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JudaismistheoldestoftheAbrahamicreligions.Theterm“Abrahamic”describesthreefaiths:Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All trace the origins of their traditions to Abraham, described in the Hebrew Bible usedbybothChristians andJews.Accountsvaryinthe Qur’an, theholy book ofIslam.Thereis somedisputeaboutwhetherAbrahamisahistoricalfigurewholivedinthenineteenthcenturyB.C.E. AbeliefinOneGod WhatdotheAbrahamicfaithshaveincommon?Theyshareabeliefinasingle,all‐powerfulGodasthe creatorandsustaineroftheuniverse.Thisviewwasnotalwaysthecase;earlierJewishtextsmaintain thattheGodofAbraham,Isaac,andJacobwasjustoneamongmanygodsandgoddessesoftheancient MiddleEast.Thischangedabout700B.C.E,however.Bythatmonotheismhadbecomecommonplacein Judaism.ItalsobecametrueinChristianityandIslam. IneachoftheAbrahamicfaiths,Godistheabsolutepower,anditisthebelievers’unwaveringdutyto followGod’swaysintheirdailylives.Islamputsspecialemphasisonsuchunquestioningobedienceto God. By way of contrast, Christianity and Judaism have a scriptural tradition of questioning, arguing, anddebatingwithGod. OriginsandDevelopment The Covenant between God and Abraham that represents the start of Judaism appears in the AuthorizedKingJamesVersionoftheBible,Genesis12:1‐3: “NowtheLordhadsaiduntoAbram,gettheeoutofthycountry,andfromthykindred,andfromthy father’shouse,untoalandthatIwillshewthee:AndIwillmakeoftheeagreatnation,andIwillbless thee,andmakethynamegreat;andthousshaltbeablessing.” Abraham ThehistoryoftheJewishpeoplebeginsinBronzeAgetimesintheMiddleEastwhenGodpromiseda nomadleadercalledAbramthathewouldbethefatherofagreatpeopleifhedidasGodtoldhim. JewsregardAbraham(ashewaslatercalled)asthefirstPatriarchoftheJewishpeople. Abraham was the first person to teach the idea that there was only one God; before then, people believedinmanygods. Ironically,Abraham'sfather,Terah,hadmadehislivingsellingidolsofvariousgods. Otherfaiths Abrahamisasignificantcharacterinotherreligions‐notonlyChristianitybutIslamtoo. MuslimsknowAbraham asIbrahim,andregardhimasanimportantprophetoftheirfaith.Ibrahim's firstsonIshmael,knownasIsma'il,isregardedasthefatheroftheArabpeople. ThestoryofAbrahamandhisdescendantsisfoundinthebookofGenesis.WefirstmeethiminGenesis chapter11,althoughatthisstagehisnameisAbram.Thereisverylittlebiographicaldetailabouthim apartfromthefactthathewasashepherdandcamefromUrinMesopotamia‐moderndayIraq‐after whichheandhisfamilymoved,withhisfatherTerah,toHaran. Thisisapolytheisticage,anagewhenpeoplebelievedinandworshippedmanygods.Yetwithinthis atmosphere, Abram answers the call of God and it is because of this that he accepts and realises the realityoftherebeingonlyonetrueGod. 1 IntheJewishtraditioncalledMidrash(aHebrewwordwhichmeans'interpretation'andrelatestothe way readings or biblical verses are understood), there are a number of stories about Abraham smashing his father's idols when he realizes that there can be only one God of heaven and earth. It doesn't matter whether the stories are true or not. They acknowledge that Abraham was the first persontorecognizeandworshiptheoneGod.Andso,monotheismwasborn. AtthebeginningofGenesischapter12,GodaskedAbramtoleavehishomeandcountryandhemakes Abramthreepromises:thepromiseofarelationshipwithGod,numerousdescendentsandland. The only problem is that both Abram and his wife, Sarai (later called Sarah) are old people and childless.Theywillhavetoleavetheirhomelandandtheydon'tevenknowwhothisGodis!Theyseem tobeanalmostimpossiblesetofpromisesforGodtokeep.ButtheamazingfactaboutAbramisthathe doeswhatheisasked.Therearenosignsormiracles;hehasnoscripturesortraditionsonwhichto draw, so Abram has to place his trust in this nameless God. Consequently, Abram has gone down in historyasamanoftremendousfaith.Asaresultofhisobedience,GodchangeshisnametoAbraham, meaning'fatherofthepeople'. TheultimatetestofAbraham'sobedience,however,comesinGenesis22whenheisaskedtosacrifice hissonbySarah‐Isaac.GodhadpromisedthatAbraham'sdescendantswouldcomethroughIsaac,so theleveloffaithhedisplaysisquiteastonishing.AbrahamtrustsGodandtakeshisson,asdirected,upa mountain.Attheverylastminute,GodintervenesandsparesIsaac'slifebyprovidinganotheranimal(a ram)forsacrifice.ThetestiscompleteandGodoncemorereiterateshispromisestoAbrahamofland, descendantsandapersonalrelationship. AccordingtotheBible,Abrahamishumanity'slastchancetoestablisharelationshipwithGod.Atthe beginningoftheBibleinthecreationnarratives,AdamandEvesetintrainapatternofdisobedienceto God'scommandswhichtakesroot.EvenaftertheGreatFlood,inwhichonlyNoahwassaved,humanity onceagaincomesperilouslyclosetoalienatingthemselvesfromtheircreatorGod.Theybuildthetower ofBabel(Genesis11),atowerthatseemslikeitwillalmostbreakthroughtotheheavensandGodagain intervenesandscattersthepeopleacrosstheearth. Manyscholarsbelievethesestorieswerewrittentoexplaintopeoplewhytheworldislikeitisandwhy humansareliketheyare.Whatisourplaceintheworld?Whydowedie?Theyaddressquestionsoflife anddeath,ratherthanbeingsimplyexplanationsabouthowtheworldwascreated. At the end of Genesis 11, we are provided with a genealogy and Abraham becomes the new hope throughwhichGodwilltryandcreateapeopletolivebyacertainsetofvalues.Theimportantthingto learnhereistheuniquenessoftheCovenantrelationshipbetweenGodandAbraham.Forthefirsttime, weseethebeginningofatwo‐wayrelationship:GoddoingsomethingforAbraham,andAbrahamdoing somethingforGod.TheblessingsofGodarepassedonfromonegenerationtoanother. The story of Abraham is about obedience to the will of God ‐ not blind obedience, because the Bible storiestellusthatAbrahamfrequentlychallengedGodandaskedquestions.Butintheend,hetrusted this God who had made such extraordinary promises and in so doing formed a very special and personalrelationshipwithGodwhich,believerswillargue,hascontinuedthroughtothepresentday. Moses ThemidwivesgotaroundPharaoh’sedictwithsomesuccess,sothePharaohsteppedupthecampaign andorderedthateverynewbornsonbecastintotheriver.TheIsraelites’daughterswerespared. OneJewishmotherdecidedtohidehernewbornson.Shemadeanarkfrombulrushes,puttheboyinit, andlaiditbytheriverbank.ThedaughterofPharaohcametotherivertowashherselfandwhenshe walkedalongthebank,shesawthearkandtoldoneofhermaidstofetchit.ThePharaoh’sdaughter 2 openedthearkandsawababyboy;itwascryingandshehadcompassion.Thechildbecameherson andshenamedhimMoses. When Moses was fully grown, he saw an Egyptian slave master beating an Israelite. Moses killed the slavemasterandhadtofleeEgypt.HesettledinaruralfarmingareacalledMidian.Aroundthesame time, Pharaoh died during a time of great suffering for the Israelites. God remembered his covenant withAbraham.Helookedonthepeopleandhadrespectforthem. Moseswastendingtohisworkinthedesertwhenhecametoamountain.Anangelappearedtohimin theformofabush.Theflameburnedintentlybutdidnotconsumethebush.Avoicethencamefromthe bushandtoldMosesthathehadbeenchosentodeliverthepeoplefromtheEgyptiansandtakethemto anotherlandflowingwithmilkandhoney.GodcommandedMosestoreturntothenewPharaoh. Pharaoh, as expected, refused the demands of Moses. As punishment, God sent ten plagues to the Egyptians,noneofwhichhadanyeffect.Finally,onedid:itbroughtdeathinonenighttothefirstborn sonofeveryEgyptianfamily. After this final plague, Pharaoh let the Israelites go. Then, he had second thoughts and sent his army afterthem.TheycaughtupwiththeIsraelitesatthebanksoftheRedSea.Thearmypreparedtodestroy them, but God parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could get safely across. Once the Israelites were safelyontheotherside,thePharaoh’sarmygavepursuit.GodmadetheRedSeacloseagain,drowning theentirearmy. TheTenCommandments Moses was now the leader of a large number of contentious people on the move, and he had some problems.Beingpursuedwasone ofthem;the otherswerehunger,thirst,and rebellion.Fortunately, GodwasstillcommunicatingwithMosesandissuinginstructions. AboutthreemonthsafterleavingEgypt,theIsraeliteswerecampinginthewildernessofSinai.Godtold Moses to go up to the top of the mountain. There, God reveled to Moses the Ten Commandments, writtenontwotabletsofstone.Theydeathwiththepeople’srelationshipwithGodandeachother.God alsogaveMoseshundredsofmoredetailedrulesandlaws.TheTenCommandmentsformthebasisof alltheJewishlaws.Theyhavehad,andcontinuetohave,immenseinfluenceonmanyotherreligionsas well. PursuingthePromiseLand Deuteronomy31tellsthatwhenMoseswas120yearsold,theLordcametohimandtoldhimhewas abouttodieandhewouldnotreachthe“PromiseLand”.GodcommandedMosestowritedowntheLay (orTorah)andgiveittoLevites.Moses’commanderJoshuawasappointedbyGodtosucceedasleader of the Israelites. Mosesthen climbedup Mount Pisgah, whichoverlooked Canaan,the Promised Land thathewouldneverenter.Moseswasneverseenagain,andhowhediedremainsamystery. The two tablets containing the laws of God was given to Moses were housed in a gold‐plated chest called The Ark of the Covenant. The Israelites carried the Ark with them before they settled in the PromisedLand,andfromtimetotimetookitintobattle.ItwastakentoJerusalembyKingDavid,and waseventuallyplacedintheTemplebyKingSolomon.PlacedinsidetheTabernaclewithintheTemple of Jerusalem, the Ark was seen only by the high priest of the Israelites on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.ThefinalfateoftheArkisunknown. As time went on, the Israelites were ruled by a series of kings: Saul, David (who wrote many of the psalmsintheBible),andDavid’sson,Solomon.AfterSolomon’sdeath,thekingdomofIsraelsplitintwo and formed Judah and Israel. Throughout the centuries that followed, the Israelites were exiled to 3 Babylon, although some came back. In 63 B.C.E., the Romans conquered the land and gave it a new name:Palestine. Three yearslater,theJewsrevoltedagainst Rome,butweredefeated. Thetemplein Jerusalem,whichwasrebuiltaftertheIsraelitesreturnedfromexileinBabylon,wasfinallydestroyedin 70C.E. Abraham,whomayhavelivedabout3,000yearsago,isrecognizedasthefatheroftheJewishpeople. GodmadeacovenantwithAbrahamthathisdescendantswouldbeGod’schosenpeople.Fortheirpart, believers must obey God’s laws. The laws were given to Moses by God, on Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments are but a fraction of the 613 Mitzvot or commandments. These statements. and principles of laws and ethics are all contained in the Torah or Five Books of Moses. The Mitzvot are knownascommandmentsof“LawsofMoses.”Theyconsistofamixtureofpositivecommandmentsof performsomeact(toloveGodandtoemulateHisways)andnegativecommandmentstoabstainfrom certainacts(nottoprofaneHisnameortestHimunduly). Althoughnumericallyamodest‐sizedreligion(about20millionadherents),Judaismhasprovidedthe historicalfoundationfortwooftheworld’slargestreligions:ChristianityandIslam. Writings:TheCentralBeliefs Judaismisareligionofethicalmonotheism.Godisuniqueandtheultimateauthority,buttheutterand essential backbone of the entire religion is the Torah. comprised of the first five books of the Bible, attributedtoMoses. InadditiontotheTorah,theHebrewcanonincludestheNevi’imorthebooksoftheprophets.Nevi’im aregenerallydividedintotwosections:theformerprophets(comprisedoftwenty‐twobooks)andthe latterprophets,ofwhichtherearetwelve.Thewritingsofthetwelveminorprophetsarecopiedonto one scroll, so that they can be counted as one entry, so to speak. The total number of books in the Hebrewcanonisthirty‐nine,whichwasthenumberofscrollsonwhichtheywereoriginallywritten. TheTorah The Torah, the most important section of the Jewish Bible, is a series of narratives and laws that chronicle the beginning of the world through the death of Moses. Jewish people and Christians agree thatMoseswastheauthoroffivebooks.ThestudyoftheTorahisconsideredanactofworshipforthe Jews; it is read religiously each Sabbath. Over the course of a year, the entire Torah will be read on Sabbathandfestivaldays.Therearedailyandweeklyclassesandgroupsforthosewhowishtostudy theTorah. TheTalmud TheTalmud,whichmeansstudyorlearning,isareferencetotheinterpretationsoftheTorah.Itisthe supremesourcebookoflaw,asittakestheruleslistedintheTorahanddescribeshowtoapplythemto different circumstances. It’s not actually a legal code—there are other works for that—but it is the ultimatesourcematerialusedtodecidedallmattersofJewishlaw. TheMishnahisthefirstpartoftheTalmud. ThereisaconfessionoffaithcalledaShema,madeupofthreescripturaltextsfromDeuteronomyand Numbers, that demonstrates the power and demands emanating from the Jewish God. Because the originalrequirementtostudytheTorahnightanddaywasunderstandablytough,theShemabecame thesubstituteasaminimumrequirement.ItissaidthatpiousJewshopetodiewiththewordsofthe Shemaintheirlips.Hereisashortextract: Andyeshallteachthem(thesewords)toyourchildren,talkingtothemwhenthousittestinthyhome, 4 andwhenthouwalkestbytheway,andwhenthousitdown,andwhenthourisestup...rememberand doallMycommandments,andbeholyuntoyourGod.IamtheLordyourGod,whobroughtyououtof thelandofEgypt,tobeyourGod:IamtheLordyourGod ThefifthoftheTenCommandmentssaysthatnobodyshallworkontheSabbath.TheJewishSabbath, Shabbat, starts at dusk on Friday and ends at dusk on Saturday. The synagogue has services Friday nightandSaturdaymorning.JewsstarttheSabbathbydressing up for agood meal andmaybesome singingandcelebration.SaturdaystheygovisitingfriendsandfamilyandsitaroundreadingtheTorah. AceremonycalledHavdalahmarkstheendoftheSabbathonSaturdayevening.Thefamilygathers,a candleislit,andaboxofsweet‐smellingspicesispassedaround.IfdinnerisservedafterHavdalah,it musthavebeenpreparedearlierbecausecookingisnotpermittedontheSabbath. Synagogues ThesynagogueisthecenterofJewishcommunitylife.Ithasthreetraditionalfunctions:houseofprayer whereservicesareheldontheSabbathsandfestivaldays;houseofassemblywhereJewishpeoplecan meetforanypurpose;andhouseofstudywheretheTorahandTalmudarestudied.Childrencanalso come to learn Hebrew and the Torah. Public congregational prayers are said at the synagogue every weekday. Prayers can only take place if there are at least ten men present in the synagogue. It is a Jewishman’sdutytoattendprayersasoftenaspossible. ArabbihasnomoreauthoritytoperformritualsthananyothermemberoftheJewishcommunity; a synagoguecanexistandoperatequitewellwithoutone.However,arabbiisusuallyemployedbythe congregation to run things and settle disputes regarding Jewish law. Generally, a rabbi has been formally educated in Halaklah (Jewish law). When a person has completed the necessary course of study,heorsheisgivenawrittendocumentknownasasemikhah,confirminghisauthority.Arabbi’s statusdoesnotgivehimtheauthoritytoconductreligiousservices;anyknowledgeableJewcanleada religious service. However, rabbis are the spiritual leaders of the Jewish community. Many areas, particularly in the United States, rabbis carry out pastoral counseling, hospital and military chaplaincies,andteachinginJewishSchools. Conclusion Judaism is the original of the three Abrahamic faiths, which also includes Christianity and Islam. AccordingtoinformationpublishedbyTheJewishPeoplePolicyPlanningInstitute,therewerearound 13.1millionJewishpeopleintheworldin2007,mostresidingintheUSAandIsrael.Accordingtothe 2001census267,000peopleintheUKsaidthattheirreligiousidentitywasJewish,about0.5%ofthe population. JudaismoriginatedintheMiddleEastover3500yearsago. JudaismwasfoundedbyMoses,althoughJewstracetheirhistorybacktoAbraham. JewsbelievethatthereisonlyoneGodwithwhomtheyhaveacovenant. InexchangeforallthegoodthatGodhasdonefortheJewishpeople,JewishpeoplekeepGod’slaws andtrytobringholinessintoeveryaspectoftheirlives. Judaismhasarichhistoryofreligioustext,butthecentralandmostimportantreligiousdocument istheTorah. Jewishtraditionalororallaw,theinterpretationofthelawsoftheTorah,iscalledhalakhah. SpiritualleadersarecalledRabbis. 5 JewsworshipinSynagogues. 6millionJewsweremurderedintheHolocaustinanattempttowipeoutJudaism. There are many people who identify themselves as Jewish without necessarily believing in, or observing,anyJewishlaw. REVIEWQUESTIONS&ACTIVITIES 1. WhatdidGodtellAbramtodoinGenesis12:1? 2. What promised did God made to Abram if he would follow what God told him to do? Please summarizeinyourownwords.Genesis12:2‐3. 3. If God made a deal with you, what kind of promise would you want Him to make with you in today’sworld?Listthem. 4. Create an autobiography of Abraham. Read Genesis chapters 12 through 25 and write a humorous,creativeandinterestingstoryofAbraham. 6