judaism

Judaism

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I. Jewish Scriptures

A. Tanakh – The Jewish Bible which has 3 parts and is very similar to our Old Testament.1. Torah – 1st 5 books of our O.T., the most important scriptures. The most traditional Jews attempt to memorize it.2. (Nevee’em) The Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joshua,…3. (Ketuvim) Other Writings – Pslams, Lamentations, Proverbs…

I. Jewish ScripturesI. Jewish Scriptures

B. Talmud – Books that explain, interpret, and study the Tanakh.

1. Example: The Tanakh says to honor the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy by not working. The Talmud gives guidelines as to what ‘work’ is.

I. Jewish ScripturesI. Jewish Scriptures

C. Key Stories in the Torah.1. Creation/Adam and Eve/Fall (Genesis 1-3)

2. God’s Covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17)

3. Moses/Exodus/The Law (Ex. 19-24)

Creation, Adam and Eve, & The

Fall

God’s Covenant with AbrahamGod’s Covenant with Abraham

Moses, Exodus, & the 10

Commandments

II. Jewish LawII. Jewish Law

A. Mosaic Law – The 10 commandments, which were the guidelines for the 613 laws that God gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

Example: Kashrut (Dietary Laws)

KashrutKashrut

• Only split-hooved animals that chew their cud, certain types of fowl (duck, chicken, turkey), and fish with fins are proper to eat.

• Dairy and meat products can not be mixed together at the same meal.

• Animals that are used for food (except fish) must be killed in the ritual way, to cause as little pain as possible to the animal.

Food that meets the Kashrut laws are known as Kosher.


B. Modern Talmud

– Example: Shabbat (the Sabbath)

ShabbatShabbat

• From sundown on Friday night to Sundown on Saturday night there is no work, since God rested on the 7th day after creation.– No electricity– No cooking– Only taking a certain amount of steps– No brushing your hair– No touching money– No ripping toilet paper


C. These laws were taken very seriously as seen in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) which sums up the key beliefs of Judaism.

“4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5Love the LORD your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-9Deuteronomy 6:4-9“4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5Love the LORD your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. ”

Example: PhylacteriesExample: Phylacteries

Example: TefillinExample: Tefillin

Example: MezuzahExample: Mezuzah

Talit (Prayer Shawl)Talit (Prayer Shawl)

Compared to ChristianityCompared to Christianity

• Why don’t we follow all of the O.T. laws?

• How do we know which ones to follow?– Civil Law– Ceremonial Law– Moral Law

III. Jewish Concept of SalvationIII. Jewish Concept of Salvation

A. Must keep all of the laws in the Tanakh and the Talmud.

B. They acknowledge that this is impossible to do (since man is by nature sinful), but God provides a way out.

C. The Jewish people offered animal sacrifices as payment for their sins (until the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 70 A.D.)

III. Jewish Concept of SalvationIII. Jewish Concept of Salvation

D. Today Jews no longer sacrifice, but stress the importance of following the laws that are still applicable and ask forgiveness from God when they sin.

Jewish Names for GodJewish Names for God

• Adonai - Lord

• El olam – God of ancient days,

God of Eternity

• El elyon – God Most High

• El shaddia – God Almighty

• El ro’l – God Who Sees

• El ohim – God of Faithfulness

Jewish Names for GdJewish Names for Gd

• YHWH – unpronounceable; use LORD/Adonai instead

• Yahweh (Jehovah) - “I am who I am”

• HaShem – “The Name”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jno5b0tQ5Ck

IV. Key Beliefs of JudaismIV. Key Beliefs of Judaism

A. Monotheism

B. Salvation by Gd through His laws

C. Messiah

D. Creation

IV. Key Beliefs of JudaismIV. Key Beliefs of Judaism

E. Afterlife – judged based on deeds after death, not during life (based on Job)

1. Gehenna – place of suffering for the wicked

2. Sheol – all go here upon death

3. ‘Heaven’ – place of paradise for the just

F. Purpose of Life

V. Jewish Customs and TraditionsV. Jewish Customs and Traditions

A. Bar/Bat Mitzvah (Son/Daughter of Commandment)

– for boys turning 13/ girls turning 12

- now responsible for their own religious behavior and knowledge of commandments.

B. Passover – Celebrating Jewish Freedom from slavery in Egypt (Mar. or Apr.)


C. Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year (Sept. or Oct.)

-Also seen as the Day of Judgment (but Gd grants a 10 day grace period)

-The shofar was blown at the temple as a call to repentence


D. Yom Kippur – 2nd most important Jewish holiday (after Passover)

-Day of Atonement (10th Day of Rosh Hashanah)

-Seen as the Sabbath of Sabbath’s

-All families had to make sacrifices on this Day (before temple was destroyed)


D. Yom Kippur

-all Sabbath rules apply

-day of fasting

-day of remembrance of the sins of the nation

- “Next year in Israel!”


E. Yarmulke – ‘skull cap’ worn by males to show reverence to Gd and his commandments.

Rabbinic JudaismRabbinic Judaism

• Today’s version of Judaism that replaced Judaism that revolved around the Temple.

• Rabbinic Judaism revolves around synagogues.

VI. Branches of JudaismVI. Branches of Judaism

A. Reform Judaism – tried to make Judaism more compatible with a changing world

Examples:

1. Use of English in prayer services in

U.S. instead of Hebrew

2. Commandments should build

relationship with God.

3. Most of Kashrut and Shabbat laws

not followed.


B. Orthodox Judaism

1. A response to Reform Judaism that said every letter of Mosaic Law (including the 1st Talmud) was giving to Moses by God on Mt. Sinai.

2. All traditional practices reflect the will of God, and since God does not change, neither should Judaism.


C. Conservative Judaism

1. A response to Orthodox Judaism that said that Jewish tradition and even some laws can change, but the key values that the laws are trying to instill cannot change.

2. Sabbath and Kashrut laws can be updated but should still be followed

3. Seen as a combination between Orthodox and Reform Judaism


D. Hasidic Judaism1. Not really a branch, but more of a movement within Judaism.2. Started in the 1800s3. Said that Judaism had become too legalistic. Hasidic Judaism stressed an emotional and spiritual connection to God along with keeping the traditional laws. (Hasid is Hebrew for pious)

MatisyahuMatisyahu

How would you attempt to bring the How would you attempt to bring the good news of Christ to a Jewish good news of Christ to a Jewish person? Give 3 Bible passages person? Give 3 Bible passages that you would use. Explain how that you would use. Explain how

these verses show the fundamental these verses show the fundamental differences between Judaism and differences between Judaism and

Christianity.Christianity.

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jewish customs

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jewish scripturesi

jewish bible

jewish freedom

jewish people

jewish concept of salvationiii

important jewish holiday