(Originally written February 20, 2007 in Book 14)
Pocket Guide to World Religions
Win Corduan
Name
Derived from the Tribe of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of ancient Israel.
Jewish means more than a religious outlook, it has an ethnic and cultural meaning. Some Jews are proud of their culture and ethnicity and do not practice the Jewish faith.
Numbers and Distribution
There are 14 million Jews worldwide, but not all practice the Jewish faith.
There are 4.5 million Jews in the U.S.
Symbols
The star of David is the widely recognized symbol in Judaism.
History
Judaism has a number of points that can be considered its origin.
1) 2200 BC. - God chose Abraham
2) 15th century BC - God gave Moses the 10 Commandments
3) 950 BC - Solomon built the Temple
4) 540 BC - The second Temple was built
5) A.D. 70 - the Roman destruction of the Temple
Judaism was a religion of a dispersed people.
After the dispersal from Palestine, a strong Jewish culture developed in Iran and then in Spain.
The Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492 and moved to Eastern Europe.
Persecution has played a big part in the history of the Jews.
In the 19th century the Zionist movement rose under the Austrian Theodor Herzl. Herzl taught that Jews would never be secure without a country of their own.
Many Jews emigrated back to Palestine and after the Holocaust, the U.N. permitted the founding of a Jewish State.
Scriptures
The most important writings for Jews are the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.
The Torah is one of the sacred scriptures called the Tanakh (T.N.K.).
T.N.K. =
T - Torah (The Law)
N - Neviim (The prophets)
K- Ketuvim (the writings)
Rabbis began writing down oral interpretations of the Scriptures in the first century A.D.
The Mishnah was completed in 300 A.D. The Talmud, the standard set of interpretations was completed in 500 A.D.
The mystical form of Judaism is known as Kabbalah. Kabbalah has a number of writings. The most important book in Kabbalah is the Zohar, written by Moses de Leon in the 13th century.
Major Beliefs
Judaism emphasizes practice over beliefs.
Some beliefs:
1) One God
2) God has a chosen people to be His representatives on Earth.
3) God's choosing of the Jews is an expression of His love and a call to obedience.
4) Jews who live up to the standards of God will go to Heaven. Gentiles who live up to God's lesser standards for them will also go to Heaven. The main concern of Judaism is not access to Heaven, but to live in conformity to God's standards.
5) God will send the Messiah to preside over a time of peace and prosperity at the end of the age.
Subgroups
Orthodox Judaism - Strict adherence to the Law
Hasidic Judaism - Orthodox Jews who refer to the mystical reformer Baal Shem Tov. This 18th century Polish Jew taught that Jews could find God in personal experience rather than through legalism.
Reform Judaism
- arose in 18th century Germany
- flourished in 19th century Germany and the U.S.
- focused on the idea that Jews should be at home in their won countries and assimilate to that nation's culture
- holds the Talmud as non-bounding
Conservative Judaism
- rose int he 1920's in the U.S.
- a middle grown between Orthodox and reform Judaism
- permits adaptations of the Law, but recognizes it as still binding
- Conservative Judaism is the most popular sect in today's United States
Worship practices
Orthodox Judaism focuses on God and his handing down of the Law.
Prayer is crucial. They pray three times a day: morning, noon, evening.
Ortodox prayer requires one to wear phylacteries and a prayer shawl. "Phylacteries are two little boxes, about one inch cubed, that are strapped to the forehead and the left hand, containing little parchments of scripture verses" (Corduan, 101).
Congregational worship takes place on the Sabbath which begins on Friday evening and ends on Saturday evening.
There are prayers, reading for the Torah and music from the cantor in a Jewish service.
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