Monotheism The belief in only one God Tanakh Hebrew bible Very large book Torah First five books of the hebrew bible Basically a shorter version of th

Study Guide on Monotheism

Key Concepts

• Monotheism: The belief in only one God.

Texts and Scriptures

• Tanakh: The Hebrew Bible, a very large collection of texts.

• Torah: The first five books of the Hebrew Bible; a shorter version of the Tanakh that recounts the origins of humanity and Judaism. Contains the basic laws of Judaism.

• Talmud: A collection of Jewish law and tradition, containing two components:

  • Mishnah: The codification of laws.

  • Gemara: Commentary and discussion on the Mishnah.

Prophets and Covenants

• Definition of a Prophet: A person who speaks the word of God.

• Covenant: An agreement.

  • First Covenant: The agreement between God and Abraham, where God promises to take care of His people in return for their commitments. Symbolized by the circumcision of Jewish men.

  • Second Covenant: The agreement between the Jewish people and Moses, which includes the delivery of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Historical Kings of Israel

1. Saul: The first king, seen as a tragic figure.

2. David: The second king, popular for uniting tribes and establishing Jerusalem as the capital.

3. Solomon: The third king, known for building the First Temple and considered the most powerful.

Temples of Judaism

• First Jewish Temple: Built by Solomon, destroyed by the Babylonians (Nebuchadnezzar) in 586 BCE.

• Second Jewish Temple: Rebuilt after the Babylonian exile and later upgraded by Herod; destroyed by the Romans (under Titus) in 70 CE. The Western Wall is the only surviving part of the Second Temple.

Diaspora

• Diaspora: The scattering of the Jewish population around the Roman Empire, preventing them from uniting.

Branches of Judaism

• Reform: More relaxed, allows changes in rules, women can become rabbis.

• Orthodox: Strict observance of rules, traditional dress, separated education for boys and girls.

• Conservative: A middle ground between Reform and Orthodox, combining aspects of both.

• Hasidic: Ultra-Orthodox, very strict, distinct traditional dress, typically living in separate communities, known for strong support networks.

Jewish Holidays

• Sabbath: Day of rest lasting from sundown Friday to one hour after sundown Saturday; work is prohibited.

• Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year, lasts two days; focuses on repairing relationships, marked by the blowing of the shofar.

• Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement, observed with fasting, prayer, and confession.

• Pesach (Passover): Celebrates liberation from Egypt, lasts 7 or 8 days, involves eating unleavened bread and ritual feasts called seders.

• Hanukkah: Means dedication; commemorates the rededication of the Temple; lasts 8 days with the lighting of the menorah and festive foods like jelly donuts.

Jewish Geographic Areas

• Ashkenazi: Jews from Russia, Ukraine, and Central/Eastern Europe who speak Yiddish.

• Sephardic: Jews from Spain, Portugal, North Africa, and the Middle East who speak Ladino.

• Mizrahi: Jews from the Middle East and Central Asia.

• Ethiopian Jews: Jews from Ethiopia.