Judaism Ms. McPeak

Judaism Fast Facts date founded

c. 2,500 BCplace founded

Mesopotamiafounder

Abrahamadherents

14 million (11th ) main location

Israel, Europe, and USAmajor sects

Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox (traditional)sacred text

Tanakh with the Talmud (Torah)original language

Hebrewspiritual leader

rabbi (rebbe in Hasidism)

Fast Facts Cont...place of worship

Synagogue ("temple" in Reform Judaism)day of worship

Saturday (Shabbat/Sabbath)theism

monotheismultimate reality

One God (Yaweh)human nature

created goodpurpose of life

obedience to Godhow to live

obey the law and atone for sinafterlife

views vary: Gain Eden

Judaism Explained

Judaism is a 4000+ year old religion. It is considered to be the oldest organized religion that places monotheism, the belief in ONE God, at the core of its belief system. Judaism focuses mainly on the history of God’s covenant, agreement, with the Jewish people. The aim for Jewish people are to be devoted to the study and observance of the Torah’s laws and

commandments; as well as those found in the Talmud.

What do Jewish People Believe?

Judaism has no dogma, no formal set of beliefs that one must hold to be a Jew. In Judaism, actions are far more important than beliefs, although there is

certainly a place for belief within Judaism.

13 Principles of FaithThe closest that anyone has ever come to creating a widely-accepted list of Jewish beliefs is Rambam's thirteen principles of faith. These principles, which Rambam thought were the minimum requirements of Jewish belief, are:

1. God exists2. God is one and unique3. God is incorporeal4. God is eternal5. Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other6. The words of the prophets are true7. Moses' prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets8. The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other

writings) were given to Moses9. There will be no other Torah

10. G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men11. G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked12. The Messiah will come13. The dead will be resurrected

The Torah

The word "Torah" is a tricky one, because it can mean different things in different contexts. In its most limited sense, "Torah" refers to the Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. But the word

"torah" can also be used to refer to the entire Jewish bible (the body of scripture known to non-Jews as the Old Testament and to Jews as the Tanakh or Written Torah), or in its broadest sense, to the whole body of Jewish law and teachings.

The Messianic Idea in Judaism • The idea of mashiach (messiah) which means “the anointed one” is an ancient one in Judaism• The Jewish idea of mashiach is a great human political leader like King David; not a savior• There is much speculation about when the mashiach will come• The Bible identifies several tasks that the mashiach will accomplish

-restore Jerusalem-establish a Jewish governmental center -re build temples and re-establish worship

• Jews do not believe in Jesus because he did not accomplish these tasks

The Ten Commandments

These commandments, sent down to Moses at Mount Sinai,

served as an extensive law code that set out the moral and legal

dimensions of life for the Jewish people as they lived

their life in covenant with God.

Movie Magic

Charles Heston in the 1956 epic….

The 10 Commandments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKEp7WYrMmY

A List of the 613 Commandments

http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm

Keeping it Kosher

General RulesAlthough the details of kashrut are extensive, the laws all derive from a few fairly simple, straightforward rules:1. Certain animals may not be eaten at all. ( ie Pigs, hares, camels)2. The birds/mammals permitted must be killed in accordance with Jewish law.3. All blood must be drained from meat and poultry or broiled out of it before it is eaten.4. Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten.5. Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be inspected for bugs (which cannot be eaten)6. Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and

grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy. (According to some views, fish may not be eaten with meat).

7. Utensils can not mix with the meat ( also separation of meat and dairy)

Tzedakah: Charity

• Helping the poor and needy is a duty in Judaism ( Thought of as a commandment) • Jews are among the most generous donors to charities. Traditional Orthodox Jews give 10% of their income • Jews do not limit their generosity to Jewish charities• Rambam classified ways of doing tzedakah by their level of merit

Levels of Charity

Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity, from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are:

1. Giving begrudgingly2. Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully.3. Giving after being asked4. Giving before being asked5. Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity,

but the recipient knows your identity6. Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the

recipient doesn't know your identity7. Giving when neither party knows the other's identity8. Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant

Jewish Holidays...With the Maccabeats

Yom KippurSignificance: Day of Atonement

Observances: Fasting, Prayer and Repentance

Length: 25 Hours

Greeting: Have an easy fast

Liturgy additions: Annulment of vows; lengthy confession of sins

SukkotSignificance: Remembers the wandering in the dessert; also a harvest festival

Observances: Building and "dwelling" in a booth; waving branches and a fruit during services

Length: 7 days

Pesach: PassoverSignificance: Remembers the Exodus from Egypt

Observances: Avoiding all leavened grain products and related foods; Family or communal retelling of the Exodus story

Length: 8 days (Some: 7 days)

Holidays Cont...

ChanukkahSignificance: Remembers the rededication of the Temple after it was defiled by the Greeks

Observances: Lighting candles

Length: 8 days

Customs: eating fried foods; playing with a dreidel (top)

Rosh HashanahSignificance: New Year

Observances: Sounding the shofar (ram's horn trumpet)

Length: 2 Days (Some: 1 Day)

Customs: Dipping apples in honey; Casting off "sins" into a river

Greeting: L'shanah tovah! (For a good year!)

There Could Have Been so Much More...

6 million Jewish people were annihilated in the Holocaust solely based

on their faith.

Thats more than half of the current statistics!

Hitler tried to dehumanize the Jewish

people calling their faith unworthy and

telling them that they could never escape

being a Jew, it was part of their racial identity.

Elie Wiesel Quotes

The History of Judaism- Exodus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B38t_Ua3_0Y

Reflection

Characteristics Commonalities

What was surprisingWhat was different from what you knew beforegeneral reflection of the unit ( what did you like, what did you not like, how could it be improved)

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