JUDAISMChapter 4

A BRIEF HISTORY OF JUDAISM• Origins: back 3800 years to Abraham (patriarch) & Sarah

(matriarch) of Israelites• Abraham• Isaac• Esau + Jacob (also known as Israel)

• Jacob (Israel)• 12 Sons, Joseph• Israelites in Egypt

• COVENANT: a promise between God & the People• God is their God, they are God’s people

KINGDOM•Saul (1st King)•David (Jerusalem the capital city)•Bathsheba, wife of Uriah•Solomon (3rd King)•Builds the Temple

• Israel in the North• Judah in the South

INVASION & CAPTIVITY•Assyrians invade Israel 721 BCE•Babylonians invade Judah, destroy the Temple 586 BCE•Return to Jerusalem 539 BCE•Maccabean Revolt 164 BCE, rededication of Temple•8 day miracle Hannakah

BIRTH OF MODERN JUDAISM•66 CE, Judea ruled by Romans•Zealots, rebelled, Romans laid siege to Jerusalem•Temple destroyed 70 CE•Christianity & Rabbinic Judaism survived, but changed

MESSIAH•Anointed One•Christ•Christos in Greek

•Christians accepted Jesus as the Messiah

RABBINIC JUDAISM•Halakhic Judaism• Begun by Pharisees• Temple destroyed• New focus: sacred writings• Synagogues, study houses• Torah, “the teaching” (instruction)• The Law• The Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,

Numbers, Deuteronomy)• Interpreters of Torah: scribes or rabbis

DIASPORA•135 CE, Romans expelled Jews from Judea•Most Jews scattered, dispersed outside Israel•The desire to return to Israel & Jerusalem is a key aspect of Jewish history and faith

JEWS IN CHRISTIAN EUROPE

Ashkenazim•Northern, Central, Eastern Europe

Sephardim•Spain, Portugal, North Africa

• Both groups had immeasurable influence on the intellectual, economic, cultural and spiritual lives

• Yet: still considered “other” & set apart

JEWISH MYSTICAL MOVEMENTSKabbalah• 12th Century• Text: Zohar • Journey into self of each

person• God indescribable, “Ein Sof” means “without end”

Hasidism• 18th Century• Founder: Israel ben Eliezer• Communion with God

through prayer, good deeds, humility, joy• Humorous stories

• Leaders: “rebbes”