Judaism

Judaism,
- world’s oldest monotheistic religion developed among the ancient Hebrews (4,000
years ago)
- characterized by a belief in one transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham,
Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with Scriptures
and rabbinic traditions.
-The six-pointed Star of David is the symbol
- its history is essential to understanding the Jewish faith, which has a rich heritage of
law, culture and tradition.
-worship in holy places synagogues,
-spiritual leaders : rabbis.
- Today: 14 million Jews worldwide. Most live in the United States and Israel.
History Of Judaism
- its primal affirmations appear in early historical narratives.
- Israelites proved to be the most lasting and influential. Their particular claim—to
have experienced God’s presence in human events—and its subsequent development
that is the differentiating factor in Jewish thought. :
- the ancient Israelites’ entire mode of existence was affected by their belief that
throughout history they stood in a unique relationship with the divine. They believed
that response to the divine presence was central not only for themselves but for all
humankind.
- God as person revealed in a particular encounter the pattern and structure of
communal and individual life to this people. Claiming sovereignty over the people
because of his continuing action in history on their behalf, he had established a
covenant (berit) with them and required from them obedience to his teaching, or law
(Torah). This obedience was a further means by which the divine presence was made
manifest—expressed in concrete human existence. The corporate life of the chosen
community was thus a summons to recognize God’s presence, sovereignty, and
purpose—the establishment of peace and well-being in the universe and in
humankind.
-In nearly 4,000 years of historical development, Jewish and their religion have
displayed remarkable adaptability and continuity. In their encounter with the great
civilizations, from ancient Babylonia and Egypt to Western Christendom and modern
secular culture, they have assimilated foreign elements and integrated them into their
own social and religious systems, thus maintaining an unbroken religious and cultural
tradition.
-Each period of Jewish history has left behind a specific element of a Judaic heritage
that continued to influence subsequent developments, so that the total Jewish heritage
at any given time is a combination of all these successive elements along with
whatever adjustments and accretions have occurred in each new age.
- Various teachings of Judaism have often been regarded as specifications of the
central idea of monotheism. One God, the creator of the world, has freely elected the
Jewish people for a unique covenantal relationship with himself. This one and only
God has been affirmed by virtually all professing Jews in a variety of ways.
Beliefs:
1)Torah
-which was the whole of the laws given to the Israelities at Sinai.
-believed they must follow God's laws which govern daily life. (Later legal books
were written by rabbis)
2) One God
- revealed himself through ancient prophets.
- established a covenant with them.
-communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also
punishing evil.
*Most Jews ( except Messianic and a few) believe that their Messiah hasn’t yet
come—but will, one day.
Judaism’s Good and Evil

-does not have a single, unified theory about the origin of good and evil.
- traditional rabbinic understanding of human nature is shaped to a large degree by the
presence of two inclinations – the yetzer ha tov (the good inclination) and the yetzer
ha ra (the evil inclination)
Religious concept of Good

-yetzer ha tov (the good inclination)
-Influenced by the thinking of the Jewish philosopher Maimonides , the good
inclination has become identified with the rational self that is capable of positive,
moral choice.
Religious concept of Evil
-Kabbalists (Jewish mystics) understood brokenness of the universe as result of
shattered vessels proven too weak to hold primordial light present in the act of
creation, and believe that evil developed from the resulting imbalance in the cosmos.
-In general rejects Christian concept of “original sin,” but something very close to
is found in kabbalistic thinking, all created souls have been affected by Adam’s
failure to complete assigned task of gathering the final, stray sparks of the shattered
vessels that would have set the universe right.
- Evil inclination is sometimes identified with the “lower” passions,
- Evil is most certainly opposition to God yet without the evil inclination, we humans
would lack the opportunity to grow in goodness, as we learn to overcome temptation
and therefore develop righteous character.
Steps needed for a person to become good and prevent himself from being evil.
- Torah study and obedience are prescribed as the means through which the evil
inclination is tamed and put to proper use.
-The teaching of Yeshua (Jesus) understands human nature as needing a total
transformation that is initiated through belief in and obedience to the Messiah,
whose atoning death and resurrection form the basis for new life: “I am the light of
the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life”
(John 7:12)

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Judaism,

Judaism’s Good and Evil

Religious concept of Good

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