Judaism

Origins of Judaism

Origins of Judaism

Judaism is…

• 4000 years old

• The first monotheistic religion

• All three monotheistic religions are traced back to Abraham

God’s covenant with the Israelites:

Abraham’s obligations:

• Circumcision

• Leave his family in search for the promised land

• Only worship one God

God’s obligations:

• Abraham would become the father of a great nation “descendants as many as the stars”

• Abraham’s descendants can live in the Promised Land, Canaan (modern-day Israel)

• Him and his people would receive many blessings, as God will stand by them and protect them from oppression and captivity

The Patriarchs: Abram/Abraham

• God told him to leave his home and family as a test of faith, and to travel to the promised land of Canaan.

• God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah.

• God promised that Abram will have “as many descendants as the stars” and that they would live in the promised land.

• Despite this Abraham and Sarah did not have children until he was 100 and she was 90.

Abraham and the covenant

• Jews believe that their relationship with God is a covenant, where God asks certain things of Jews and in return he grants them special care.

• Jewish boys need to undergo circumcision, as it is a mark of the covenant, and signifies the Jews upholding the covenant. “You are to undergo circumcision , and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.” - Genesis 17: 11-14.

The Patriarchs: Issac

• When Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90, they had a son, Isaac, whose name meant laughter.

• Isaac was Abraham;s 10th and final trail, and had to be sacrificed. At the last minute, God intervened. This was a display of God’s scorn of the ritual of human sacrifice and Abraham’s ultimate faith in God.

• Is the father of Jacob (Israel)

The Patriarchs: Jacob (Israel)

• Isaac’s son

• The night before going to make amends with his estranged brother Esau, he wrestled with and angel. This earned him the name Israel, meaning “the one who wrestled with God”.

• Had 12 sons of whom became the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Moses

• After seeing an Egyptian guard hurt a Jew, he killed the Egyptian guard, and after realising what he’d done, flead Egypt.

• God talks to Moses through a burning bush and tells him to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites to freedom.

• He returns to Egypt and asks the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, and the Pharaoh refuses.

• God sends the 10 plagues, and the 10th and final plague is the killing of the Egyptians firstborn son, including the Pharaoh’s. This is why the Jews celebrate Passover.

• The Pharaoh finally relents, but chases after them with his army. Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and parts the Red Sea in order for them to cross into safety. But when the Pharaoh follows, the Red Sea eats them up.

Moses and the 10 Commandments

• Moses and the Jews remain in the desert searching for the promised land for 40 years.

• When the Israelites start to worship a golden calf instead of God, Moses climbs up Mount Sinai and receives the 10 Commandments the Torah and the Talmud.

• The Israelites then accepted the Commandments and devoted their lives to God and they find their way back to the promised land.

Why Moses is so important to the Jews

• He lead them to freedom from slavery

• Received the Torah, Talmud and the 10 Commandments

• Led the Jews to the promised land

• Devoted his life to God

• He is significant in many Jewish rituals (such as Passover)

• Embodied what it meant to be Jewish

The Giving of the Law

• The giving and receiving of the 10 Commandments

• God asked Moses to ask if the people if they agreed to the people if they agreed to the responsibility of fulfilling the commandments.

• They agreed to accept the laws and God agreed that they would be a nation of His people.

Moses on Mount Sinai

• Moses received the Torah and Talmud on Mount Sinai

• He communicated with God multiple times

• During one of these trips, Moses received the 10 Commandments, which are the foundations of the Torah, and oral laws

• These laws were later transcribed into written form

• The torah itself is believed to contain not only the 10 commandments but also the entire of laws, teachings and narratives that form the basis of Jewish religions and ethical life

The importance of Moses to modern-day Jews

• He received the 10 commandments (Exodus 20)

• He is significant in rituals such as Passover (Exodus 12:11-12)

• Lead the Jews to the Promised Land

• Saved them from slavery and oppression

• He expressed what it meant to be Jewish (Exodus 1:8-22)

Variants of Judaism: Orthodox Judaism

• Very strict traditionalists who adhere to the mitzvot very closely and accept the authority of the cod of Jewish Law (Halakha)

• They worship in the traditional form of Hebrew

• There are sub variants;

  • Modern Orthodox

  • Ultra Orthodox

  • Chassidism

• They typically dress in black, as to signify mourning for the destruction of the second temple 1900 years ago

• Ultra Orthodox and Chassidism Jews minimise contact with the outside worlds (no TV and Internet)

• Separate men and women

Variants of Judaism: Conservative

• Thought Progressive went too far and Orthodox was unrealistic

• Sympathise modern ways but more traditional than Progressive

• They conserve the mitzvot however they apply it in a way that is relevant and relative to their context

• They have a mix of English in worship

• They accept authority of oral law but reserve right to interpret

• Places importance of universal people of Israel

• Recent times allowed women rabbi schools but could not be women rabbis

• Only 1 synagogue in Melbourne and Sydney

Variants of Judaism: Progressive

• Supportive of progress, change, improvement or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are

• Followers of Progressive Judaism