Transcript Judaism - lcusd.net

JUDAISM
Founded in 1300 BC
Founder: Abraham
REMEMBER THIS?
OTHER TERMS, PEOPLE, & PLACES YOU
SHOULD KNOW FROM THE TORAH
 The Torah: aka the Penteteuch, or the first 5 books of the Old Testament; it is
generally, the central concept of the Judaic religious tradition. The term Torah
means instruction and offers a way of life for those who follow it. However, it’s
much more complicated than that; it can also refer to the rabbinical
commentaries that accompany the verses themselves. Common to all these
meanings, Torah consists of the foundational narrative of the Jewish people:
their call into being by God, their trials and tribulations, and their covenant with
their God, which involves following a way of life embodied in a set of moral and
religious obligations and civil laws.
 The form of Torah is that of a narrative, from the beginning of God's creating
the world, through the beginnings of the people of Israel, their descent into
Egypt, and the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. It ends with the death of Moses,
just before the people of Israel cross to the promised land.
TERMS, PEOPLE, & PLACES YOU
SHOULD KNOW FROM THE TORAH
 The Talmud: The book of 762 laws. The Talmud contains the teachings and
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opinions of thousands of rabbis on a variety of subjects,
including Halakha (law), Jewish ethics, philosophy, customs,, history, lore and
many other topics
Dominion: mankind has control and accessibility over material items on Earth
– “let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the
air…”
Covenant: a sacred contract between God and man.
Esau: Grandson of Abraham, son of Isaac, twin to Jacob
Job : a Prophet who is tested by God – does not waiver to tests/famine/sickness
- shows commitment to teachings.
Canaan: Canaanites of Israel and Palestine – also considered by Ancient Greeks
to be Phoenicians. The Land of Canaan is often seen in literature as an allusion.
It means the promised land.
Euphrates River: Spreading from Turkey, through Iraq, into the Persian
Gulf. Often paired w/the Tigris River.
SACRED TIME – SHABBAT
1. Shabbat : 7th day of the week – – epitome of sacred time
 Begins at sundown of the prior evening and ends at nightfall on Saturday
2. Kabbalat Shabbat: Lighting and blessing of Candles at home, a Friday
evening service
 Various prayers – invocation, sanctification, breaking and sharing of
bread
SHABBAT PRACTICES
 Observant Jews refrain from forms of work or the act of creation:
 -all conventional weekday activities
 -using electricity
 - traveling
 -shopping
 - writing,
 Shabbat activities: prayer, Torah study, eating, relaxing, and sleeping.
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HOLY DAYS
 Pesach – seven day spring festival that commemorates the exodus of
Jews from Egyptian slavery
 Shavuot – seven weeks after Pesach – spring harvest in the Land of
Israel - day of the Torah’s presentation
 Rosh Ha-shanah – Jewish New Year – inaugurates 10 days of Penitence
 Yom Kippur – conclusion of Rosh Ha-shanah – Day of Attonement
 Five Days after Yom Kippur – Sukkot – Tabernacles – 7 day pilgrimage
festival commemorating the fall harvest
 Hannukkah – eight day winter solstice – victory of the Maccabee
warriors against the Greek rulers of Israel
SACRED SPACE
 Observant Jews worship 3x a day
 Face in the direction of Jerusalem during the recitation of the Amidah prayer
 Synagogue (considered temporary spaces) with no idolatry or graven
images
 Torah – the Five Books of Moses
 Menorah represents Eternal life – commemorative symbolizing the eternal light
JEWISH SYMBOLS
 Avoid the use of any symbolic representation of worship especially
human-like figures
 Most synagogues are devoid of any religious art
 Magen David: star of David/shield of God. Comes from King David in
Psalm 18 when God is compared to a shield
 Candelabra: Seven pronged Menorah – laws brought down by Moses
– 7 tablets of the law
TEN COMMANDMENTS
 Worship no other gods.
 Do not worship idols.
 Do not misuse the name of the Lord.
 Keep the Sabbath holy.
 Honor your father and mother.
 Do not murder.
 Do not commit adultery.
 Do not steal.
 Do not give false testimony
 Do not covet. {2}
13 ARTICLES OF FAITH
 God exists
 God is one and unique
 God is incorporeal
 God is eternal
 Prayer is to God only.
 The prophets spoke truth.
 Moses was the greatest of the prophets.
 The Written and Oral Torah were given to Moses.
 There will be no other Torah.
 God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
 God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
 The Messiah will come.
 The dead will be resurrected.