Peculiar Ideas and Elements of Judaism - Research Paper Example

Judaism It would not be an exaggeration to point out that the human civilization possesses a considerable numberof peculiarities that make it a rather unique formation. Indeed, while it is quite easy to point out things like generating verbal interaction, there is not doubt that they reflect only superficial differences. On a much deeper level the mankind might be defined by other aspect, one of which is highly developed spiritual world. This paper will analyze a particular religion, namely Judaism, focusing on different its elements. First of all, it would be rather advantageous to provide a general description of this spiritual tradition. Thus, Judaism, may be viewed in different aspects which does not make it a religion in a strict sense of the word. On the one hand, it is a set of philosophic as well as ethical principles that might be adopted by a person who considers them to be correct (the religious aspect of it); on the other hand, it is closely connected to the development of the Jews as a nation, making it an irreplaceable part of their lifestyle and national identity (the ethnic aspect). Judaism is a monotheistic religion that belongs to the group of the so called Abrahamic religions (Hughes 11). It may quite important to point out the sacred texts that Judaism is based on. To begin with, one should name the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh. This is a set of book which consists of Torah – the first five books of the Christian bible; Neviim which is the collection of the sacred texts about the prophets and Ketuvim – eleven book that are tell about the Biblical events of present a collection of songs (Sherbok 96). Before making any further progress into the details of Judaism, it would be rather logical to shed some light on the relationship between the above mentioned aspects of it, namely the religious as well as the ethnic one. Thus, speaking of the former, one should point out that Judaism features all the characteristics of a religion: it has a highly developed theology as well as service practice. However, the practice of Judaism is closely connected to being a Jew or living as a Jew. This means that while some people might be willing to convert to Judaism, they mostly adopt the set of the philosophical or ethical principles, but they can hardly understand and feel other aspects of it which reflect important point in the development of this nation. All this results in the legitimate questions: Does one have to be a Jew to follow Judaism? and Who is a Jew? In spite of the fact the above mentioned questions are still opened for discussion, answers to them hold significant implications, like Should a Jew who converted to other religions be considered to be a Jew? and many others. In order to develop a better understanding of Judaism, one should also pay attention to different denominations within this framework. Leaving aside different teachings that are usually called Alternative Judaism, it would be logical to focus on the mainstream approach which is called Rabbinic Judaism. Thus, it is thought to have three denominations: the first one is Orthodox which is the most conservative of them all and features the iconic image of a Jew: they wear traditional clothes and follow other traditional rules rigorously; Conservative Judaism is a more moderate approach towards faith, featuring adherence to the traditional principles, but to a reasonable extent; finally, there is Progressive Judaism which is, as it can be easily understood for the name, is more open to new ideas (Samuelson 76). Prayer in an essential part of every religious; that is why in order to understand Judaism, one should put emphasis on the analysis of the prayers. Thus, it is suggested that true believer should pray three times a day: individually or collectively. In addition to that, Jews may also have a quick prayer before eating or performing other actions. Moreover, there are also different articles of clothing that have a religious meaning. The first one which is easily recognizable is kippah: a small hat the Jews wear in order to show respect for God who is always above; tallit – a piece of cloth that Jews put on their shoulders and head when they pray; tefillin – a couple of small boxes made of leather containing scrolls with Torahs recitation. Holidays also make an important part of the religion. There are several of them that are particularly important in Judaism. The first one is called Shabbat which literary means rest: this is the sixth day of the week when Jews are not allowed to do any work and are resting. This means that they may not perform actions like crossing a river or making a fire (Geldart and Forta 36). In the modern world, the latter puts limits on using any electrical devices or driving a car, which complicates the life of a person to a certain extent. The next holiday which is also quite important for the religious tradition of Judaism is connected to lives of the ancient Jews which were able to escape the extermination as it was described in the Book of Esther (Dunn 329). In the course of celebration people exchange gift and try to have a good time, sharing the joy of the Jews that were saved from death. Among numerous holidays that is one more which is a rather famous one: Hannukah. In spite of the fact that the celebration of it is more focused on the image of the First Temple, it had become quite popular and is largely considered to be as a Jews analog of Christmas (Dice 88). One of the most recognizable elements of its celebration is menorah – a special lamp stand that contains a number of candles each of which is lit one a specific day. The place where the religious practices are performed can also tell a lot about the religious. Thus, the analog of Christian temple in Judaism is a synagogue; however, the latter can not be regarded as a full analogue as the functions of it are quite different. For example, synagogue might also be regarded as a center of the social interaction of the Jew where they are able to preserve their national identity and read the sacred texts, commemorating the ancestors. It may also be quite important to take a look at the people who are involved in the religious practices. In spite of the fact that the actual role of the priests was lost after the disintegration of the Second Temple, they are still largely respected. There are two other classes the significance of which has emerged. The first of them, kohen – are thought to be descendants of Aaron and are able to perform the blessing and are called in the first row while reading Torah. The second one is called levi – they are the descendants of Levi and enjoy a little less significance in the religious practice of the a synagogue. One should also point out that Judaism puts a great emphasis on the idea of purity. To begin with, one might recall the practice of kashrut – this is a set of different principles that are used as guidelines in the course of production of various goods, especially those which are consumed. A good example is killing an animal that provides people with meat. Professionals who are able to make that correctly are paid very well. That is why different corporations find it rather difficult to operate in the state of Israel because of these restrictions. Speaking of other instances when the idea of purity is emphasized, one might note different occasions in the course of day, such as interacting with people, visiting a graveyard, different substances that are produced by the body and many others. In all the above mentioned cases and many others, people are thought to have lost their purity and they are required to regain by washing. In addition to that, any kind of washing and hand washing in particular constitute an important part of this religious tradition. Finally, it may be quite interesting to learn about the way Judaism affects life of a person in terms of various ceremonies. To begin with, one should note that all Jewish boys are circumcised at the age of eight days which commemorated their covenant with the Lord. The next important ritual is bar mitzvah which symbolizes the transition from being a child to being an adult. Then, there is marriage – which is more than changing social status, but a set of different rituals that are significant for the Jews. Lastly there is a set of rites that deal with death and mourning. As one can easily see, Judaism is a peculiar religion that has its peculiar ideas and elements. In addition that there are also many different rites and rituals that reflect the life of the ancient Jews. What is more important is that this religious tradition is closely connected to the national identity of the Jewish people. Works Cited Dice, Elizabeth A. Christmas and Hanukkah. New York, NY: Chelsea House, 2009. Print. Dunn, James D. G. Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2003. Print. Geldart, Anne, and Arye Forta. Judaism. Oxford: Heinemann Library, 2000. Print. Hughes, Aaron W. Abrahamic Religions: On the Uses and Abuses of History. New York: Oxford UP, 2012. Print. Samuelson, Norbert Max. An Introduction to Modern Jewish Philosophy. Albany: State U of New York, 1989. Print. Sherbok, Dan. Judaism: History, Belief, and Practice. London: Routledge, 2003. Print. Read More