Did Moses introduce the belief of one God for the development of Judaism?

Answer 1

According to one theory, from the time of Josiah, a monotheistic religion seems to have become dominant among the Jews. The role of Josiah in finally enforcing a monotheistic religion with its own canon of literature, should make him the true founder of Judaism, supported by the anonymous author or authors now called, by those who subscribe to this theory, the 'Deuteronomist.'

Answer 2

Many believe that Abraham introduced the belief in one God. But, nowhere in the story of Abraham (Genesis 11:26-25:8) is there any suggestion that Abraham even founded Judaism, and Genesis does not even credit Abraham with monotheistic beliefs. Certainly, Genesis speaks of God talking to Abraham, and testing him, but there is no suggestion that Abraham felt compelled to describe these experiences to anyone else or to proselytise a monotheistic religion. The Bible also says that God spoke to Moses, but there is no evidence that this was the beginning of popular belief in monotheism. More importantly, many scholars regard the stories of Abraham and Moses as creations of the first millenium BCE. They point out that the Bible also tells us that the people of Israel (the northern kingdom) were, throughout its history, polytheistic in their religious beliefs. Even in the south, in Judah, the people worshipped many gods until at least the time of King Hezekia (729-686 BCE), who made the first real attempt, in historic times, to impose a monotheistic religion. However, Hezekiah's son allowed Judah to revert to polytheism. On this evidence, Judaism, as we know it, did not yet exist in Judah. On this evidence, monotheistic Judaism evolved a thousand years after Moses was said to have lived.

For more information, please see: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/moses-in-history-and-tradition

Answer 3

According to tradition, it was Abraham who introduced the belief in One God, whom he called "the Lord, God of heaven and Earth" (Genesis 14:22 and 24:3). He noted the Philistines' lack of fear of God (Genesis 20:11); and his grandson Jacob confiscated the idolatrous images taken from Shechem (Genesis 35:2) and got rid of them (Genesis 35:4); and refrained from invoking the gods of Nahor (Genesis 31:53). Jacob's wife Rachel pilfered Laban's statue-images (Genesis 31:19) in order to prevent him from idolatry (Rashi commentary, ibid.).

Abraham "called out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12), spreading his teachings as he journeyed; and God praised him as having "hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (Genesis 26:5).

For more details:

http://judaism.answers.com/jewish-history/judaism-and-monotheism

http://judaism.answers.com/jewish-history/a-biography-of-abraham