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Chapter 8- The Hebrews and Judaism
Study Guide Key
1. When Abraham left Mesopotamia, where did he go and why?
Abraham went to Canaan on the Mediterranean Sea, because according to the
Hebrew Bible, God told Abraham to take his family west where God promised to
lead him a new land and make his descendants into a mighty nation.
2. What is the Exodus and who led it?
The Exodus is journey the Hebrews took out of slavery from Egypt and led by
Moses.
To the Hebrews, the release from slavery proved that God was protecting them.
3. According to the Hebrew Bible, what did Moses receive from God on Mt. Sinai?
God gave Moses two stone tablets that had written on it a code of moral law called
The Ten Commandments.
4. Who were three kings that united Israel? (in order)
1. Saul- first king of Israel, not accepted by the tribal and religious leaders
2. King David- loved by the Israelites and had full support of the leaders. He
defeated the Philistines and built the capital of Jerusalem
3. King Solomon- King David’s son, also a strong king, expanded the kingdom
and built the great temple to God in Jerusalem (Solomon’s Temple)
5. What were the 2 kingdoms that were created after King Solomon died?
Israel and Judah
6. What happened to the two kingdoms when they were invaded?
Israel fell to the Assyrians and the kingdom fell apart and most of its people
scattered. Judah (Jews) eventually fell to the Chaldeans, who captured Jerusalem
and destroyed Solomon’s temple. The Jews were marched to Babylon to work as
slaves. Babylonian captivity lasted 50m years.
7. What was the scattering of the Jews outside of Israel and Judah called?
Diaspora
8. Explain women’s role in Hebrew Society and who was Ruth and Naomi?
Women had few rights, had to obey their fathers and their husbands (Who was
chosen for them)She couldn’t inherit property unless she had no brother. Some did
however become leaders in military and politics as well as spiritual leaders.
Ruth was an example of how Hebrew women should behave: she left her people to
care for her mother-in-law, Naomi.
9. What is monotheism and how did this belief set the ancient Hebrews apart?
A belief in one god, most people in the ancient world worshipped many gods.
10. What are Judaism’s basic beliefs?
Belief in education, justice and righteousness, obedience and law
11. a. What is the Torah?
A book of Jewish laws that are written in five books, but contained in the most
sacred text of Judaism, Torah.
11. b. What is the Hebrew Bible?
The Torah is the first of three parts of the Hebrew Bible, the Prophets’ messages
from God is the second, and the third part is 11 books with collections of poetry,
songs, stories, lessons and history.
11. c. What are Commentaries
Commentaries are written by scholars to explain some of the laws that are hard to
understand.
The Talmud is a set of commentaries, stories and folklore
12. What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
They are the writings by Jews who lived 2000 years ago, found in 1947, that
contained prayers, commentaries, letters and passages from the Hebrew Bible
13. At the beginning of the 1st century AD, what were the Jews tired of and what did
they believe they can regain?
They were tired of foreign rule and believed they can regain their independence and
recreate the Kingdom of Israel
14. a. Who are the Zealots and why did they revolt against the Romans?
The Zealots were the most rebellious of the Jews and felt they should not have to
answer to anyone but God. They refused to obey the Roman officials and urged
their fellow Jews to revolt against the Romans.
b. Where they successful? What was the result of the revolt?
They revolted in AD 66, but were not successful. The revolt lasted four years and
the Second Temple was burned down. As a result thousands of Jews left Jerusalem
to other Jewish communities in other parts of Roman Empire.
15. What was the result of the second revolt 60 pears after the capture of Masada?
Romans defeated the Jews and banned them from Jerusalem, so Jews migrated
throughout the Mediterranean region to other parts of the world. They no longer
had the second temple to worship at so local synagogues became important.
16. Who is Yohanen ben Zaccai? Why was his service needed?
A rabbi who founded a school at Yavneh, near Jerusalem. He taught people about
Judaism and trained them to become rabbis. This shaped how Judaism was
practiced for the next several centuries.
17. Jewish ideas have influenced other cultures for centuries. What was the largest
religion of western society today?
Christianity. Jesus was Jewish and many of his teachings reflect Jewish ideas which
was the basis of Christianity.
18. The diaspora led to the Jewish communities developing all around the world. This
led to the creation of two main cultural traditions. Name and describe both traditions.
Ashkenazim, Jews in France, Germany and Eastern Europe, never mixed with nonJewish residents, had developed their own customs that were unlike their neighbors.
The language they developed was Yiddish.
Sephardim, Jews in Spain and Portugal, mixed with their neighbors, developed
their religious and cultural practices by borrowing elements from other cultures.
Spoke Ladino, which was mixture of Spanish, Hebrew and Arabic
19. Describe the four Jewish traditions below:
Hanukkah:
Passover:
Rosh Hashanah:
Yom Kippur: