JudaismThe Faith of Father Abraham

Antiquities of the Jews (a History)2000 BC – Traditional Date for Abraham1500-1350 BC – Disputed date for Moses and “Exodus”

1450 BC – Writing of the Torah – first 5 books1000 BC – United Kingdom under King David

960 BC – Solomon builds the First Temple722 BC – Assyrian Captivity of Northern Kingdoms600 BC – Babylonian Talmud - second most important Jewish

book of literature is finished587 BC – Babylonian Captivity of the Southern Kingdoms (in

Exile – distanced from homeland)450 BC – Return to Jerusalem; Ezra rebuilds the Temple332 BC – Conquered by Alexander the Great167 BC – Invasion of Antiochus “Ephiphanies”

164 BC – Maccabeen Revolt (Hannukah)

History Part II63 BC – Roman invasion by Pompey37 BC – 4 AD – Herod the Great rebuilds the Temple

Called: The Second Temple66-70 AD – Jewish revolt against Roman rule

Josephus captured – becomes Roman translator 70 AD – Temple destroyed

136 AD – Simon Bar Kochba executed; Jerusalem destroyed Diaspora – the fleeing of the Jews from Jerusalem

200 AD – Mishna written down700-1100 AD – Islamic domination (tolerant)

European Jews begin speaking a Heb/German mix = Yiddish1100-1500 AD – Christian persecution of Jews1933-1948 AD – World War II; 6 Million Jews executed (Holocaust)

Israel becomes an independent nation-state

What’s In A Name?YHWH – Judaism’s One God’s revealed name; it means “I am that I am”

Judaism is Monotheistic When used in the Hebrew Bible, it often appears as “LORD” Tetragrammaton – the four-letter word for the Jewish God

Biblical Names are often associated with the narrative of the character: “Adam” – man “Eve” - alive “Abraham” – father of many “Benjamin” – favorite son “David” – beloved “Isaiah” – the Lord is my salvation “Joel” – the Lord is God “Joshua” – the Lord’s help “Samuel” – the Lord Hears

“Israel” – wrestles with God (Jacob’s name change)Judah- 1 of the 12 sons of Israel (Jacob); 1 of 2 remaining tribes after

captivity Origin of the word “Jew”

The People of the BookThe Hebrew Bible = TaNaKh

Torah – the Teachings/Law 613 Commandments

Nevi’im – The ProphetsKethuvim – the Writings

Major Stories:The Beginnings – story of originsThe Patriarchs – the faith of the fathersThe Law – the story of deliverance and expectationThe Rulers – kings and judges who may or may not follow the

LawThe Exile and Captivity – the story of bondage; and why

bondage exists in the first placeThe Return – the story of coming back to the homeland

Themes of the Hebrew BibleGod is Creator of the World and Humans (in His Image)Humans are Sinful

Sin – to go against the life to which God has called The Law shows the life to which God has called a Jew

Sin Must Be Paid For Via A Sacrifice System (Atonement) Atonement – to bring back into right relationship

Holiness (uniqueness) of the Community of Chosen PeopleFamily and Community is Central

Laws on Children, Sex, Marriage, Relationships, etc.God Will Save His People From Hardship

Salvation – release from oppressionThe Reason for Pain is Often a Personal Sinful ErrorGod Will Fulfill His Promises to His People Often At The Expense

of Other Peoples Abraham’s family and land (often violent taking of the land) Holy Land – Jerusalem (place God led Moses)

A Future Deliverer Will Come (Messiah - anointed one)

Major Groups (circa 165 BC)Sadducees – group of priests living in JerusalemPharisees – group of teachers who believed in

Hebraic holiness and following the LawRabbis - teachers

Zealots – Jews who desired a “free” Jewish people willing to use violent means to accomplish this goal

Herodians – Jews who bent to the will of Roman rule and preferred their rule to others

Essenes – a private group of Jews living in community and following seemingly odd practicesLived near Qumran – the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls in

1950s

Jewish BeliefsMaimonides – Jewish medieval scholar

1. Belief in God One God, All-Knowing, Eternal, Creator, Just, and Loving Justice – to do what should be done for a certain situation Fairness - equality

2. Belief in Prophet’s Words3. Belief in God’s Law to Moses4. Belief in Future Messiah

A future deliverer will save the Jewish people

5. Belief in Resurrection of the “Good” Understanding of a future “world to come” Main Goal: Live a Torah life in order to live with God

6. Human Beings are Made in “God’s Image”

Belief vs. PracticeMost Jewish people are more focused on orthopraxy (way of living)

than orthodoxy (way of believing)Most Central, Most Common Practice: Sabbath

7th day of the week is without work Day = Sundown to Sundown (Friday night – Saturday night) Practice continues to this day

Most Known Practice: Kosher Laws Holiness in diet is a reflection of holiness in life All meals must be eaten, prepared, and followed according to the Law Celebration of uniqueness and holiness Ex: No pork, Separate meat and dairy utensils, No shelled fish

Other practices: Circumcision – 8 days after birth, reminder of the uniqueness of God’s

people Bar/Bat Mitzvah – Rite of passage into adulthood for Jewish boys (bar)

and Jewish girls (Bat)

Holy DaysRosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year

Normally in the FallConsider Obligations and Pay Off DebtsDaily blowing of the shofar – ram’s horn

Yom Kippur – Day of AtonementAlong with Rosh Hashanah, called the High Holy DaysSins are “paid for” by the High Priest

Sukkot – the Feast of BoothsFamilies make tents to sleep out in the fieldsEnds the readings of the Torah from the year beforeCelebration of the Harvest

Hanukkah – Feast of Dedication/Feast of LightsRededication of the (Ezra) TempleMenorah – candle holder of 8 lights during Hanakkah

More Holy Days…Purim – celebration of Esther’s saving of the Jews

Late-winter celebration Freedom from annihilation

Passover – celebration of the Exodus from EgyptSeder – meal taken during Passover

Thin bread, lamb, parsley in salt water, bitter herbs Place for Elijah with a cup of wine

The Exodus story is retold throughout the nightYom Hashoah – remembrance feast for the Holocaust

April or MayShavuot - calling for fasting to remember the destruction

of both TemplesNot widely observed anymore

“A People of Prayer”After the Temple and Diaspora, the Jews decided which

practices were most important.Two became central: Assembly and Prayer

Assembly shifts from Temple to SynagogueAfter the Second Temple is destroyed the Jews shift their focus

to becoming people of prayerSynagogue – means “house of prayer”Some Jews give up and call synagogue buildings “temples”

Practice shifts from Sacrifice to PrayerPrayer Aides:

Tefillin – or “phylacteries”, small boxes containing scriptures bound to the forehead with leather straps

Talit – prayer shawl Zitzit – tassels attached to the talit (613 knots) Yarmulke – or “yamaca”, skullcap worn to remember God’s holiness in

prayer Mezuzah – small container of scriptures placed at the doorpost of the

house

Divisions of JudaismOrthodox – attempt to live according to the Law and react

against Culture Separation of Males and Females in Worship Quorum – 10 Jews males must be gathered for an official meeting Services conducted only in Hebrew Only Males can be Rabbis Males must keep their heads covered at all times Some males must wear all black clothing at all times Strict Kosher and Sabbath keeping Hope and Pray for a Return to the Holy Land

Conservative – moderate approach to Judaism Kept beloved traditions: Hebrew only worship, Sabbath keeping Often separate men and women in worship assemblies In the US, half of the practicing Jews are Conservative Often have a desire to have the Jews return to Holy Land

More Jewish DivisionsHasidic - group of Jews who attempt to lives as separately

from the world as possibleReform – began out of a desire to stop being persecuted in

Europe (especially Germany)Give up the desire to return to the Holy LandAdvocates for Cultural and Religious tolerance (or “acceptance”)Men and Women do not sit separately in worshipServices are in Common Speech and HebrewModern music is common in worshipBoth Men and Women may become rabbis

Reconstructionist – evolving form of Judaism that allows Jews to adapt and interpret the Laws for modern and common practiceNewest of the branches of Judaism

The “Messiah”The Expectations for the Messiah vary:

Religious LeaderPolitical/Military LeaderSocial ReformerMixture of the AboveTheological MythNonexistent Ideal Human

Failed Jewish Messiahs in History:Judas Maccabeus (fight led to temporary freedom,

celebration of Hanukkah, eventually executed)Jesus of Nazareth (peaceful, accused of blasphemy,

executed by the Romans, followers become Christians)Simon Bar Kochba (fight led to temporary freedom, many

Jews followed him as Messiah, forced to sacrifice to Zeus and, then, executed)

Jewish MysticismMysticism – a religious desire to become “in tune” with the

higher power through emotional “breakouts”Kabbalah – group of Jews hoping to find a special revelation

from GodThe Zohar – book written by a Jewish rabbi in 1250AD

The World emerged from “pure spiritual reality”Unity comes from 10 sefiroths – divine powersSefiroths include wisdom, intelligence, love, etc.Sefiroths are God’s links to creation

The more sefiroths shown in the world results in God’s presence being able to exist in the worldIf more people practice the sefiroths, the “deliverer” will come

and bring all things back to shalom Shalom – Jewish concept of peace, harmony, rightness, and

completeness

The Problem with the Holocaust Anti-Semitism – the hatred of Jewish people because of the Jewish race

Existed in most European or post-European countries after the 1500’s (including the Americas): Could not hold positions in government, ghettos, etc.

Attitude expressed by the German, Christian priest: Martin Luther Christians theologically viewed Jews as the “group who killed Jesus”

After a embarrassing defeat in World War I and the depression that followed, Hitler decided to pin the blame on the Jewish people (because they were a “lesser race”)

6 Million Jewish people are killed by the Hitler concentration camps Anne Frank: “…in spite of everything I still believe that people are really

good at heart…” Faith Crisis: If God works for the good of His chosen people, has God

turned His back on the Jews? God let it happen: What kind of God would allow this? God made it happen: Is God this unjust and changing? God could not have stopped it: Is God worthy of following since he is

powerless? A Sin Caused This: What kind of sin deserves this punishment?

Zionism - The Nation State of Israel is created, in large part, to appease the slimming number of Jewish people