Judaism

• Judaism is the original of the three Abrahamic faiths, which also includes Christianity and Islam
• Judaism originated in the Middle East over 3500 years ago
• Judaism was founded by Moses, although Jews trace their history back to their patriarch, Abraham
• Jews believe


  There is only one God with whom they have a covenant. In exchange for all the good that God has done for the Jewish people, Jewish people keep God's laws and try to bring holiness into every aspect of their lives
• The central and most important religious document in Judaism is the Torah
• There are roughly 13-14 million Jewish people in the world with the majority based in the USA and Israel
• Branches of Judaism

  • Orthodox Judaism
  • Reform Judaism
  • Secular Judaism
• Orthodox Judaism


  • Strictly observes the dietary laws (called 'kosher') and the practices of the Sabbath
  • Men undergo the ritual of circumcision (brit milah) when they are eight days old
  • As adults, males wear black suits and hats
  • Women usually wear hats or head coverings, and dress modestly
  • Orthodox synagogues are gender segregated and male and females have clear and distinct roles within society
• Reform Judaism


  • Rejects what they see as outdated practices of Orthodox Jews
  • Focuses less on the traditional rituals, commandments and practices, and more on the ethical dimensions of the faith
  • Some Reform Jews even moved the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday
  • They may read the Torah in their vernacular language instead of Hebrew
  • Set aside the kosher dietary laws and the distinctive ways of dress
  • Have a different approach beliefs about the Jewish Messiah
  • Some have discarded circumcision and replaced this was a naming ceremony called 'brit shalom'
• Secular Judaism


  • Covers people who identify as Jewish culturally, but not religiously
  • Judaism is passed down through maternal bloodlines
  • Many Jews identify as Jews and have Jewishness as a core part of their identity, but they don't believe in God or practice the Jewish faith
  • They are secular people whose Jewish identity is cultural, not religious
• Rabbi Moses Maimonides (Rambam)


  • Regarded as one of the most influential Jewish scholars of the Middle Ages
  • His work was used by Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars to help them gain a greater understanding of God
  • He compiled what he refers to as the "Thirteen Fundamental Principles" of the Jewish faith
• Thirteen Fundamental Principles of the Jewish faith

  • God exists; God is perfect in every way, eternal, and the cause of all that exists. All other beings depend upon God for their existence
  • God has absolute and unparalleled unity (God is one/monotheism)
  • God is incorporeal–without a body
  • God existed prior to all else. (In a later version of the Thirteen Principles, Maimonides included the notion that God created the world from nothing [creation ex nihilo])
  • God should be the only object of worship and praise. One should not appeal to intermediaries, but should pray directly to God
  • Prophets and prophecy exist
  • Moses was the greatest prophet who ever lived. No prophet who lived or will live could comprehend God more than Moses
  • The Torah is from heaven. The Torah we have today is the Torah that God gave to Moses at Sinai
  • The Torah will never be changed, nothing will be added to it or subtracted from it; God will never give another Law
  • God knows the actions of humans and is not neglectful of them
  • God rewards those who obey the commands of the Torah and punishes those who violate its prohibitions
  • The days of the Messiah will come – the Messianic Age
  • The dead will be resurrected
• Monotheism


  Belief in one God who is whole, complete and perfect
• Shema: '"Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one." Deuteronomy 6:4'
• God as Creator


  • Orthodox Jews believe the world is too intricate and complex to have happened by chance. Everything in the universe was created by God
  • The book of Genesis reveals key beliefs about God and creation: God is so powerful he speaks and the world happens, God creates night and day, and everything in the world over six days, Everything God makes is good, God creates animals and finishes by making humans in his own image and likeness
  • Orthodox Jews believe that every detail of the creation as told in the Torah is true, that God literally created the world in six days
  • Reform and Secular Jews believe the details are not meant to be taken literally. The most important thing to understand from the creation story is that God is responsible for the creation of everything that exists
• Genesis 1:1: '"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"'
• Genesis 1:31: '"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."'
• Genesis 1:27: '"God created man…In the image of God, He created him, male and female"'
• Covenant


  A promise or agreement that God made with the Jewish people. Jews are expected to follow God's laws to keep their side of the covenant
• Mitzvot


  613 laws that Jews must perform or avoid, for instance, they are expected to rest on Shabbat and must avoid certain foods/actions that aren't kosher
• Ten Commandments


  The basis of how a just society should work
• God as Judge


  Judaism teaches that God will judge each person's actions. God is a just or fair judge. He will always be merciful
• Rosh Hashanah is the festival where it is believed God will judge every person
• Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year where Jews confess their sins and try to make up for the things they have done wrong
• The Ten Commandments: 'God spoke all these words, saying: I am God your Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, from the place of slavery. Do not have any other gods before Me. Do not represent [such] gods by any carved statue or picture of anything in the heaven above, on the earth below, or in the water below the land. Do not bow down to [such gods] or worship them. I am God your Lord, a God who demands exclusive worship. Do not take the name of God your Lord in vain. God will not allow the one who takes His name in vain to go unpunished. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. 9 You can work during the six weekdays and do all your tasks. But Saturday is the Sabbath to God your Lord. Do not do anything that constitutes work. It was during the six weekdays that God made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on Saturday. God therefore blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Honour your father and mother. Do not commit murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbour. Do not be envious of your neighbour's house. Do not be envious of your neighbour's wife, his slave, his maid, his ox, his donkey, or anything else that is your neighbour's.'
• Shekinah


  Refers to God's presence in the world. Shekinah means "the dwelling" and refers to the divine presence of God. Jews believe God created the world and they believe God continues to work and be present in the world
• The actual word Shekinah does not appear in the Torah, but there are many examples of people being in God's presence
• Messiah


  The 'anointed' or 'chosen one'. Orthodox Jews believe the Messiah is a descendant of King David. He will be a great political leader, have a superb understanding of Jewish law, be a charismatic leader, a great military leader, and a great judge. Above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being
• Isaiah: '"A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be a Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. His Power will never end; peace will continue forever."'
• Messiah


  A great political leader descended from King David, with a superb understanding of Jewish law, a charismatic leader who will win battles for Israel, a great judge who makes fair decisions, a human being not a god, demi-god or supernatural being
• Prophet Isaiah: 'A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be a Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. His Power will never end; peace will last forever. He will rule David's kingdom and make it grow strong. He will always rule with honesty and justice. The Lord All Powerful will make certain that all of this is done.'
• Beliefs about the Messiah within Orthodox and Reform Judaism

  • Orthodox Jews believe there is a descendent of King David in every generation who has the potential to be the Messiah, who will be directed by God to rule over humanity with kindness and justice, follow the Torah, and rebuild the Temple
  • Reform Jews believe the Jewish people have the power to bring about the Messianic Age through their actions and by acting the way they hope a Messiah would act, focusing on the ideal or goal of the Messianic Age
• Covenant


  A promise or agreement between two people or groups, with conditions and obligations, like a contract
• Covenant between God and the Jewish people

  • The Torah records God making relationships with individuals or groups through a covenant, marked by a special sign
• Parts of the Abrahamic Covenant

  • The Promised Land
  • The promise of descendants
  • The sign of circumcision
• Covenant with Moses


  God made a covenant with the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments and the Torah
• Moses: 'We will do everything the Lord has said'
• Moses: 'The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai…Moses entered the cloud as he went up to the mountain'
• The Ten Commandments


  • Duties concerning Humans & God
  • Relationships between People
• Pikuach Nefesh (Sanctity of Life)

  The principle that saving a life takes priority over everything, even if it means breaking some of the 613 mitzvot (except for idolatry, incest and adultery)