“A 4000 year old tradition with ideas about what it means to be human and how to make the world a holy place” (Rabbi Harold Kushner, To Life)

A “covenant relationship” between God and the Hebrew people

A celebration and sanctification of life

A faith, a people, a way of life…

The area known as Palestine. It’s around the modern day state of Israel.

• Which is here:

It’s in a prime location.

The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (“Israel”) – origins of the Hebrew people (more than 3800 years ago)

Enslaved in ancient Egypt and freed by Moses (more than 3300 years ago)

Hebrew monarchy in the “Promised Land” (The Land of Israel), ends 6th century BCE

• While there, he has two sons, Isaac and Ishmael

• Isaac was with his wife Sarah. Ishmael was with his wife’s handmaid, Hagar. According to legend, Isaac’s branch is the Jews and Ishmael’s branch is the Arabs.

• Abraham also nearly kills Isaac as a sacrifice.

All through the wanderings and the rest, God = Yahweh, was with Abraham.

• Yahweh was not a localized deity.

• Moreover, he was singular. This was a monotheistic religion, which was quite quaint for a mostly polytheistic world.

• Some scholars argue early Judaism was henotheistic – that it recognized other gods, but that one god was far above them all and was worthy of devotion.

• Yahweh was also not a physical god. This was also unique. Some Greeks even thought the Jews philosophical because of it.

• God makes an agreement, a covenant, with Abraham to be fulfilled through Isaac. If Abraham and his descendants obey Him, then He will bless and protect them.

In one God, creator of the universe, personal but non-corporeal

In prophets of old – especially Moses, through whom Torah was revealed to the Hebrew people

In Torah (first five books of the Bible), containing religious, moral and social law which guides the life of a Jew the Hebrew Bible does not include the

New Testament

Eventually the Hebrew people migrate into Egypt because of a famine.

• They’re enslaved and forced to labor under the pharaoh working on his building projects.

• Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites escape Egypt around 1300-1200 BC.

After getting out of Egypt, the Hebrews spend a long time wandering around the Sinai Peninsula.

While in the Sinai, Moses receives the Ten Commandments… at the top of Mt. Sinai.

They are:

1. I am the Lord thy God…Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or worship one.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.

4. Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.

5. Honor they father and mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill (murder).

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt no steal

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.

10.Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s possessions.

The Ten Commandments served as the basis for Jewish law.

• The full code was much more detailed and governed all sorts of social and religious conventions.

• 613 total sub-commandments in the Torah

• Led to ethical monotheism: living justly in relation to God and to other people.

We get most of the early Jewish history from Torah.

• This is the first five books of the Hebrew (and also later the Christian) bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

• Also known as the Pentateuch, which is Greek for ‘five containers,’ referring to the cases in which each of the five scrolls would be kept.

• Other sources from the time are scarce and we have to fill in the archaeological details.

The tablets were placed in the ark. It was carried before the Israelites and a special tent was set up for it whenever they camped.

• The outstretched wings of the cherubim was the throne of God and the ark itself was His footstool.

• Said there was some eerie light that would hover there.

• Only Levites (one of the 12 tribes of Israel and the priest class) were allowed to touch it. Everybody else would get killed.

• The ark was placed in the Temple of Solomon

• It eventually disappears at the time of Babylonian exile when the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem.

• We really have no idea what happened to it, which is odd for something so important.

• Babylonians may have taken it and destroyed it, but it wasn’t documented in their loot records.

• Priests may have spirited it out of Jerusalem before the attack.

One church in Ethiopia claims to have it.

Prophets

• Don’t think of them as they type that predict the future. Rather, they were God’s mouthpieces, His spokesmen.

• God spoke to them and then they spoke to the people. Also interpreted God’s laws.

• Examples are Isaiah, Ezekial, Jeremiah, Daniel

The Hebrews would come together every once in a while under a judge to face a threat. Once the threat was gone, however, they’d fall apart again.

• Eventually, they decided they needed a king (hey, everybody else had one!)

• Saul is appointed as the first king. He was tall and good-looking.

• This kingdom is called Israel.

• Saul, according to the Bible, falls out of favor with God and David is appointed king.

King David

united the empiredefeated the Philistine giant Goliath

Yes, the David of David and Goliath.

King Solomon

David’s sonMade Jerusalem into impressive capital (built temple and palace)

He was praised for his wisdom

Deborahfemale judge who won honor and respect

In Hebrew society, women were subordinate (inferior) to men and could not participate in some religious ceremonies

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)

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. Thus sanctifying life, blessing it in every way

Life cycle celebrations: Bris – ritual circumcision, sign of the

covenant Bar/Bat Mitzvah – full adult status

and responsibility within the religion Marriage - "Be fruitful and multiply"

(Gen. 1:22) Death – funerals, mourning (sitting

“Shiva”), and memorials (“Yartzeits”)

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”

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”