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Bible Outline
Chronology
Online Reading
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Judaism 101 by T. Rich
www.jewfaq.org
www.jewfaq.org
Go to table of contents,
– In “Words” section, read “Torah”.
– All of “Life Cycle” section.
Sacred Foundations
• Patriarchs
– Who were they?
• Exodus
– How is this central to Jewish belief?
• Exile / Restoration
– How is this central to Jewish belief?
Second temple period
• 538 to 70 CE
• Biblical Texts
• Emphasis on texts grew.
DIASPORA.
2nd Temple Period Ends 70 CE: Failure of
rebellion against Rome.
HOW TO BE JEWISH WITHOUT JUDAH
AND THE TEMPLE?
Hillel and Shammai looked for answers
Post-70 CE
• Judaism reforms under leaders authorized
by Rome
• “Rabbis”: scholars of sacred text, preserve
and interpret tradition, innovate.
• Older emphasis on texts grows as the
basis of Jewish life.
“Rabbinic” Judaism
The kind of Judaism formulated by the
Rabbis of the first several centuries of the
Common era.
Emphasis on sacred text and tradition.
Rabbinic Judaism
• Centres on the development of ritual,
tradition, and ethics from the Rabbinic
discussions about the God’s revelation to
Moses.
Rabbinic Judaism is
“Judaism of the 2 Torahs”
• The inherited Torah-scrolls that open the
Bible is the Written Torah
• The recorded teaching and discussions of
the ancient Rabbis is the Oral Torah.
Persistence of Rabbinic Judaism
Rabbinic Judaism developed over centuries:
by the 600’s the main texts of the Oral
Torah were complete: the Talmud.
Rabbinic Judaism was the predominant form
of Judaism until the 1800’s when it
underwent serious challenges from
modernity.
Main Jewish denominations now
• Orthodox
(closest to Rabbinic Judaism)
– Hasidic Judaism, part of Orthodox “UltraOrthodox”
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Reform
Conservative
Reconstructionist
Zionist
N. Am. 6
Jewish Distribution, 1997
Israel
mill
2.9 mill
S. Am. 1.2 mill
Russia 0.7 mill
Africa
0.3 mill
Oceania 0.9 mill
~~~~~~~~~
Canada 330,000
Calgary ca. 6000
Edmonton ca.
5000
Jewish Beliefs
• One God:
– YHWH
hwhy
– Name is NOT to be pronounced.
– “Adonai” “LORD” is pronounced when
YHWH is encountered in biblical texts.
– “HaShem” “The Name” is often found in
prayerbooks
– “G-d” is sometimes written.
Shema: Prayer
www.jewfaq.org/prayer/shema.htm
• Begins:
• Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord is our God, the
Lord is One…
• Most important prayer in Judaism. Quotes
from the Bible.
Principles of Faith
• Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1135-1204)
• RAMBAM
• Moses Maimonides
• Determined 13 principles to be the core
beliefs of Judaism.
13 Principles: http://jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm
1 God exists
2
3
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5
God is one and unique
God is incorporeal
God is eternal
Prayer is to be directed only to God
13 Principles:http://jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm
6 The words of the prophets are true
7 Moses's prophecies are true, Moses was the
greatest prophet
8 The Written Torah (first 5 biblical books) and
Oral Torah (Talmud and other writings) were
given to Moses.
9 There will be no other Torah
13 Principles: http://jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm
10 God knows people’s thoughts and deeds
11 God will reward the good & punish the wicked
12 Messiah will eventually come
13 The dead will be resurrected.
Jewish Bible = Tanakh
•Torah “Instruction”
•Nevi’im “Prophets”
•Kethuvim “Writings”
• http://www.jewfaq.org/torah.htm
Torah
• 5 Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers Deuteronomy.
• “Pentateuch”
– Same in all Bibles, Jewish, Christian
Torah scroll
• 5 books written on a single scroll
• Ritual centre of Synagogue life.
Jewish Bibles
Different Versions in very early period
“Masoretic Text” MT (standard since 2nd
century CE)
Hebrew and a little Aramaic
Prophets
• Former P. History Books
• Latter P.
Books of Prophecy
– Often poetic
– Attributed to named individuals
Writings: Everything else
• Wisdom Literature
• Poetry / songs of Praise
• More history books
Ark in Krakow
Bimah in Krakow
Simhat Torah.
Jewish Tradition
• Oral Torah describes “Halakhah” (to Walk),
Jewish “Law” or the proper way of life as
understood by the great Rabbis.
• Civil, Family morals
• Ritual and other religious traditions.
Halakhah
• Discussed at great length in Oral Torah.
• Oral Torah: huge collection of books:
– MISHNAH
– TALMUD
• Continuous tradition of talking about
tradition…
What does Halakhah regulate?
• What happens you are born to when you die
• What you do when wake up to when you go to
sleep
• Weekly
• Annual