Category: Judaism

Sacred texts such as the Tenach, Talmud and Torah give guidance for all jews as to what they should be doing to live right and just with God. Judaism supports its adherents through these texts to ensure that they live their lives as good jews and have a fulfilling future and hope. Key correspondents to ensuring that the Jewish faith is followed right are the teachings of Rabbi Soloman Isaac (Rashi), Marriage and sexual ethics. All correlating back to the main point, does Judaism support its adherents?

Judaism does indeed support its adherents effectively through various ways. Born in Troyes, France in 1040, Rabbi Isaac Soloman, otherwise known as Rashi, is indeed a key part of everyday Jewish life. Rashi gave extensive and comprehensive commentaries that he wrote on the Tenach and the Talmud while also contributing immensely to education and politics. Throughout Rashi’s time to present day he is still one of the most referred to commentators on the Tenach and Talmud. Today, Rashi’s commentaries continue to assist jews to debate laws, including in the political area. He translated the Tenach + Talmud from Hebrew into French, thereby making these sacred texts accessible to french Jewry. This gave the French an opportunity to ‘live their lives in a manner that will give a future and hope’. Jews saw Rashi as a gift to the people due to his incredible ability. He is a perfect example of how Judaism supports its adherents as he gave various Jewish adherent communities the ability to love right and just not only with God but with the 613 mitzvah. This in turn supported them in being able to live their lives in a right manner with god and gave them a future and hope within the religion.

Rashi had benefited from outstanding education under such Rabbi’s as Yitzchak Haleviin, prestigious Yeshivas in Worms and Mainz in Germany. The solid foundation he gained from these studies enabled him to, in-turn, contribute to the education of Jews, specifically in his home town of Troyes.Rashi’s Yeshiva provided such a rich environment that a group scholars known as the Tosafot emerged. They, in-turn, developed a body of scholarly literature known as the super commentaries, which further developed and expanded upon Rashi’s commentaries. In this way the community of Jews collectively developed a deep understanding of their laws, and the community was sustained and scholarship expanded. Therefore Rashi provided support to Jewish adherents through education which enabled them to live at one with God. Which, in-turn, gave access for them to live their lives in a manner that gave a future and peace.

Marriage in the Jewish society consists of two separate acts. Kidushin (Betrothal ceremony)and chuppah (Actual wedding ceremony). Marriage for Jews is seen through 3 key themes as personal, contractual and relationship. It focuses on the Ketubah which is an integral part of the traditional Jewish wedding. Marriage allows loving companionship between the bride and groom according to Genesis – “ it is not good that man should be alone… Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they become one flesh” Genesis 2:18 and 24. Marriage for Jews is not only seen as significant to the people getting married but also for the community. The brakhot blessing reminds the couple and the congregation of the blessings of God for each other and for the community. It reminds them of God who created them by giving them life and who brought them together and will bless them through their lives. Jewish marriage supports the adherents’ lives as it brings two families together. It is an integral part of community life which galvanizes the community and identifies them with Judaism therefore giving them a future and hope. The elements of the Jewish marriage affirm Jewish beliefs. When the bride around the groom 7 times they are reminded of their belief in one god who created the world in seven days and of the seven patriarchs in jewish history. Jewish marriage supports its adherents by connecting them not only with themselves but with the community, allowing them to live their lives in a manner that will give a fruitful future and hope.

Judiasm considers sex as a gift from god, natural, holy and to be enjoyed while married.However in Judaism each variant of this religion has a different view on sexual ethics. Reformed Jews have rejected the traditional view of Jewish law on homosexuality and bisexuality. As such, they do not prohibit the ordination of openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people. The progressive/reformed is the full inclusion of the LGBTQ. According to Herman Wouk, author of This is my God, The Jewish Way Of Life, “Judaism regards sex as the cord that secures the union of two lovers for life: for shared strength, pleasure and ease, and for the rearing of children.” In 2015, the Reform Jewish Movement led the religious community in affirming the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people. The Movement stated that it: ‘Affirms its commitment to the full equality, inclusion, and acceptance of people of all gender identities and gender expressions.’ Sexual ethics contribute to the daily life of Jews as some parts of the religion do not accept people who are gay or bi. This is important because different parts of Judaism such as the reformed and Conservative accept people of the LGBTQ community to support them to live their lives as good jews. In Progresive Judaism, pre/extra marital sex is universally frowned upon; according to some authorities, it even falls under a biblical prohibition. The written Torah never forbids sex outside the context of marriage, with the exception of adultery and incest. The gap between the present day theory and reality facing Reform Jews who remain unmarried and sexually active. “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Hebrews 13:4) The Torah doesn’t directly prohibit premarital sex. Indeed, at times, rabbinic authorities and traditional sources are lenient during this area. All-in-all Judaism supports its adherents through sexual ethics by providing leniency in most cases and different types of Jews allowing communities such as the LGBTQ to be at one with god. This allows them to live their lives in a positive manner with God and will give a future and hope for them.

In conclusion, Judaism has and still does support its adherents through the still referenced Rabbi Rashi, marriage and sexual ethics. Because as stated in “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and hope.”(Jeremiah 29:11). God has plans for all no matter who, to give a fruitful future and positive hope.

Mind

This topic interested me not only because you can write a lot about it, but because it seems to me it is important for each person. Throughout our whole life, we are trying to answer this question so that at the end we can turn around and remember everything that has happened to us and be sure that life has been lived not in vain. Human life as a whole is an amazing mystery. We unexpectedly appear in this world, live our lives and after some time disappear. Each of us lives a life full of emotions. I believe that, sooner or later, a person can realize that he, like any other person, could not come along, and in principle, nothing would have changed, since each of us brings something new to our world.

So what is a person born for? After all, he is not the cause of his appearance in the world. Why do we need a life with all our achievements, falls, joy and sorrow, pleasure and torment, peace and war? Why do we experience different spectra of emotions, why do we love or hate? Why did it take so long to acquire one’s opinion, defend it, prove it, protest, disagree, organize revolutions? After all, in the end, we all die. This is the whole mystery for me because everything that we will do in life will sooner or later become useless to anyone because we will disappear.

Our mind tries to find meaning in everything that happens with us and around us: the features of natural phenomena, in acts, thoughts, etc. Without reasoning and analyzing, it cannot calmly exist and adequately perceive the world. For the same reason, our mind is trying to find the meaning of our existence. After all, all the components of our body and body have some specific functions and purpose – which means that the person as a whole must have a meaning.

In our world, everything is expedient and everything has some function and meaning. For example, a train – it consists of a huge number of parts and mechanisms that function to make the train move, at the same time the train itself also has a task to take us from point A to point B. This means that the same conclusion can be made about us, because we also have organs, and scientists have long proved that each of the organs has its own function to support our life, that is, there is a sense in every human component. And then it is natural to believe: if there is meaning in all the constituent parts of a person, then the person himself should have a purpose.

Not only the mind obliges a person to seek an answer to the question about the meaning of life: this search is a natural human need. Each of us has a need for meaningfulness, which comes from the deeply embedded desire in a person to feel his own worth, that he needs someone, that his strengths and abilities can be applied and will be appreciated by someone. As an example, children can serve, most often they go to school and earn good grades, not for their own sake, but for their parents to praise. Therefore, the human is unbearable the idea that his/her life is meaningless and does not mean anything, that is why human wants so much that there should not be “shame for the aimlessly lived years.”

Soul

The essence of a person – his soul – does not suddenly appear from nowhere at the moment of birth of a person. It exists before it appears in this world. In essence, the soul is part of the Creator. And since the Creator is timeless and eternal, the soul of a human is also eternal. The soul is in a state of waiting in the place intended for it, where it rests and enjoys the proximity of the Light of the Creator. At some stage, according to the Plan and the Will of the Creator, the moment comes for this very soul to descend into the world. The soul comes to this world in order to pass the test, make itself more perfect and leave this world, reaping the fruits of its own efforts. Pleasure, creation, reproduction, development I read many articles about the Jewish meaning of life, one of those that interested me narrated about the dialogue between a man and his teacher. From this text, I learned 4 ideas about the meaning of life:

It was said that in the first five days God created the earth, and at the end of each day of creation he looked at what was done and saw that “this is good.” And on the sixth day he wanted someone to share his joy, a viewer who could appreciate the beauty of the world created by him (the animals could not do this) appeared – and for this purpose, he created the Man and commanded him to enjoy the beauty of the world. And this is the first meaning of life. If you enjoy the sky, the sun, the rain, enjoy the taste of food or the smell of a flower, then your life is meaningful because you become a true connoisseur of God’s art and thanks to you God is not alone in his admiration. If the only thing that a person did in his life was happy and enjoyed, his life is already meaningful, because he fulfilled the first prescription of God.

The second meaning of life – God created a man of his own kind – which means he also created him as a Creator and invited him to co-create. And Man began to complement the world of God: draw pictures, build buildings, compose music. God did not paint with oil paintings, but the man-artist saw and recreated the world in his own way, and God looked at the art of his hands and said now what the man had done: ‘this is good.’ And God became a spectator of man’s creations, just as man is a spectator of God’s creation. And therefore it does not matter whether a lot of people are appreciated by a person’s creativity – it’s enough that the music of words or colors would please God – and then his second prescriptive will be fulfilled.

“God said to the people: breed and multiply” – this is the third meaning of life. In fact, it is incredibly important and surprisingly to create a new person, to put knowledge in him, to bring upand grow. Thus, a new generation of Jews is born, which bears something new and incredibly important for our culture and religion. In our religion, every Jew is worth its weight in gold, because we respect each other and appreciate because we are one people. God created a human like himself, but not equal to himself – not as perfect as himself. There was a gap between Man and God, and therefore God commanded man to grow in order to reduce this gap, to become more perfect, to get closer to God – this is the fourth and in my opinion the most important meaning of life – development.

Torah

The Torah is given to us in order to form and learn something new throughout our life. This means that the Torah that we have kept is given by God and contains not only the way of life but also the key to understanding our being for all times, because it is eternal, just as He Who bestowed it. This is not a collection of theories, philosophies, and speculations, but a practical guide to everyday life, valid always and everywhere.

However, the text of the Torah is not so simple to understand, and its true meaning is difficult and deep enough, including even for those who study it, for centuries the wise men tried to comment on certain of its provisions for other people. Some commentators, such as Rashi, have prepared comments on virtually every sentence of the Written Torah. In addition, according to tradition, Moses on Mount Sinai, along with the Written Torah, also received an Oral one, which reveals a deep, hidden meaning, complements the Written Torah and explains what is “unsaid” there.

Here, in the Torah, in the Written and in the Oral, the meaning of human life on earth is clearly marked. If to explain in a nutshell, it means living in accordance with the Torah, fulfilling its prescriptions, and observing its prohibitions. The meaning of life is to live according to the Torah, perform mitzvot and live a natural life. There are people who love to teach the Torah and teach it.

You can not force a person to learn more than he can master. Everyone learns – by his condition, by his nature, and by his abilities. If you ask about the meaning of life from any rabbi who studies only the Torah and the Talmud all his life, his answer will be short – the point is to live every day according to the laws of God and be sure to be righteous. I thought because for me the meaning of life was a bit different in perspective, so I asked one of the rabbis I knew: “Is this really all? Is the meaning of life only to live according to the Torah? ”. To this, he replied: “Of course. After all, when a person lives righteously, according to the laws of the Talmud and the Torah, he lives happily. The main thing is not to forget about it at every stage of your life, to remember the large role of a person who was born not without a reason”.

The Torah also envisioned the precarious nature of man and the temptations and trials that he, being a creature of flesh and blood, meets in his life. It is difficult for a person, it is almost impossible to never make mistakes, and the Torah says that in case of a mistake you don’t have to despair: the person always opens the way ְּתׁשּוָבה – returning to God, returning to the right path, and the error itself can become a kind of springboard for jumping forward, for further improvement. Judaism encourages everyone to read two holy books – the Torah and the Talmud, in order to more subtly understand all the laws of God. After all, those on Earth do not always understand what the sky wants to say. That is why one must live even in order to understand the meaning of existence through the holy word. Even in Sholem Aleichem, in the book about the boy Motla, almost all the main characters know that they need to attend services and read the Talmud, to be pious, fair and just. And everyone knows that God is doing everything that a person needs. Even when a person perceives it as a disaster. Is a man dead? This happened because God needed that. So he wanted to take this devout man or woman into another world. Did someone get sick? So God wanted it.

For Christians and Buddhists, the meaning of life in the form of serving God is not very clear, although there are quite a few common nuances. Christians also believe that it is necessary to live by the law of God’s commandments, but for them, the meaning of life is not to piety and interpret each event as chanting the glory of God. Judaism sees the meaning of life very original. This is one of the reasons why Jews are so pious and able to carry their faith through the ages. And it’s true because our people survived so many disasters and incredible persecutions, but still managed to survive and not lose faith!

Holocaust

However, I am worried about one question concerning one of the worst tragedies for a whole nation of Jews – the Holocaust. For 75 years from the beginning of the Holocaust (from June 1941), a lot of documentary and artistic materials and eyewitness memories of barbaric extermination of Jews have been collected. The implementation of the systematic elimination of the Jewish population in the world was begun in Europe with particular thoroughness in order to destroy the carriers of even a small fraction of Jewish blood. This tragedy affected every surviving Jew in European countries who had lost dozens of relatives. The official number of the dead is underestimated since there is no documentary evidence. Were shot, burned, buried alive, entire families were poisoned in gas chambers.

The Sinai Scholars program includes meals in various religious Jewish families. One evening we had the opportunity to visit one wonderful person – Rabbi Biederman. He shared his thoughts with us during the evening, told interesting stories, and finally asked if anyone had any questions. One of my comrades asked: ‘If God is so supportive of our people if he loves our people, then why did the Holocaust occur, which destroyed a huge number of people belonging to our religion?’ This question has touched the feelings of everyone sitting in the room, and also made me think. The Rabbi answered that he could not give an answer, because he himself did not understand why such bloodshed happened to our people, but he also shared a deep thought: “Imagine that our whole life and history is a movie. And all that happened is part of the film, we don’t know how it will all end”. These words made me understand that everything in our lives is not just like that, and perhaps what happened is an indicator for a new generation that now lives in peace. We need to think and be a single force, because if we are together, unite because we are one powerful people, then dark days will never come again in our lives.

Kabbalah

While writing the work, I thought that we have been studying the meaning of life all our lives. But doesn’t everyone have own the meaning of life? It seems to me that this is the case, since people are completely different from each other, and everyone has their own meaning in life. But in order to find it, there is a system called ‘Kabbalah’, which gives us a tool in our hands, how to grasp our meaning of life. Each has its own soul, its own source of a soul, its own purpose, its own way to the goal, to achieve the meaning of life, and therefore everyone goes his own way. But you still need to know how to go, so as not to rest on a dead end, not to disappear somewhere, not to deviate by one degree, which will then turn into a large deviation, perhaps even fatal. In order to properly achieve the goal, we need certain guides, navigators, skills – all that is necessary for the traveler. This is what Kabbalah supplies us with. Kabbalah allows us to discover the navigator of our life within us. And then we, as in the car, which with the help of the navigator goes to a given point, see how we move, where, how not to deviate to the side, go the shortest way to achieve all the best, to the correct goal of life, so that the navigator shows us what is she!

As far as I understand, many people have one life goal: the most comfortable state for each of us. But for all, it is individual, it is own because each has its own soul, its own source, its own set of parameters. And therefore, everyone should come to his most comfortable state his own way, heading to his point – this is what I understood from the lesson about Kabbalah.

Purpose

Many believe that a meaningful life should have a framework. At first glance, the presence of a goal limits human freedom. For example, if the goal is to reach point A, then you should only move in that direction. And then no longer get to point B, no matter how desirable. Studying at Lauder Business School, I realized that if your goal is to pass an exam, then you need to sit and study, and not going to have fun, even if you want more. Most often, restrictions seem undesirable, but in fact, it is a restriction, taken as a personal decision, allows you to achieve your goal. So with the purpose of human life. Having a goal outwardly limits a person’s freedom; for all his actions, speech and thoughts must correspond to the purpose of creation. But it is precisely the position of self-restraint that is consciously chosen by the person himself and allows him to achieve the goal.

About meaning and meaninglessness

The presence or absence of meaning will depend on the result of life at the end of life. If by the end of a person’s life there are all moments, all his deeds, statements, thoughts, dreams, experiences, etc. gather in a certain natural result, which means life makes sense, both in general and in every living moment, in every detail of existence.

But if at the end of life there is no result, and nothing waits for a person, emptiness, then there is no sense not only in life as a whole but in the whole life process, in all its details and intermediate goals.

Suppose someone is going to go abroad. To do this, he needs to take certain actions: buy a ticket, get a visa, pack things in suitcases and so on. The result of all the preparations becomes the flight abroad.

If in the end the goal — the journey — is realized, then all the actions taken will acquire meaning, becoming parts of the overall process. But if all the preparations were made, and as a result, the trip did not take place, then all intermediate actions lose meaning. These intermediate actions consist, in turn, of many other intermediate actions. For example, to pack things in a suitcase, you must first iron the shirt, and for that, fix the iron; you need to collect toiletries, and for this – go to the store and buy shampoo; etc. All these actions make sense, as they lead to the goal – to pack a suitcase. But if the intermediate goal was realized and the suitcase was assembled, and the final goal – the trip – was not realized, then all these preparations become meaningless.

In other words, just as the cancellation of the trip made all the preparations for it meaningless in the given figurative example, so death turns the whole life of a person into empty vanity.

Conclusion

If one goes through all the most intimate desires of a person, then his instinctive desire to live is basic. And if you live, then without suffering, in pleasure. And if you live in pleasure, you no longer want life to stop, you want to live like this forever. It turns out that the all-encompassing desire of a person lies in the fact that he longs for a life of eternal enjoyment.

The intuition of man does not fail him: it is for this purpose that man is created. The meaning of human existence is to build your own “self” in the course of a given life, able to deserve the eternal enjoyment of closeness to the Creator. A naked person comes to this world, naked and leaves, without taking anything with him. Everything acquired and contrived will remain in this world and will eventually disappear, and only your “I”, created by hard work, will remain in eternal enjoyment. If a person succeeds in his own efforts to transform the material life given to him into spiritual life, that is, to spiritualize a material one, then such a spiritual life will never end, it will continue forever.

I came to the conclusion that I need to pay more attention to the Torah, because it will be able to give me a lot of advice, as well as teach me how to act in certain situations, so that in the end I could throughout my whole life (which I hope will be long ) spiritualize the material, and come closer to the Creator.

Orthodox Jews are considered the most traditional members of the Jewish community. They live their lives by the Torah, which are the first 5 books of the Jewish Bible. Orthodox Judaism has made a point not to change its observances and has kept close practices such as daily worship, dietary laws, traditional prayers and ceremonies, regular study of the Torah, and separation of men and women in the synagogue. It also preaches strict observance of the Sabbath and religious festivals and does not permit instrumental music during communal services. Orthodox Jews often consult a rabbi before making major life decisions, including matters of health care, to ensure adherence to Jewish law. Saving or preserving life, is a fundamental principal for Orthodox Jews when considering decisions about health care. Life is viewed as a divine gift, and should be treasured and protected. This principal creates an imperative, such that most other religious obligations are permitted or required to be set aside if doing so will result in saving or prolonging someone’s life. Orthodox Jews value being able to be in their homes, surrounded by familiar and caring people, when their needs can be met there. There is support for patients, whether children who have complex medical needs or the elderly who are nearing the end of their lives, is of the upmost importance in the Orthodox Jewish community. This care may be provided informally by individuals or through community organizations.

The familial structure of the Orthodox Jewish is the central unit of life. Orthodox Jews have very tight knit families and are very involved in caring for each other. It is how traditions are passed along to each generation and is of upmost importance. It is forbidden to judge or contradict your parents and parents are bound by Judaism and God’s laws, so there can be a dichotomy to the unit if the parental opinions differ from religious teachings. In Judaism, parents are seen as partners with God in a child’s creation, and they should receive deference similar to that given to God. Some people might respond by deferring to more observant relatives in situations where healthcare concerns arise. Hassidic groups are led by a ‘Rebbe’ (teacher) who holds a most important place in the lives of his parishioners. His authority in all matters, be they religious, personal, social or even political, is beyond dispute. Non-Hassidic communities also defer greatly to their leader (Rav) even though he is given enormous respect, his authority is deliberately restricted to legal or ritual matters. His role is much more as a teacher than a life leader. The Rav generally does not intrude on personal choices, where the Rebbe is centrally involved in personal life decisions.

So how do we as EMS providers, care for our patients and understand the cultural needs they have? Ask the family what their wishes and concerns are culturally, as every patient and patient’s family is different. Be prepared to work with the Rabbi or elders in the family, answering questions and respecting their input as allowed by the patient. Some Jewish families will be much more concerned with Jewish law than others. Some patients will have specific requests about modesty, or ways to celebrate Jewish holidays. Be willing to have a provider of the same sex with the patient if possible, be understanding, and willing to work within the confines of their beliefs as long as it does not interfere with their health care. In the Jewish religion, preservation of life is of upmost importance, and with explanation of why procedures need to be completed, you will most likely find acceptance.

The period in which Judaism flourished since the return of the Babylonian exiles and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem under Persian auspices is known as Second Temple Judaism. In actuality, scholarship on the time period frequently concentrates on the 4th century BCE and the years that followed, lasting until the 2nd century CE (Simkovich). Second Temple Judaism, sometimes incorrectly referred to as “inter-testamental” Judaism, took on significance as a transitional period between the ancient Israelite faith and the emergence of Christianity and Orphic rabbinic Judaism in their distinctly post-sacrificial forms in late antiquity (Simkovich). This work was written to analyze the book “Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories that Shaped Early Judaism.”

A better comprehension of the geographic and historical context in which the Temple was expanded will enhance one’s enjoyment of it. Jerusalem was ruled by the Romans during the time in question, yet it continued to be the capital of Judea and the hub of Judaism worldwide (Simkovich). This little ancient city needed temporary expansions in the food supply, lodging, ceremonial bathing facilities, and all forms of commerce to deal with the crowds of people as well as their donated animals and sacrifices.

The focus of Second Temple Judaism was not on synagogues, which did not develop until the third century BCE, but rather on reading and studying the Bible, visiting the Temple, and performing regular animal sacrifices. Torah, or ritual law, was equally significant, and Temple priests were tasked with passing it on, but the idea of scripture took much longer to catch on (Simkovich). Even if the Prophets and the written Torah were acknowledged as authoritative by the first century CE, the various Jewish sects continued to see other collections of writings as authoritative after this time.

It has been referred to as “postexilic,” “post-biblical,” or “late Judaism” in reference to the former, and “prerabbinic” or “early Judaism” in relation to the latter. It has been researched more and more for its own purpose and according to its own standards, especially after the discovery and publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls. By the 1970s, a new emphasis on the diversity of the Judaism from which Christianity sprang had given birth to a fledgling discipline (Simkovich). Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 20th century provided fresh perspectives on how important this time period was for the growth of Judaism as well (Simkovich). The Second Temple era has also emerged as a new focus for research on halacha, purity, and biblical interpretation (Simkovich). It has long been thought that this time period was crucial for Jewish engagement with the Greek language and literature, as well as for the spread of Jewish communities throughout the Mediterranean region. As a reader, the outline is clear, so one can say that it helps in understanding what is happening in the section.

Four sections of this book weave together the past and the present. The first section recounts contemporary accounts of Second Temple literature finds. The author showed the Jewish communities that thrived both in Israel and the Diaspora are discussed in Part 2. The lives, worldviews, and notable writings of Second Temple authors are examined in Part 3. In order to convey messages to the populace, section four looks at how authors of the time presented new, revised, and extended versions of Bible stories (Simkovich). Simkovich’s appealing writing style will captivate readers and help them comprehend how Jews at this time chose to follow their faith and interpret its texts in light of a cultural environment very dissimilar from that of their Israelite predecessors (Simkovich). They gave an ancient religion relevance in a rapidly evolving world, much like many contemporary Jews do today.

Numerous religious currents evolved, and significant cultural, theological, and political advancements took place as Second Temple Judaism grew. The Second Temple period is where the Hebrew Bible canon, the synagogue, and Jewish eschatology first emerged. The Second Temple, which was built as a scaled-down counterpart of the original structure, lacks a known exact plan. Two courtyards with chambers, gates, and a common area around it. The First Temple’s ritual items were absent, and the loss of the Ark itself was particularly significant.

In conclusion, Judaism, throughout the Second Temple period, was divided into numerous groups that embraced various worldviews. While not exactly the same as the Qumran people who bequeathed us the Dead Sea Scrolls, John the Baptist belonged to the apocalyptic branch of early Judaism. There were numerous Jewish groups with various ideologies and customs, even among the apocalyptic wing. They all shared the belief that the end of the world as we know it and the unfolding of time in accordance with a divinely designed plan was imminent. One of these events in the eschatological picture was the Messiah’s arrival. Early Jewish literature frequently refers to a messianic figure who will appear at the end of time. John the Baptist is firmly rooted in Jewish apocalypticism due to his message of doom and his declaration of the coming of the Messiah.

Work Cited

Simkovich, Malka. Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism. Jewish Publication Society, 2018.

Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world. History reveals that Judaism has existed for more than four thousand years ago. Historians point out that Judaism is the religion with the least number of followers globally. Besides Zoroastrianism, Islam, and Christianity, Judaism is among the four major monotheistic faiths present in the modern world. Monotheistic adherents have a firm conviction that God exists as one. The construction of Judaism is rooted in this assertion.

Judaism has many followers on various continents. Although widely practiced by Jews, Judaism practices and beliefs have attracted other cultures across the world. It is estimated that about fourteen million of the world Jew population claim Judaism tenets of beliefs. The religion is mostly concentrated in Europe, Israel, the United States, and some parts of Asia.

According to Hannabuss (16), whereas Judaism is connected with the rabbis of the second century, many historians believe that Hillel, a Pharisee, was the real founder. Hillel Immigrated to Palestine during the first century B.C.E. His immigration was sparked by King Herod’s decision to dissolve the Hasmonean priesthood (Forta, 116). Hillel influenced many followers; this made his appeal to the majority of them.

Besides, he was found to possess the “holy spirit,” based on his personality attributes. He was patient, humble, loving, and peaceful. These moral attributes were exemplified in his personal precept of embracing personal responsibility and being careful to avoid endangering the well-being of the society. Hillel further illustrated these values by harmonizing himself and others in his lawful enactments, the Prosbol. The Prosbol negated the biblical decree that demanded the liberation of all debts a person had every seven years.

The origin can also be traced to the region of Canaan, present-day Israel. It originated as a method of practices and beliefs of the people referred to as “Israel,” Rabbinic, or Classical (Forta, 98). However, in the earlier periods of growth, Judaism did not emerge strongly. It was until the first century when the strength of Judaism started to be felt. Judaic heritage is anchored in the covenant made between God, Abraham, and his ancestry. The covenant spelled out that; God will grant his descendants a holy land and make them sacred. For several years this covenant came true. This was illustrated in the prominent leaders of Israelite culture, such as Moses, Isaac, and Abraham himself.

Judaic followers believe in God as the Supreme Being. They believe that God created the world and all therein. Judaism beliefs are entrenched in the ethical, religious, and social laws, as they are presented in the five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Torah. Jews refer to the Bible or the holy book, the Tanakh, an ellipsis for the prophets, writings, and Torah. They also have other revered texts (Forta, 103). They include; the Mild rash (oral law), and the Talmud (holiest book) legal, the rabbinic and narrative control of the Torah (Warren, 238)

Judaism has various rites that shape their religious practices. The primary ritual of the Jews is the circumcision of baby boys (Hannabuss, 16). The circumcision was and is still done when the boy is eight days. The rite came into being when God authorized Abraham to circumcise himself, the male members of his family, and his descendants. This was to illustrate the Divine Covenant God had made with him, and his offspring’s as the preferred people of Israel.

The rite has prevailed over the ages and serves as a rite of passage into the entry in the Jewish community. For example, the uncircumcised males were not allowed to participate in the first sacrament of historical Judaism and the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb during the exodus (Forta, 123). Similarly, the uncircumcised person was “alienated” in the rabbinic traditions, the community of Israel, and from enjoying his or her future life in the perceived world to come (Solomon, 198).

The Jews believe that the soul of the uncircumcised perishes with his body. Thus such a person is not likely to experience the anticipated renewal at the end of the time of the Messianic age. A professional surgeon called Mohel carries out this rite. The rite entailed giving a baby a Hebrew name accompanied by a commemorative feast (Solomon, 112).

Judaism also practices the tradition of mourning a lost relative. When a relative dies, the burial is done in less than twenty-four hours. The volunteers or holy society, called Cheryra Kadisha, perform ritual cleansing on the body of the deceased. The body is buried in white shrouds. For men, the tallit or fringed prayer shawl is used (Solomon, 74). One fringe is often detached or removed to make it unsuitable for ritual use. The Judaic law restricts using any materials which are not eco-friendly. These materials include; metals in the burial of a casket. Most Jew religious leaders are buried in plain made pine boxes with no hinges, decorations, and nails.

The third ritual of the Jews is marriage. A wedding is a main canopy of Judaism. It is the moment of social and personal transition. The female and male assume new responsibilities as productive members of the community. The wedding fulfills the first Mitzah (commandment) of the Torah, being fruitful and multiply. Hence the wedding is a fundamental transition to Jewish institutions for the welfare of the community (Warren, 249). The marriage is usually arranged by peer groups.

Judaism tends to avoid using symbols as representations during worship. However, there exist some special symbols that are commonly displayed in many Jewish institutions and synagogues, places of Jews worship. Similarly, traditional Judaism created objects of art. They were restricted for decorative purposes. They included breastplates and silver crowns, which were used to adorn and cover Torah scrolls.

Additionally, silver wine beakers were designed for use during meals and the Sabbath festival (Warren, 164). Gold was shunned for religious use. This was because it had a connection with a biblical incident of idolatrous reverence of the golden calf.

Some other symbols are significant to Judaism, whose present is omnipresent in Jewish life. One of these symbols is Magen David, Star of David (Robinson and Rodrigues, 224). It is a popular image that reminds of the Jewish people of the height of Kind David, for whose restoration Jews pray for each day.

Judaism believes in sacred narratives. Hence this is reflected in the biblical construction of revelation, creation, and redemption. The origin of Jewish narratives is the Hebrew Scriptures. The thematic role is used to form a relationship between God and Israel. This is represented in three distinct ways; creation, revelation, and redemption.

Judaism believes in ultimate reality and Divine Beings. At the same time, many Jewish philosophers have traditionally connected reality with a theistic icon of God; there as had been an on-going deliberate about the character of God and the divine nature of the human relationship.

Jews believe in human nature and human existence. Human nature is deeply rooted in the divine image; thus, it has an infinite value. They also relate the purpose of human existence to the divine and human “other” (Robinson and Rodrigues, 145). They view this linkage as God’s covenant. While the Jew ascertain that they have a covenant with God as children of Israel, the rest of humanity seems to have a collective covenant connected with Noah’s children. The rabbis recognized the twofold character of human beings and positioned them amid earthly and heavenly creatures in the hierarchy.

Jews have continuously addressed the relationship between God, human and evil by representing a scale between those who preserve, recognize or rationalize God’s connection to evil and those who detest attributing any optimistic sense for the existence of evil on earth (Forte, 123). However, the Jewish view God in these circumstances as omnipresent, omnipotent, and goodness; God’s connection to evil is hazy in the light of unfair distress.

Jews’ reflection on the afterlife and salvation occurs from different perspectives. This is mainly what happens to the soul and the body after death. They are based on various medieval, rabbinic, theological sources, and folklore to understand the afterlife. Basing on folklores and scholarly sources throughout medieval times, Jews believe that there is a steady evolution of bodily death to the afterlife in which spirit remains connected through immortality or resurrection of the soul (Forte, 86). Rabbinic folklore indicates that souls of the dead continue to drift on earth in the hope of being restored to the body (Robinson and Rodrigues, 124). They suggest that the soul maintains a temporal correlation with the body in a kind of purgatory leading either to hell, Gehinnom, or paradise, Gan Eden.

Modern Judaism exists in four main movements; they include Conservatives, Orthodox, and Reformists. Despite their distinct views, Jews remain unified on the grounds of their common link to an array of consecrated narratives expressing their bond with God as righteous people.

Works Cited

Forte, Arye. Judaism. London: Heinemann, 1995. Print.

Hannabuss, Stuart. “The Cambridge Companion to American Judaism.” Reference Reviews (2006): 9 – 20. Print.

Robinson, Thomas Arthur & Rodrigues Hillary. World Religions. London: Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd, 2006. Print.

Solomon, Norman. Judaism. New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2009. Print.

Warren, Matthews. World Religions. Connecticut: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.

Introduction

The religion of Judaism, which plays a prevalent part in the culture and art of the Jewish peoples, is known for its tradition of Aniconism. The holy texts of the Old Testament specifically prohibit the drawing of God. It goes as follows: “Do not make yourselves false gods. Do not raise up a stone idol or a sacred pillar for yourselves. Do not place a kneeling stone in your land so that you can prostrate yourselves on it. I am God your Lord.” Because of this, religious art in Judaism is rare, and art is not used as a means of connecting with God. At the same time, this raises the question of whether it is possible to engage the mind without engaging the senses or not.

Main body

To answer the question, one must first understand how the mind works. For a person to be considered conscious and self-aware, one must possess a mind’s eye. It helps create an artificial landscape inside one’s imagination. If a person is deaf and blind, they can still imagine sounds and visuals, proving that the mind does not need to practice the senses in order to remain engaged.

However, creating art is impossible without engaging at least one of the senses. All art, whether music, poetry, or painting, engages at least one of the human’s senses. The connection between art and the divine is present in many religions, as some consider art an act of worshipping God. The book titled My Name is Asher Lev deals with the issue of self-expression. The main character, who is bestowed with an artistic gift, worships God in the best way he knows – through drawing symbolic art with heavy religious motives, which is seen as blasphemy by his people.

This brings the discussion back to the question of engaging the mind without engaging the senses. Even the strictest aniconic religions, such as Judaism, have produced art either dedicated to their God or depicting scenes from the holy texts. In Orthodox Christianity, there are icons of Saints, which are said to be capable of bringing about miracles. In Judaism, the prime examples of religious art are the Dura Europos Synagogue and the Beth Alpha Synagogue in Israel, both of which feature numerous depictions of people and events of the Abrahamic religion.

Conclusion

The conclusion connects these historical artifacts with the central idea of My Name is Asher Lev. While it is possible for the mind to remain engaged within its own mindscape, it is impossible to engage God and others without producing some sort of art that would engage the individuals on a personal level, through one or more of their senses. As demonstrated in the book, God calls to Asher Lev through the mindscape, which is effectively his sixth sense. Thus, the attempt of religion to censor art or forbid it based on the lines quoted at the beginning of this paper is impossible and even harmful, as the relationship between a person and God is explored through senses as well.

It is heartening to know that you have taken interest in learning more about one of the major and interesting religions in the world. I can help you with more information about Judaism as I have done a sort of research about it.

Judaism is the monotheistic religion of the Jews tracing its origin to Abraham, having its spiritual and ethical principle embodied chiefly in the Hebrew scripture and the Talmud. Ana, Judaism differs from many religions in modern times and to study it fully is a Herculean task as the subject is very vast. Their doctrines have influenced other religions like Christianity and Islam.

It has clung to a number of religious principles, the most important of which is the belief in a single, omniscient, omnipotent, benevolent, transcendent God, who created the universe and continues to govern it. According to traditional Jewish belief, the God who created the world established a covenant with the Israelites and revealed His laws and commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of Torah (Hebrew Bible) and the Jewish people are the descendants of Israelites. Even now the Jews are very good at observing the commandments written in the Torah.

Ana, you may be curious to know what makes a person Jewish. According to the traditional Jewish law, a Jew is anyone born of a Jewish mother or converted to Judaism in accord with Jewish law. All mainstream forms of Judaism are open to sincere converts. They also maintain that a Jew, whether by birth or conversion is a Jew forever.

There are different branches of this traditional religion. I will give you the details of one of the major branches called Conservative Judaism. It is also known as Masorti (Hebrew word for traditional) Judaism. It is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid 19^th century and took institutional form in the early 1990s. The main principles of Conservative Judaism are that they have total dedication to Halakha as a guide for lives and have a positive attitude towards modern culture and an acceptance of both traditional rabbinic modes of study and modern scholarships.

This branch has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive – Historical Judaism developed in 1850s Germany as a reaction to the more liberal religious positions taken by Reform Judaism. The term conservative was meant to signify that Jews should attempt to conserve Jewish tradition, rather than reform or abandon it and does not imply the movements’ adherence as politically conservative

Ana, as you already know that the eating habits of Jews are very peculiar. Certain foods are Kosher for them. It is very interesting to know that a Jewish body of law regulates the diet of a Jew. And their kitchen is always filled with a minimum of two dishes at a time.

Above all, the significance of observance is one of the main aspects to be discussed here. The conservative Jews’ life revolves around the observance of God’s commandments as written in Torah and expounded in the Talmud. The Sabbath is one of the most important ritual observances of the Conservative Jews. The Sabbath was also known as Shabbat in Hebrew and Shabbos in Yiddish is observed every Friday evening 1 hour after sundown. It is a day filled with prayer and Torah study. They remember the seventh day of creation, on which Jews are bidden to imitate God’s own rest. It is an occasion for songs of freedom and social justice praising the Holy One for removing the Hebrew slaves from oppression in the land of Egypt and for abstaining from the 39 categories of Mlacha (labor), which is described in the Torah.

Ana, hope you got a fair idea about what Judaism is all about. Hear from you soon.

The scholarly exploration of American Judaism has a legacy that extends as far as the first Jewish settlers came to the United States. Jews in the Diaspora face many issues of identity; amidst the Christian-centric, every changing American society we live in, developing our understanding of Judaism, of American Judaism in particular, is essential to our understanding of religion.

Two Orthodox scholars attempt to gain just such insight in their essays “American Judaism” by Chaim Waxman, and “The Essence of American Judaism” by Charles Liebman. Certainly, these essays explore different ideas in the same field—Waxman seeks to explain the numerous incarnations of Judaism as a religion, ethnicity, and culture, and the effect of American culture, while Liebman wrestles with the boundaries of Judaism, how it is defined, and the changes that occur among the denominations. Both authors come together in their perceived pessimistic tone and the prophecies they forecast for the future of American Jewry. Though there are some difficulties in discovering an accurate portrayal of the Jewish community in the United States, the results are well worth the effort: we see the rapidly changing nature of Judaism and religion in general when engrained with American culture.

Both authors begin by capturing a loose definition of Judaism, and explaining some of the issues involved with defining this entity. Waxman introduces a study on the Yankee City Jews of New York in an effort to show his determination to define Judaism as the Jews do.

“They did not cease to define themselves as a religioethnic group, nor proceed to become solely an ethnic group, nor seek to eliminate the ethnic component of Jewishness in order to define Jewishness as solely a matter of religion, as Reform had done” (Waxman 102).

He uses this group to make insightful generalizations about American Judaism throughout his piece. For Liebman, the task of defining American Judaism is much of what his piece comprises. He found that the defining boundaries of Judaism were dependent on whether it was defined as a religion, ethnicity, culture, even a civilization.

He further explains that in looking at American Judaism as its own ethnicity and religion that, “…there was a structure or an essence called Judaism, and the behavior or beliefs of individual Jews could be measured by the extent to which they conformed to or deviated from the norms and beliefs of Judaism” (Liebman 133). Liebman uses the similarities among denominations in Judaism as the most effective ruler for defining what Judaism is and is not.

Waxman iterates this connection between religion, ethnicity, and culture in his essay as well. In the beginning of his essay, he prefaces, “This essay goes beyond those data and examines American Jewish patterns of religious behavior as well as belief in a socio-historical context. In an effort to unravel the meaning behind these actions or convictions, I examine and interpret the various patterns, their changes over time, and their relationship with the broader patterns of religious behavior and belief within American society” (Waxman 101). This is Waxman’s way of presenting his work as a comparative study: of Judaism to other religions, of Jewish denomination to Jewish denomination, even of Jew to Jew. He studies and surveys the opinions of American Jews themselves to see how they define themselves. He notes as the writing continues that though the rituals and traditions of Judaism continue to assimilate into the daily rituals of American life, the focus on social justice and charity is foremost among all denominations and continues to be a contributing factor to the definition of American Judaism as a culture.

In Waxman’s unique perspective, he examines the threat of Americanization in Judaism. He sees the generic religion of America, surely some type of Christian hybrid, as one based on the materialistic desires of the typical American. Perhaps this materialism has spawned from the age of the American Dream where the goal was to work hard to achieve economic and social success. In post-materialist American Judaism, Waxman sees a need for spirituality. This need increases the utilization of religion among American Jews to finding meaning, fulfillment, and guidance in their lives.

Waxman believes, as Liebman does, that American Judaism continues to factionalize because of the generally held belief among Jews that they can sort of “pick and choose” what tenets of the religion they agree with and which they don’t, which traditions and rituals to follow and which to disregard. Whereas Liebman spends time sorting through the difference among denominations, Waxman discusses the subject without the aforementioned social justice has taken priority over observance among the majority of American Jews, making charity and social cohesiveness the foremost defining quality of Judaism in the United States.

Liebman attempts to capture the essence of American Judaism. The way he sees it, somewhat unlike Waxman, the difference among denominations is a major factor in contributing to the definition of American Judaism. He sees certain “markers” amongst most major Jewish organizations (such as the bar and bat mitzvah, and views on Jewish marriage) that, though sometimes ignored on an individual basis, are unanimous enough to be a true tenet of the religion. In the same way, beliefs that have become steadfast amongst certain denominations will influence the others. To illustrate this point, Liebman points out the influence of Conservative Judaism on the marriage laws of Reform Judaism.

Liebman states that “…whereas a belief in a construct called Judaism did not reduce all differences about what Judaism meant, it did dictate the nature of the debate about the legitimacy of each denomination and of decisions reached within each denomination. Furthermore, it provided a limit or boundary of sorts to such decisions—they had to be arguably within the boundaries of Judaism” (Liebman 134). The author uses these statements to better define Judaism, by eliminating trends, beliefs or tendencies that are not shared by the more traditional denominations and organizations. The definition of Judaism and the perspectives of the denominations go hand in hand. While Waxman believes that having a strong definition of Judaism can fight the invasion of American culture, Liebman thinks the importance of the definition is to keep the denominations honest in a sense. “One consequence of changing ideas about the existence of a Judaic essence is that denominations no longer need to legitimize the innovations and changes they introduce in terms of how they fit into the basic norms of Judaism”

(Liebman 135). In a way though, Liebman agrees with Waxman here, that the greatest tool American Jews have is their focus on tradition and, most importantly, social cohesiveness. These traditions and social ties have many different manifestations depending on the Jew; nevertheless, these are the few components of Judaism that can truly be agreed upon by most religious scholars.

These works are integral to the understanding of American Jewry from the perspective of Jews. Not only are the authors both Orthodox, their studies actively engage the Jewish community in America and seek to define, and redefine the boundaries of Judaism as seen from the point of view of those living as Jews in American society.

Liebman states, “In my opinion, whether a scholar decides that there is or is not an essential Judaism depends very much on what that scholar wishes to find. The conclusion rests on how much weight one gives to one set of facts rather than another set of facts, or on how one interprets one or another set of facts” (Liebman 134). Liebman is right—the only way to truly understand any religion is to take into account the wealth of understandings and perspectives that come from a collective of individuals following the same set of religious tenets.

Works Cited

Kaplan, Dana Evan. The Cambridge Companion to American Judaism (2005). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. Pages 101-114 and pages 133-145.

Introduction

Judaism is the religion and culture practiced by the Jewish people and one of the monotheistic faiths that had been recorded earliest. The tenets and history of Judaism constitute important historical foundations and pillars of many other religions, including both Christianity and Islam faiths. Judaism does not well fit into general Western categories like religion, race, culture or ethnicity. This is so since Jews understand Judaism in terms of its history going for over 4,000. Throughout this period, Jews have faced slavery, anarchic and theocratic self-government, invasion, occupation, and also exile; they have come in contact, and have been influenced by ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, and Hellenic cultures, as well as modern movements such as the Enlightenment and the rise of nationalism. Judaism faith is founded on strict Unitarian monotheism, the belief in one supreme deity. God is conceived of as immortal and eternal, the creator of the universe, and the resource of morality.

Ancient Jewish History

Judaism started at about 3,500 years ago. Abraham who is believed to have been the first Jew, was a mature 99 years old elder at that time. It is a common belief that God made a covenant with Abraham that a time would come when the descendents of Abraham would reach the Promised Land in the land of Canaan in exchange for their worship, loyalty and obedience to that God. Unlike the men of his days, Abraham believed in one God rather than in many idols. Abraham lived in present-day Iraq at around 1800 B.C. later His son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob, also became patriarchs of Judaism serving the same God as their father’s. Jacob twelve s descendants became the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. Their whole story is found in the Hebrew Bible, section of the old testament of which is the holy book to Christians. The narration goes that the Hebrews went to Egypt due to a famine in their homeland and then later became slaves to Pharaoh and to Egyptians.

By 1200 B.C., Moses, sent by God, asked the Pharaoh to free the Hebrew slaves. Pharaoh could hear none of it, and therefore God sent ten horrible plagues to the Egyptians as a mean of punishing them so they could let the Israelites go. With the death of all firstborn sons, including Pharaoh’s own, he finally let the slaves go, but later changed his mind and sent his soldiers to go after the Israelites. According to the Bible, the Red Sea split into walls of water swallowing all the pharaohs’ soldiers. The Israelites escaped to Canaan and went to settle in the promised land of Canaan. This exodus was just one of many that Jews had ton make at various times in their entire history. Once in Canaan, The Israelites faced new problems. The Canaanites worshiped idols. Later the Israelites formed a dominant kingdom headed by King David around 1000 B.C. His son, Solomon, built the first temple for their God in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, it was under Solomon that the Israelites split into two kingdoms who fought against each other.

Despite these acts of violence in their lives, Jews had one massive triumph at this time. In 500 B.C all of their holy scriptures were collected volume of a book called the Talmud.For the first two eras the history of the Jews is similar to that of Palestine. It begins among those groups of peoples which inhabited the region lying between the Nile River on the eastern side and the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers on the western side. Surrounded by antique seating of culture in Egypt and Babylonia, by the wildernesses of Arabia, and by the highlands of Asia Minor, the land of Canaan then later Judea, then Palestine, and then Israel was a melting place for civilizations. The land was traversed by old-established trade routes caravans and possessed important harbors on the Gulf of Akaba and on the Mediterranean coast. Traditionally Jews world over claim descendance mostly from the ancient Israelites who are also known as Hebrews, who settled in the land of Israel.

The Israelites traced their common lineage to the biblical patriarch -Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. Jewish tradition states that the Israelites were the descendants of Jacob’s twelve sons including one of which was named Judah, who settled in Egypt. Their direct descendants respectively sub-divided into twelve tribes, who were made into slave’s pharaoh Ramses II. In the Jewish faith the exodus which is the emigration of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan, led by the prophet Moses, marks officially the formation of the Israelites as a people. Jewish tradition has it on the records that after forty years of wandering to and in the desert, the Israelites arrived in Canaan and under the command o Joshua invaded it and conquered then divided the land among the twelve tribes. After a period of rule by rulers given the name Judges, a kingdom was established under Saul then later under King David and King Solomon. King David conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital.

After Solomon’s reign the state split into two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Led by prophets Ezra and Nehemiah, after the subsequent invasion of Babylonia by the Persians. Already at this point the tremendous fragmentation among the Israelites was evident, with the formation of political-religious factions, the most important of which were later referred to as the Sadducees and Pharisees. Judea under Roman rule was the first place of an independent Jewish kingdom, but gradually the rule over Judea became less and less Jewish, until it came under the direct rule of Roman administration and they renamed it the province of Judaea. (Johnson, P. Collin, H. 1998).

The Roman rule was often callous and vicious in its treatment of its Judean subjects. In AD 66, Judeans began to revolt against the Roman rulers of Judea. The revolt was defeated by the Roman emperors Vesesapian and Titus Flavius. The Romans destroyed much of the Temple in Jerusalem and, according to some accounts they also looted some artifacts from the temple like the Menorah. Judeans continued to inhabit their land in considerable numbers, and practice of their religion was allowed until the 2nd century at the time when Julius Severus ravaged Judea while putting down the bar Kokhba revolt. After BC135, Jews banned from entering into the city of Jerusalem, although this ban must have been at least partially lifted, since at the destruction of the rebuilt city by the Persians in the 7th century, Jews are said to have lived there. Many of the Judaean Jews were sold into slavery while others became citizens of other parts of the Roman Empire. This is the traditional explanation to the diaspora.

After seventy years the people were allowed back into Israel under the leadership of Ezra, and the temple was rebuilt. This second temple stood for 420 years after which it was destroyed by the Roman general (later emperor) Titus. This is the state in which it is to remain until a descendant of David arises to restore the glory of Israel.

Core beliefs of the Judaism

God is one

The idea of God being a duality or trinity is sacrilegious for Jews to hold; it is considered analogous to polytheism. Interestingly, while Jews hold that such perceptions of God are incorrect, they generally are of the view that gentiles that hold such beliefs are not to be held culpable.

God is all-powerful

Most rabbinic works present God as having the properties of omnipotence, omniscience and omni benevolence which means being all good. This is still the crucial ways that most Orthodox and many non-Orthodox Jews observe God. The issue of theodicy was raised again, especially after the extreme horrors of the Holocaust and several theological responses came out. The central questions they tackle are whether and how God is all mighty and all good, given the subsistence of evil in the world and particularly the Holocaust.

God is personal, and cares about humanity

Harold K., who was a Conservative Jewish teacher or a rabbi, writes that God shows His love for us by reaching down to link the immense divide between Him and us (Bernard, 2005). God shows His love for us by inviting us to enter into a pledge with Him, and by sharing with us His Torah. Collins (1998) seems to endorse this view to some degree. On the other hand, some ancient Jewish philosophers rejected completely the idea of a personal God.

Judaism Holy Books

The Torah given on Mount Sinai was summarized in the five books of Moses and along with the books of the prophets is called the Written Torah. The details which are called the Oral Torah were to remain unwritten. However as the persecutions of the Jews increased and the details were in danger of being forgotten, they were recorded in the Mishna, and the Talmud, as well as other holy books. The Tanakh and the Talmud are the major holy books in Judaism. The Tanakh contains the Written Torah, the writings of the Major and the Minor Prophets, and the writing of The Talmud contains Judaism’s oral law.

Conclusion

Judaism does not easily fit into common Western categories, such as religion, race, ethnicity, or culture. This is because Jews understand Judaism in terms of its 4,000-year history. During this duration of time Jews have gone through slavery, anarchic self-government, theocratic self-government, conquest, occupation, exile among other things; they have been in contact, and have been influenced by ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, and Hellenic cultures, as well as modern movements and activities such as the Enlightenment and the rise of nationalism. (Paul, 1998).

References

Paul Johnson and HarperCollins. A History of the Jews, London.1988.

Jack Wertheimer. A People Divided: Judaism in Contemporary America, Brandeis Univ. Press, 1997.

Lewis, Bernard. The Jews of Islam. Princeton: Princeton University Press (1984).

Thelemapedic “Judaism.” The encyclopedia of thelema and magick. Free online encyclopedia. (2005). Web.

Judaism represents one of the world’s oldest religions; it is a religious belief system common among the Jewish people and it entails the cultural practices, laws, traditions, and general conduct of the Jewish community (Falcon and Blatner 3). The history of Jewish community shows that, Judaism began in the Middle East and later spread to other parts of the world (Falcon and Blatner 3).

Today Judaism has grown to become a big community withmillion of followers across the world. Judaism has remained a strong religion because it has some basic beliefs, which play a big role in sustaining this religion. This paper will discuss the four basic central beliefs of Judaism.

Discussion

Foremost, Judaism believes in the existence of one God. According to this belief, the Jewish people strongly believe that there is only one God and he is thecreator of everything (Falcon and Blatner 7). This concept argues that, every Jewish person has to obey the laws of the creator that are only provided by Torah.

In fact, the Jewish people have to recite a declaration that indicates ones commitment to God (Dosick 14). This declaration is made every morning and during special occasions. Therefore, no one should worship any other God and every one is required to show total commitment to the creatorof everything (Falcon and Blatner 4).

Secondly, Judaism believes in existence of a covenant between the Jews and God (Dosick 23). According to Judaism beliefs, God formedan everlastingcovenant with the Jewish people in which God promised to give Abraham the land of Canaan. In deed, the sealing of this covenant wasdone through circumcision and even today; the Jewish people undergo circumcisionas a way of honoring the agreement.Under this covenant, the land of Israel was given to the Jewish people through Prophet Moses at Mount Sinai.

Thirdly, Judaism believes that there is reward for the good people and punishment for the wicked people (Falcon and Blatner 12). All Jewish people hold this belief and all members of Judaism community live in the hope that they will be delivered to the Promised Land.

According to this belief, the Jewish people believe that the Messiah will come back and redeem them to the Promised Land (Falcon and Blatner 12). This will happen at the end of time and it is during this time when their creator will reward them. However, according to this belief the creator will not only reward the obedient people but also he will punish the evil and the wrong dowers.

Finally, Judaism believes that human beings were created in the image of God (Falcon and Blatner 33). In fact, one of the main teachings of the Jewish community is that all human beings were created “b’ tzelem Elohim,” which means that human beings were created in the image of God (Falcon and Blatner 47). As such, this belief advocates that every person in the world is equally important and has the ability to do the will of Godin the planet.

Conclusion

In summary, Judaism has many beliefs including believe in one God, believe in covenant between the Jewish and God to own the land of Israel, believe in coming of messiah who will deliver them to the Promised Land, and the believe that human beings are created in the image of God (Dosick 72).

Works Cited

Dosick, Wayne. Living Judaism: The Complete Guide to Jewish Belief, Tradition, and Practice. New York: HarperSan Francisco, 1995. Print.

Falcon, Ted and Blatner David. Judaism for Dummies. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2001. Print.