Download What is Judaism?

What
is
Judaism?
Objective: To comprehend and discuss the
origins and doctrine of Judaism.
Essential Question: How has Judaism
influenced the world today ?
Origins of Judaism …
 In 1800 BC nomadic Hebrews from Canaan
migrate to Egypt & enslaved
 Moses leads them out of Egypt to Sinai
Peninsula
 He hears the voice of God
 God made a covenant- Hebrews accept
God as ruler of Heaven and Earth and in
return are “Chosen People”
 Set up state in Palestine
 The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
(“Israel”) – origins of the Hebrew
The Kingdom of Israel
 1025 BC after migrate from Sinai Peninsula
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form state of Israel
(Ancient Israel is located in Palestine)
Area suffered from frequent invasions
Kingdom greatest under 2 great kings:
 David & Solomon
David- great military leader; made Israel
powerful
Solomon his son known for wisdom –
Jerusalem into a great capital
Conquest
 Heavy tax on people
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increase discontent
Once Solomon dies
revolts
Foreign invasion →
exile of Hebrews
500 BC Persians
conquer allow Hebrews
to return to Israel –
rebuild Solomon's
Temple
After Persian- Greek
then Roman rule
The Diaspora:
 AD 70 Jews revolted against Roman rule
– many Jews killed
 Jews forced out of Palestine
 Scattered communities keep traditions
The Torah & Ethical World View
 The Torah— the first five books of the
Hebrew Bible
 Set out duties owed to God – conduct
 Ethical worldview-people and their
rulers should lead moral lives
 Religious teachers/ prophets remind of
consequences if stray from law
 Rulers not regarded as Gods
 Individuals responsible for own actions
Today, Jews are…
 A nation in Diaspora (dispersed)
 15 – 16 million in worldwide population
 United by a common heritage (an “ethnic”
religion), divided in contemporary practice:
 Orthodox:
Modern
 Chasidic (Ultra Orthodox)

 Reformed (18th century Germany)
 Conservative – moderates, response to
reform

Reconstructionalism (20th century America)
As a way of life, Judaism is
based on…
 613 commandments found in Torah (“Written Law”)
 Talmud (“Oral Law”) – commentary of ancient rabbis
that elaborates on how to apply God’s Law in
everyday life through:
 Dietary rules (Kashrut/Kosher)
 Dress and other symbols
 Prayer and devotion to the one God
 The Temple and Temple rites
 Observance of Holy days
 Proper social relations between male and female, in
business, judicial rulings, etc.
High Religious Holidays
The Jewish Holidays:
 High Holidays:
 Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)
 Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
 Sukkot, the “Festival of Booths” (fall
harvest festival)
 Simchat Torah – celebrating Torah
 Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights”
More Holy Days…
 Purim (“Lots”) – a carnival (commemorates
events told in book of Esther)
 Pesach (“Passover”) – commemorates the
exodus from Egypt (events told in Exodus)
 Shavuot (“weeks,” Pentecost) –
commemorates receipt of Torah at Sinai
 Other, minor festivals
 Shabbat (Sabbath, 7th day, on Saturday) –
the “Day of Rest”
How is Judaism related to
Christianity?
 Judaism predates Christianity – it is the foundation
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of Christianity but is not a part of it
Jesus was Jewish, as were his followers and the
Apostles
Jews do not believe that Jesus was anything more
than a good and wise man who lived and died 2000
years ago – Jews still await their messiah
The Jewish messiah would not be divine. He would
be a political figure who restores the Hebrew
monarchy and causes peace to reign on Earth
Jews are not concerned about salvation and the
“world to come”
Sources:
 http://lds.org/scriptures/bc/scriptures/co
ntent/english/biblemaps/images/03990_000_bible-map9.pdf
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VTH
5SWDFq4