Judaism Is One of the Oldest Religions - Research Paper Example

?Judaism is one of the oldest religions that are still being practiced until today (Wylen, 2000). It began in the beliefs and practices of the peopleof the ancient Israel. These days, it is being practiced by the Jewish people in nearly all parts of the world. The Jews' adherence to Judaism is manifested through the completion and implementation of the Jewish Law (Wylen, 2000). These commandments comprise instructions pertaining to conventional practices in various facets, which include restriction in certain types of food, and principles regarding moral obligations, such as affording assistance to the less-fortunate and needy. Certain varieties of Judaism consider the idea that all Jewish teachings must strictly be adhered to (Wylen, 2000). Although, there are other forms of Judaism that believe teachings that encourage on how to usher a morality in human lives are obligatory, much less, essential; others can be considered as discretionary or optional. For the reason that Judaism is an assorted religion with an extensive range of beliefs and practices, it must not be presupposed that a Jew has certain types of beliefs or follows precise forms of religious practice (Eisenberg, 2004). Various types of Judaism are linked by an intense impression of "peoplehood" (ICS, 2013), a shared inheritance, tradition or custom, and collective values and standards. Judaism gives Jews with guidance on how to carry out their religion and inspire good values (ICS, 2013). These instructions descend from numerous bases that include Jewish sacred texts such as the Bible and the Talmud (ICS, 2013). Other Jewish texts such as the subsequent literary works written by rabbis and philosophers are also being used. Judaism is one of the most important religions that are still being practiced today. Thus, it sensibly important to dig in deeper to its historical derivations, and the significant figures, observance, teachings, and events that can be relatively associated with it. This paper shall elaborate on these categories, which should provide readers a general overview of Judaism. Judaism and Abraham One of the fundamental teachings of Judaism is the belief that there is only one God, a belief that is also known as ethical monotheism (Wylen 2000; ICS, 2013). Judaism teaches that there is a lone God who created the universe and everything that is in it; a Supreme Being who cherishes and tends humanity; a God who desires that His people will live ethical lives (ICS, 2013), which makes it a strong cause that having a profound understanding of Judaism is crucial in appreciating the historical lineage of the world. The Old Testament confirms that Abraham started off monotheism or the belief in one God, and was the first person to refuse idol worship. Abraham is a fundamental component of Judaism in that he was considered to be the Father of the Jewish people and that it was through him and his offspring that a covenant was handed on to succeeding generations (Pellach, 2006). The Abrahamic Covenant, which can be found in Genesis 12-17, elaborates three main issues: (1) God would bestow Abraham the Land of Canaan and make him the father of all nations and of his progenies; (2) God would create a great nation through him; and (3) God would yield a blessing to those who consecrate him and curse those who curse him. In Genesis 12:3 God says, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (New International Version). Abrahams covenant is particularly important because it serves as the source to the Bible and world history (Pellach, 2006). The basis of almost all Christian teachings is rooted on the belief that God has a chosen people, which will reveal themselves in the last days of the earth. Although, some people in various civilization and cultures believe that the covenant no longer applies today, the Bible reaffirms that Abrahamic covenant is still in effect. The Bible says, “He [God] remembers his covenant forever, the word which he commanded, for a thousand generations” (New International Version, Psalm 105:8). It must be remembered that the covenant was never symbolical in nature; hence, it is an “exact” handed by God on Abraham. In other words, it accomplishes consistency between the Biblical promises and what is taking place in reality, at least, based on Christian perspectives. Sacred Texts of Judaism Judaism adopts two sacred scriptures: The Hebrew Bible, which is now known as the Old Testament; and the Talmud. It was the belief of the Jews that the Hebrew Bible is an ideal tool in guiding the Jewish people to lead good and moral lives (ICS, 2013). By and large, it contains many accounts of the Jewish people and their history and laws such as the Ten Commandments. It is composed of three different subdivisions: Torah, Prophets, and Writings (ICS, 2013). Talmud holds Jewish precepts together with legal arguments and chronicles pertaining to the history, customs and beliefs of the Jews. These legal arguments were simply passed on from one generation to the other up until the time when rabbis finally decided to put them into texts in order to guarantee that awareness of the Talmud did not vanish following the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem (ICS, 2013). Jointly, the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament, and the Talmud establish the basis of the morals, standards, law, principles, and teachings among others of the Jewish people, which are yet being observed nowadays. Moses and the Ten Commandments Moses is well-regarded to be the most important prophet in many religions including Christianity and Islam. He is a significant figure in Judaism in that he was the prophet who was given the Mosaic covenant, which holds the bases of the Torah – one of the three sections of the Hebrew Bible (ICS, 2013). The covenant elaborates God’s promise to make the Israelites His chosen people, and handed on Moses the Ten Commandments, which can be found in Exodus 20:1-17 and in Deuteronomy 5:4-21: (1) You shall have no other gods before me; (2) Thou shall not make any graven image; (3) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; (4) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; (5) Honor thy father and thy mother; (6) Thou shalt not kill; (7) Thou shalt not commit adultery; (8) Thou shalt not steal; (9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor; and (10) Thou shalt not covet your neighbor’s house (New International Version, Exodus 20:1-17). Jerusalem, Holocaust and the Messiah Jerusalem is a political and religious hub since the ancient times. It is important because it was the birth site of Israel, which is an essential account in the Bible, as declared by King David. This is where monotheism started, and the origin of various Biblical covenants (Wylen, 2000). Changing gears, the Holocaust was the massive slaughtering of the Jews during the World War II, as carried out by the Nazi Germany under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. It was a heinous effort to remove the Jews from the civic community. The importance of Messiah, especially for the Jews, is inspired by the fact that the Messiah will be the terminator of the persecution of the Jews (Wylen, 2000); He will bring peace and joy on earth. Works Cited Eisenberg, R.L. (2004). The JPS guide to Jewish traditions. Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society. Institute for Curriculum Services (2013). What is Judaism? [PDF Document]. Retrieved 9 February 2013 from: http://www.icsresources.org/content/curricula/WhatIsJudaism.pdf Pellach, P.J. (2006). Abraham and the covenant. Retrieved 9 February 2013 from http://www.ijs.org.au/Abraham-and-the-Covenant/default.aspx Wylen, S.M. (2000). Settings of silver: An introduction to Judaism. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. Read More