Hello, friends. Are you interested in learning about the oldest religion in the world that has survived to this day? About its principles, foundations, commandments and secrets, about the history of development and stages of formation? Perhaps you want to go to Israel and take a tour of the holy places?

Or maybe you have heard the absurd opinion of the unenlightened that Judaism has common roots with Judas, who betrayed Christ? Or do you have other questions regarding this topic?

If yes, then we will satisfy your curiosity, and after reading this article, everything will become extremely clear.
Judaism is the faith (religion) of the Jewish people. The term "Judaism" or "Jewish religion" is sometimes used. Let's start with a small historical digression.

The very word "Judaism" was formed from the term "the tribe of Judah." What it is? The fact is that the people of Israel “grew up” from the tribes of Israel (tribes) of the descendants of the sons of Patriarch Jacob. And he had them, not a lot, not a few, but twelve! Sons were born from four different women: two wives and two of their maids (yes, this happens). The fourth son was Judas.

According to Scripture, Judah played a special role in the formation of the Israelite people. His name formed the basis of the name of the religion and the entire Jewish people; in Hebrew and other languages, this name sounds like "Jews."

The history of Judaism covers more than three thousand years, this religion is considered the most ancient of those that have survived to this day. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, which means that its adherents believe in one God.

According to the science that studies the religion, philosophy, culture and social development of the Jewish people, Judaism, there are four major stages in the entire history of the development of the Jewish faith:

1) The Biblical period (from the 20th to the 6th century BC).

At that time, there was still no written language and chronology, so all knowledge and religious concepts were passed from mouth to mouth and were rather mythological in nature. Even when the holy book appeared, it was not yet called the Bible. It was the Judaism of priests and prophets.

2) Judaism of the Second Temple or Hellenistic. (from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD).

This stage began after the Jewish people returned to Palestine from Babylonia (where most of them were forcibly resettled). They were in Babylonian captivity from 598 to 539 BC.

Among modern religious scholars, the idea is widespread that the Jewish faith is based on the principle of the union of God with the people of Israel, which he concluded on Mount Sinai in the era of Moses. The second stage of Judaism is considered bookish, in contrast to the first. At that time, sacrifices and other ancient rites were still common.

The high priest who wrote down the scriptures was called Ezra (in Islam he is called Uzair). He recreated Jewish statehood on the basis of the law of the Torah (the law of Moses), wrote the holy book of Ezra.

During the time of the Second Temple, so-called Messianic Judaism became widespread. Its postulates are based on the faith of the Jewish people in the Messiah. When Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) appeared, tens of hundreds of Jews followed his faith. After Yeshua's death on the cross and his resurrection, this trend also took hold of other peoples, over time gradually transforming into Christianity, which had little in common with Messianic Judaism.

3) Talmudic (rabbinic or rabbinic) Judaism (from the 2nd to the 8th century AD).

After the Second Temple was destroyed, the Talmudic stage in the development of Judaism began. The rites of sacrifice have become obsolete and ceased.

This period was based on the belief that the main sacred text of Judaism - the Written Torah (the Pentateuch of Moses and its Ten Commandments) also contains oral explanations and laws that were not written down and were passed down between generations by word of mouth. They were called by the Jewish people the Oral Torah (or Talmud). The Oral Torah is a kind of addition to the Written Torah (the main sacred scripture of Judaism).

4) Modern (from 1750 to our time).

The main currents of modern Judaism date back to the days of rabbinism.
At present, there are about fifteen million adherents of Judaism, of which about 45% are Israelis, about 40% live in Canada and the United States of America, the rest mainly in Europe.

The main currents of modern Judaism are Orthodox, Reformists and Conservatives. So that these words do not remain hanging in the air as an empty sound, we will briefly explain the essence of each.

Orthodox Judaism

Halakha is the centerpiece of Orthodox Judaism. So, halacha is a set of laws and rules of Jewish law that regulates the life of Jews in all respects (family, religious, social and cultural). These are the laws that are contained in the Torah and the Talmud and which the representatives of Orthodox Judaism follow strictly and tirelessly. The Halacha also contains legal decisions and the laws of the rabbis, dictating the rules of conduct.

These laws fall into five main groups:

  1. these are the laws of the Written Torah, interpreted in accordance with the Oral Torah;
  2. laws, the foundations of which are not in the Written Torah, but they were also received by Moses (Moshe) on Mount Sinai;
  3. the laws that were derived by the sages on the basis of the analysis of the Written Torah;
  4. laws that the sages established in order to protect the Jews from violating the laws of the Written Torah;
  5. the prescriptions of the sages, designed to regulate the life of Jewish communities.

The development of the Halacha continues at the present time, it is believed that the Torah contains answers to absolutely all questions that arise before the Jewish people.

Orthodox oppose any innovations in religion.

Reform Judaism (sometimes referred to as Progressive or Modern Judaism)

In contrast to the teachings of the Orthodox direction, representatives of Reform Judaism advocate innovation and renewal. Progressive Judaism arose in the nineteenth century in Germany. Its adherents believe that the old ethical commandments should be preserved, and ritual ones should be abandoned. Which is what was done. The ritual of the divine service underwent a reformation, namely: the service was conducted on German, stopped blowing the shofar (ritual horn), ritual clothes were not required during prayer, women were recognized as equal to men in all religious matters.

According to the reformists, religion should develop and improve, thus adjusting to the spirit of modernity. Justice, mercy, and respect for one's loved one is the path followed by the movement of Reform Judaism.

Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism arose in Europe, or rather Germany, several decades later than reformist Judaism. This is "something in between" (so to speak) between orthodox and reformist views. Its adherents are supporters of the idea of ​​a compromise between traditional religious teachings and modern ones.

The ideas of conservative Judaism, however, are much "softer" than orthodox. For example, members of sexual minorities are allowed to be ordained rabbis. You can even enter into same-sex marriages. That's it, friends! That's conservatives for you!

The main ideas of this trend are the following:

  • Halacha is recognized as the main life guide;
  • The attitude towards modern culture should be only positive;
  • The foundations of the Jewish religion are not given fundamental importance.

Commandments of Judaism

The Torah does not contain ten commandments as in the Bible, but as many as six hundred and thirteen! Of these, two hundred and forty-eight (so many bones and organs in the human body) commandments oblige one or another action, and three hundred and sixty-five commandments (this, you guessed it, the number of days in a year) forbid!

We will not list them all, but we will give the most interesting, unusual and ridiculous (and there are some of them):

  • “A husband must remain with his wife during the first year of marriage,” like this, for the second and subsequent years married life apparently not required to stay.
  • “If you bought a Jewish slave, you must marry her or marry her son.”
  • "Buy a Jewish Slave". Paying attention to the previous commandment, it turns out completely without options.
  • "Don't settle in Egypt."
  • "Don't scratch your body."
  • "In the seventh year it is necessary to stop the cultivation of the land."
  • "Abandon everything that grows on the earth in the seventh year."
  • “If a human corpse is found in the field and it is not known who killed him, it is necessary to break the head of the heifer.” (Just in case, let's explain that the heifer is, apparently, a cow).
  • "For those who committed deliberate murder, it is necessary to allocate six cities of refuge."
  • In addition, there are others such as: do not shave with a blade, do not tell fortunes, do not guess, do not engage in magic, do not wear women's clothing for men and men's clothing for women, and a number of other commandments.

Symbols, attributes, traditions and holy places

The main attributes of Judaism are:

  • shofar (ritual horn, it is blown at worship in the Synagogue - the center of the religious life of the Jewish community);
  • poison (the so-called pointer for reading the Torah);
  • Tanakh (holy scripture);
  • a mug intended for washing hands;
  • candlesticks;

Symbols and traditions of the Jewish faith:

  • shema - a prayer that consists of four quotations from the Pentateuch;
  • observance of Shabbat - in Judaism, this is the seventh day of the week, on which you need to refrain from work;
  • kashrut - a set of rules governing the attitude to food and other branches of life;
  • wearing a kippah - a Jewish national headdress, a small hat covering the top of the head, it symbolizes humility and admiration for the Lord;
  • star of David - the Jewish symbol depicted on the flag of Israel, which is a six-pointed star (two equilateral triangles are superimposed on each other, one angle down, the other up);
  • Menorah menorah - a golden lamp, is the oldest symbol of Judaism and the religious emblem of the Jewish people;
  • the lion is the symbol of the Jewish tribe.

Holy places:

  • At an altitude of seven hundred and seventy-four meters above sea level, the Temple Mount rises above the old city of Jerusalem (this is a quadrangular area, fenced with high walls), and it goes underground for about as much. Active excavations are currently underway there. On the Temple Mount was the First, and then the Second Temple. According to Jewish belief, the Third Temple will be built there in the future. At present, Muslim religious buildings are built there - the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock (these are the third most important Muslim shrines).
  • The Wailing Wall (its other names are Western Mountain or A-Kotel) is the main shrine of the Jewish faith. It is located around the surviving western slope of the Temple Mount. According to legend, wishes written on a piece of paper and left in the Wailing Wall will certainly come true. Every year pilgrims from all over the globe leave their innermost wishes with faith and hope, waiting for their fulfillment. So, if you are going to visit Israel, correctly formulate your desires in advance, because they tend to come true!

If, dear readers, this article only fueled your interest in the Jewish religion, ancient customs, shrines.

If you want to know more, delve into history, and possibly trace the connection of Judaism with Christianity and other religions, we advise you to read books that can be ordered easily by simply clicking on the appropriate links:

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Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world and the oldest of the so-called Abrahamic religions, which, in addition to it, includes Christianity and Islam. The history of Judaism is inextricably linked with the Jewish people and stretches back into the depths of centuries, at least for three thousand years. Also, this religion is considered the oldest of all those that proclaimed the worship of one God - a monotheistic cult instead of worshiping the pantheons of various gods.

The Emergence of Faith in Yahweh: A Religious Tradition

The exact time when Judaism arose has not been established. The adherents of this religion themselves attribute its appearance to about the 12th-13th centuries. BC e., when on Mount Sinai the leader of the Jews Moses, who led the Jewish tribes out of Egyptian slavery, received a Revelation from the Most High, and a Covenant was concluded between the people and God. This is how the Torah appeared - in the broadest sense of the word, written and oral instruction in the laws, commandments and requirements of the Lord in relation to his worshipers. Detailed description these events are reflected in the book "Genesis", the authorship of which the orthodox Jews also attribute to Moses and which forms part of the written Torah.

A Scientific Perspective on the Origins of Judaism

However, not all scientists are ready to support the above version. Firstly, because the very Jewish interpretation of the history of man's relationship with God includes a long tradition of honoring the God of Israel before Moses, starting with the forefather Abraham, who lived, according to various estimates, from the 21st century to the present. by the 18th century BC e. Thus, the origins of the Jewish cult are lost in time. Secondly, it is difficult to say when the pre-Jewish religion became Judaism proper. A number of researchers attribute the emergence of Judaism to much later times, up to the era of the second Temple (the middle of the first millennium BC). According to their conclusions, the religion of Yahweh, the god that the Jews profess, was not monotheism from the very beginning. Its origins lie in a tribal cult called Yahwism, which is characterized as a special form of polytheism - monolatry. With such a system of views, the existence of many gods is recognized, but veneration turns out to be only one - their divine patron by the fact of birth and territorial settlement. Only later did this cult transform into a monotheistic doctrine, and so Judaism appeared - the religion that we know today.

History of Yahwism

As already mentioned, the God Yahweh is the national God of the Jews. All their culture and religious traditions are built around it. But in order to understand what Judaism is, let's briefly touch on its sacred history. According to Jewish doctrine, Yahweh is the only true God who created the whole world, including solar system, the earth, all its flora, fauna and, finally, the first pair of people - Adam and Eve. At the same time, the first commandment for a person was given - not to touch the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But people violated the divine command and for this they were expelled from paradise. Further history is characterized by oblivion by the descendants of Adam and Eve true God and the appearance of paganism - gross idolatry, according to the Jews. However, from time to time the Almighty made itself felt, seeing the righteous in a depraved human community. Such was, for example, Noah - the man from whom people again settled on the earth after the Flood. But the descendants of Noah quickly forgot the Lord, starting to worship other gods. This continued until God called Abraham, a resident of Ur of the Chaldees, with whom he made a Covenant, promising to make him the father of many nations. Abraham had a son, Isaac, and a grandson, Jacob, who are traditionally revered as patriarchs - the progenitors of the Jewish people. The last - Jacob - had twelve sons. By the providence of God, it happened that eleven of them sold the twelfth, Joseph, into slavery. But God helped him, and over time, Joseph became the second person in Egypt after the pharaoh. The reunion of the family took place during a terrible famine, and therefore all the Jews, at the invitation of Pharaoh and Joseph, went to live in Egypt. When the royal patron died, another pharaoh began to abuse the descendants of Abraham, forcing them to hard work and killing newborn boys. This slavery lasted for four hundred years, until finally God called Moses to free his people. Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, and at the command of the Lord, forty years later they entered the Promised Land - modern Palestine. There, waging bloody wars with idolaters, the Jews established their state and even received a king from the Lord - first Saul, and then David, whose son Solomon built the great shrine of Judaism - the temple of Yahweh. The latter was destroyed in 586 by the Babylonians, and then rebuilt on the orders of Tyr the Great (in 516). The second temple existed until 70 AD. e., when it was burned during the Jewish war by the troops of Titus. Since that time, it has not been restored, and worship has ceased. It is important to note that in Judaism there are no many temples - this building can be only one and only in one place - on the temple mount in Jerusalem. Therefore, for almost two thousand years, Judaism has existed in a peculiar form - in the form of a rabbinic organization led by learned laymen.

Judaism: basic ideas and concepts

As already mentioned, the Jewish creed recognizes only one and only God - Yahweh. In fact, the original sound of his name was lost after the destruction of the temple by Titus, so "Yahweh" is just an attempt at reconstruction. And she did not receive popularity in Jewish circles. The fact is that in Judaism there is a ban on pronouncing and writing the sacred four-letter name of God - the tetragrammaton. Therefore, from ancient times it was replaced in conversation (and even in the Holy Scriptures) with the word "Lord."

Other important feature is that Judaism is the religion of a purely one nation - the Jews. Therefore, this is a rather closed religious system, where it is not so easy to get into. Of course, in history there are examples of the adoption of Judaism by representatives of other peoples and even entire tribes and states, but in general, Jews are skeptical about such a practice, insisting that the Sinai covenant applies only to the descendants of Abraham - the chosen Jewish people.

The Jews believe in the arrival of the Mashiach - an outstanding messenger of God, who will return Israel to its former glory, spread the teachings of the Torah throughout the world, and even restore the temple. In addition, Judaism is inherent in the belief in the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment. In order to serve God righteously and to know him, the people of Israel were given the Tanakh by the Almighty - the sacred canon of books, starting with the Torah and ending with the revelations of the prophets. The Tanakh is known in Christian circles as the Old Testament. Of course, the Jews categorically disagree with this assessment of their Scriptures.

According to the teachings of the Jews, God is indescribable, therefore, in this religion there are no sacred images - icons, statues, etc. Art is not at all what Judaism is famous for. Briefly, one can also mention the mystical teaching of Judaism - Kabbalah. This, if you rely not on tradition, but on scientific data, is a very late product of Jewish thought, but no less outstanding for that. Kabbalah views creation as a series of divine emanations and manifestations of a number-letter code. Kabbalistic theories, among other things, even recognize the fact of the transmigration of souls, which distinguishes this tradition from a number of other monotheistic, and even more so Abrahamic religions.

Commandments in Judaism

The precepts of Judaism are widely known in world culture. They are closely connected with the name of Moses. This is indeed a genuine ethical treasure that Judaism has brought to the world. The main ideas of these commandments come down to religious purity - the worship of the one God and love for him, and to a socially righteous life - honoring parents, social justice and integrity. However, in Judaism there is a much more extended list of commandments, called mitzvot in Hebrew. There are 613 such mitzvahs. This is believed to correspond to the number of parts of the human body. This list of commandments is divided into two: prohibitive commandments, numbering 365, and imperative, of which there are only 248. The list of mitzvahs generally accepted in Judaism belongs to the famous Maimonides, an outstanding Jewish thinker.

Traditions

The centuries-old development of this religion has also formed the traditions of Judaism, which are strictly observed. First, it concerns the holidays. Among the Jews, they are timed to coincide with certain days of the calendar or the lunar cycle and are designed to preserve the memory of the people about any events. The most important of all is Passover. The command to observe it was given, according to the Torah, by God himself at the time of the Exodus from Egypt. That is why Pesach is dated for the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian captivity and the passage through the Red Sea into the desert, from where the people were then able to reach the promised land. The holiday of Sukkot is also known - other an important event that celebrates Judaism. Briefly, this holiday can be described as a memory of the journey of the Jews through the desert after the Exodus. This journey lasted 40 years instead of the initially promised 40 days - as a punishment for the sin of the golden calf. Sukkot lasts seven days. At this time, the Jews are charged with the obligation to leave their homes and live in huts, which the word “sukkot” means. The Jews also have many other important dates celebrated with celebrations, special prayers and rituals.

In addition to holidays, there are fasts and days of mourning in Judaism. An example of such a day is Yom Kippur - the day of atonement, which symbolizes the terrible judgment.

There are also a huge number of other traditions in Judaism: wearing sidelocks, circumcising male children on the eighth day of birth, a special kind of attitude towards marriage, etc. For believers, these are important customs that Judaism imputes to them. The main ideas of these traditions are consistent either directly with the Torah, or with the Talmud - the second most authoritative book after the Torah. It is often quite difficult for non-Jews to understand and comprehend them in conditions modern world. However, it is they who form the culture of Judaism of our day, based not on temple worship, but on the synagogue principle. A synagogue, by the way, is a meeting of the Jewish community on the Sabbath or a holiday for prayer and reading the Torah. The same word also refers to the building where believers gather.

Sabbath in Judaism

As already mentioned, one day is allocated for synagogue worship in the week - Saturday. This day is generally a sacred time for Jews, and believers are especially zealous in observing its charters. One of the ten basic commandments of Judaism prescribes to keep and honor this day. Violation of the Sabbath day is considered a serious offense and requires atonement. Therefore, not a single orthodox Jew will work and generally do what is forbidden to do on this day. The holiness of this day is associated with the fact that, having created the world in six days, on the seventh the Almighty rested and prescribed this to all his admirers. The seventh day is Saturday.

Judaism and Christianity

Since Christianity is a religion that claims to be the successor of Judaism through the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Tanakh about the Messiah on Jesus Christ, the relationship of Jews with Christians has always been ambiguous. Especially these two traditions moved away from each other after the Jewish conclave in the 1st century imposed a herem on Christians, that is, a curse. The next two thousand years were a time of hostility, mutual hatred, and often persecution. For example, the archbishop of Alexandria Cyril in the 5th century expelled a huge Jewish diaspora from the city. The history of Europe is replete with such relapses. To date, in the era of the flourishing of ecumenism, the ice has gradually begun to melt, and dialogue between representatives of the two religions is beginning to improve. Although in the broad layers of believers on both sides there is still distrust and alienation. Christians find it difficult to understand Judaism. The main ideas of the Christian church are such that the Jews are charged with the sin of the crucifixion of Christ. The Church has long represented the Jews as Christ killers. It is difficult for Jews to find a way to dialogue with Christians, because for them Christians obviously represent heretics and followers of a false messiah. In addition, centuries of oppression taught the Jews not to trust Christians.

Judaism today

Modern Judaism is a fairly large (about 15 million) religion. It is characteristic that at its head there is no single leader or institution that would have sufficient authority for all Jews. Judaism is spread almost everywhere in the world and represents several denominations that differ from each other in the degree of religious conservatism and the peculiarities of the doctrine. The strongest nucleus is represented by representatives of Orthodox Jewry. The Hasidim are quite close to them - very conservative Jews with an emphasis on mystical teachings. Several Reform and Progressive Jewish organizations follow. And on the very periphery there are communities of Messianic Jews who, following Christians, recognize the authenticity of the Messianic calling of Jesus Christ. They themselves consider themselves Jews and in one way or another observe the main Jewish traditions. However, traditional communities deny them the right to be called Jews. Therefore, Judaism and Christianity are forced to divide these groups in half.

Spread of Judaism

The influence of Judaism is strongest in Israel, where about half of all the Jews of the world live. Another approximately forty percent is accounted for by the countries of North America - the USA and Canada. The rest are settled in other regions of the planet.

Judaism (from other Heb. yahudut- inhabitants of ancient Judea). Jewish national religion. A characteristic feature of Judaism, which distinguishes it from the national religions of other peoples, is monotheism- Faith in One God. Based on Judaism, two world religions were born: Christianity and Islam.

The ideas of the ancient Jews about the One God developed over a long historical period (XIX - II centuries BC), which was called the biblical and included the era patriarchs(forefathers) of the Jewish people. According to legend, the very first Jew was the patriarch Abraham, who concluded with God holy union- covenant ( brit). Abraham made a promise that he and his descendants would remain faithful to God and, as proof of this, keep the commandments ( mitzvot) - the norms of behavior that distinguish a person who reveres the true God. For this, God promised Abraham to protect and multiply his offspring, from which a whole nation would come. This people will receive from God the possession of Israel - the land on which they will create own state. The descendants of Abraham formed a union of 12 tribes (tribal groups) connected by blood relationship, which came from 12 sons of Jacob (Israel), the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Joseph, Benjamin , Dan and Naphtali.

But before receiving the land promised by God (the promised land), the descendants of Abraham ended up in Egypt (about 1700 BC), where they were in slavery for 400 years. The prophet Moses brought them out of this slavery ( Moshe). The exodus of God's chosen people was accompanied by numerous miracles, which God performed as proof of his power. This was followed by a 40-year wandering in the desert, during which all former slaves had to die, just to free people entered the land of Israel. During this wandering through the wilderness, the central event of Judaism and its entire history takes place: God calls Moses to Mount Sinai and through him gives the Ten Commandments to the entire Jewish people and Toru- The law written in five books and called the Pentateuch of Moses. The Sinai Revelation received by Moses marks the beginning of the existence of the Jews as a single people, and Judaism - the religion that this people profess. God of the Jews, named after Yahweh(Existing, from whose being everything flows), had neither images nor temples. The main object of worship of the Jews was the Ark of the Covenant - a casket in which two stone slabs (tablets) with the Ten Commandments carved on them were kept. The Ark of the Covenant was considered the earthly sojourn of God, invisibly present throughout the world.

In the XI century. BC e. Jews create the state of Israel, the capital of which is the city of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). In 958 BC. e. King Solomon builds in Jerusalem on Mount Zion the Temple in honor of the One God, where the Ark of the Covenant was placed. In the history of Judaism, a new temple period, which lasted about 1500 years. During this period, the Jerusalem Temple became the main spiritual center of Judaism and the only place where religious rites were performed.

The exclusive right to perform temple services, the main element of which were sacrifices, had aaronides- the descendants of Aaron, brother of Moses, who formed the highest category of the priesthood - cohanim(priests). They were served leviim(Levites) - people from the tribe of Levi. The servants of the Jerusalem temple constituted a special category of Jewish society. Their descendants still perform special ritual functions and observe additional prohibitions: for example, cohanim should not be under the same roof with a dead body, marry a widow or divorcee, etc.

During the same period, the writing Tanakh- The Holy Scriptures of Judaism (Christian tradition has completely included the Tanakh in the section of the Bible called Old Testament).

In 587 BC. e. Israel was captured by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, who destroyed the Jerusalem temple, and most of the Jews were forcibly resettled in Babylonia. The prophet Ezekiel becomes the spiritual leader and mentor of the settlers. He developed the idea of ​​the revival of Israel, but as a theocratic state, the center of which would be the new Jerusalem Temple. The creator of this new state should be Messiah- A descendant of King David. Under the Persian dynasty of the Achaemenids, the Jews were able to return to Jerusalem, which received the status of a self-governing city (VI-V centuries BC). The second Temple in Jerusalem was built, but the leaders of the new religious community Ezra and Nehemiah refused to accept into it the Israelites who were not in Babylonian captivity, and who also remained in Palestine, because they believed that they had ceased to be Jews, having mixed with peoples who worshiped other gods. The rejected part of the Israelites created their own special community Samaritans preserved in Palestine to the present day. Since the time of Ezra, the idea of ​​God's chosenness of the Jewish people has been acquired in the teachings of Judaism. special meaning.

The period of the history of Judaism from the II century. BC e. according to the VI century. n. e. was named Talmudic. It is characterized by a thorough systematization and ritualization of the Jewish cult, which turned from a temple ritual into a system of numerous prescriptions, often scrupulous and petty - down to the details of appearance, hairstyle and clothing - by which a righteous Jew had to be guided in his Everyday life.

In the 1st century BC e. Israel is under Roman rule. At this time, a number of currents and sects arose in Judaism, of which the direction becomes the most authoritative. perushim(Pharisees) - supporters of the democratization of the doctrine and the introduction of customary law into it, the so-called Oral Torah. At the beginning of the 1st century n. e. how one of the Jewish sects arises and Christianity, which quite quickly opposed itself to Judaism, separated from it and took shape in an independent religion.

In 67-73 years. n. e. the famous Jewish War broke out against the dominion of Rome, during which the Jerusalem Temple was again destroyed (70), and after the Bar Kochba uprising (132-135), the Jews were expelled from Israel, settled throughout the territory of the Roman Empire and in the countries Asia, where they formed a vast diaspora. Over time, various ethnic groups of Jews were formed in the Diaspora, each with their own linguistic, everyday and ritual characteristics. The most significant ethnic community in the Jewish people is Ashkenazim- European Jews, whose ethnocultural center arose in medieval Germany in the 9th-12th centuries. (Ashkenaz is the name of Germany in medieval Jewish literature) and established itself in most of Europe, the USA, Latin America and South Africa. Among the Ashkenazis, a colloquial Hebrew language arose - Yiddish, formed on the basis of a mixed German-Slavic lexical and grammatical base and Hebrew writing. Another significant ethnic group of Jews developed in medieval Spain during the period of Arab domination. She got the name Sephardim(Sephardic is the Hebrew name for Spain in the Middle Ages). After the expulsion of the Sephardim from Spain in 1492, they settled in the countries of the Middle East, in Turkey and the Balkans, where they preserved the way of life that had developed in Spain, as well as the language ladino formed on the basis of Old Spanish. Later, all the Jews of Asian countries began to be called Sephardi, as opposed to European Jews. Other distinctive ethno-confessional communities also arose in the East: the Falasha in Ethiopia, the Black Jews in India, the Iseloni in China, and the Iranian Jews.

With the formation of the diaspora, a new stage in the history of Judaism begins, called rabbinic. The most important innovation of the diaspora was the replacement of temple worship, which could only be performed in Jerusalem, with prayer meetings in synagogues under the guidance of teachers of religious law - rabbis(from other Hebrew. Rabbi- my teacher). The rabbi, as a recognized expert in religious tradition, is the spiritual mentor of the community ( kegilla), is a member of a religious court and teaches at a religious school. Rabbis are trained in yeshivas- theological schools, which function at the largest synagogues. In Orthodox Judaism, only men can be rabbis, but non-Orthodox schools have recently recognized the right to the status of a rabbi for women. Kehillah becomes the only form of organization of the Jewish community. The rabbis developed a system of religious and customary law ( halacha), which began to regulate the life of all Jewish communities.

During this period, the books of Holy Scripture are systematized and the so-called Masoretic Code of the Tanakh. It consists of 39 books divided into three sections: Torah(Teaching)- books beresheet(In the beginning, the Christian name for Genesis), Shemot(Names, Christ Exodus), vayikra(And called, Christ Leviticus), Bemidbar(In the desert, Christ. Numbers) and Devarim(Words, Christ. Deuteronomy); Nevi'im(Prophets)- books Ye "hoshua(Christ. Joshua), Shofetim(Judges) Shmuel 1 And 2 (Christ. 1 and 2 Kings, or the prophet Samuel), Melakhim 1 And 2 (Christ. 3 and 2 Kings), Yeshaya(Prophet Isaiah) Yirmeya"(Prophet Jeremiah) Yehezkel(Prophet Ezekiel) and Terei-Asar(books of 12 so-called minor prophets); And Ketuvim(Scriptures) books Te "illim(Praise, Christ. Psalter), Michley(Proverbs, Christ. Proverbs of Solomon), Job(Job), Megillot(Scrolls); consists of 5 separate books: Shir-ashirim(Song of Songs) Ruth(Ruth), Eicha(Lamentations), Ko "elet(Ecclesiastes), Esther(Esther)], Daniel(Prophet Daniel) Ezra(Ezra), Nehemiah(Christ. Nehemiah, or 2nd Esdras) and Divrey "ayamim 1 And 2 (Christ. 1 and 2 Chronicles, or Chronicles).

At the beginning of the III century. compiling a set of rules and oral traditions - Mishnah(Interpretation), or Shas(Six orders), to which in the III - V centuries. comments were added to the sacred texts - Gemara. Mishnah and Gemara constitute Talmud- the second holy book of Judaism. The Talmud has two editions, called the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmud.

At the beginning of the 8th century Judaism spread among part of the Turkic tribes that were part of the Khazar Khaganate. Their descendants are Karaites formed a separate branch of Judaism. The peculiarity of Karaite Judaism is that it recognizes only the books of the Tanakh and rejects the Talmud.

In the XII century. the outstanding Jewish thinker and rabbi Moses Maimonides, or Rambam (1135 - 1204), systematized the basic dogmatics of Judaism and expounded it in an extensive treatise Mishneh Torah(Interpretation of the Torah), which became an encyclopedic guide to the Torah and the Talmud. In the XVI century. Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575) completed the systematization of the Talmudic prescriptions. The code he wrote Shulchan Aruch(The Laid Table) has become a practical guide to Talmudic law adopted by Orthodox Judaism.

After the expulsion of the Jewish people from Israel, Judaism received special development mystical schools known as common name Kabbalah(Heritage). One of the most influential centers of this doctrine was formed in the 16th century. in the Galilean city of Safed under the leadership of Rabbi Yitzhak Luria, or Ari (1536-1572). Kabbalists sought to comprehend the hidden meaning of the Torah and other books of Holy Scripture, which, they believed, included a symbolic description of God and all Divine processes. Kabbalists developed the doctrine of sefirot- ten hypostases of the hidden God, each of which is endowed with special qualities, and all together they are in constant dynamic interaction and control the material world. The main work of the Kabbalists - Zohar(Shine), revered by them on a par with the Torah and the Talmud. The teachings of Kabbalah big influence on the formation of other mystical currents in Judaism, and above all on hasidism(from other Heb. hasid- pious), which arose in the eighteenth century. and widely used among the Jews of Volhynia, Podolia and Galicia. Hasidism denied the authority of the rabbis and revered tzaddiks- the righteous, who, according to the Hasidim, are in constant communion with God and are gifted with supernatural power that allows them to dispose of everything that exists of their own free will. Gradually, Hasidism found a compromise with the Rabbinate and was recognized as Orthodox Judaism.

At the end of the XVIII century. under the influence of the ideas of the French Revolution, a movement for the emancipation of the Jews arises - askala(enlightenment), which leads to the crisis of Orthodox Judaism and the emergence reformist direction who sought to adapt Judaism to the norms of the European way of life. However, the fear of assimilation with the non-Jewish population was already in the middle of the 19th century. the traditional orthodox movement, which opposed reformism, also intensified. At present, most Jews in Europe and the United States are adherents of Reformed Judaism, while Orthodox Judaism prevails in Israel.

A feature of the teachings of Judaism is that it is based on two contradictory ideas: national election and universalism. It was the doctrine of God's chosenness of the Jewish people that became the main obstacle to the spread of Judaism among other peoples not ethnically related to the Jews, although the adoption of Judaism by individuals, ethnic groups and even entire nations took place in history.

The universal nature of the teachings of Judaism is manifested primarily in the idea of ​​the unity, universality and omnipotence of God, the creator and source of all things. God is incorporeal and has no visible image, although man was created by God in his image and likeness. The idea of ​​the One God is expressed in the Jewish creed Shema, with which divine services begin: Hear Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one! . In Judaism, a custom has developed not to use the name of God in everyday speech, replacing it with the word Adonai (Lord, Lord). Fixing this rule, the keepers of the sacred texts put vowel signs for the word Adonai to the consonant letters of the word Yahweh. From this connection arose the widespread transcription Jehovah - a distorted form of the name Yahweh.

Having created man, God gave him freedom of will and choice, but commanded to fulfill mitzvot(commandments) embodying goodness and right conduct. The first covenant, concluded by God with the forefather of mankind Noah, includes the so-called Seven Commandments of the sons of Noah. They establish bans on idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, theft, incest, eating meat cut from a living animal, and the command to live by the laws. According to Judaism, the adoption of the Torah by the Jewish people was accompanied by the imposition on the Jews of special 613 commandments, the observance of which is not obligatory for other peoples. Most of them define the norms of everyday behavior, food rules, economic regulations, ritual cleanliness rules, hygiene standards, and prohibitions on combining incompatible entities (flax and wool; two different draft animals in one harness, etc.). Special prescriptions relate to religious practices and observance of holidays.

Among mitzvot the so-called Ten Commandments(gr. Decalogue), containing universal ethical standards of human behavior: monotheism, a ban on the image of God, on pronouncing His name in vain (in vain), keeping the holiness of the day of rest on the seventh day (Saturday), honoring parents, prohibiting murder, adultery, theft, false witness and selfish lust . Deviation from the fulfillment of the commandments - as a consequence of the operation of the principle of free will, is considered as a sin, which entails retribution not only in the other world, but already in earthly life. Therefore, ethical and social justice, contained in the commandments, becomes the central position of the entire dogma of Judaism.

Ideas about the immortality of the soul, about the afterlife and the coming resurrection of the dead are not directly reflected in the Torah and have a later origin in Judaism.

The constant disasters and persecutions that befell the Jewish people in exile, as well as the exile itself, are considered by Judaism as an integral part of the reward for deviations from the correct fulfillment of the commandments and as the burden of being chosen. The deliverance of the people from suffering will come after the liberation that will bring Messiah(dr. Heb. mashiach- Anointed of God) - the king-deliverer. The Messiah will appear in the form of a humble teacher from the family of King David, and with his coming, the kingdom of God will be established on earth - Heavenly Jerusalem, where all the Jews scattered throughout the world will miraculously be transferred. The dead will be resurrected and peace and the brotherhood of man will triumph everywhere. The doctrine of Jerusalem as a lost glory and homeland in Judaism is not only mystical, but also earthly in nature. Faith in the final return to the promised land ( aliyah), which manifests itself in daily prayer and in the Easter wish next year- in Jerusalem! became the ideological basis Zionism- national-political movement for the reconstruction of the Jewish state in the historical homeland of the Jewish people - Palestine. The founder of Zionism was the Austrian Jewish publicist Theodor Herzel (1860-1904), author of the book The Jewish State. The result of the vigorous activity of the Zionist organizations was the creation in 1948 of the State of Israel, the return of a large number of Jews from Europe and the USA to it, and the revival of religious life associated with this process both in Israel itself and in the Diaspora.

The Jewish chronology is based on the lunisolar calendar with a 19-year cycle, within which 12 years consist of 12 months and 7 years (leap years) - of 13 months. The months of the year have Assyro-Babylonian names and are in the following order: Tishrei(September October), heshvan(October November), Kislev(November December), Tevet(December - January), shevat(January February), adar(in a leap year - Adar I and Adar II) (February-March), Nissan(March, April), Iyar(April May), Sivan(May June), Tammuz(June July), av(July August), elul(Aug. Sept).

The weekly holiday is Shabbat(Saturday) - a day of rest, the onset of which is celebrated by lighting candles, a special blessing and a festive meal after the ascent of the first three stars every Friday evening. On Saturday, any work is forbidden (including lighting a fire), movement of vehicles and other disturbances of peace. Saturday is usually dedicated to prayers and reading the Torah.

The most important holidays after Saturday are Yom Kippur(Judgment Day), accompanied by strict fasting and special prayers of repentance, rites, and Rosh Hashanah (New Year), celebrated respectively on the 10th and 1st days of the month of Tishrei.

The most important holidays in the tradition of Judaism are the so-called three holidays of pilgrimage, during which - before the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple - everyone was obliged to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to make a sacrifice in the Temple. The first one is Pesach(Easter, other Heb. Exodus), the celebration of which begins on the 14th day of the month of Nisan and lasts 7 days. This holiday is dedicated to the memory of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and gaining freedom, as well as the onset of spring and the beginning of the ripening of the first sheaf. The main ritual establishment of the Jewish Passover is the seven-day eating matzah- special unleavened bread as a reminder of Egyptian slavery. During the seven days of the holiday, it is not only strictly forbidden to eat, but even to keep any products containing yeast in the house. On the first and second evenings of Easter, a special meal is arranged - seder, during which every adult Jew must drink four glasses of wine. 50 days after Easter, the harvest of the first sheaf takes place, which is celebrated with a holiday Shavuot(Pentecost) on the 6th day of the month of Sivan. This day also commemorates the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. Third pilgrimage feast Sukkot(Tabernacles), is celebrated from the 15th to the 22nd day of the month of Tishri and is dedicated to the memory of the 40-year wandering of the Jews in the desert, as well as the harvest of the autumn harvest. On Sukkot, special huts (sheds) with an open roof are built, in which they live and eat all the days of the holiday.

Major holidays are also Hanukkah And Purim. Hanukkah (the feast of the Consecration) is celebrated from the 25th day of the month of Kislev for 8 days. It was erected in memory of the liberation of Jerusalem by the Maccabees from the power of the Seleucids in 164 BC. e. and is dedicated to the renovation of the Temple, desecrated during the Maccabean Wars. During the eight days of Hanukkah, eight candles are lit, placed in a special lamp - Hanukkah. Purim (the Feast of the Lot) is celebrated on the 14th and 15th days of the month of Adar and is dedicated to the legendary events described in the book of Esther (Esther). It says that during the reign of the Persian king Artaxerxes I (465-424 BC), under whose rule the Jews were then, the royal minister Haman wanted to exterminate the Jewish people, but his plan was frustrated thanks to the cunning of one from the royal wives of the Jewess Esther and the wisdom of her tutor Mordecai. As a result, the Jews were saved, and the villain Haman was executed. The holidays of Hanukkah and Purim are celebrated with special joy: on the days of the holidays, everyone gives each other gifts, games, dances, folk festivals and children's matinees are arranged.

In addition to holidays, Judaism also adopted fasts that are dedicated to the mournful events of Jewish history. The Jewish fast provides for complete abstinence from food and drink throughout the day until sunset. The most important posts are: Tisha B'Av(9th day of the month of Av) - in memory of the destruction of the first and second Temples; Tsom Gedalya(3rd day of the month of Tishri) - in memory of the murder of Gedaliah, the last Jewish ruler of Judea in 186 BC. e.; Asara be-Tevet(10th day of the month Tevet) - in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. e.; And Shiva-asar be-Tammuz- in memory of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. e.

Among the rites life cycle the most important and most sacralized is circumcision (brithmila)- an operation to excise the foreskin in boys on the eighth day after birth. According to tradition, this rite was established back in the time of Abraham and symbolizes the union of God and Israel, being a sign of belonging to the people of God. Upon reaching the age of 13, when the religious majority comes, the boys undergo a ceremony Bar Mitzvah (Son of the Commandment): On the first Saturday after their 13th birthday, they are called for the first time to read the Torah during a prayer meeting in the synagogue. From this moment on, the Jewish boy must fulfill all religious duties and is responsible for the sins committed. In the nineteenth century a custom arose to celebrate the religious majority of girls when they reached the age of 12 (Bat Mitzvah - Daughter of the Commandment). Often, both of these rituals are timed to coincide with the holiday of Shavuot. The canon of Jewish marriage was also formed in the Talmudic period. It includes an engagement ceremony ( kiddushin), conclusion marriage contract (ktubba) and the marriage ceremony performed by the rabbi in the presence of two witnesses.

Very importance Judaism has a system of food prohibitions ( kashrut): it is completely forbidden to eat the meat of a pig, equine animals (horse, donkey), animals that do not have hooves (rabbit, hare), birds of prey, a fish that does not have scales. Clean ( kosher) is considered the meat of ruminant artiodactyls (sheep, goats, cows) and birds slaughtered by a carver ( shoikhet) according to a special rule, and blood must be completely removed from the meat. There is also a ban on the simultaneous consumption of meat and dairy foods, cereals and legumes, and even mixing them in one dish.

The center of religious and social life in Judaism is synagogue. The status of the synagogue is determined by the presence in it of a special case for storing the Torah scrolls, which is located in the wall facing Jerusalem. Installed in the center of the hall bima- an elevated place with a table for reading the Torah. Characteristic attributes of the decoration of the synagogue are the menorah ( menorah), copying the lamp of the Jerusalem Temple; an ark - a casket with a Torah scroll with images of a lion and an eagle; tablets - stone boards with the initial words of the Ten Commandments; and the star of David (Mogendovid) - a six-pointed star composed of two equilateral triangles (according to legend, it was inscribed on the shield of King David). Since God, according to the creed of Judaism, does not have figurative form, any images of God, as well as images of people in Judaism are prohibited.

Divine services in the synagogue include individual and corporate prayers, reading of the Torah and hymns performed by the choir under the direction of the cantor. Sermons are delivered on Saturdays and during holidays. In Orthodox synagogues, seats for women are separated by a partition or placed on the upper gallery. In reformed synagogues, men and women often sit together. Synagogues usually have a special room for ritual ablutions - mikveh.

Judaism has three obligatory daily worship services: Shacharit(morning) mincha(daytime) and maariv(evening). They are performed both publicly - in the synagogue, and individually - at home. To perform public prayer, you need minyan- the presence of at least ten men who have reached religious age. On Saturdays and holidays, a special prayer is read in memory of the temple sacrifice - musaf. Prayer is central to synagogue worship. Shmone Esre(18 blessings). An important part of worship is also kaddish- a memorial prayer that is read for the deceased during the year of mourning and on the anniversary of the death of a son for deceased parents. During the morning services on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, the Torah scroll is read. Men wear special attire during prayer: tales- square cover white color with a special pattern and tassels at the corners, a round hat ( bale), as well as an irregularly shaped prayer belt worn under outer clothing so that its corner looks out. In the moment morning prayer on weekdays, a tefillin (phylactery) is fastened to the head of the believer above the forehead and to the right hand with a strap - a box with the text of the prayer enclosed in it. While in the synagogue, hats are obligatory for men, and the most religious Jews never take them off.

A Jew is any person born of a Jewish mother or who professes Judaism in accordance with religious law.

At present, the followers of Judaism are settled all over the world and, according to their ethnicity, almost all of them are Jews. According to various statistics, the total number of Jews in the world ranges from 13 to 14 million people; of which 4.6 million people live in Israel and more than 1 million people in the territory former USSR. Organized communities of followers of Judaism exist in more than 80 countries around the world. Missionary work among the non-Jewish population is not practiced in Judaism, but the entry of non-Jews into the Jewish community is allowed, although rather difficult. Non-Jews converting to Judaism ( gerim) after passing the rite of conversion, they are considered Jews; they are even forbidden to be reminded of their non-Jewish origin. In addition, there are a number of ethnic groups that profess Judaism, but at the same time are aware to one degree or another of their difference from the Jews. They are Samaritans and Karaites, as well as Jewish groups in Africa (Ethiopia, Zambia, Liberia), India, China, Burma, the USA and other countries. in Russia at the end of the eighteenth century. Judaizing sects of Subbotniks and Gers arose among the peasants of the central provinces, a few followers of which have survived to this day.

There are many different religions inherent in individual nations and peoples. The religion of Judaism has its own characteristics, qualitatively distinguishing it from the rest. For example, the components of Christianity - Orthodoxy and Catholicism, have gathered in their faith a wide variety of people who live in the territories of many states and continents. In contrast, Judaism is exclusively the national faith of the Jews.

Who is the founder of Judaism?

Judaism is the oldest religion of the Jewish people, the founder of which is considered to be Moses. He managed to create a single people from scattered Israeli tribes. In addition, he is known for having planned and carried out the exodus from Egypt of the Jews who lived there in the status of slaves. In those days, the Jewish population greatly increased, and the Egyptian ruler ordered all born Jewish boys to be killed. The future prophet survived thanks to his mother, who, placing a newborn baby in a wicker basket, sent her to sail on the Nile. Soon the basket was discovered by the pharaoh's daughter, who adopted the found boy.

Growing up, Moses constantly noticed the oppression that his fellow tribesmen were subjected to. In a fit of rage, he once killed an Egyptian overseer, and he had to flee the country. He was sheltered by the land of Midian. He lived in a semi-nomadic city mentioned in the Bible and the Koran. It was there that God, in the form of a flaming but fireproof bush, called him to himself. He told Moses about his mission.

The Torah, also called the Mosaic Pentateuch, is the holy book of the Jews. Its text is quite difficult for normal understanding. Theosophists and theologians have been creating commentaries on the main Jewish book for thousands of years.

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Judaism: what kind of religion?

"Judaism" is a concept that is associated with a word from ancient Greek Ἰουδαϊσμός. It is used to refer to the religion of the Jews as opposed to the paganism of the Greeks. The term itself comes from the name of Judas. This biblical character is very famous. In honor of him, the Kingdom of Judah, and then the Jewish people as a whole, got its name. Some confuse Judas, who is the son of the patriarch Jacob, with his namesake, who sold Jesus for a few pieces of silver. These are completely different personalities. Judaism is a monotheistic religion that recognizes God as the only one.

Jews are an ethno-religious group made up of people who were born Jewish or converted to Judaism. To date, there are more than 14 million people who are representatives of this religion. It is noteworthy that almost half of them (about 45%) are Israeli citizens. Considerable communities of Jews are concentrated in the USA and Canada, the rest settled in European countries.

Initially, the Jews were called people living in the Kingdom of Judah, which existed in 928-586 BC. Further, this term was assigned to the Israelites of the Judah tribe. Today, the word "Jew" refers to all people who are Jews by nationality.

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What do Jews believe?

The basis of all Jewish beliefs is monotheism. These beliefs are indicated in the Torah, which, according to legend, was received by Moses from God on Mount Sinai. Since the Mosaic Pentateuch appears to have some correspondence with the books of the Old Testament, it is often referred to as the Hebrew Bible. In addition to the Torah, the Holy Scriptures of the Jews also include such books as Ketuvim and Nevim, which, together with the Pentateuch, are called the Tanakh.

According to the 13 articles of faith that the Jews have, God is perfect and one. He is not only the Creator of people, but also their Father, the source of kindness, love and righteousness. Since people are God's creations, they are all equal before God. But the Jewish people have a great Mission, the task of which is to convey Divine truths to man. The Jews sincerely believe that someday there will be a resurrection of the dead, and they will continue their life on earth.

What is the essence of Judaism?

People who practice Judaism are Jews. Some followers of this religion are sure that it appeared in Palestine - back in the period of Adam and Eve. Others insist that Judaism was founded by a small group of nomads, one of whom, Abraham, made a pact with God, which later became the main position of this religion.

According to this document, better known to everyone as commandments, people had to observe all the rules of a good life. For this they received divine protection. The main sources for studying this religion are the Bible and the Old Testament. Judaism recognizes only the historical, prophetic types of books and the Torah - narratives that interpret the law. In addition, the sacred Talmud, which consists of the Gemara and the Mishnah, is especially revered. It covers many aspects of life, such as ethics, moral standards and jurisprudence. The reading of the Talmud is a sacred and responsible mission that only Jews are allowed to perform. She is believed to have great power like mantras.

Main symbols

Speaking about what Judaism is, it is necessary to highlight the main symbols of this religion:

  1. One of the most ancient symbols is the Star of David. It has the form of a hexagram, i.e. the image is a six-pointed star. Some believe that this symbol is made in the form of shields, reminiscent of those used by the warriors of King David in their time. Despite the fact that the hexagram is a symbol of the Jews, it is also used in India to represent the Anahata chakra.
  2. The Menorah is made in the form of a gold candlestick for 7 candles. According to legend, during the period when the Jews wandered in the hot desert, this item was hidden in the Tabernacle of the Assembly, after which it was placed in the Jerusalem Temple. Menorah is the main element of the coat of arms of the Israeli state.
  3. The yarmulke is considered a traditional headdress for a Jewish man. It is allowed to be worn alone or under another hat. Jewish women who are adherents of Orthodox Judaism are required to walk with their heads covered. For this purpose, they do not use a yarmulke, but an ordinary scarf or wig.

Despite the many symbols, the Jews reject any image of God. They try not to call him even by his name, and the word Yahweh, which is still used in speech, is a conditional construction that consists only of consonants. Jews do not attend temples because they do not exist as such. The Jewish synagogue is the "house of assembly" where the reading of the Torah takes place. A similar ritual can be performed in any room, which must be clean and spacious.

August 31, 2017

The history of the emergence of Judaism speaks for itself, but more on that later. Consider first the original religion from which Judaism was formed.

The history of the emergence of the religion preceding Judaism

To begin, consider general concept words religion.

Religion(lat. religare - to connect, connect) - a certain system of views, due to belief in the supernatural, including a set of moral norms and types of behavior, rituals, religious actions and the unification of people in organizations (church, umma, sangha, religious community).

Other definitions of religion:

one of the forms of social consciousness; a set of spiritual ideas based on belief in supernatural forces and beings (deities, spirits) that are the subject of worship.

organized worship of higher powers. Religion is not only a belief in the existence of higher forces, but establishes a special relationship to these forces: it is, therefore, a certain activity of the will directed towards these forces.

a spiritual formation, a special type of a person's attitude to the world and himself, due to ideas about other being as a reality dominating in relation to everyday existence.

Also, the term "religion" can be understood in such senses as subjective-personal (religion as an individual "faith", "religiosity", etc.) and objectively general (religion as an institutional phenomenon - "religion", "worship of God" , "confessions", etc.).

The religious system of representation of the world (worldview) is based on religious faith and is connected with the relationship of a person to the superhuman spiritual world, some kind of superhuman reality, about which a person knows something, and to which he must somehow orient his life. Faith can be reinforced by mystical experience.

Of particular importance for religion are such concepts as good and evil, morality, the purpose and meaning of life, etc.

Basics religious beliefs most of the world's religions are written by people in sacred texts, which, according to believers, are either dictated or inspired directly by God or the gods, or written by people who have reached, from the point of view of each particular religion, the highest spiritual state, great teachers, especially enlightened or dedicated, saints, etc.

In most religious communities, a prominent place is occupied by the clergy (ministers of a religious cult).

Religion is the predominant worldview in most countries of the world, most of the respondents identify themselves as belonging to one of the religions.

In short, religion is the science of a deity who gives an idea of ​​himself through the laws of good and evil.

In our case with Judaism, we are talking about God, who revealed himself to the Jews through the 10 commandments. For this reason, these commandments are called Revelation:

18 And when [God] ceased speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him two tablets of revelation, tablets of stone, on which was written by the finger of God.

And for this reason, the ark where they were kept was called the ark of the revelation:

21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and hung up the veil, and closed the ark of the revelation, as the LORD commanded Moses.

In addition to the fact that the revelation about God in the ten commandments was kept in the ark, over the ark the priest received instructions from God, who revealed himself to the priest between the cherubs.

6 And set him before the veil that is before the ark of the revelation, against the lid that is on the [ark] of the revelation, where I will reveal myself to you.

7 On it Aaron will smoke with fragrant incense; every morning when he prepares lamps, he will smoke them;

So, the religion of the Jews focuses on God, who revealed himself through Revelation - the 10 commandments. We will not dwell on the meaning of these commandments, because this is a separate topic.

What you should pay attention to is that this religion was not Jewish. This religion can be called the religion of Abraham - Abrahamic. It is Abraham who is the founder of this religion and the father of all Jews.

When Moses met God in the wilderness, where God spoke to him from a burning bush, Moses was told:

6 And he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

Nowhere in the Bible does it speak of the God of Moses, but it always speaks of the God of Abraham. The first father was Abraham, then Isaac, and the last was Jacob. From Jacob came twelve tribes, among which was the tribe of Levi, in which Moses was born.

So the religion of the Jews was originally an Abrahamic religion.

The history of the emergence of Judaism in the religion of Abraham

The word Judaism itself comes from the name Judah (Yehuda), which translates as: praise to Jehovah, glorify Jehovah.

35 And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said, This time I will praise Jehovah. So she named him Yehuda.

(Bereishit (Genesis) 29)

Separation of the sons of Jacob

From Tanakhic history we know that during the reign of the son of Solomon, the sons of Israel were divided into two parts. One part consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. This part was called geographically - Judea. So it was with them the tribe of Levi. The other part consisted of the remaining 10 tribes. This part of the people was geographically considered Israel with the capital Samaria.

Subsequently, when the king of Assyria came, he captured the capital of Israel, Samaria, and settled ten tribes in his lands as slaves. Thus, Israel ceased to exist.

Judah remained with the capital Jerusalem until the king of Babylon captured the city. The people were taken captive for 70 years. But according to the prophecies, after 70 years the people returned and rebuilt the city and the Temple, populating the lands of Judea.

Judaism in the time of Jesus Christ

At the time of Jesus Christ, the dominant tribe was the Jews - representatives of the tribe of Judah. A small part of the tribe of Benjamin remained, as well as from the tribe of Levi. For this reason, all Jews were called Jews - the inhabitants of Judea. And this is precisely the fundamental reason for the formation of the Judaic religion, which was formed by the Pharisees of that time.

Modern Judaism

Modern Judaism (orthodox) is the same teaching of the Pharisees, to some extent reformed under the influence of European culture.

Abrahamic Religion Today

Although the Pharisaic doctrine was deformed in the time of Christ and later, the Abrahamic religion, which was not subjected to the intervention of human cults, has survived to this day in the form of separate religious Jewish groups, including messianic ones (not mixed with Christianity). Representatives of the Abrahamic religion preserved in the correct light the doctrine of the God of the Jews - Jehovah 'and His commandments.