Judaism History, Texts, Covenants, and Holy Days

Vocabulary flashcards covering the holy days, historical timelines, covenant theology, scriptural divisions, and key figures of Judaism from the lecture notes.

Striations

A perfectly aligned repeating series of dark A bands and light I bands found on myofibrils.

Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish New Year (occurring in September/October) that celebrates creation and begins ten days of repentance; observed by blowing the shofar and eating apples with honey to symbolize a sweet new year.

Yom Kippur

The holiest day in Judaism (in September/October) focused on forgiveness and atonement; observed through fasting, prayer, confessing sins, and historically involving a sacrifice where one goat was slaughtered and another was used as a scapegoat for the community's sins.

Sukkot

A September/October festival celebrating the Israelites' wandering in the desert and God's protection, during which Jews build temporary shelters (sukkot) and give thanks for the harvest.

Hanukkah

An eight-day festival in November/December celebrating the rededication of the Temple following the Maccabean revolt, symbolized by the menorah commemorating the miracle of oil lasting eight days.

Passover

A festival in March/April celebrating the Israelites' freedom from slavery in Egypt, observed by retelling the Exodus story, eating matzah (unleavened bread), and holding a Seder meal.

Shavuot

A holiday in May/June celebrating God giving the Torah to the Israelites at Mount Sinai; observed with Torah study and eating dairy foods, originally an agricultural harvest festival.

Seder

A commemorative meal held annually during Passover to remember the Exodus from Egypt.

The Patriarchs

The foundational fathers of Israel dating to 1800 BC: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

King Saul

The first king of the Kingdom of Israel.

King David

The second and greatest king of Israel who united the 12 tribes.

King Solomon

The third king of Israel, son of David, known for his wisdom; he wrote three scrolls and built the First Temple.

722 BC

The year the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria.

586 BC

The year the southern kingdom of Judah and the First Temple were destroyed by Babylon.

538 BC

The year the Persians allowed Jerusalem and the temple to be rebuilt.

400 BC

The approximate period when the era of Hebrew prophecy ended, leaving the promise of a messiah.

YHWH

The sacred name of the Jewish God, revealed to Moses as 'The one who is.'

Septuagint

The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, translated around 200 BC.

Masada

A giant fortress and safe room built for King Herod, located near the salty Dead Sea.

Sadducees

A Jewish sect that only memorized and accepted the Torah, did not believe in an afterlife, and disappeared after the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 AD.

Pharisees

A Jewish sect that memorized the entirety of the TaNaKh.

Rabbi

The Hebrew word meaning 'teacher.'

Yoke

A rabbi's specific interpretation of the TaNaKh.

The Shema

The foundational prayer found in Deuteronomy 6, recognized as the first prayer every Jewish child learns.

Tabernacle

A portable place of worship built out of cloth, designed with exterior walls to keep chaos out and the Holy of Holies in the center as the dwelling place of God with man, symbolic of rebuilding paradise.

Gentile

A term used to describe non-Jewish people.

Messiah

A promised figure whose title literally means 'to be smeared w/ oil' or anointed.

Anointed

The act of having oil poured on holy things or people.

Israel (Name Meaning)

Meaning 'one who wrestles w/ god'; the new name given to Jacob after wrestling with God.

Moses

The leader who fled Egypt to Midian after killing a guard, was spoken to by God through a burning bush, and was called to demand the release of Jewish slaves through the ten plagues.

Mosaic Covenant

A conditional covenant given at Mount Sinai around 1400 BC defining what it means to be Jewish; encompasses 613 laws, the Ten Commandments, moral/civil/ceremonial laws, and the sacrificial system.

Abrahamic Covenant

An unconditional covenant established in Genesis 12 (c. 1800 BC) wherein God promises to fix things and bless the whole world through Abraham's family.

Adam

The Hebrew word for 'Human'; in Genesis, he lost eternal life upon departing from the Garden and the Tree of Life.

Eve

The figure identified in Genesis as the 'mother of all things.'

The Fall

The term used by Christians (not Jews) for the events of Genesis 3 involving Satan, the forbidden fruit, the knowledge of good and evil, and the return to chaos.

TaNaKh

The Hebrew library of scrolls consisting of 24 scriptures edited over centuries and written in Hebrew and Aramaic, comprised of the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim.

Torah

The first section of the Hebrew Bible meaning 'Teaching' or 'Law'; composed of 5 scrolls defining Jewish law and identity.

Nevi'im

The second section of the TaNaKh meaning 'Prophets,' containing 8 scrolls.

Ketuvim

The third section of the TaNaKh meaning 'Writings.'

Prophet

A messenger of God whose job is to create order, convey truth about God, and accuse Israel of wrongdoing to call them to repent (turn away).

Holy

An attribute of God defined as being 'set apart.'

Creation (Genesis 1-2)

The process of bringing order out of chaos over seven days, establishing human dignity, worth, dominion, and the image of God.