IB World Religions Review Project: Judaism

Rosa, Joseph, Kim, Madi

Fundamental QuestionsWhat is the Human condition?- Humanity was created in the “image” of God. He gave people the free will to choose between bad and good

Where are we going?- Judaism does not has little dogmas on afterlife, but they still believe in it

- Jewish afterlife is the Olam Ha-Ba (The World To Come)

- Do believe in temporary punishment after death, but not eternal

How do we get there?- Earthly lives should be lived fulfilling the duties to God and fellow man

RitualsThe purpose of most rituals in Judaism is to take time out of their everyday lives to

focus on God and his mitzvot (commandments). Daily prayer, Sabbath services, and holidays are all great examples of how individuals and families take time out of their lives to focus on God

Lifetime RitualsSabbath (shabbat) is the 7th day, which is for rest and worship and it is also the most

important holy daybegins friday at sundown and it ends saturday at sundown

Method of WorshipSince the Jews were separated from the Temple and each other, the institution of the

synagogue developed as a center for prayer and study.It offers Jews outside of Jerusalem opportunity to pray and worship together

Rituals linked to a Foundational FigureThe Feast of Weeks- commemorates giving of the law(ten commandments to Moses on

SinaiCelebration of weeks, fifty days after passover and is usually celebrated from around

May-JUne

Rituals (cont.)Holy Days and Jewish Festivals

Passover(Presach)Celebrated with sender meal in March-Aprilcommemorates the Exodus

New Year(Rosh Hashanah)Celebrated September-Octoberseason begins with period of penitence and it commemorates first days of creation

The Day of Atonement(Yom Kippur)It follows Rosh Hashnah’s period of penitence and is considered a day of abstinence

from work, food, and drink

The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)5 days after yom KippurIt is a remembrance of wandering in the wilderness, commemorates wandering in

deser, living in makeshift tabernacles

Rituals (cont.)The Feast of Dedication(Chanukah)November-December commemoration of Judas Maccabaeus retaking temple from Greeks in 165 B.C.Eoil remained in temple for 8 days,which is why Jews light candle for 8 days to

commemorate dedication of the recaptured temple

The Feast of Lots(Purim)Remembrance of victory over Gentile FoesFebruary-Marchcommemorating of Jewish Victory over enemies plotting to kill them (Book of Esther)The day’s name comes from story of the plot- lots were cast to determine which day

Jews would be killed

Sacred Texts• The Torah~ The first five Jewish scriptures incorporating the

law of God• Oral Torah~ God’s explanation of the written Torah to Moses

but was not written down; this includes the Mishnah and the Talmud

• The 10 Commandements~ Given to Moses at Mt. Sinai after he lead the Israelites across the Red Sea

• Holy Bible~ Old Testament-Key scriptures were given directly from God and were written down or are interpretations/explanations of the those laws given

-Some non-Orthodox believe scriptures were not divinely inspired, but that different authors wrote it over a period of time

- Rabbis study scriptures and teach community

Sacred Texts (cont.)• Orthodox Jews strive to preserve traditional culture and religion.

They follow the Bible and Talmud strictly• Reform Jews try to be as modern as possible and relax the rules.

Talmud has no authority• Conservative Jews believe in rabbinical tradition but are more

relaxed than Orthodox. Mostly concerned with the scientific study of the Bible & rabbinical material. Abide by Bible

• Reconstructionist Jews believe Jewish culture must be studied and experienced

Sacred Texts (cont.)• Bible was originally Hebrew

o translated to Greek during the Diasporao this helped spread Judaismo Orthodox Jews perform prayers in only Hebrewo other sects of Judaism use their vernacular religion and

sometimes Hebrew

Doctrines/Beliefs ● Judaism is generally unified by the belief in one God.

This God acts in human affairs and is also believed to be the chosen to be God’s people. Also, It’s believed that God created humans in his image and endowed them with free will.

○ There is also a Messianic age of peace and justice for humankind is in this world as Olam Ha-Ba (the world to Come)

○ As for Eschatology, the Jews believe in a Messiah who will become a leader and rule the people of Israel into a favorable or unfavorable afterlife.

● Many of the doctrines of Judaism come from the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and also the Torah (the five books of Moses.) However, the Talmud and the Mishnah come in as legal commentary that serve as a way for Jews to follow Jewish life.

Doctrines/Beliefs (cont.)● The Jews also believe that the Israelites came to mount Sinai during their

journey to Canaan and believe that YHWH gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the renewal of the Covenant with Abraham.

○ This formation of Mosaic Law during the 40 year journey to Canaan becomes the basis for the Pentateuch (first five books of Hebrew Scriptures.

● Different schools of thought in Judaism today are:

○ Orthodox - largest group, seek to preserve Jewish culture/religion, follow biblical/Talmudic law, favor Hebrew as language of worship)Reform - Emphasizes unversality of traditional Jewish values, interfaith dialogue, social activism. Values modernity and prefers vernacular. Conservative - Grounded in rabbinic tradition but more relaxed than Orthodox, more interested in scientific study of Bible. Prefers Vernacular. Reconstructionist - Grows out of conservative, focuses on Jewish culture and supports the state of Israel. Fundamentalist Sectarian Judaism - Hostile to non-Jews, active in Israel’s settlement movement.

Religious Experience● The theme of exile reappears continually in the Hebrew Bible, and also

later in Jewish history as becoming homeless time and time again. Primarily in the Exodus and the Diaspora

● A large part of the religious experience for both group and individual religious experience is the synagogue. Because the Jews were separated the institution of the synagogue developed as a center of prayer and study.

○ The synagogue offers Jews outside Jerusalem an opportunity to pray and worship together. The rabbi literally “my teacher” emerges as teacher and leader of a Jewish group, and they apply god’s law in Torah to the people.

● The Jewish Sabbath day begins on Friday at sundown, and ends Saturday at sundown. Jews rest and also go to the synagogue to recite the talmud as well as other texts such as the Torah or Mishnah.

Religious Experience (cont.)● In some cases, a person may forgo a formal conversion to Judaism and

adopt some or all beliefs and practices of Judaism, but is rare in most cases.

○ The Talmud requires a three part conversion: Circumcision, Immersion (ritual bath), and lastly a sacrifice to the temple.

● Since the mid-twentieth century, women have taken an active role in claiming their rights to full religious participation, and are redefining Judaism from a feminist perspective.

○ Certain sects such as Orthodox, Conservative, and Fundamentalist Setarian tend to segregate genders in worship, but Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism give equality to both genders.

Ethics and Moral ConductJewish Feminism

some feminists are coming back to religious observance since the mid-twentieth century, women have taken an active role in claiming their

rights to full religious participation they are redefining Judaism from a feminist perspective

Marriage/Divorcejudaism has always accepted divorce as a fact of life. Judaism generally maintains that

it is better for a couple to divorce than to remain together unhappy According to the Talmud, only the husband can initiate a divorce, and the wife cannot

prevent him from divorcing herlater rabbinical authorities took steps to ease the harshness of these rules by

prohibiting a man from divorcing a woman without her consent