Bonnie Wang

Judaism
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Torah: Tanak (Old Testamenet), Mishnah and Talmud

Texts teach you how to work, rest, study, how to pray and what to
celebrate

Four types of Judaism

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Foundational (2000-500BC): Foundational faith developed

Interim (500BC 100AD): Factions amongst Jewish people all competed
Classical (100-1800 AD): One for of Judaism emerged, evolving into
modern Judaism
Modern (1800 present): Classical Judaism evolved into three version of
faith present today

Foundational Judaism
Origins:
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Around 1800BC Abram was told by the Creator to leave his country,
family, culture and pagan gods
God would transform his descendants into a great nation
Circumcision was introduced at this point (occurs on eight day of a Jewish
boys life)
The descendants of Abram began to increase exponentially from 70 to a
few thousand
Egyptians unhappy with the Israelites spreading and the Pharaohs began
to use them as a slave nation in mid 1200s BC
Moses Let my people go to Ramses II
A series of plagues ensued, including locust plagues, hailstorms and death
of Egyptian children. Israelites protected by the blood of a lamb
As a result Pharaoh let Israelites leave (commemorated by Passover), and
they escaped across the Yam Suph/Red Sea Exodus (1200 BC)

Torah + Jewish Life:

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Moses called up Mount Sinai to receive the ten commandments

Commandments outlines in the books of Shemot (Exodus), Wayiqra
(Leviticus) and Devarim
(Deuteronomy)
Torah: Gods instruction for the Israelites, refers to the first five books of
the Jewish Bible
Shemot + Wayiqra + Devarim + Neviim + Ketuvim = Torah
If Gods people obey the social and ritual laws of Torah, it ensures the
prosperity of their land, the security of their nationhood and the fulfilment
of their divinely appointed role as a model of wise and just society

King David + Future Messiah:

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After the exodus, the Israelites entered the Promised Land

From 1200 1000BC, Israel was a confederation of 12 family clans
Overthrew pagan enemies of God, extended the borders of the land of
Israel and captured the city of Jerusalem
According to prophecies in the Tanak, a future son of David would be the
Anointed One

Bonnie Wang
Temple, Forgiveness + Worship:
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King Solomon (Davids Successor) built the temple of God in Jerusalem

(900BC)
Offerings of animals, grain, bread by the priests
The offerings depended on the ritual, disobedience = animals (atonement)
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was the most important temple
sacrifice
Celebrated the mercy of God towards Israel (Two goats were presented to
the high priest, one would be slaughtered and its blood sprinkled on the
central altar in the Most Holy Place. The priest would lay both hands on
the goats head and confessed the sins of Israel, then it would be led out
into the wilderness and released into Southern Israel)
Symbol of Israels sins being removed from Gods presence
Temple was a place of counsel, prayer, song, personal instruction

Destruction of the First Temple (586 BC):

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Jews did not obey the Torah, justice was corrupted, other gods were
worshipped and violence occurred
God sent prophets to the Kings and commoners to plead them to return to
the Torah, however their messages were rejected
They predicted that if Israel did not turn back to the ways of the Torah, god
would allow foreign nations to invade, destroy the temple and export the
Jews, making them a slave nation once more
King Nebuchadrezzar II of Bablyon, destroyed the temple and exiled the
Jewish society
50 years after this, Cyrus II of Persia returned the Jews to their land and
told them to rebuild their temple (512 BC)

Interim Judaism (500BC 100AD)

The Second Temple:
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Jewish rebellion after the leadership of Antiochus IV Epiphanes who

slaughtered thousands of Jews and set up an idol to Zeus in the temple
Jews were victorious under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus, and he
restored Jewish worship and rededicated the temple to one true God (164
BC)
This is commemorated by Hannukah (Dedication) Festival
Judas also founded a century long dynasty of Jewish priest kings who ruled
Jerusalem as a free and autonomous state
This dynasty (Hasmonean Dynasty) ended in 63BC when the Romans
arrived
The Romans had a strong military presence, and when the Jews started a
war 66-70AD, Rome massacred Jews and the temple of God was
destructed again (August 29, 70AD)

Jews as a people of hope:

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Prophets: sacred writings which promised disaster and then glory for Israel
Torah provides Jews with instruction for living and Prophets provides Jews
with hope for the future

Bonnie Wang
Sadducees (aristocrats and priests):
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The first faction of Judaism

Group of conservative Jews that rejected innovation that diminished the
role of the priest and temples
Cooperated with Romans to keep their positions of power

Essenes (apocalyptic holy men):

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Dead Sea Scrolls are believed to have been produced by the Essenes,
devout Jews who avoided the impure cities of Israel, instead living in selfsufficient communities where they shared their possessions and studied
the Torah
Bathing and eating rituals

Zealots (fighters and patriots):

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Loyal to the traditions of Judaism and opposed Roman presence in the holy
land
Zealots decided to fight and stages uprisings (60-70AD)
Assassinated Jewish leaders they believed were collaborating with Romans

Yeshua (heretics of a false messiah):

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Launched by Yeshua ben Yosef

Rejected the aims of Zealots and demanded that Jews love their enemies
Seen as a healer and prophet/magician and deceiver
Sadducees troubled by him as they thought he was going to hand out
Gods forgiveness or that he might be the Son of David
He was crucified outside Jerusalem during the Passover of 30AD
His followers retained his teachings and spread throughout Israel, Roman
Empire this became the origins of Christianity

Classical Judaism (100-1800AD)

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Set the course of Judaism for the two millennia following the destruction of
the second temple
Began from Pharisees (100AD) and emerged into classical Judaism

Pharisees, the temple and synagogues:

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During the period of priest kings (164-163AD) the Pharisees emerged,

stressing importance of personal purity in life
Developed intricate rules concerning affairs of daily existence, how much
of your possessions to give to God
Laws known as traditions of the elders promoting obedience to Torah
from Sinai
When the temple was destroyed in 70AD, the rabbis (Pharisaic teachers)
showed the importance of devotion to the Torah
The synagogue emerged between 500-200 BC (gathering of ten males at a
minimum)

Dual-Torah:

Bonnie Wang
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The Torah given to Moses was twofold

After the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem rabbis fled to establish
communities devoted to study of the Torah and tradition of the elders
Jammia (near south coast of Palestine) was a well known community
Rabbis learnt and memorised written Tanak and rulings of predecessors
The written part of Moses at Sinai and the oral part passed down

Mishnah (200AD):
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Around 200AD, Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi brought all of the traditions of the
elders into one volume
This resulted in the Mishnah (repetition)
Records sayings and legal opinions of 150 rabbis from first and second
centuries AD
Believed to preserve instruction given to Moses 1300 years before on Sinai
Has 63 chapter in 6 topical divisions
Tanak + Mishnah = dual Torah

Midrash and Talmud (400-800AD):

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Midrash (investigation) was the first set of documents

Body of works devoted to interpreting Tanak
Talmud (study/learning): 400AD = Palestinian Talmud, 600AD = Babylonian
Talmud

Festivals:
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New Year (Rosh Hashanah) is the appearance of the new moon in Tishri
(September to October) when Israel is reminded of its important duties as
Gods people. Ten days of soul searching includes a synagogue service
with the shofar sounding as a spiritual awakening
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is ten days after New Year, symbolises
Gods forgiveness of his people in Foundational Judaism. Abstaining from
food, drink, sex and emphasis on prayer, confession and a synagogue
service from morning until evening
Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is five days after Yom Kippur that
commemorates when Israel wandered in Sinai. Lasts for 8 days and
involves the construction of frail huts thats the faithful sit in to eat meals.
Passover (Pessah) on the 14th of Nisan (March-April) were Jews celebrate
Gods rescue of his people from Egypt. Seder is the meal of the eve of the
festival.
Feat of Weeks (Shavuot) occurs fifty days after Passover and celebrates
the giving of law at Sinai and is marked by synagogue services.

Holy Days:
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Sabbath (Shabbat) which marks the cycle of the week. Commences Friday
evening and ends at sunset on Saturday evening. No work is done, and
Jews attend synagogue
Bar/bat Mitzvah which marks a teenagers transition into adulthood. Read
aloud from the Tanak.
Hannukah (dedication) and commemorates the rededication of the temple
by Judas Maccabeus in 164BC. Candles lit for 8 days.

Bonnie Wang
Prayers:
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Shema, a simple three line statement said in the morning and evening
The Eighteen Prayers, said every day

Thirteen principles of faith:

1. I believe with perfect faith that God is the Creator and Ruler of all things.
He alone has made, does make, and will make all things.
2. I believe with perfect faith that God is One. There is no unity that is in any
way like His. He alone is our God, He was, He is and He will be.
3. I believe with perfect faith that God does not have a body. Physical
concepts do not apply to Him. There is nothing whatsoever that resemble
shim at all.
4. I believe with perfect faith that God is first and last
5. I believe with perfect faith that it is only proper to pray to God. One may
not pray to anyone or anything else.
6. I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the prophets are true.
7. I believe with perfect faith that the prophecy of Moses is absolutely true.
He was the chief of all prophets, both before and after Him.
8. I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that we now have is that
which was given to Moses
9. I believe with perfect faith that this Torah will not be changed, and that
there will never be another given by God
10.I believe with perfect faith that God rewards those who keep His
commandments, and punishes those who transgress him.
11.I believe that perfect faith that God rewards those who keep His
commandments, and punishes those who transgress Him.
12.I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah. However long it
takes, I will await His coming every day.
13.I believe with perfect faith that the dead will be brought back to life when
God wills it to happen.

Modern Judaism (1800 Present)

Emancipation of the Jews:
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Late 1700s and early 1800s movement in Europe which brought rights and
freedoms to minorities
Emerged three distinct Judaisms

Reform Judaism (Progressive Judaism):

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Early 1800s Israel Jacobson made changes to synagogue service

Prayers and ceremonies were made shorter, choirs introduced, services in
German instead of Hebrew and no gender segregation
Reforming Judaism to make it more suitable for Europe and US

Bonnie Wang
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Rejection of the oral Torah as Tanak is now Gods instruction and Mishnah
and Talmud are simply human wisdom that is discarded to suit changing
times
Does not look forward to or pray for the new Jerusalem temple, the coming
of a Messiah or future resurrection of the dead Parts of the 18/19
prayers revised in the Reform prayer book
No more restrictive good laws
Dominant form in the United States

Orthodox Judaism:
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By mid-1800s many people saw Reform Judaism as an abandonment of

true faith
This led to the establishment of Orthodox Judaism
Think of themselves as the keepers of the classical Jewish faith and claim
that their opinions conform to Gods instruction revealed in the dual-Torah
Reveres the Tanak, Mishnah and the Talmud
Strict food rituals, ritual washings, Sabbath keeping and festivals
Conduct services in Hebrew and prohibit the use of musical instruments in
worship
Two streams of Orthodox One which completely rejects integration in
society and one which allows some integration into Gentile culture
Prominent in South Africa, Australia and Europe, and the official form of
Judaism in Southern Israel

Conservative Judaism:
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Emerged in 1850
Conservative Jews maintain food laws, Sabbath rules, major festivals,
belief in Messiah, and revere the Mishnah and Talmud (oral Torah) like the
Orthodox Jews. But believe that the sacred texts of oral Torah are subject
to historical analysis
Allows women to become rabbis, but not flexible with teachings of written
Torah
Conservative in practice but flexible in thinking
Dominant during the early 20th century
Influential throughout US

Zionism:
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Theodor Herzl argued that Jews should be allowed to found their own state
in the late 1800s
In 1897 World Zionist Organisation founded
After the Holocaust, the United Nations allowed the surviving Jews to move
to Palestine and in May 1948, State of Israel was created