Judaism (8/27)

What is the name for the family of religions that includes Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?

Abrahamic religions. They are named after Abraham, a figure revered in all three.

What central belief do all Abrahamic religions share?

Monotheism: The belief that there is one supreme God and no other gods in the universe.

What is the most important sacred text in Judaism?

The Hebrew Bible. Traditional Jews refer to it as the Tanakh

What are the three parts of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)?

1. Torah (Teaching)

2. Nevi'im (Prophets)

3. Ketuvim (Writings)

What does the Jewish term Torah literally mean?

Teaching. It is considered the most sacred book of the three parts of the Tanakh

When did the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) achieve its final, canonized form?

Sometime in the 100s CE (Common Era).

Who are the three revered forefathers, or Patriarchs, of the Jewish people?

Abraham, his son Isaac, and his son Jacob.

What is the special name given to Jacob, and what does it mean?

Israel. It literally means "he who wrestles or struggles with God”

What is the term for the agreement between God and Abraham's descendants?

The Covenant. The agreement promises God's blessing and prosperity if they obey His will.

What is the significance of human beings being created "in the image of God"?

It signifies that human beings have the immense privilege to rule over the world that God created.

What is the biblical figure chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt?

Moses

According to modern academic scholars, how was the Torah written?

It evolved over a period of hundreds of years (c. 1000 to 500 BCE) from four different sources or traditions.

What is the name of the famous theory that the Torah is compiled from four documents?

The Documentary Hypothesis.

Why is Judaism considered important to study, despite its small number of adherents?

It is foundational, as both Christianity and Islam are based on Judaism, and it has had immense cultural influence on the Western world.

What two countries contain the vast majority of the world's Jewish population?

Israel (the largest population) and the United States (US). Israel is the only Jewish country in the world.