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Overview of Judaism
The Hebrew Scriptures present God as the only true and living God so Jews are monotheists. The God of Hebrew Scriptures is the all-powerful creator of a good world. Although the first humans, Adam and Eve, were initially created good, they were corrupted by the schemes of a fallen angel named “Satan”. God had created Adam and Eve in a garden and commanded them not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit. As a result all people have a sin problem and need to turn to God in faith and obedience to escape the guilt and judgment brought about by sin.
Although Judaism can trace its roots back in history to the Patriarch Abraham, modern Judaism has developed into a highly sophisticated socio-religious and ethno-religious belief and practice. Judaism is both a cultural and a religious identity. A child born to a Jewish woman is considered to be a Jew. Some people who identify themselves as being Jewish are atheists and do not practice any religion. They are Jewish because they trace their ethnicity to the people of Israel and to their distant ancestor Abraham who is considered father of all the Jews. In addition to tracing their lineage back to Abraham, many Jews also identify with Abraham’s belief in the one true God. They also believe that God gave their people many promises, especially the promise of the land of Israel and a future age of great peace and blessing when a great Davidic king will rule over their land. Some people who are not ethnic Jews have converted to Judaism; these people are Jewish only by their religion.
Judaism has evolved over time. Beginning with Abraham and his simple faith in the one, true God and his simple worship at stone altars, the religion has developed in four major eras. Judaism started first with the prophet Moses with whom God made a special covenant (agreement) that he would bless his people Israel, if they would obey him. God gave Moses special laws that he expected the people to obey. The next period of time was the time of the kings. During this time King David organized Temple worship and David’s son Solomon built a great Temple. For the most part, however, people did not follow God, especially when the kings did not follow God’s laws. Because the people did not follow God’s laws God sent several prophets to warn the people to turn back to God. As a result of their disobedience, God sent the Assyrians and the Babylonians to conquer Israel, destroy the Temple, and take the people into captivity. After seventy years God brought the people back to Israel and they rebuilt the Temple and the people enjoyed a time of national reconstruction and spiritual revival. This is called the “Second Temple” period.
During the Second Temple period, in addition to worship at Temple in Jerusalem, worship centers called “synagogues” were established so that people who lived far from Jerusalem could worship in their own towns. Synagogue worship co-existed with Temple worship. Religious teachers from the Priests and Levites began to teach God’s word. By the first century, these Jewish teachers were being called “rabbi”. A rabbi was a respected teacher who teaches in the synagogue and also taught children in the synagogue schools.
People joined religious sects like the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Essenes. Sometimes disputes between these sects led to violence. The rivalry between Jewish factions eventually led to the expulsion of the legitimate priests called Zadokites, and under the leadership of the priest, Onias IV, a rival temple was built for Jews in Egypt.
These rivalries were often about cooperation with foreign armies like the Greeks and the Romans that had conquered and occupied the land. Some factions favored these occupiers and others were opposed. For example, the sect of the Sadducees generally cooperated with Israel’s foreign occupiers and favored acculturation. The sect of the Pharisees, however, resisted foreign influence and favored keeping their Jewish identity and culture pure. Those who resistance the foreign invaders escalated their tactics to guerrilla warfare and eventually war broke out against Rome. Rome responded by sending the Roman general, General Titus, who defeated the Jews and destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70. The destruction of the Jewish Temple moved Judaism into the next era of Judaism called “Rabbinic Judaism” and is the beginning of modern-day Judaism.
Judaism of today is made up of three major branches or movements: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed. The Orthodox and Reformed are the largest movements.
Orthodox Jews are the most traditional form of Judaism. Orthodox Jews are the dominant group in Israel. Orthodox Jews try to follow the laws and traditions. Orthodox Jews regard food laws as God’s requirements for his covenant people so they follow the laws of Kashrut—the rules forbidding the eating of certain foods and requiring that other foods be prepared in a specific way. These rules determine which foods can be called kosher. The Torah forbids eating blood, so all meat is carefully butchered and the blood is drained. The rules of kashrut allow eating of fish with scales and fins, but other seafood like crabs, shrimp, shellfish, and squid cannot be eaten. They are not kosher (permitted). Jews who follow kashrut cannot eat pork or rabbit. In order for food to be kosher all meat and dairy products must be kept separate. Orthodox Jews keep separate cooking and serving utensils. One set is used for dairy and one set for meat. Meat and dairy products must not be eaten at the same meal. After eating meat Jewish people who observe kashrut must wait several hours before they can eat milk products. There are no restrictions for eating fruits and vegetables. During the feast of Passover the house must be searched for yeast and leaven. No yeast can be used in cooking during Passover. Bread and other baked goods must be made without leaven (yeast) during Passover.
Within the Orthodox movements are sub-movements such as the Haredi, the Hasidic, and the Open and Modern Orthodox movements.
Haredi Jews, are Orthodox Jews who do not allow cooperation and interaction with non-Orthodox Jews or anyone else outside their movement. They will work and do business with non-Orthodox, but they tend to segregate themselves from the rest of society as much as possible.
Hasidic Jews are also Orthodox in their practice of Judaism and are similar to Haredi Jews, but they seek emotional experiences during their worship by singing and dancing and encouraging exuberant expressions of joy. They are very dedicated to their particular rabbi and usually speak Yiddish.
Those who identify with the Open Orthodox and Modern Orthodox movements follow the laws and traditions of Judaism but are more lax in some of their beliefs and practices and believe it’s permissible to cooperate and interact with non-orthodox Jews and Gentiles (people who are not Jews).
Conservative Judaism was reaction to the liberal Reformed Jewish movement. During the nineteenth century some Jews turned away from the strict beliefs and practices of Orthodox Judaism. The kind of cultural assimilation that these Reformed Jews advocated, however, was too extreme for some. Some felt the Orthodox were too extreme in their interpretation of Jewish laws and traditions but the Reformed to too liberal. So they formed a middle group called “Conservative”.
The largest group of Jews in the United States is Reformed Judaism. Reformed Jews reject what they see as the extreme interpretation of Jewish laws and traditions as practiced by Orthodox Jews. They believe it is possible to be Jewish and yet blend in and assimilate with non-Jewish society. Reformed Jews do not want to completely reject their Jewish heritage. They believe it’s possible to still be Jews and remember their Jewishness during the Jewish holidays, but they think that many of the laws and traditions of Orthodox Jews no longer have application in modern life. In Reformed Judaism, women are allowed to become rabbis.
Some Jews have believed that Jesus is their Messiah. These Jews are sometimes called “completed Jew” or “Messianic Jew”. Often these Jews still worship on the Sabbath and also, as Christians, they worship on Sunday. Most Jewish Christians still practice the Jewish holidays.