1. Exploring the Religions of Our World
Chapter 2 Judaism

2. Chapter 2 Judaism A Living Religion
1. Judaism is the religion practiced by Jesus when he was living on earth.
2. Judaism is the religion of the Hebrew Bible and a religion still longing for God’s chosen one.
3. Being a Jew has both an ethnic and a religious connotation.
4. A religious Jew practices Judaism. An ethnic Jew may or may not practice Judaism.

3. Modern Period 1783 - present
Chapter 2 Judaism
Periods of Jewish History
1800 BCE – 323 CE
Biblical Period
Medieval Period CE
323 BCE – 637 CE
Rabbinic Period
Modern Period present

4. Chapter 2 Judaism
Periods of Jewish History
Page 29

5. Chapter 2 Judaism Modern Judaism
Reform Judaism – advocates full integration into the culture where one lives
Conservative Judaism – counteracts reformed Judaism, modifying Jewish traditions in a limited manner
Orthodox Judaism – the most traditional wing, insists its members strictly follow the Torah
Reconstructionist Judaism – advocates Judaism as a culture, not only a religion

6. Study Questions p. 43
What did the Hebrews become in the 40 years it took to return to Canaan from Egypt?
The Hebrews became a convenantal community, owing their allegiance to God.

7. Study Questions p. 43
After the death of Solomon, why did the kingdom become more vulnerable to outside attacks?
The kingdom was divided into two after Solomon's death; North 10 tribes, the South two tribes
Both kingdoms weakened and fell prey to idolatry.
Israel fell to Assyrians in 722BCE; Judah conquered Babylon two centuries later

8. Study Questions p. 43 What is the diaspora?
The diaspora originally referred to the large community of Jews who lived outside of Palestine.
Driven out by foreign conquerors, the Jews were dispersed and set up Jewish communities throughout the world.
Today, it refers to all Jews outside of Israel.

9. Study Questions p. 43
According to Rabbi Hillel, what is the summation of the Torah?
“Whatever is hateful to you, you are not to do to your neighbor.”

10. Study Questions p. 43
Who is Moses Maimonides, and what did he argue for?
He was a medieval Jewish philosopher who argued that there was no contradiction between Aristotle and the Jewish religion.

11. Study Questions p. 43 Define Hadism
A spiritual movement founded by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer in the 18th century.
In an era of darkness and persecution, he stressed the presence of God – light – in all aspects of Jewish life.
It was a comforting teaching that helped Jews endure trials.

12. Study Questions p. 43
Name the four types of Judaism in the Modern era.
Orthodox – literal interpretation of the Torah
Conservative – Modify Jewish traditions in a limited manner
Reformed – advocate full integration into the culture where one lives
Reconstructionist – Advocate Judaism as a culture rather than a religion

13. Chapter 2 Judaism Sacred writings Torah First five books Tanakh
The Hebrew Bible
Nevi’im
Prophets
Ketuvim
Writings

14. Chapter 2 Judaism Other sacred writings Jerusalem Talmud commentary
Midrash
Biblical
interpretation
Babylonian
Talmud
commentary

15. “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God,
Chapter 2 Judaism
Beliefs and Practices
Sh’ma
“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God,
the Lord is One”
(Deuteronomy 6:4)

16. Torah Chapter 2 Judaism 613 commandments
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
Torah
613
commandments
God gave Moses Two Torahs:
Oral
Written
Judaism can be summed up in three words:
God Torah, Israel

17. “I have given you as a covenant to the people,
Chapter 2 Judaism
Beliefs and Practices (continued)
God’s covenant with Israel:
“The Chosen People”
“I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations”
(Isaiah 42:6)

18. Chapter 2 Judaism Sacred Times Annual Feasts:
Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year, feast of Trumpets
Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement (10 days after Rosh Hashanah )
Pesach – Passover (God’s saving Hebrews)
Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles/Booths (Desert times)
Shavuot – Harvest festival / Moses’ reception of Torah
Hanukkah – Festival of Lights (menorah)
Purim – Feast of Lots

19. Chapter 2 Judaism Sacred Times (continued)
Shabbat – the Jewish Sabbath
Weekly event
Begins Sunset Friday through sunset Saturday
Obedience to fourth commandment
Jews rest on the seventh day, as God did
Shabbat dinner – Friday evening
Celebrated as a family with Ritual Prayers, candles, wine, bread

20. Chapter 2 Judaism Sacred Places and Sacred Spaces
Temple is associated with ritual sacrifices
Temple was destroyed in 70 CE
Synagogue
House of prayer
House of study
House of assembly
Home

21. Chapter 2 Judaism Sacred Places and Sacred Spaces (continued)
At Passover, Jews pray, “Next year in Jerusalem”
Land of Israel (AKA:)
Israel
Canaan
Promised Land
Judea
Palestine
State of Israel
Jerusalem (AKA:)
Holiest city
City of David
Temple
Holy city for: Judaism, Christianity, Islam

22. Chapter 2 Judaism Judaism Christianity Judaism through a Catholic Lens
Commonalities
History
Scripture
Liturgy
Rituals
Theology

23. Chapter 2 Judaism Judaism Christianity
Judaism through a Catholic Lens (continued)
Differences
Judaism
Christianity
Still awaits a Messiah or messianic age to come
Messiah would be a human (not God) warrior-king, political figure from the House of David
Jesus was the Messiah
Jesus is God
Jesus will return at the 2nd coming

24. Chapter 2 Judaism Judaism through a Catholic Lens (continued)
Jewish influences in Catholicism
Jewish Christian
The Hebrew Bible Old Testament
Passover meal the Lord’s Supper
Passover Holy Thursday
Shavuot Pentecost

25. Chapter 2 Judaism - Vocabulary
Torah
Idolatry
Diaspora
Hellenization
Septuagint
Sadducees
Pharisees
Essenes
Rabbi
Talmud
Monotheistic
Pogroms
Yiddish
Hasidism
Zionism
Tanak
Mishnah
Midrash
Sh’ma
Conversos
Holy of Holies
Mitzvoth
Covenant
Shabbat
Pesach
Yom Kippur
Rosh Hashanah
Mezuzah
Kosher
Arranged marriage

26. Chapter 2 Judaism - Vocabulary
Torah – 1st five books of the Bible, Pentateuch,
Idolatry – giving worship to something other than God
Diaspora – Jews living outside Judea (Holy Land)
Hellenization – The adoption of Greek ways and speech
Septuagint – “70” translators of Jewish scriptures to Greek
Sadducees – Jewish leaders who strictly interpreted Torah
Pharisees – Loose interpretation of Torah (resurrection)
Essenes – Monastic Jews responsible for Dead Sea scrolls
Rabbi – My Teacher religious leader who teaches and judges
Talmud – Books of commentaries on the interpretation of Torah
Monotheistic – A belief on one God
Shoah – Hebrew for “calamity”, refers to holocaust in WWII

27. Chapter 2 Judaism - Vocabulary
Pogrom – the massacre and expulsion of a minority
Yiddish – a language developed from German and Hebrew
Hasidism – Meaning pious, founded by devout Polish Jews, called Orthodox Jews today
Zionism – the movement which sought the creation of a Jewish home state (now Israel)
Tanakh - The Hebrew word for the Jewish bible
Mitzvot – A commandment of the Jewish law
Mishnah – the oral Torah or teaching
Midrash – Biblical interpretation typically found in the Talmud's, which can provide answers for every situation in life
Sh’ma – “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One” Dt 6:4

28. Chapter 2 Judaism - Vocabulary
Covenant – a binding, solemn agreement or sacred promise between God and His people
Shabbat – The Sabbath, begins at sunset on Friday
Pesach – Passover, an annual meal celebrating the Exodus
Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year
Mezuzah – the parchment of Sh’ma in the right doorpost
Kosher – Hebrew for proper, refers to permitted dietary laws
Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year
Holy of Holies – The sanctuary inside the tabernacle in the Temple of Jerusalem
Conversos – the Spanish Jews who converted to Christianity at the time of the Spanish Inquisition