Index:

Abstract ..2 Introduction 3 The first period (Biblical Judaism) 3 The second period: E ile in Bab!lon ." Third period # $iddle A%es .& $odern Judaism .'( )acred scripture ..'' Je*ish m!sticism '3 +eli%ious holida!s and calendar .', -ra!ers and s!na%o%ues .', .ionist mo/ement ..'0 1onclusion ..'2 3iterature .'&

Abstract In this paper I *ill discuss about the histor! of Judaism and ho* thin%s ha/e chan%ed throu%h the !ears. I *ill also tal4 about the ori%ins of this reli%ion and ho* it has affects in the modern societ!. Another critical point *hich I *ant to discuss here are the different t!pes of Je*s that e ist and *hat are the main reasons *h! an old reli%ion has such a small amount of follo*ers. The ans*er is eas! and is about tradition. The data I ha/e used is secondar! data because I ha/en5t sufficient fund and time to in/esti%ate about the histor! of the Je*s b! m! o*n. The references are reliable and precise. The! %a/e me sufficient information to *rite m! o*n ideas and thou%hts about a reli%ion that had such an impact on the histor! of the *orld.

Introduction Judaism is a monotheistic reli%ion of the Je*s. 1haracteri6ed in that it is not onl! a reli%ion and customar!7 but also the ethical7 le%al and historical line of the Je*ish people. The *ord Je* (Judean7 8ebre*) and Judaism (8ebre* reli%ion7 Judaism)7 are deri/ed from the /erb nodes (the ancient Aramaic#8ebre*) meanin% # to cross7 so the! called all the )emitic tribes in the earl! second millennium B1 era7 from $esopotamia be%an to cross the Euphrates ri/er mo/in% to*ards the $editerranean. The ancient 9ree4s called this tribe 8ebraia and +omans 8ebraei (8ebre*s7 Je*s). )ince the stud! of reli%ion7 rituals and customs of the Je*s7 it is impossible to separate the historical and social conditions and their *or4s *ill most important historical phases ha/e under%one Je*ish communit!. The first period (Biblical Judaism) That is the period before %oin% into Bab!lonian capti/it! 02":;. B1 and it5s also called Biblical Judaism. <or e plorin% the ancient histor! of the Je*s near the archaeolo%ical disco/eries and a small number of historical chronicles7 it has a si%nificant role and =ld -led%e (particularl! in introducin% the earliest epoch). Althou%h the data is from the =ld Testament more m!thical than factual nature7 it represents important %uideline historians7 althou%h increasin%l! the old biblical traditions assume altered appearance of real e/ents. This period is di/ided into four parts7 i.e. four co/enants 9ods (>ah*eh) and the m!thical hero of the people. The first co/enant 9od has made *ith ?oah. Accordin% to the Bible7 ?oah recei/ed three sons: )hem7 8am and Japheth. =ne hundred !ears later7 9od repented that he had made man *ho has e/er!thin% she sinned more and decides to let the flood and e terminate all life on Earth. 8e called ?oah (as best man) and told him to ma4e an ar4 of *ood and that it enters the famil!7 and a couple of all animals on Earth. ?oah did it7 and then 9od sent the rain that flooded the Earth. After the flood7 ?oah and his famil! continued to li/e on Earth and start a better %eneration of people.'
1

Judaism and 1hristianit!: A 1ontrast@ +abbi )tuart <edero*@ iAni/erse (=ctober 227 2('2)@ pa%e 2&#'('

The second co/enant 9od had made *ith Abraham. Accordin% to le%end7 9od ans*ered Abraham after the death of his father and told him that his famil! and the herd mo/e from 8aran to 1anaan. =n this occasion7 9od promised Abram that his offsprin% *ould be Bthe onl! chosen people.B A reco%nition Abram descendant of other people7 9od has ordained circumcision of male children7 se/en da!s after birth. Abram had a son Isaac7 t*ins Jacob and Esau. Esau *as stron% and a %ood hunter7 and Jacob ph!sicall! *ea4 and close to his mother and house*or4. =ne da! old and Blinded Isa4 cra/e a /enison and sent Esau to hunt for that time Jacob and Esau emperor dis%uised himself in *ith the help of the mother mana%ed to tric4 his father7 after he had eaten and drun4 rendered irre/ocable blessin% his son7 bearer of food7 to be his successor. Chen he returned from huntin% Esau *as unsuccessfull! tr!in% to chan%e his fatherDs decision. But Jacob *as afraid of re/en%e and *as persuaded b! the mother *ho *ent to 8anan and entered the ser/ice of his uncle. After 2' !ears *e decided to come bac4 a%ain. In this *a! durin% one ni%ht Jacob in a dream /i%orousl! fou%ht *ith an un4no*n man *ho had to be rescued blessed to Isa5s successor and said: B<rom no* on !ou *ill not be called Jacob7 but Israel7 because !ou ha/e heroicall! fou%ht *ith 9od and *ith the people.E)o 9od mar4ed Jacobs ancestor of the Earth and the people *hose name Israel (and one that resists the %od) that Israelites dealB -romised 3and and %odDs people. BJacob had '2 sons7 of *ho emer%ed Je*ish tribes: +u/en7 3e/i7 Judah7 Issachar7 )imon7 .e/ulon7 Fan7 Joseph7 ?aphtali7 9ad7 Aser and of BenGamin. Accordin% to the le%end of Jacob and Esau tribes ha/e become eternal enemies. Joseph (son of James) led the nation in $isir. Accordin% to the biblical le%end of Joseph7 the Je*ish tribes li/ed *ell into $isir durin% the rule of the 8!4sos. The home of the mid#'0th F!nast! centur! B17 and the arri/al of E%!ptian pharaohs to po*er7 the position of Je*s be%an to deteriorate7 until e/entuall! the! become sla/es. Chen '2"( B1 -haraoh ordered to 4ill e/er! ne*born male child Je*s7 9od chose $oses to deli/er the people7 and brou%ht him to the -romised 3and 8anan. Accordin% to le%end7 $oses *as a Je*ish child to the mother7 to sa/e him from death after birth7 put the bas4et lined *ith *a on the ?ile7 *here the! bathed -haraohDs dau%hter too4 the bab! and raised him. $oses brou%ht up at the court. Chen the sufferin% of Je*s *as at its pea47 $oses intuition becomes flat their Je*ish identit!7 and he Hilled an E%!ptian and runs a*a! into the desert. After se/eral unsuccessful rebellions of Je*s7 $oses b! 9odDs instructions *as repeatedl! %oin% to the court of the -haraoh to as4 for permission to carr! out the people from $isira. E/er! time before maGor accidents happens to

miser5s people. Chen he finall! died the son of -haraohDs firstborn7 -haraoh allo*ed $oses to the people of Israel out of $isira and headed to the -romised 3and. )o 9od made a co/enant *ith third $oses. Canderin% in the )inai desert lasted ,( !ears. 9od called $oses on $ount )inai7 *here he sta!ed for ,( da!s and ni%hts after *hich 9od %a/e him the printed tables to the ten commandments of 9od. Chen he returned from )inai he found his people to ma4e idols of other %ods7 blasphemin% the Jeho/ah. E asperated7 he bro4e a table and ordered the 3((( un%odl! I)E1. After that he *ent bac4 to )inai to pra! to 9od to for%i/e the people of 9od and that his re#print commands. 1omin% bac4 from )inai $oses *as commanded to build an ar4 of 9odDs Testament and the tent *here it *ill be 4ept. Because of the maGor sins that people commit durin% *anderin% Jeho/ah decided to enter the promised land is not e/en one man o/er 2( !ears old7 not e/en $oses7 but to the death of *anderin% in the *ilderness. 9od has ordained Joshua (Jesus ?a/in) to introduce people to the -romised 3and7 and that sin *ill fall throu%h conIuest and blood! and difficult *ar. The conIuest *as met *ith %reat resistance of nati/e5s tribes and especiall! <ilestias and 1anaanites.2 Furin% the rei%n of )aul '(,(#'('2 B1 <ilestins launched a militar! campai%n a%ainst Israel and camped at Bohort (northern Israel). Armies stood one o/er another ,( da!s. <ilestins sent e/er! da! colossus 9oliath *ho called the bra/est Je*s to contest and so to decide the outcome of battles. )ince the militar! did not find such an accident there appeared a !oun% shepherd Fa/id *ho *ent to the contest and 4illed colossus *ith a simple slin%. After that )aul set Fa/id as the commander of the arm!. Accordin% to the Biblical le%end of Jeho/ah is the fourth co/enant *as made *ith Fa/id. After the turmoil of the throne and the conflict bet*een the cler%! )aul and his successor it comes to po*er Fa/id '((, to &;0 B1. 1apital of the state is transferred from 8erbona in Jebus (later named Jerusalem). Ander Emperor Fa/id ancient Judean state reached its pea47 stretched far be!ond the borders of the -romised 3and. Fa/id in Je*ish histor! is the bi%%est s!mbol of the ancient past7 because the .ionist mo/ement too4 a s!mbolic name to the hill of Jerusalem 1ioni *hereabouts of Fa/idDs %ra/e and the castle. Fa/idDs successors ruled until 02" B1 *hen the area becomes Babel pro/ince.

JudaismDs 9reat Febates: Timeless 1ontro/ersies from Abraham to 8er6l@ Barr! 3. )ch*art6@ The Je*ish -ublication )ociet! (Jul! '7 2('2)@ pa%e 22#3(

In the period before the e ile in Bab!lon lar%est Je*ish reli%ious obGecti/e *as to 4no* 9od. )econd in importance *as lon% in the land7 until the premature and sudden death seen in 9odDs punishment that comes *ic4ed and un%odl!. <or Fead thou%ht to someho* continue to e ist in the re%ion of the under%round # shell7 *here man5s life is Iuic4l! for%otten. But on the other hand there is the con/iction that the hol! 9od is stron%er than death and sa/e belie/ers from hell7 Also it *as thou%ht that the e/il lies in the beha/ior and attitudes that harm %ood. Those *ho li/ed contrar! to Jeho/ahDs reIuirements had the feelin% of BfailureB. In the =ld Testament see4in% *ord sin is *ritten 8et7 and ori%inates from the *ords miss. Furin% this period it shaped the old Je*ish7 reli%ious and historical stories that *ere later *ritten do*n. This period is related to the appearance of the prophets7 especiall! the prophetic acti/it! increased in the ei%hth centur! B17 as *ell as the need to counteract the imperial %o/ernment. It is *hat the! *ant to dra* attention the increasin% depra/it! of Jeho/ahDs cult7 *hich accordin% to them is the basis of all the distress in Israel. Another phenomenon to *hich the! indicated *as the %ro*in% class ineIualit!. <armers *ere increasin%l! bein% poor and the countr! passed from the rich minorit! %roups. )o Israel has ceased to e ist as a societ! of eIual before Jeho/ah. -rophets belie/e that Israel must return a Gust social order in accordance *ith reli%ious ideals. The most famous prophets *ere: Amos7 $icah7 and =sia IsaGi.3 Accordin% to Amos7 an essential element of the Je*ish reli%ion is the /er! e istence of the prophet: BThe 3ord 9od does nothin% *ithout re/ealin% his secret to his ser/ants the prophetsB. =sia is belie/ed that the basic role of the prophet to call the people to reGect the reli%ious *a! of thin4in% and beha/ior and to stri/e for the 4no*led%e of the *ill of the 3ord: B)ee4 the 3ord and !ou *ill be li/in%7 *al4 to return to the 3ord.B

The second period: Exile in Babylon Je*ish territories *ere ruled b! the Bab!lonians 02" to 03& B17 -ersians 03& to 333 B17 9ree4s 333 to ;3 B17 +omans ;3 p.n. #"( AF7 later Arabs and Tur4s. In the period of se/en centuries of sla/er! laid the foundations of toda!Ds Judaism. ?e* herita%e de/elopment incurred durin% this
3

A 8istor! of 9od: The ,7(((#>ear Juest of Judaism7 1hristianit! and Islam@ Haren Armstron%@ Ballantine Boo4s (Au%ust &7 '&&,)@ pa%e 3(3# 3'"

period are the sacred boo4s7 the s!na%o%ue7 the de/elopment of dualism7 the belief in an%els7 apocal!ptic *ritin%s7 teachin%s about %ettin% up dead on the da! of Gud%ment. -re e ile Je*ish communit! *as centered on the temples durin% the Bab!lonian capti/it! center and the assembl! becomes reli%ious scriptures that priests brou%ht *ith them. The! ha/e de/eloped a special occasion for the readin% of the scriptures and the most important *as the se/enth da! of the *ee4 # the )abbath. -re e ile it *as taboo da! *hich *as set aside for reli%ious customs7 in Bab!lonia became the da! for holdin% meetin%s for readin%s and interpretations of scriptures and pra!ers. 03& B1 -ersian emperor 1!rus bro4e the Bab!lonian empire. A part of the Je*s returned to Jerusalem7 0'0 B1 and rebuilt the Temple7 in parallel *ith this rene*ed and cler%! emphasi6ed part scriptures *hich re%ulates reli%ious and secular life7 and especiall! the Torah of $oses 1ode. Furin% the 9ree4 %o/ernment it has led to three streams: '. -harisees 2. )adu4es 3. Essenes At the root of this di/ision *ere disa%reements o/er *hether it should fall under the influence of 8ellenism or remain consistent ori%inal teachin% Jah*ist. -harisees # their name means Bthose *ho are separatedB # the cler%! *ho *ere politicall! and economicall! most po*erful section of societ!7 from the dirt and aspirations 8ellenism. The! *anted to li/e in accordance *ith the la* (reli%ious scriptures *ritten and un*ritten moral norms). 1onsisted of a small part of the Je*ish population7 but *ere %reatl! respected b! the broad masses. 1haracteristics of -harisees: patience7 honest!7 puritanical and austere life7 cares for the li/es of ordinar! people. =penness to ne* ideas7 a *illin%ness to accept the de/elopment of reli%ious thou%ht7 led to the fact that the! accepted -ersian doctrines of resurrection of the dead and terrible Gud%ment. The! supported the belief in an%els.

)adu4es# traditionalist oriented reli%ious aristocrac!. The! had the po*er and authorit!. To Gustif! their position affluent preached the %ood 9od man for life A*ards7 a sinful life came to punishment. The! belie/ed that Judaism should spread rabbis and trained interpreters of the Bible and the Talmud *hich replaced the priests. In 8ebre*7 the *ord rabbi means Bm! teacher.B It *as the be%innin% of rabbinic Judaism aimed at re/itali6ation of reli%ious life *ithout the temple. Time -harisees are %ro*in%7 both reli%iousl! and politicall!7 and become serious ri/al5s to sadu4es. The conflict has enabled the rise of 1hristianit!. It is belie/ed that Jesus *as the first <arician7 and it is onl! after separatin% and found a ne* stud!. -harisees as4ed for assistance from the +omans7 and ;3 B1 Judea became a pro/ince of the +oman Empire. Essenes # ascetic sect that li/ed in the desert of Judea7 near the Fead )ea from about '0( !ears B1 to the destruction of the communit! b! the +oman Arm! after 2; !ears. -art of their literature7 BFead )ea )crollsB7 *as found in '' ca/es at Jumran '&," and in '&"". These documents reflect the Essenes as dualist *ho belie/e in the e istence of t*o spirits # %ood and e/il7 *hich are the! di/ided bet*een %enerations li/in%. <ostered b! the con/iction that %ood to *in e/il conflict sons of li%ht and children of dar4ness. It is assumed that the battle is actuall! a battle bet*een spiritual forces and *eapons of the +oman soldiers., Furin% +oman times7 there is an apocal!ptic literar! acti/it!. <urther de/elop learnin% about the armies of %ood and e/il spirits that are in conflict *ith each other. It is possible to e plain the nature of e/il in human societ!7 and that it is not attributed to 9od and 9odDs punishment7 so that e/il can hit an innocent man. Fe/elops the idea of the $essiah (BThe 1omin% 9reatB7 or o/erridin% sa/ior). It is belie/ed that he *as a member of the human race. Third period - middle ages In Ital! and <ran4ish#9ermanic countries7 the Je*s until the earl! crusades enGo! fundamental ci/il ri%hts. In )pain since its foundin% Kisi%oth 1hristian countries *ere persecuted7 sei6ed their propert!. The *orst position of Je*s had in -oland and +ussia. In order to create the *idest possible support for the 1hristian population7 the crusadersD conIuests in the East and the
4

Judaism7 -h!sics and 9od: )earchin% for )acred $etaphors in a -ost#Einstein Corld@ Fa/id C. ?elson@ Je*ish 3i%hts -ublishin% (Jul! '7 2((;)@ pa%e &2#'(,

1atholic 1hurch has Goined the s!stematic encoura%ement of reli%ious preGudice a%ainst Je*s. A%ain7 the actual act of -ilate7 *here the Je*ish people accused of the crucifi ion of Jesus 1hrist in order to protect itself from the %ro*in% reli%ious intolerance of 1hristians7 Je*s /oluntaril! be%in to li/e in a specific streets and nei%hborhoods # %hettos. The hi%hli%ht of the e plosion of anti Je*ish sentiment and persecution *as at the time of the pla%ue '3,2#'3,&. The Je*s *ere accused of bein% poisoned all the *ells and sprin%s from )pain to -olish. And on the other side as a trade and financial transactions *as the main occupation of Je*s7 and as the! %re* richer7 it spar4ed en/! not onl! for 1hristian retailers7 but also for the masses. )ince the 1atholic 1hurch in the '2th A%es banned and condemned %i/in% mone! at interest7 Je*ish merchants on that as the Antichrists did not relate this ban and are still %i/in% mone! !ieldin% reinforcin% the accusation that the! are the %reatest Bbloodsuc4ersB 1hristians. In the '3th centur! be%an the e pulsion of Je*s from different cities and countries: En%land '2&27 <rance '3&27 )pain in ',&27 -ortu%al in ',&". In other countries the! li/ed in isolated %hettos '230. The papal decision misled the e ternal characteristics of Je*s (Innocent III): special hats7 the soft red and !ello* circle on the chest and bac4 e/er! Je* o/er the a%e of ',7 Je*ish *omen older than '2 !ears. In such a situation it de/elops a socio#reli%ious mo/ement hasidism (in 8ebre* 8asid#pious) *hose main feature *as m!stical ideolo%!. The mo/ement is di/ided into t*o streams: '. 9erman hasidism @ 2. Eastern European hasidism. 1ommon to all the 8asidim is that an! 8asid tr!in% to *hat is done and e/er! da! is hol!.0 9erman hasidism occurs in +hineland after the massacre of Je*s durin% the 1rusades. The main product of the moralistic literature characteri6ed b! stor!tellin% ascetic piet! is deep commitment to respect for Je*ish la* and ethics. The! supported the rabbinic Judaism and Je*ish m!sticism. Eastern European hasidism occurs in -oland and +ussia7 *here the sufferin% and persecution *ere the stron%est. +eGected asceticism and messianism because it reIuires chan%es in historical conditions. The! *ere considered to be the true redemption *hich lies in the inner reli%ious spirit of the indi/idual. In an! case7 it can be concluded that the chassidic literature *as full of opposin% /ie*s7 so that the true spirit hasidi6ma reflected in the rich tradition of tunes that are sun% *ithout *ords and that are still present in the church ser/ices.

Judaism7 8uman Kalues7 and the Je*ish )tate@ >esha!ahu 3eibo*it67 Elie6er 9oldman7 >oram ?a/on7 ./i Jacobson7 9ershon 3e/i7 +aphael 3e/!@ 8ar/ard Ani/ersit! -ress (Au%ust ''7 '&&0)@ pa%e 22(#23,

odern Judaism Toda!7 there are three central ideas of Judaism *hich also features three main streams: '. +eformist Judaism # emphasi6es 9od 2. 1onser/ati/e Judaism # emphasi6es Israel 3. =rthodo Judaism # hi%hli%hts Tor +eformist Judaism # +eform mo/ement be%an in 9erman!. Je*ish translation of the Bible into 9erman and buildin% of a Btemple of reformB in Braunsch*ei% # until then the name of the temple is onl! used for the Temple in Jerusalem. Attempted to reconcile the Je*ish reli%ion *ith the spirit of the time. +eGected the idea of a personal $essiah and introduced the idea of the messianic a%e that *ill be reali6ed human pro%ress introducin% *orship in 9erman and En%lish7 or%an7 teachin% and tr!in% to liberate rabbi5s Gudicial duties. I%nore the rite of circumcision. 1onser/ati/e Judaism # belie/e that Judaism should remain lo!al to the traditional characteristics7 and that the chan%es introduced %raduall!7 *ith no chan%e in the e ercise of reli%ion. >et their ser/ice characteri6ed litur%! in En%lish. The lar%est centers are in Israel and 3atin America. The! support .ionism. =rthodo Judaism # belie/e that Je*ish la* is di/ined and not a human institution. Accordin% to them7 the ideal of human e istence and e ercise of stud!in% is Torah. Toda!7 increasin%l! rel! on *estern European culture and reGect .ionism.

!acred scripture Je*ish scripture called the Torah *ould not ha/e them *e LHetu/im #B 3a*7 -rophets and Critin%s7 Band has three main parts: the Torah7 or -entateuch7 the prophets7 and other *ritin%s (Hetu/im). The oldest part of the Torah datin% from the '(th centur! B1 la!s do*n the basic rules of conduct of members of Judah do%ma. To the fact that the la*s of $oses are the first fi/e boo4s of the Bible.

10

The first boo4 # Bereshit (9enesis) # BIn the be%innin%B7 contains a le%end about the ori%in of the *orld7 the first people on earth7 flood7 Je*ish forefathers # Abraham7 Isaac7 Jacob and Joseph. The second boo4 # )emon (E odus) # BnamesB7 featurin% the histor! of sla/er! in E%!pt7 the e odus from E%!pt7 recei/in% '( of 9odDs commandments. The third boo4 # KaGi4ra (3e/iticus) # BcallsB includes la*s on sacrifice to Jeho/ah7 the 3e/ites (9uardians of the Ar4)7 on holida!s. The fourth boo4 # Bamitbar (numerical) # Bin the *ildernessB7 contains a description of *anderin% in the )inai desert7 sufferin% and *a/erin% nations to Jeho/ah. The fifth boo4 # Fe/arim (Feuteronomium) # B*ordsB contains $osesD peopleDs *ill7 the repetition of 9odDs la* and the death of $oses. Editorial *ritten Torah (=ld -led%e)7 be%an in the ;th centur! B17 and finished fourth centur! B1. =ld Je*ish priests (editors of Torah) /oluntaril! *ere ta4in% and re/ised the old $esopotamian#)umerian traditions of the %ods7 the emer%ence of the *orld and man. -rimer # the ori%in of the *orld7 identical to the chronolo%! of e/ents: at the be%innin% of chaos and dar4ness7 the di/ersion of *ater from the %round7 the emer%ence of da! and ni%ht this creates man. Accordin% to the )umerian tradition7 the se/enth da! of the %ods ma4e a Goint celebration7 accordin% to the Bible7 9od is restin%. 3e%end of the )umerian flood *as re*or4ed fol4 tradition of the %reat catacl!sm in *hich destro!ed a *hole nation on the territor! in *hich the )umerians later settled. -rophetic *ritin%s are di/ided into ancient and ne*. Ancient consist of si historical boo4s: '. Joshua (boo4 Jesus ?a/ina) 2. Jud%es (Boo4 of Jud%es) 3. )amuel ,. II )amuel 0. And Hin%s

11

;. II Hin%s (until the Bab!lonian conIuest) ?e* /isions include Isaiah7 Jeremiah7 E6e4iel and the t*el/e prophets. Hetu/im a number of different manuscripts from different periods7 such as the -salms of Fa/id ('0( pra!ers and h!mns)7 Tales of )olomon7 the Boo4 of Job7 <i/e )crolls (son% of son%s7 3amentations ...)7 Boo4 of Fanilo7 <irst and )econd Boo4 1hronicle ... The first collection of biblical te ts called B3MMB or )eptua 9inta. Accordin% to le%end7 it is the number of *ise men *ho *or4ed on the preparation. In addition to the Torah occupies an important place and the Talmud. It is a collection of oral la*s7 traditions and pro/erbs that relate to the e/er!da! life of Je*s. It consists of the $ishna and 9emara. There are t*o editorial Talmud of Jerusalem and the Bab!lonian7 ha/in% ori%inated in the period after the Bab!lonian capti/it!7 *hen the! form t*o reli%ious center. The $ishnah is the same in both the editorial and the 9emara (*ritten comments of the $ishnah) is different. $ishnah contains rules of customar! la* and in fact complements the Torah. There are ; parts: '. )eder .era (crops) # re%ulations on land culti/ation 2. )eder $oed (<esti/als) # re%ulations on the )abbath and other holida!s 3. )eder our (*omen) # +e%ulations on <amil! 3a* ,. )eder ?e6i4im (dama%e) # re%ulations on financial and criminal la* 0. )eder Hodas (/ictim) # re%ulations on the sacrifice temple and %i/ea*a!s ;. )eder Tearot (purit!) # re%ulations on protection of health and cleanliness The Talmud7 adaptin% to ne* circumstances $oses re%ulations (lea/in% those obsolete or obsolescent the 3e/ites # the /ictims7 the Temple ser/ice7 and e pandin% oneDs marria%e7 famil!7 *or47 learnin%7 holida!s and food) mana%ed to 4eep the Je*s as a *hole7 and closed them all spirituall! connected. -o*er of local communities # municipalities rel! on an or%ani6ation that is prescribed in the Talmud. In addition to the municipalit! for the maintenance of Je*s in the

12

Fiaspora7 has an important role of families7 and the Talmud are the details of the relationship in it.;

Je"ish mysticism Habbalah (8ebre* # dedication7 tradition) is a common term for man! forms of Je*ish m!sticism7 such as learnin% about mono hierarch! of bein%s7 humanit! as a microcosm of the final return of the o/erall realit! of its metaph!sical roots in the hea/ens and the di/ine *orld. The! are characteri6ed b! orientation to the inner # findin% that hol! di/ine in the inner depths of all thin%s. Je*ish m!stic claims to be able to penetrate into realit! and thus %ain substantiall! and harmon! of all that e ists. The %oal of the reli%ious life of the Hin%dom of 9od. Habbalah are permeated and ma%ical practices. After the e pulsion of Je*s from )pain and -ortu%al7 m!sticism is based on a dualistic separation bet*een 9od and the *orld7 and the %oal of reli%ious life becomes a rene*al of reli%ion and m!sticism. )efer Bahir (boo4 %loss) is the basic te t of Je*ish m!sticism. It tells us that *hate/er is happenin% BhereB happens and BthereB in 9od. All there is BhereB is different modalities (*hich are infinite) 9od and carries different di/ine names. The *orld is created b! 9od and re/ealed pro%ressi/e runnin%. Actuall! discusses ten primordial cosmic issues *ere created b! 9od. These are the ten *ords that the *orld *as made. ?umber Ten of the Je*s has a s!mbolic meanin% (ten trials A/ramo/ih7 the ten *onders in E%!pt ...)."

#eligious holidays and calendar Je*ish calendar in the form in *hich it is used toda! *as composed b! 8ilel II (mid#fourth centur! AF Era). 8e deplo!ed 30, da!s in '2 months7 and e/er! ne* moon be%ins. In se/en out

JudaismDs )tran%e 9ods: +e/ised and E panded@ $ichael 8offman@ Independent 8istor! and +esearch (=ctober 227 2('')@ pa%e 22&#2&& Judaism: Bet*een >esterda! and Tomorro*@ 8ans HNn%@ 1ontinuum@ (April '7 '&&0)@ pa%e 03(#0,;

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of e/er! '2 !ears and '3 month (because of differences in relation to the len%th of the %enerall! reco%ni6ed). )ome of the most important reli%ious holida!s: +osh 8ashana (Je*ish ?e* >ear) is celebrated on the first da! of the month of Tishri and is the first in a series of holida!s that mar4 the end of the a%ricultural season. -articipants %ather at the sound of sofa (*ind instruments of cattle horn) *hich should ban demons. Then follo* the ritual Tasli47 conducted b! the *ater and is aimed at freein% sins. In the e/enin%7 a dish based on the in%redients that ha/e a double meanin% names such as beets # scarin%7 lee4s # 1lip7 urme # finish7 *hich *ould mean a %od of their enemies =tero 4ill them7 completel!. >om Hippur ('(th of Tishri)7 the Fa! of Atonement. Implies atonement ceremon! startin% the ni%ht fastin% and mournin%. =nce the holida! terminated b! transferrin% sin to scape%oat an!one *ould after released into the *ilderness. )u44ot (holida! senica) once included the collection 3etina the ceremon! of %ratitude to 9od7 toda! it is a celebration of the E odus from E%!pt.

$rayers and synagogues =bli%ator! pra!ers: at bedtime7 %ettin% up durin% the s!na%o%ue ser/ices (mornin%7 midda! and e/enin%)7 for the da!s of holida!s and full moon. There are additional ser/ices. The pra!er consists of praise7 petition e pressin% %ratitude and creed. Applications are to be e pressed in the plural and are substitutes for the /ictims cited the Bible. )ome pra!ers: Hidush # it proclaims the sanctit! of a brea4 o/er a %lass of *ine before the meal. -ronounced the head of the famil!7 and the blessin% of *ine be%ins and ends *ith the blessin% of the hol! da!. Alen # the most popular pra!er on +osh 8ashanah Haddish # pronounced on the anni/ersar! of the death of close relati/es There are '2 Je*ish blessin%. 8ere are some of them: Before the bread:

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BBlessed be !ou7 >ou7 Eternal our 9od7 Hin% of all that !ou %i/e bread from the earth.B Chen !ou see the rainbo*: BBlessed be !ou7 >ou7 Eternal our 9od7 4in% of e/er!thin% !ou remember Testament7 !ouDre lo!al to !our Testament and !ou 4eep !our promise.B )!na%o%ue7 also called the house of pra!er7 because this place is for pra!ers7 it is also a %atherin% place for holdin% conferences cit! put into the readin% of reli%ious boo4s. <rom the ' centur! buildin% that ser/es as a dormitor! for tra/elers %reet7 it is considered that the s!na%o%ue is reno/atin% old -alestinian temples. Toda! the! must not build on the model of the Temple in Jerusalem. As for decorations prohibition of fi%urati/e art from the '( commandments of 9od is not respected. The most common elements of decoration are: ar47 lions7 ea%les7 si%ns of the 6odiac. +eformists introduced or%an7 teachin% and sacerdotal clothes. The main elements of the s!na%o%ue are: to raise part of the table called Te/a *here to read reli%ious scriptures and filin% fold named Aaron7 on the east *all facin% Jerusalem.

%ionist mo&ement $odern Je*ish authors ha/e de/eloped a theor! that the .ionist mo/ement emer%ed as the hi%hest e pression millennium aspirations of broad Je*ish masses to return to the old countr!. To this end7 the! are in/ited to the prophets of old sa!in%s that 9od *ill one da! re#%ather e pelled people to the promised land. It should be noted that Je*s in pra!er on the da! of Jon Hippur centuries repeated refrain: Bne t !ear in JerusalemB. 1onceptual forerunner of political .ionism *as a +ussian Je* 3eon -ins4er. Belie/ed that +ussia *ould become a democratic7 constitutional monarch! that *ould %i/e eIualit! to all non#+ussian peoples. 8o*e/er7 immediatel! after the assassination of Ale ander II intellectual circles ur%ed the +ussian people to rise up a%ainst the Je*s because the! cause the most harm and sufferin% of the +ussian population. In such conditions7 -ins4er has de/eloped the thesis of the impossibilit! of sol/in% the Je*ish Iuestion b! adGustin% +ussian societ!. 8a/in% failed to *in the rich Je*s in +ussia7 on !our brochure published in 9erman under the anon!mous name of O+ussian Je*.B 8e

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performs the basic conclusion that because of %ro*in% anti#)emitism7 Je*s ha/e established their o*n state in -alestine.2 The .ionist mo/ement *as founded in the '220th and the first .ionist 1on%ress *as held Jul! '2&"th7 *as attended b! '&" candidates from around the *orld. Thus reads the resolution rendered b! the first .ionist 1on%ress: B.ionism is stru%%lin% to create a Je*ish home in -alestine for the Je*ish people on the basis of international la*. To achie/e this %oal7 1on%ress pro/ides for the follo*in% measures: '. Fe/elopment in -alestine form7 b! Je*ish farmers7 artisans and merchants. 2. =r%ani6ation and unification of the *hole of Judaism throu%h appropriate local and *ider institutions in accordance *ith the la*s of each countr!. 3. )tren%thenin% Je*ish national consciousness and rebound. ,. -reparator! measures in order to ensure the consent of the Tur4ish %o/ernment7 the measures that are necessar! to achie/e the %oal of .ionism. B The mo/ement has met resistance7 not onl! *ith prominent Je*ish fi%ures from Cestern Europe7 but also in Je*ish or%ani6ations around the *orld. The most prominent opponent of .ionism is the Judean reformist currents@ this is their attitude to*ards .ionism: BCe do not consider them a separate nation but a reli%ious communit!7 and does not aspire to return to -alestine as *ell as the reconstruction of an! la* relatin% to the Je*ish state ...B In +ussia7 the idea of sol/in% the Je*ish Iuestion in the frame*or4 of cultural autonom! in a socialist federation7 and .ionism is characteri6ed as reactionar! bour%eois phenomenon. In particular it *as sentenced to *hat .ionism reGects cooperation *ith an! Je*ish or%ani6ation that does not accept the .ionist platform. .ionist mo/ement opposed to the %eneral atmosphere of assimilation that *as the be%innin% of the 2(th centur! pre/ailed in *estern Je*ish communities.

Judaism and Justice: The Je*ish -assion to +epair the Corld@ )idne! )ch*ar67 +uth $essin%er@ Je*ish 3i%hts -ub ($arch '(7 2((2)@ pa%e ',0#';2

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'onclusion: The *orld has o/er si billion people. =f these there are t*o billion 1hristians and '.3 billion $uslims. 1ompared to these hu%e numbers are currentl! *orld*ide bet*een '3 and '0 million Je*s. =ne reason for the lo* e pansion is the fact that Je*s do not prosel!ti6e7 so not recruit ne* follo*ers of their reli%ion. The e termination of the Je*s in the Third +eich has also left *ounds still immense: Appro imatel! si million Je*s *ere /ictims. Toda!7 nearl! si million Je*s li/e in the A.).7 more than fi/e million in Israel. In 9erman! there are about '((7((( Je*s. It is not clearl! ans*ered7 *ho is ultimatel! a Je*. E/en in Judaism itself7 this is still a /er!

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contro/ersial issue. Ander certain conditions trans%ress e/en as a non#Je* to the Je*ish reli%ion7 Gust as one can assume the commitment of other reli%ions. But a real Je* is a born Je* *hose mother is Je*ish. But the Judaism is not onl! a reli%ion but also people. =nl! since the mid#2(th 1entur!7 there is a%ain a Je*ish state7 the )tate of Israel. <or centuries the Je*s had not a nation# state territor! and therefore belon% to different nations of toda!.

(iterature: '. Judaism and 1hristianit!: A 1ontrast@ +abbi )tuart <edero*@ iAni/erse (=ctober 227 2('2)@ pa%e 2&#'(' 2. JudaismDs 9reat Febates: Timeless 1ontro/ersies from Abraham to 8er6l@ Barr! 3. )ch*art6@ The Je*ish -ublication )ociet! (Jul! '7 2('2)@ pa%e 22#3(

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3. A 8istor! of 9od: The ,7(((#>ear Juest of Judaism7 1hristianit! and Islam@ Haren Armstron%@ Ballantine Boo4s (Au%ust &7 '&&,)@ pa%e 3(3#3'" ,. Judaism7 -h!sics and 9od: )earchin% for )acred $etaphors in a -ost#Einstein Corld@ Fa/id C. ?elson@ Je*ish 3i%hts -ublishin% (Jul! '7 2((;)@ pa%e &2#'(, 0. Judaism7 8uman Kalues7 and the Je*ish )tate@ >esha!ahu 3eibo*it67 Elie6er 9oldman7 >oram ?a/on7 ./i Jacobson7 9ershon 3e/i7 +aphael 3e/!@ 8ar/ard Ani/ersit! -ress (Au%ust ''7 '&&0)@ pa%e 22(#23, ;. JudaismDs )tran%e 9ods: +e/ised and E panded@ $ichael 8offman@ Independent 8istor! and +esearch (=ctober 227 2('')@ pa%e 22&#2&& ". Judaism: Bet*een >esterda! and Tomorro*@ 8ans HNn%@ 1ontinuum@ (April '7 '&&0)@ pa%e 03(#0,; 2. Judaism and Justice: The Je*ish -assion to +epair the Corld@ )idne! )ch*ar67 +uth $essin%er@ Je*ish 3i%hts -ub ($arch '(7 2((2)@ pa%e ',0#';2

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