Jewish legal commentary and disputes. And the Gemara: – Literature dealing with every area of Jewish life. • The Messiah • An expected savior, to be sent by God. • Some thought of him in spiritual terms. • Others expected a military general who would defeat the Romans, – • And sit on David’s throne in Jerusalem as a king. The split between Judaism and Christianity: – The nature of Jesus. – Peter and Paul allowed non-Jews to become Christians, • beginning in the 1st Century. • Were not required to keep the laws of Judaism. • Orthodox Judaism • Largest group. • Strives to protect traditional Jewish culture and religion. • Kosher food laws. • Strict observance of the Sabbath. • Hebrew language in worship. • Reform Judaism • Beginning in 1843. • To make Judaism more modern. – Services more like Protestant services. • Declared the Talmud has no authority over modern Jews. • Seek no messiah. • No “homeland” but the land of their birth. • Speak less Hebrew in worship. • Secular or nonobservant Jews • Have Jewish heritage and culture, – But don’t share the religious beliefs or practices. • They celebrate Jewish holidays, – but not as religious events. • Zionism • Movement to find or create a Jewish state. – Theodor Hertzl • Most wanted it to be in Palestine. • Jews begin buying land there, around 1900. • Leads to conflict with Arabs already on that land. • The state of Israel is declared in 1948. • The Holocaust • Nazi persecution and murder of the Jews of Europe. – 6 million killed between 1933 and 1945. – Profound and lasting impact on Judaism. – The world didn’t seem to care. – Led to the push for Israeli independence. • Jewish Holy Days • Sabbath • Passover • Rosh Hashanah – • Yom Kippur – • Day of Attonement Chanukah – • new year Eight-day festival of lights (falls near Christmas) Bar Mitzvah – A boy’s 13th birthday– “becomes a man” in the community.