Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

Quarter 1 –Module 4:
Judaism

At the end of this module, the learner is expected to:

examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamentals belief, practices, and doctrines of Judaism.
(HUMSS_WRB12-I/IIIc-3.1)

Judaism

Jewish history begins with the covenant established between God and Abraham around 1812 BC, during the Bronze
Age, in the Middle East. Abraham is considered as the father of the family of Jews. Moses, is also an important figure
as he gave the Jews the Torah around 1250 B.C.

The Torah contains the laws of God. In the sacred texts of Judaism, human history begins with the creation of the
world and of human beings—the first of the saving deeds of their God, who, they consider the Lord of history and
call Adonai. (Manaloto and Rapadas 2016)

Basic Facts

PLACE OF ORIGIN: Israel

GOD: YHWH (they usually call God Adonai or Elohim)

FOUNDER: Abraham

SACRED TEXT: The TaNaKh (Torah, Nevi’im,Ketuvim)

SACRED BUILDING: Synagogue and Temple

HOLY PLACE: Jerusalem

MAJOR FESTIVALS: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), Sukkot (Tabernacles)

MAIN BRANCHES (DENOMINATION): Orthodox, Reform, Conservative

Notable facts:

JUDAISM – one of the world’s oldest religions, originating around 3500 years ago. The Jews believe that God, whom
they called YWHH, has chosen them to serve as an example of holiness and ethical behavior.

HEBREWS – refers to those who accepted Yahweh as their God, and much of their history is written in the Hebrew
Bible, or the old testament of the Christian Bible.

ISRAELITIES – refers to the descendants of the Hebrew, who originated for Abraham. His grandson Jacob has 12
sons, and later become known as the 12 tribes of Israel.

Later Israel become a country and Israelites become the citizens of Israel.

JEW – comes from Yehuda or Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel. Now it is used to refer to someone who
practices Judaism and takes part in Jewish Culture,

According to Calvin Goldscheider that Jews form a distinctive social group. He explains that “wA detailed
examination of family, marriage, child-bearing, social class, residence, occupation and education among Jews and
non-Jews lead to unmistakable conclusion that Jews are different.

TORAH – First five books of Moses. This book explains “where it all began.” It comes in with “in the beginning”.

TANAKH

Hebrew Bible, is a collection of 24 books, divided into three parts.

THE TORAH – “teaching” or law 2. NEVI’IM – “prophets” 3. KETUVIM –

Much of the origin of the practices of the Jews can be found in the first five books or TORAH.

GENESIS – The first book of TORAH and of the Hebrew Bible which tells us the mythic origin of the entire world.

GENESIS – means “origin”

Genesis are filled with mythical happenings:

First mythical story: God created the world in six days and rested in the seventh and he created the human being in
his likeness.

Second Mythical story: The fall of man – Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, were tempted by the serpent and
disobeyed God, and are punished as they were banished from the Garden of Eden.

Last of 11 mythical story: The Great Flood, God saved Noah and his family from the flood as well as two each living
animals, because of the infidelity of the people.

EXODUS – second book of TORAH, begins with the Egyptians being threatened by the growing populations and the
Hebrew in their land. They began treating them as slaves, and the Pharaoh also decreed the Jewish boys must be
killed at birth. Baby MOSES survived because her mother left him in the basket along the Nile river. He was found by
the Pharaoh’s Daughter and become prince of Egypt. Later he met God through the burning bush. God introduced
himself as YHWH (I am who am) which is often translated as Yahweh or as Jehovah. God commanded Moses to
liberate the Jews from the Egyptians, and send them in the land He promised Abraham – Canaan, the land flowing
with milk and honey. Pharaoh refuses to send Israelites free, God sent ten plagues to the Egyptians, but he Spared
the Jews since they offered the blood of a sacrificial lamb in their doors. This signifies the greatest feast of the Jews
– The Passover.

Moses led them to a 40-year journey through the desert to Canaan. This story is recounted in the rest of Exodus, and
is continued until the end of Torah. The specific laws about the Passover and rituals were given throughout the last
three books of Torah. But the most important passing of the law happened in Mt. Sinai, where Moses met God at
the top of the mountain and God gave him two tablets containing the Ten commandments, the rules for Jewish life.
There, God made a covenant with His people, He will care for them, but the Jews must obey the laws He gave. This
shows why the Jews are diligent in observing their traditional laws, even until today.

The rule of Judges.

After the return of the Israelites to Canaan, Israel developed into a nation. They were led by a judge, “whose
charisma persuaded people to follow him.” Here the “period of the Judges” began. The most famous judges were
Othniel, Ehud, Gideon, Jepthah, and Samson. This period in their history was mostly recorded in the book of judges.

The rule of Kings

The period of Judges ends which precedes the periods of the Kings. With the growing population and territory, the
Israelites decided that they would need a king to rule. First king of Israel was SAUL, followed by King David .

Together with the period of the Kings was the emergence of prophets.

PROPHETS – one who was called by God to communicate his word to the king and the people

Solomon, son of David, succeeded the throne. Solomon was known for his wisdom, and with Yahweh’s help, the
Monarchy of Israel was firmly established during his reign. Unfortunately, after his death, tensions among Israelites
emerged, and so the kingdom was split into Israel, consisting the ten northern tribes, and Judah, which includes
Jerusalem and the two southern tribes.

The Babylonian Exile

The Babylonian exile was probably the second major change in the history of Israel, after the Exodus. The
Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar defeated Jerusalem in 587BC and Exile the Jews in Babylon.

Return to Jerusalem

Persian conquered Babylon in 537 BC, it was decreed that people who could govern themselves may be permitted to
establish a nation themselves, and so the exiled Israelites were allowed to return to Judah. When they returned,
Jerusalem was destroyed, and enemies were around the Land. The community focused on rebuilding the temple,
the “second temple”, and it was finish about 20 years later.

Core Beliefs and Teachings

Jewish Symbols

The Star of David: a symbol of Judaism as a religion; and of the Jewish people as a whole. And it also ought to be the
shield (or at least the emblem on it) of King David.
The Menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith. It is a candelabrum with seven candle holders
displayed in Jewish synagogues. It symbolizes the burning bush as seen by Moses on Mount Sinai.

The Synagogue is the Jewish place of worship. It is also used as a place to study, and often as a community center as
well. (Ong and

Sacred Scriptures

The basis of Jewish law and tradition (Halakha) is the Torah (also known as the Pentateuch or the Five Books of
Moses). According to Rabbinic tradition, there are 613 commandments in the Torah.

The collection of Jewish scripture is known as the TaNaKh, which derives from the three parts to the Jewish
scriptures the Torah, the Nevi'im, and the Ketuvim. The orally transmitted interpretations are laid down later in the
Talmud. (Manaloto and Rapadas 2016)

TORAH:

GENESIS – BERESHIT EXODUS – SHEMOT

LEVITICUS – VAYIQRA NUMBERS – BEMIDBAR

DEUTERONOMY – DAVARIM

NEVI’IM (PROPHETS):

JOSHUA – YEHOSHUA JUDGES – SHOFETIM

SAMUEL – SHEMUEL KINGS – MELAKHIM

ISAIAH – YESHAYABU JEREMIAH – YIRMEYAHU

EZEKIEL – YEHEZAQEL

KETUVIM (WRITINGS):

PSALMS – TEHILIM PROVERBS – MISHLEI

JOB – IYOV SONG OF SOLOMON – SHIR HASHIRIM

RUTH – RUS LAMENTATION – EICHA

ECCLESIASTES – KOHELES ESTHER – ESTER

DANIEL – DONIEL EZRA- EZRA

NEHEMIAH – NEHEMYAH CHRONICLES – DIVREI HAYAMIM

Manaloto and Rapadas (2016) said that the Jewish culture is deeply textual that is why they call themselves as Am
Hasefer, “The People of the Book”. They are known for their strict observance of the laws. Moreover, according to
Ong and Jose (2016), Jews follow a set of rules and practices governing their life which is called Halakha (the path
that one walks) derived from the Written and Oral Torah including the 613 mitzvoth (Mitzvah).

TEN COMMANDMENTS

YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF IDOL, WHETHER IN THE FORM OF ANYTHING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE, OR
THAT IS ON THE EARTH BENEATHM OR THAT IS IN THE WATTER UNDER THE EARTH

YOU SHALL NOT BOW DOWN TO THEM OR WORSHIP THEM, FOR I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD,
PUNISHING CHILDREN FOR THEIR INIQUITY OF PARENTS, TO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THOSE WHO
REJECT ME, BUT SHOWING STEADFAS LOVE TO THE THOUSANDTH GENERATION OF THOSE WHO LOVE ME AND
KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.

YOU SHALL NOT MAKE WRONGFUL USE OF THE NAME OF LORD YOUR GOD, FOR THE LORD WILL NOT ACQUIT
ANYONE WHO MISUSES HIS NAME.

REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY AND KEEP IT HOLY. FOR SIX DAYS YOU SHALL LABOUR AND DO ALL YOUR WORK. BUT
THE SEVENTH DAY IS A SABBATH TO THE LORD YOUR GOD; YOU SHALL NOT DO ANY WORK- YOU, YOUR SON O
DAUGHTHER, YOUR MALE OR FEMALE SLAVE, YOUR LIVESTOCK, OR THE ALIEN RESIDENT IN YOUR TOWNS.

5. HONOUR YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR FATHER, SO THAT YOUR DAYS MAY BE LONG IN THE LAND THAT THE LORD
GOD IS GIVING YOU.
6. YOU SHALL NOT MURDER

7. YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY

8. YOU SHALL NOT STEAL

9. YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR

10. YOU SHAL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE; YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S WIFE, MALE OR
FEMALE SLAVE, OR OX, OR ANYTHING THAT BELONGS TO YOUR NEIGHBOR.

The Thirteen principles of Jewish Faith

The great codifier of Torah Law and Jewish philosophy, Rabbi Moshe benMaimon (“Maimonides” also known as
“The Rambah”) compiled what he refers to as ShloshahAsar Ikkarim, the “Thirteen Fundamental Principles” of
Jewish faith as described from Torah. Maimonides refers to this thirteen principles of Faith as “the fundamental
truth of our religion and its very foundations”. The Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith are as follows”

Sheloshah – Asar Ikkarim

God alone is the Creator

God is unique and one

God is incorporeal and incomparable

God is First and Last

We are to Pray to God alone

The Words of the Hebrew Prophets are true

Moses is the Chief Phrophet

The Toral has been Dively Preserved

9. Torah cannot be changed

10. God alone is the Creator

11. God rewards the righteous

12. The Messiah will come

13. The Messiah will come

It is the custom of many congregations to recite the thirteen principles in a slightly more poetic form, beginning with
the words Ani Maamin, which means “I believe” – every day after the morning prayers in the synagogue.

Worship and Observances

“Shabbas/Shabbat” is a weekly day devoted to God through religious activities and it is considered to be the most
important of all Jewish holidays. The beginning of the Sabbath just prior to sundown each Friday is marked by the
lighting of candles, a minimum of two per household which must be capable of burning for at least one half hour and
which must be allowed to burn out by themselves. A special prayer must be recited over the candle lighting by
somebody who is properly.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

The two-day Jewish New Year ( Rosh Hashanah) is a period of self-examination and resolution. A ram’s horn (Shofar)
is blown as a call to look into one’s soul and improve one’s ways. It is customary at the meal on the eve of Rosh
Hashanah to eat apple dipped in honey and to wish others a good and sweet year.

The tend days beginning with Rosh Hashanah are considered to be “Days of Awe” and repentance, culminating with
the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which is considered to be the most solemn day in the Jewish calendat as it is
believed that this is when God decree’s each Jew’s fate for the remainder of the year. It is a day spent praying and
fasting during which white garments are worn, a special fifth worship service is added, and concludes with the
Shofar being blown.

Succoth – is an eight-day period of rejoicing on which temporary booths covered with branches are built on porches,
terraces, or roofs of yards. Observant Jew eat all their meals and may sleep within these small huts.
Sukkot commemorates the years that the jews spent in the desert on their way to the promise land, and celebrates
the way in which God protected them under difficult dessert conditions. Sukkot is also known as the Feast of
Tabernacle or the Feast of Booths.

Shemini Atzaret holiday corresponds to the final day of “Succoth,” but is a separate and complete holiday in itself
that is usually marked by a festival. In the following day of “Simchat Torah”, the annual reading of the entire
Pentateuch and initiation of the next year’s reading is joyfully conducted, most notably by dancing with Torah scrolls
is the synagogue.

Jewish Months and Festival

`Nisan (March or April)

14 - Passover Eve

15 - 21 Passover

Iyyar (April or May)

5 - Israel’s Independence Day

Sivan (May or June)

6, 7- Shavuot

Tishri (September or October)

1 - Rosh Hashanah

10 - Yom Kippur

15 - Sukkot

21 - Shemini Atzeret

23 - Simchat Torah

Kislev (November or December)

25 - Hanukkah begins up to the second of Tebet (December or January)

Adar (February or March)

14 - Purim

Activity: Memorize the Ten Commandments as stated in the Old Testament (Exodus 20)