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Judaism
“The Covenant between God and the people.”
What is Judaism?
Judaism
• Monotheistic religion that is an expression of the
covenantal relationship God established with the
Hebrews.
• Patriarch - biblical figures regarded as fathers of the
human race, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their
forefathers, or the sons of Jacob
• Covenant – an agreement established between God
and Abraham. If his people stay loyal to God they will be
given a great nation. God’s Chosen People
Judaism Section 1
• Judaism in today’s world is:
– The interpretation of the history of the Jewish
people.
– The sanctification of life, the means through
which Jews live with each other today.
Teachings on God & Torah
• God’s name is Yahweh
• God has a personal name and is involved in the welfare of humans
and the created world.
• God is infinitely powerful, all-knowing, and beyond the limits of
space and time.
• He is the one and only God.
• This is practiced when Jews recite the Shema – “Hear, O Israel!
The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” Recited twice daily.
The Hebrew Bible
• It is broken up into three parts
– The Torah
– The Prophets
– The Writings
In Judaism the Bible is often called Tanakh – A
name given to the Hebrew Bible
Torah
• Torah – revelation of God’s
will to the people. The divine
Law in the first five books of
the Bible.
• The Torah was given to Moses on
Mt. Sinai.
• It is forever Judaism’s central
code of holiness.
• It contains 613 laws, the most
famous being the 10
commandments.
The Ten Commandments
1. I am the Lord thy
God
2.Thou shalt have no
other God’s
3. Do not take the
Lord’s name in vain
4. Remember the
Sabbath Day
5. Honor thy father and
mother
6. Thou shalt not kill
7. Thou shalt not
commit adultery
8. Thou shalt not steal
9. Do not bear false
witness against thy
neighbor
10. Thou shalt not covet
neighbor’s house
The Prophets
• Contain historical
stories from ancient
Israel.
• Also the word of God
spoken through the
prophets.
The Writings
• These include
proverbs and psalms
and were written later
than the other two
sections.
• They contribute much
of the richness of the
Bible.
Mishnah and Talmud
• Rabbi – a teacher of the Torah
or leader of Jewish worship.
• Mishnah – Jewish holy book
written about 200 AD. Rabbi’s
orally told stories prior to this
being written. These stories
were then written down in
this book.
• Talmud – written
interpretations of what is
believed to be God’s will
Section 2: History of the Chosen People
Who are the Jewish People?
• Jews today are descendants of the ancient
Israelites.
• The religion is named Judaism because the Jews
came from the land of Judah.
• There is no Jewish “race”, rather Jews are an
ethnic group that share a common history and
religion.
Upholding the Covenant
• As we have mentioned, Jews
believe history is a record of
God’s will.
• Many Jewish people believe
that the difficulties they have
faced throughout history has
caused them to question how
well they have upheld their
covenantal responsibilities.
Classical Judaism (70AD – 600AD)
• In 70 AD the Temple of Jerusalem
was destroyed a second time by
the Romans
• Jews looked at this as a
catastrophe and an opportunity.
• From this Classical Judaism
developed. In which Jews focused
more on the teachings of the
Torah rather than the rituals in
the Temple.
Jewish Exile (Classical Judaism)
• In 135 AD the Romans completely destroyed Jerusalem
and removed the Jews from Israel.
• This gave rise to the Jewish concept of Diaspora – or
dispersion. Jewish people forced to live away
from their homeland but maintain their religious
identity.
• Jews have faced this concept all the way up to the
present day.
Medieval Judaism (700AD-1750AD)
• Most Jews during this time period lived under
the rule of Muslims & Christians
• Jews were generally free and treated well by
Muslim rulers.
• Under Christian rule varied from good to bad. In
many cases they were treated quite poorly.
Medieval Judaism Continued.
• Jews were blamed and
murdered by Christians during
this time for:
– Blood libels
– Causing the Bubonic Plague
All of this caused Jews to
migrate east to Poland for
safety.
http://www.ushmm.org/confront-antisemitism/europeanantisemitism-from-its-origins-to-the-holocaust
Section 3: Jewish Philosophy
• Moses Maimonides (1135•
•
1204)
His work contributed to
the ongoing
interpretation of the
Torah.
He came up with thirteen
principles that are the
backbone of the Jewish
belief system.
Maimonides
• A few of these
principles include:
– The belief in God’s
existence
– Moses is superior to all
other prophets
– The belief in the
coming Messiah
The Kabbalah
• Kabbalah – Jewish
mysticism that
teaches God can best
be known with the
heart, through love
• God can be found by
looking inward
Section 4: Modern Judaism (1750-Present)
• The Enlightenment gave way to
• These Jews typically have their
• Hasidism – a Jewish practice
• The leader of these communities
• Hasidic Jews emphasize personal
• Large Hasidic communities exist
major changes for life in the world
as well as religions.
that draws from Kabbalists
and holds that God is known
first with the heart.
relationships with God and the
community, rather than studying
the Torah and it’s
commandments.
own communities with specific
traditions and ways of life.
is known as the zaddik. He is
known to have a very close
relationship with God.
today mostly in the United States.
Hasidic Communities
Payot (Curls) Fedora (hat)
Families – Marriage 18-25
Zionism
• A movement that arose in
the 19th century that
involves the
reestablishment of the
Jewish homeland.
• Since 1948 this has
happened. So now Zionism
typically means the
support of Israel.
Section 5: The Holocaust
God’s Chosen People
• Anti-Semitism – The hatred of
Jews
• Holocaust – The persecution
of Jews by German Nazis’
from 1933-1945.
• It is estimated that approx. 6
million Jews were murdered
during the Holocaust.
• How could God have allowed such
a terrible thing to happen?
http://www.ushmm.org/learn/introduction-to-the-holocaust/path-tonazi-genocide
Israel Today
• In 1948 – After the Holocaust
Israel was granted statehood for
the Jews.
• The first time the Jews have had a
national homeland in over 2,000
years.
• Jews view Israel as their earthly
center and common cause.
• Much support is given financially
and politically by North American
Jews and Christians.
Problems with the State of Israel
• The Palestinians also call this
land their home.
• This is sacred land for
Judaism and Islam
• This has cause extreme
violence in the region since the
creation of the state.
• What is the best way to fix this
problem?
Section 6: Jewish Divisions
• Judaism has been divided
up into three popular
sections in today’s world.
Most notably in the
United States.
• These divisions include:
Orthodox, Reform, and
Conservative Jews.
Reform Judaism
• Being Jewish and being completely involved in
modern society is acceptable.
• Judaism must adapt to the changes in modern
society.
• In this division English is spoken during worship,
and the rabbi functions like a Christian priest.
Orthodox Judaism
• The Torah is the standard of truth and that life within
society must always conform to it.
• The Torah never changes therefore Jewish life shouldn’t
either.
• Deeply traditional and in the United States most
Orthodox Jews live in separate communities in order to
uphold these traditions.
Conservative Judaism
• They hold a middle position between the other two
divisions.
• Somewhat open to change and to modern ways,
Conservative Jews are strict regarding traditional
practices.
• Worship in Hebrew, and laws regulating diet and
behavior on the Sabbath are strictly observed.
Section 7: Daily Life of Jews
• Jews typically regard
themselves as “observers” of
the commandments rather
than “believers.”
• Ethics: Jews must not only
worship God but live an ethical
life.
• Not only follow the Ten
Commandments but give to
those who are in need.
Worship & Prayer
• Males must pray 3 times a day.
• While doing so they must wear a
yarmulke, boxes of biblical
passages on forehead, prayer
shawl.
• Worship is most commonly done
at home. Traditionally Jews are to
eat kosher food and no pork.
• Worship is done publicly at a
synagogue or temple (reform)
Sabbath
• “Remember the Sabbath day
and keep it holy.”
• Sabbath – begins at sunset
on Friday and lasts until
sunset on Saturday. Is
celebrated because God
rested on the 7th day of
creation.
Section 8: Jewish Holy Days (Holidays)
• Rosh Hashanah – The
festival of the Jewish new
year. It is observed for two
days.
• Jews are to reflect on their
past year and a ram’s horn,
shofar, is blown to remind
them of their spiritual needs.
Yom Kippur
• Yom Kippur – The Day
of Atonement, Judaism’s
most important holy day.
• A day of confessing sins.
Pray all day and do not
eat, drink, or work
Passover
• An eight day festival that
remembers the Exodus of
the Jews from bondage in
Egypt.
• Only unleavened bread or
Matzo is to be eaten
during this holiday.
Hanukah
• Known as the “Festival of
Lights”
• Celebrates the oil that
lasted eight days when it
was only supposed to last
one.
• Celebrates by lighting the
Menorah.
Section 9: Rites of Passage
• Jews also celebrate major events in people’s
lives.
• At birth they perform circumcision for boys –
done as God instructed eight days after birth.
• The girl ritual is naming her at the synagogue
during a Sabbath service.
Bar Mitzvah & Bat Mitzvah
• These are both the point in
time when a child takes on the
religious responsibilities of an
adult.
• Happens on the 13th birthday
and a special service takes
place in which the boy/girl
reads from the Torah in front
of the synagogue.
Conclusion
• Jews have faced many examples of adversity over the
years.
• Only 14 million Jews exist in the world today.
• Many fear their numbers and traditions are diminishing.
• It is important we understand their history and traditions
in learning about Jewish culture in our world today.
Jewish Population by State