Judaism

General Background

Judaism originated in the area between Mesopotamia and Egypt. It is largely agreed upon that the story of Judaism begins with the patriarch Abraham, who journeyed from Ur in Mesopotamia to follow God's directions to a promised land. Abraham was promised that he would be the father of a great people and would bless many nations. This promise was considered a covenant, which was carried on through Abraham's son Isaac, Isaac's son Jacob (Israel), and then Jacob's twelve sons.

Abraham's descendants lived in Canaan until they were enslaved in Egypt. They were freed from slavery by a man named Moses, who also gave them the law of the Lord. This law was a continuation of the covenant made by Abraham, with specific instructions on how to live and worship. It provided the people with a moral way to live separate from those around them. This law can be understood as having two pieces: The written and oral Torah.

Prophets in Jewish texts are not considered founders. They are messengers from the one God: Jehovah, and they helped the people understand the law of God within the context of their current circumstances. Today, rabbis fulfill the role of helping people understand the law within the context of modern life.

Judaism maintains the idea that there will one day be a Messiah who will establish God's reign on earth.

Modern Understandings

There is a spectrum of adherence to the traditional law of Moses shifting from the Ultra-Orthodox to Reformed Modern Judaism. The majority of Jews find themselves in between these two sides, striking a balance.

The basic tenets of Judaism come from the written Torah, a sacred book of scripture detailing the journey of the people of Abraham, and the oral Torah, considered a living scripture that explains the written Torah's application to life.

How do current believers worship?

Practitioners of Judaism hold the Sabbath day as central to their lives. There are synagogue services on Friday evenings and Saturdays, but the core practice of the Sabbath day is in the home. It is a day of rest and reflection. Families may light candles and sing hymns.

Jewish keep several major holidays throughout the year based up on the Hebrew Lunar calendar.

Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the Jewish new year, which usually falls in September or October. This begins the High Holy Days, which culminate ten days later in Yom Kippur, which is the Day of Atonement. Jews will reflect on their year and repent during this time. Yom Kippur is the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. Jews will fast for the whole day and refrain from labor.

Succoth, the feast of the Tabernacles, begins five days after Yom Kippur. This is a day of joy celebrating the providence of God. On the seventh day, Hoshana Rabba, the Great Hosanna, is celebrated, where the scrolls of the scriptures are carried and hymns are sung. On the eighth day is a full holy day known as Shemini Atzeret, where prayers for rain are said. This is also the Simhat Torah, which celebrates the final reading of the annual Torah cycle and the first reading of the new cycle.

Passover is a seven-day festival in spring, which celebrates the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt and the blessings of God that they received at the time.

There are other minor festivals throughout the year that celebrate miracles of God from their history. This includes Purim and Hannukah.

There are various rites of passage for Jewish people. Boys are circumcized at birth. At the age of thirteen, boys become a man and have a ceremony called a Bar Mitzvah. At the age of twelve, girls have a Bat Mitzvah.

Many Jews follow a Koshur diet dictated by the law of Moses. Very orthodox Jews will also wear special clothing of a symbolic nature.