Judaism

Basic beliefs

Monotheistic but was polytheistic in early times

Believe in

Free will, human freedom and dignity, and expectation of messianic age

Messianic age

Universal peace will be established on earth in accordance with vision of the process of Israel

Faith

One is judged but actions, lives if faith and tradition of deeds

Shema

Basic statement of faith; means listen, heed, hear, and do

History of jews

Divided into 4 general period of time

1st period of time

Early history of Hebrew people; noted by nomadic and tribal life

2nd period of time

Began between 8th and 6th century BCE when Jewish people were forced into a 50 year exile in Babylon

Jewish factions

Growth of the diaspora and Jewish communities located outside of the land of Israel

3rd period of time (common era)

Romans put down Jewish rebellion against Roman occupation of Jewish land; 2nd temple destroyed in 70 CE

4th period of time (final period)

The reform period and response to European enlightenment; time of questioning, modernizing, and branches of Judaism emergence

Branches of Judaism

Orthodox, conservative, reform, and reconstructionist

Orthodox jews

The most conservative branch; practice Judaism very strict and traditionally

Conservative

Less conservative than orthodox jews but still very traditional

Reform

More liberal and focus more on the academics than the faith

Reconstructionist

A jewish group that emerged in the 20th century; believe that Judaism needs to be restructured

Sacred texts

Hebrew Bible, the Torah, the Talmud, and the Haggadah

The Hebrew bible

Contains material that records interactions and responses between the people and a god who is portrayed in complex ways

Scriptures in 3 parts

The Torah, the Talmud, and the Haggadah

Talmud

A set of writings about faith and how to live the law; Includes the Mishnah (oral law) and Gemara (completion)

Torah

Contains stories of creation, Adam and eve, a great flood, the Hebrew patriarch and matriarch, and Moses

Torah meaning

Can also refer to the whole of the Hebrew Bible or the Tanakh; plus the Talmud or all of Jewish knowledge

Torah pt2

The 1st five books of the Hebrew Bible called the pentateuch

Talmud meaning

Teaching

Haggadah meaning

Telling

Haggadah

A Hebrew service book used at home for the family; used for educational purposes

Types of worship

Temple and synagogue

Temple worship

One person or family would bring a sacrifice for prayer

Synagogue

Prayer turned into primary activity focused on the congregation's needs

Holidays time

Begin the evening before the date and ends at sunset the next day; follows tje Jewish lunar calendar

Hoildays

Rosh hashanah (Jewish new year), Yom kippur (day of atonement), passover (eight day festival), hanukkah, and Purim

Kosher

Describes food that meets the standard of Kashrut; can describe ritual made in accordance with Jewish law for ritual use

Kashrut

Set of laws dealing with what foods can and cannot be eaten and how they are prepared

Kashrut laws (+)

Animals with cloven hooves can be eaten, birds are allowed, fish must have special scales, all blood must be drained from meat

Kashrut laws (-)

Pork and shellfish are forbidden, certain parts of animals cannot be eaten if the blood cannot be drained, dairy can’t be eaten with meat

Kashrut laws (cooking utensils)

Cooking equipment must be separated in in use for meat or dairy, Utensils must be separated in use of kosher or nonkosher food, grap products made by nonkosher processes cannot be consumed