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Vocabulary
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Monotheistic
Covenant
Patriarchal
Sabbath
Prophet
Ethics
Diaspora
Judaism
Judaism
• Small religion with fewer that 20 million
followers
• Spread through migration of Jews not
conversion of nonbelievers
– Known as the Jewish Diaspora
• Provides the philosophical foundation for:
– Christianity
– Islam
Yahweh
• Holds that there is one all-powerful God
– Monotheistic religion
• One has an individual personal relationship
with Yahweh
• Jews are God’s chosen people
• God made a covenant with Abraham
The Covenant
• “ I will make nations of you, and kings shall
come forth from you… And I will establish my
covenant between me and you and your
descendants after you throughout their
generations from an everlasting covenant, to
be God to you.”
– Book of Genesis
History Of Judaism
• Dates to 2000 B.C. when Jews were nomadic
tribe imprisoned by an Egyptian pharaoh
• 13th Century B.C. – Moses emerged as a leader
to guide the Jews out of enslavement.
• Lead them to the Promised Land – which was
now occupied by the Canaanites.
– Disobeyed God by not taking the land.
– Wondered in the Sinai desert for 40 years
Ten Commandments
• You shall have no other
gods before me.
• You shall not make
yourself an idol
• You shall not take the
Lord’s name in vain
• Remember the Sabbath
to keep it holy.
• Honor Your Father and
Mother
• You shall not murder
• You shall not commit
adultery
• You shall not steal
• You Shall not lie
• You shall not covet
Ten Commandments
• Basic ethical code that Jews (Christians)
follow.
• If Commandments were followed, God would
protect them and assure them prosperity
Jewish History, cont.
• After 40 years in the desert, the Jews entered
the ‘Promised Land’ under the leadership of
Joshua.
– battled for control of area for 200 years
• King David established a Jewish Kingdom
• His son Solomon built a great temple in
Jerusalem
Solomon’s Temple
Jewish History
• Israel/Judah became a
province of Greece and
Rome.
– Known as Palestine during this
time
• Jews revolted against Rome
in 66 A.D.
– Romans destroyed Jerusalem
and the Temple
– Exiled from Palestine
Elements of Judaism
• The Jewish Bible (Old
Testament to Christians)
consists of three sections:
– Torah – law
– Neviim – the Prophets
– Ketivum – the Writings
• Talmud is a collection of
Jewish traditions, laws
,religious ceremonies and
codes of conduct.
Teachings on Law and Morality
• The concept of law is central to Judaism.
• Torah sets out many laws– Such as cleanliness rules – “kosher”
• Prophets taught failure to follow God’s laws
would lead to disaster
• Taught a strong code of ethics
– Urged personal morality
– Urged people to help the poor
Kosher Rules
• law dealing with what foods we can and
cannot eat and how those foods must be
prepared and eaten.
• only types of meat that may be eaten are
cattle and game that have “cloven hooves”
and “chew the cud.”
– No pork
– Only fish with scales, no shellfish
Diaspora
• The scattering of the people, sent Jews to
different parts of the world.
– Always settled in close-knit communities, obeying
their religions laws and traditions
• These traditions helped them survive
centuries of persecution.
Judaism
• Considered a major religion for its unique
contribution to religious thought.
• Influenced Christianity and Islam
– All three honor Abraham, Moses and the Prophets
• All teach an ethical worldview developed by
the Israelites
• Shared heritage of Jews and Christians is
referred to as Judeo-Christian tradition.
Homework Questions
• How did the Jews view their relationship with
God?
• What moral and ethical ideas did the prophets
teach?
• What is the Judeo-Christian tradition?