Unit 4: Judaism

Lesson 4.1
The Jewish Religion
Contents
Introduction 1

Learning Objectives 2

Explore 2

Discover 4
The Forefathers of Judaism 4
Abraham: The Founder 4
Moses: The Law-Giver 5
Jewish Sacred Scriptures 8
General Features of Judaism 9
Establishment 9
View of God 10
Followers 10

Wrap-Up 12

Try This! 12

Challenge Yourself 14

Reflect on This 16

Photo Credit 16

Bibliography 16
Unit 4: Judaism

Lesson 4.1

The Jewish Religion

Introduction
Asia is the most populous continent in the world. It also serves as the birthplace of many
religions, which include Judaism. This religion originated from West Asia, specifically in the
land of Canaan (modern-day Israel and Palestine). Judaism is considered one of the oldest
monotheistic religions. Followers of this religion are known as Jews.

Have you ever heard about the story of Abraham? The man who sacrificed his son to prove
his faithfulness? How about Moses, the one who was chosen to lead his fellowmen to
escape out of Egypt?

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In this lesson, the significant events that paved the way for the foundation of Judaism will be
discussed. The Jewish sacred scriptures and a short description of their contents will be
enumerated. Lastly, the unique features of Judaism that differentiate it from other religions
will be identified.

Learning Objectives DepEd Learning Competencies

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do
In this lesson, you should be able to do the the following:
following: ● Describe the development and major
features of the Jewish religion (No DepEd
● Trace the life events of the founder
Code, added learning competency).
(Abraham) and the prophet and ● Recite the Ten Commandments as stated in

law-giver of Judaism (Moses). the Old Testament (Exodus 20)

(HUMSS_WRB12-I/IIId-4.1).
● Identify the sacred texts of Judaism.

● Explain the defining characteristics of

Judaism as a religion.

Explore
Obedience Check 15 minutes

Instructions

1. Provide real-life experiences wherein you manifest your obedience.

2. Write your answer in the spaces provided.

a. obedience to parents
___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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b. obedience to teachers
___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

c. obedience to policies within your neighborhood

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

d. obedience to God
___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Guide Questions

1. How is obedience related to religion?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Is being obedient good or bad? Why do you think so?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What does Judaism say about obedience?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 4: Judaism

Discover

West Asia has been considered the birthplace of

Words to Remember
major religions, such as Christianity, Islam, and
● covenant – a conditional
Judaism. These three are categorized as
promise made to
monotheistic religions, which is the belief in only
humanity by God
one true God. The followers of Judaism, called
● descendant – an offspring
Jews, believe that God, who they call YHWH (or
of a particular person
Yahweh), has chosen their people to serve as
● Hebrew – a member of an
examples to display holiness and ethical behavior
early people living in the
to their fellowmen.
lands that are now called
Israel and Palestine

How was Judaism founded?

The Forefathers of Judaism

Jewish beliefs are stated in their sacred scriptures, particularly the Torah or God's
commandment handed to His people. According to the texts, Yahweh made his appearance
to His people by directly making a covenant with them. These people were a Hebrew named
Abraham from Harran (Turkey) and Moses, who freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

Abraham: The Founder

Abraham (also called Abram) was a shepherd from Ur in Mesopotamia who lived when
polytheism was prominent. Abraham's covenant with God eventually deemed him the
father of the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

God revealed himself to Abraham several times. First, God asked him to leave Harran and
establish a new nation, later known as Canaan (also known as the "Promised Land"). The

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second time, God asked Abraham to bring his family and possessions to the "Promised
Land" because he and Sarah, his wife, did not have a child. The former bore a child with
Hagar, their Egyptian handmaiden. The child was named Ishmael, and he became a
founding figure in Islam. Fourteen years after Ishmael's birth, Abraham and Sarah had their
child, Isaac.

God also tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac in a place called Moriah. Abraham
obeyed God, but an angel appeared to stop him when he was about to sacrifice his son. As
God proved Abraham's faithfulness to him, He also fulfilled the promise that He will make
Abraham the father of a great people. In return, Abraham vowed his descendants'
obedience and loyalty to Him.

Fig. 1. Flemish painter Pieter Thij’s painting depicting Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice

Moses: The Law-Giver

he presence of Israelites in Egypt began when Joseph, a descendant of Jacob and Isaac, was
sold as a slave by his brothers. He was a dream interpreter. He was called to interpret the
pharaoh's disturbing dreams about the seven-year famine. Egypt was able to prepare for
the famine, and he was appointed adviser to the pharaoh. As a reward, Hebrews were
allowed to live in Egypt. However, when he died and because of the increasing number of

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Israelites, they were made slaves. The pharaoh was fearful that the Hebrews might rise
against Egypt.

Moses was born when the pharaoh ordered that all new born Hebrew males be killed. To
save him, his mother and elder sister placed him in a basket and brought him to the Nile
River. The basket floated to the palace, and the pharaoh’s daughter took Moses in. He was
raised and lived as an Egyptian prince. There were no clear accounts on how Moses found
out that he was a Hebrew. There was an account when he killed an Egyptian foreman for
protecting an Israelite slave from punishment. The pharaoh ordered the execution of Moses
but he was able to escape. He lived a simple life as a goat and sheep herder in Midian. One
day as he was looking for a lost sheep, God spoke to him from a burning bush and ordered
him to return to Egypt and free the Israelites from slavery.

When Moses returned to Egypt, his brother Ramses II had succeeded as pharaoh. Moses
asked him to free the Israelites, but he refused. To convince the pharaoh, God sent the ten
plagues. Some of which were water turning into blood, the swarm of frogs and locusts, the
rain of ice, and livestock pestilence. The pharaoh was still unconvinced to free the slaves.
God sent the last plague with the angel of death, claiming all the firstborn sons throughout
Egypt. He commanded Moses that the doors of the Hebrew homes be smeared with lamb’s
blood so that the angel may “pass over” them to save their children. This event was called
the Passover and is still celebrated as a Jewish holiday. With this plague, Ramses’ son died. It
was only then that the Israelites were set free..

While escaping Egypt, the Israelites were chased by Egyptian soldiers. However, Yahweh
helped them cross the Red Sea by parting the water until they reached dry land. The same
sea returned to normal as the Israelites crossed, drowning the Egyptian troops that chased
them. After several months of traveling, the Israelites reached Mount Sinai. At the top of this
mountain, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

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Fig. 2. A depiction of Moses and the 10 Commandments by Russian painter Anton Losenko

Check Your Progress

Compare the characteristics of Abraham and Moses as the founder
and the law-giver of Judaism.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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Jewish Sacred Scriptures

Fig. 3. The Hebrew Bible

The sacred scriptures of Jews are divided into two. The primary teachings of Judaism are
found in the Tanakh (also referred to as “Hebrew Bible”), while other essential teachings are
found in the Talmud. There are three divisions under the Tanakh, namely the Torah, Nevi’im,
and Ketuvim. The table below shows a brief description of each section.

Table 1. The three books under the Tanakh

Book Title Description

Torah It consists of laws given to Moses by God at Mount Sinai in

(The Teachings) two forms: the written Torah, which includes the Ten
Commandments, and oral Torah intended to pass
throughout the generation.

Nevi’im It consists of 22 books that came from former prophets

(The Prophets) and latter prophets. Each book was named after them.

Ketuvim It consists of materials based on Israelites’ knowledge and

(The Writings) experiences with the influence of other nations’ culture.

The Talmud is composed of books that are commentating and interpretative. It consists of
Mishnah and Gemara.

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Table 2. The two books under the Talmud

Book Title Description

Mishnah These are composed of a written collection of Jewish oral

(Oral Torah) traditions to be passed through generations.

Gemara These are composed of legal and ethical commentaries on

(to finish or to complete) the Mishnah.

Check Your Progress

What is the importance of the Tanakh and the Talmud as sacred
scriptures to the Jews?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

General Features of Judaism

Judaism is both a religious and cultural identity that is associated with the Jewish faith. There
are quite several variances between Judaism and other religions.

Establishment
The Jewish nation originated in West Asia through the couple named Abraham and Sarah.
Eventually, Jews scattered all over the world. In modern times, the Jewish population of
about 15 million is mainly in the United States and Israel. Nevertheless, still considered the
birthplace of Judaism is the land of Canaan, which is located in an area that includes parts
of Israel, Jordan, and the southern portions of Syria and Lebanon.

View of God
Judaism is an example of a monotheistic religion, believing that there is only one true God.
They also believed that only one God is the creator of all things and declared the divine law

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written in scripture received by Moses. They also thought that God is the one who states
who will receive rewards or punishments. The Jews refer to God as Yahweh, written initially
as YHWH that serves as the word root of "Ehyeh asher Ehyer" which means "I am who I am."
Jews believe that the Messiah or the savior, who would unite the people worldwide, had not
come yet.

The following is a summary of what Jews believe about Yahweh:

● God exists.
● There is only one God.
● There are no other gods.
● God cannot be subdivided into different persons.
● Jews should worship only the one God.
● God is transcendent.
● God does not have a body.
● God created the universe without help.
● God is omnipresent (He is everywhere).
● God is omnipotent (He can do anything).
● God is beyond time.
● God is just but is also merciful.
● God is personal and accessible.

Followers
Jews pertain to followers of Judaism. There are an estimated 15 million Jews worldwide,
most of which are in Israel and the United States. The terms Jew and Judaism were derived
from the name Judah, who was Jacob's fourth son. Jews are also called Hebrew because of
being descended from Abraham. Meanwhile, they are also called Israelites for being
descendants of Jacob. The Jews were also taken as a term that means "God's chosen
people." In terms of conversion of religion, one can be Jewish if one professes the faith of
Judaism through a formal process, even with no Jewish ancestry.

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Check Your Progress

Which of the following features of the Jewish religion would you
like to know more about? Why?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

In Philippine Context

Nine Waves of Refugees in the Philippines

Laurice Peñamante, “Nine Waves of Refugees in the Philippines,”
Unhcr.org (June 7, 2017),
https://www.unhcr.org/ph/11886-9wavesrefugees.html, last
accessed on April 23, 2021.

Because of the extending population of Jews worldwide, some experienced racism in other
nations' hands, such as the Nazis in early 20th century Germany, by legalizing
discrimination against them. They were not included in the bloodline and were isolated in
mainstream society.

Due to these persecutions, the Philippine Commonwealth accepted more than 1,200
European Jewish refugees. In 1937, President Manuel L. Quezon issued Proclamation No.
173 known as the Open Door Immigration Policy. This policy paved the way for the
Commonwealth Act 613 and the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. Part of the policy was
to issue 1,000 visas to European Jews in the next 10 years and provide them farmlands
and settlement in Mindanao. The acceptance of more refugees was interrupted by the
Philippine invasion by the Japanese. These policies changed the lives of the Jewish
refugees who were able to start a new life in the Philippines away from the horrors at the
hands of the Nazis.

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In 2009, the Open Doors monument was exhibited to the public in Rishon LeZion, Israel.
The monument designed by Filipino artist Luis Yee, Jr. was constructed to honor President
Quezon and his policy to welcome European Jewish refugees in the Philippines. The
monument symbolizes the humanitarian deeds and the courage of Filipinos in welcoming
the Jews.

Wrap-Up
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
● Abraham and Moses are considered as the founder and the law-giver of Judaism.
● Tanakh is one of the Jewish sacred scriptures, composed of the Torah, Nevi’im, and
Ketuvim.
● Talmud is a supplementary scripture composed of Mishnah and Gemara.
● Some of the general features of Judaism that makes it unique from the other
religions are:
○ birthplace: Canaan
○ god: YHWH or Yahweh
○ followers: Jews, Hebrews, Israelites
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Try This!
A. Modified True or False. Write true if the statement is correct. Otherwise, if the
statement is false, correct the statement by replacing the underlined word or phrase.

________________ 1. The birthplace of Judaism is Canaan.

________________ 2. Judaism is classified as a polytheistic religion where followers

believe that there is only one God.

________________ 3. Isaac received God's commandment at the top of Mount Sinai.

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________________ 4. The Jews refer to God as Allah, which means “I am who I am.”

________________ 5. The water subsided in the Red Sea when Israelites were freed
from Egypt while they were being chased by Egyptian armies.

________________ 6. After Moses killed an Egyptian foreman, he escaped and lived in

Harran, a place outside Egypt.

________________ 7. The followers of Judaism are called Jews.

________________ 8. Passover is a Jewish holiday that pertains to the event when the
Angel of Death killed firstborn sons and spared the children of
Israelites who smeared blood in their doors.

________________ 9. Jews believed that the Messiah or the savior has not come yet.

________________ 10. Abraham had a child with Hagar, named Ishmael.

B. Matching Type. Match the descriptions in column A with the name of the books in
column B.

Column A Column B

_____________ 1. written collection of the Jewish oral A. Gemara

traditions

_____________ 2. consists of ethical and legal B. Ketuvim

commentaries on Mishnah

_____________ 3. consists of materials based on C. Mishnah

Israelite knowledge and experiences

_____________ 4. consists of 22 books that came from D. Nevi’im

former and latter prophets

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_____________ 5. consists of laws given to Moses by E. Tanakh

God at Mount Sinai

F. Torah

Challenge Yourself
Answer the following questions.

1. How do the personal characteristics of the founder and law-giver of Judaism reflect
the Jews' obedience to the sacred scriptures given by Yahweh?
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Based on the features of Judaism, how will you differentiate it from other religions?
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

3. How does the covenant define the relationship between God and man? Have you
ever had a personal covenant with God? Share your experience.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Suggested Rubric for Grading

The rubric below is a suggested one. Your teacher may modify it based on your needs.
Consult your teacher for the final rubric.

Performance Levels

1 2 3 Suggested
Criteria Score
Beginning Proficient Advanced Weight
Proficiency Proficiency

Content The answer is unclear The answer is clear The answer is clear
and insufficient; there but barely sufficient; and sufficient; the
×3
is a major flaw in the there is a minor flaw argumentation is
argumentation. in the argumentation. excellent.

Organization The answer does not The answer flows The answer flows
flow logically, and its logically, but its parts logically, and its
×2
parts are not clearly are not clearly parts are clearly
structured. structured. structured.

Mechanics/ There are many major There are minor There are virtually
errors in sentence errors in sentence no errors in
Language Use
construction, construction, sentence
×1
grammar, or spelling. grammar, or spelling. construction,
grammar, or
spelling.

Total Possible Score 18

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Unit 4: Judaism

Reflect on This
Answer the following question briefly.

Why do you think Jews are also called “God’s chosen people”? What characteristics do they
manifest for them to gain this title? Explain your answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Photo Credit
Hebrew Bible by Jaroslav A. Polák is licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography
Hertzberg, Arthur. “Judaism.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.
Accessed May 12, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Judaism.

History.com Editors. “Judaism.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, January 5, 2018.

https://www.history.com/topics/religion/judaism.

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“Religions - Judaism: Jewish Beliefs.” BBC. BBC, September 14, 2009.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/beliefs/beliefs_1.shtml.

Wikipedia for Schools. “World Religions.” Lumen. Accessed May 12, 2021.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-fscj-worldreligions/chapter/history-2/.

Wikipedia for Schools. “World Religions.” Lumen. Accessed May 12, 2021.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-fscj-worldreligions/chapter/jewish-observanc
es/.

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4.1. The Jewish Religion

Explore
Provide real-life experiences wherein you manifest your obedience.
a. obedience to parents
Answers may vary. The possible answers are by listening to their advice about
what's best for you, respecting them in any way, and talking to them in a
well-mannered way when they ask you to respond.

b. obedience to teachers
Answers may vary. The possible answers are listening carefully to them when
discussing, treating them with respect like your parents, and appreciating their
effort for you to be better.

c. obedience to policies within your neighborhood

Answers may vary. The possible answers follow the rules implemented in our
country and respect the authorities for the betterment of our country and its
citizens.

d. obedience to God
Answers may vary. The possible answers are by spending time to pray to thank
God for all the blessings He gave and follow His commandments provided for us.

Guide Questions

1. How is obedience related to religion?

Answers may vary. It is expected that students' responses center around
integrating religion as to how we spend our daily living. According to God's
commandment, we live by doing good deeds and interacting with other people with
a good personality.

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 Unit 4: Judaism

2. Is being obedient good or bad? Why do you think so?

Answers may vary. This is an opinion question and is posed to students to deepen
their thinking as a transition to the lesson, but the possible answer may vary
according to the rules they would like to follow. It's good if these rules they would
like to obey may benefit them to become better and wrong if they cause themselves
and other people harm.

3. What does Judaism say about obedience?

Obedience is a central virtue in the Jewish religion. A total submission was asked by
God from Abraham when he was tested to sacrifice his son Isaac. The promise to
obey God was expressed in the covenant that their ancestors made with Him at
Mount Sinai through Moses and the Ten Commandments. Here, a long-term
relationship with the children of Israel was promised by God. This relationship
included giving them a homeland and blessing them with physical pros­perity.

Check Your Progress

1. Compare the characteristics of Abraham and Moses as the founder and law-giver
of Judaism.
Answers for Abraham:
Answers may vary, but it is expected that students’ responses center around the
idea that Abraham became obedient to his covenant with God in return for blessing
and keeping his family safe.

Answers for Moses:

Answers may vary, but it is expected that students’ responses center around the
idea that Moses is a good follower when he followed God to lead the Israelites to
escape Egypt and stop slavery.

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 Unit 4: Judaism

2. What is the importance of the Tanakh and the Talmud as sacred scriptures to the
Jews?
Answers may vary. It is expected that students’ responses center around the idea
that written laws such as Tanakh and Talmud serve as a guide on how Jews live their
lives to the fullest.

3. Which of the following features of the Jewish religion would you like to know more
about? Why?
Answers may vary. It is expected that students’ responses center around the idea
that Judaism focuses on how important it is for us to be obedient and faithful. As a
religion, it successfully unites people in a nation on how they will live.

Try This!

A. Modified True or False. Write true if the statement is correct. Otherwise, if the
statement is false, correct the statement by replacing the underlined word or phrase.

true 1. The birthplace of Judaism is Canaan.

monotheistic 2. Judaism is classified as a polytheistic religion where followers

believe that there is only one God.

Moses 3. Isaac received God's commandment at the top of Mount

Sinai.

Yahweh 4. The Jews refer to God as Allah, which means “I am who I am.”

true 5. The water subsided in the Red Sea when Israelites escaped in
Egypt while they were being chased by Egyptian armies.

Midian 6. After Moses killed an Egyptian foreman, he escaped and lived

in Harran, a place outside Egypt.

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 Unit 4: Judaism
true 7. The followers of Judaism are called Jews.

true 8. Passover is a Jewish holiday that pertains to the event when

the Angel of Death killed firstborn sons and spared the
children of Israelites who smeared blood in their doors.

true 9. Jews believed that the Messiah or the savior has not come yet.

true 10. Abraham had a child with Hagar, named Ishmael.

B. Matching Type. Match the descriptions in column A with the name of the books in
column B.

Column A Column B

C 1. written collection of the Jewish oral A. Gemara

traditions

A 2. consists of ethical and legal B. Ketuvim

commentaries on Mishnah

B 3. consists of materials based on C. Mishnah

Israelite knowledge and experiences

D 4. consists of 22 books that came from D. Nevi’im

former and latter prophets

F 5. consists of laws given to Moses by E. Tanakh

God at Mount Sinai

F. Torah

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 Unit 4: Judaism
Challenge Yourself

1. How do the personal characteristics of the founder and law-giver of Judaism reflect
the Jews' obedience to the sacred scriptures given by Yahweh?
Answers may vary. It is expected that students’ responses center around the idea
that the Jewish people treat Abraham and Moses as good examples of how to express
their trust in Yahweh.

2. Based on the features of Judaism, how will you differentiate it from other religions?
Answers may vary. This opinion question is posed to students to deepen their
thinking as a transition to the lesson. Still, the possible answer is God’s oneness in
which they genuinely show their respect and obedience.

3. How does the covenant define the relationship between God and man? Have you ever
had a personal covenant with God? Share your experience.
Answers may vary. It is expected that students’ responses center around the idea
that they should use their belief to answer this question and share their covenant
with God if they have one.

4.1. The Jewish Religion 5