JUDAISM (CH. 2 EROW) Ppl#2 (Part 2)

Section 2: Sacred Stories & Sacred Scripture (pg. 45) Central to all Jewish life is the Bible (Hebrew Bible) For Christians we would call it the Old Testament Tanakhn – Jewish name for the Bible which is an acronym for the 3 divisions of the Hb. B Torah – Gn, Ex, Lv, Nm, Dt Nev’im (Prophets) 3 Major Prophets – Isaiah , Jeremiah & Ezekiel 12 minor prophets Ketuvim (Writings) – including Job, Psalms & Proverbs

Torah Traditional Jews believe that Moses was the author Source of the 613 laws (commandments) 248 Positive 365 Negative In the modern world not all of the laws can be observed any more. B/C Temple no longer stands and Jewish courts are no longer exist Oral Torah & Written Torah (Both given to Moses on Mt. Sinai)

Oral Torah Oral Torah is the explanation and interpretation of the Written Torah The Oral Torah was written down eventually, codified and arranged by Yehudah HaNasi (Judah the Prince) around 200 CE. Called the Mishnah, or “teaching,” the laws were organized into six sections: Agriculture and the Land of Israel Holidays Family life & Relations with other people Sacrifices Dietary laws Ritual purity

Talmud “Learnings” Palestinian (Jerusalem Talmud) Babylonian Talmud Considered the more authoritative of the two

Midrash “To Examine” or “To Seek Out” A way of interpreting the Biblical text Often using imagination Not unique to Jews Midrash is not a book but Midrash can be found in the Talmud

Section 3: Beliefs & Practices (pg. 48) God Torah Israel (The Chosen People) God gave the Torah to Israel

God God exists, God is one, God is Creator, and God is good. God desires goodness from all creation Scripture helps to clarify the Jewish understanding of the responsibility of humanity

“So now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you “So now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? Only to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own wellbeing.” (Deuteronomy 10:12–13)

Torah The central source of how to live as a Jew God’s self-revelation Kept in the Ark of a synagogue To be in the presence of the Torah is a joyous occasion Where there is Torah there is God The study of Torah is meant to be more of a spiritual exercise than an intellectual one Mitzvot (commandment of Jewish law) God gives mitzvot not to give commands but to offer guidance

Israel A people who are Chosen are Holy or Separate The call to holiness originates with Abram (Abraham) in Gn. 12:1-3 Abram gives up idolatry and is blessed by God Being chosen by God brings privilege and responsibility Being chosen is not passive but active You have a responsibility to honor the Covenant with God in how you live your life and in what you do! His name change from Abram to Abraham is a significance. God is setting him aside for something special. Can you think of any other name changes or times when God names a person?

“The LORD said to Abram: Go forth from your land, your relatives, and from your father’s house to a 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, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will find blessing in you.” Gn. 12: 1-3

Section 4: Sacred Times All life is holy = all life is to be devoted to God Including: thoughts, actions, memories, talents Sacred Calendar Lunar calendar 354 days Rosh Hashanah = Jewish New Year 11 days shorter than the civil calendar

Festivals & Holy Days Tishri (in the Fall) Nisan (in the Spring) Rosh Hashanah Marking the creation of humanity Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Holiest day of the year Sukkot (Harvest festival = fruit harvest season esp. grapes for wine making!) Pesach (Passover) Retells the story of the Exodus Shavuot (Harvest festival = wheat harvest) Also – the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai In modern times some Jews use this celebration for a Jewish Confirmation of teenagers in which teens state their acceptance of Judaism

Hanukkah A relatively minor holiday Festival of lights = 8 day celebration = candle lit each day on a Menorah A winter celebration Jewish immigrants to USA and Western Europe felt the need to counteract the celebrations of Christmas among Christians Commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian Greeks lead by Antiochus IV Re-capturing the Temple and cleansing it from pagan gods

Shabbat The weekly Jewish Sabbath Meal with family on Friday night Sunset Friday until Sunset Saturday Refrain from work Attend synagogue services Study the Torah Shabbat Shalom “Sabbath Peace” The Sabbath candles burn down throughout the meal Candles are lit approximately 18 minutes before sundown to ensure that it is not missed.

Section 5: Sacred Places & Sacred Spaces Synagogue A Greek word that means “place of assembly” outside of one’s homeland Where Jews could worship God communally It was a House of Prayer (where Jews address God) A House of Study (where Jews study the Torah) A House of Assembly (where Jews meet socially).

Home= Sacred Space Mezuzah Meaning “doorpost,” a small parchment containing Jewish scripture, usually the Sh’ma, that is placed in a case on or near the right doorframe at the home of an observant Jew.

Land of Israel Jerusalem For Jews this is where God is most present. They believe that the Messiah will come and rebuild Jerusalem to its former glory

Section 6: Judaism through a Catholic Lens Catholicism is rooted in Judaism historically, scripturally, liturgically, and theologically. No two religious traditions have so much in common. The most noted difference between Catholics and Jews is in the person of Jesus. Both agree Jesus was a historical figure. Jesus was born of a Jewish woman named Mary, raised in a traditional Jewish home in the Jewish homeland, Jews still expect a Messiah or messianic age to come.

Scripture While Jews accept the New Testament as documents written, for the most part, by first-century Jews, they do not accept the New Testament as revealed by God. The Catholic Church included seven books (1 and 2 Maccabees, Judith, Tobit, Baruch, Sirach, and Wisdom), which were mostly written in Greek after 300 BCE, not included in the Hebrew Bible). These seven books are referred to as deuterocanonical—“second canon”—to show that they are not in the Jewish canon

If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither. May my tongue stick to my palate if I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem beyond all my delights. (Psalm 137:5–6)