Introduction to Judaism

Origins of Judaism Traces its origins back 3800 years ago Abraham and Sarah, patriarch and matriarch of Hebrews/Israelites Modern Israel was once divided into two kingdoms Israel: northern kingdom Judah: southern kingdom ‘Judaism’ – Jewish people trace their heritage to the Hebrew people in the kingdom of Judah Monotheistic religion Focuses on the Law and Scripture The story of Abraham, Sarah, and their descendants is told in Jewish scriptures It is a story of a covenant made between God and Abraham Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go fort h from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1–2

The Covenant with Abraham Patriarchal period Abraham received a vision from God “…leave home, move to special land, raise a nation, and you and your descendants will be blessed…” Abraham forms a covenant with God God the Creator, Abraham (and Jews) as chosen people Chosen people The Jewish people were chosen by God and were blessed by Him They will be a “great nation”

God directed Abraham to leave Ur in Mesopotamia and go into the land of the Canaanites. This map shows Mesopotamia and Canaan around 1800 BCE.

The Covenant with Moses The patriarchal period of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob established a covenant where God would love humanity and humanity agreed to love only God Mosaic period focuses on the commandments that allows Jews to keep God’s covenant During the patriarchal period, there was a drought that forced descendants of Abraham to move to Egypt During the reign of Ramses II, the Hebrew people became enslaved Moses arose to lead Hebrew people out of Egypt Passover (10th plague) Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt and across the Red Sea (Exodus) When Hebrews reached Mount Sinai, 10 Commandments were delivered

Modern Judaism In 66 CE, Judea was under control of Roman Empire Zealots (Jewish revolutionaries) rose up against the rulers of the land Romans laid siege to Jerusalem, destroying the city and the Temple Temple was the centre of all Jewish worship and sacrifice 3000 people who had taken refuge in the Temple perished Two religious movements survived: Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism

Christianity A Jewish movement had begun with Jesus of Nazareth about 40 years earlier The movement included Jews and non-Jews who had accepted Jesus as the Jewish Messiah or Christ Destruction of the Temple changed movement Conflict developed between Christian Jews and Rabbinic Jews (Pharisees) The two groups parted ways at the end of the 1st century

Rabbinic Judaism Rabbinic (or Halakhic) Judaism was begun by Pharisees Encouraged people to gather in synagogues or study houses to study the Torah Torah is the “teaching” or guidance of God Used scripture translated into Aramaic, language most people spoke in Israel - found a new focus in sacred writings Studying and interpreting the Torah became an important way of helping Jewish people follow the laws of the covenant, wherever they lived Interpreters were known as scribes or rabbis

Jews in the Diaspora In 135 CE, the Romans expelled the Jews from Judea, forcing them to take refuge in other countries Diaspora means “dispersion” or “scattering” Scattering of Jews outside of Israel This scattering among nations and the constant desire to return to Israel and Jerusalem is a key aspect of the history of Jews and their faith

Jews in Christian Europe In the Diaspora, Jews became divided into two major groups Ashkenazim: Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe Sephardim: around the Mediterranean basin (primarily Spanish, Portuguese, and North African Jews) Both groups had a large influence on the intellectual, economic, cultural, and spiritual life of every country they lived in Jews were still considered “the other” and were set apart in many cases In Christian countries of Europe, they were often unjustly accused of being the killers of Jesus the Messiah and were treated as unbelievers

The Kabbalah and Hasidism Several Jewish mystical movements became popular in the Middle Ages Mystics search for God through a life of prayer, meditation, and reflection. The main Jewish mystical teachings are Kabbalah (12th century), and Hasidism (18th century)

The Kabbalah Kabbalah’s teachings are found in many texts Zohar described as the journey into the self of each individual According to Kabbalah, the true nature of God is indescribable Better describing what God is not True essence of God is known as Ein Sof, meaning “without end” God has no boundaries in time or space

The Hasidism Founded by Israel ben Eliezer (1698–1759), also known as Ba’al Shem Tov Taught that communion with God happened through prayer, good deeds, humility, and joy Best known for his humorous stories of people encountering God while doing simple chores Hasidic communities generally keep to themselves and maintain a strict observance of Jewish laws Hasidic Jews are easily identified by their dress Most of the men wear dark suits and black hats, and many have long, uncut sideburns Women dress modestly and cover their hair

Canadian Judaism Canada has fourth largest Jewish population Many Canadian Jews emigrated from Russia and Eastern Europe in mid 1900s

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