Where was judea and why was it important to the Jews?

Answer 1

Judea was within the borders of present-day Israel.

Judea's importance:

The holy land for Judaism is Israel (see Deuteronomy 11:11-12), and the holy city is Jerusalem.

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Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was chosen by God (Zechariah 3:2). It was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon.

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Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings ch.8) and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avot ch.5).
Jerusalem is called the holy city by the prophets (Isaiah 52:1). It was where Jews would go three times a year to celebrate the holiest festivals (Deuteronomy ch.16). Even after the destruction of the Temple, the Temple Mount and adjacent Western ("Wailing") Wall, which still stands, is the holiest site in Judaism. It is hoped and prophesied (Ezekiel ch.40-44) that one day a third temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Messiah will come to it.

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Jerusalem has become representative of the connection with the Divine. Jerusalem is also seen as the source of Divine Law, as demonstrated in many Jewish prayers: "Ki miTziyon tetze Torah udvar Hashem miYerushalayim - From Zion comes the Torah and the Word of God from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3). Jerusalem is also representative of the Redemption of the Jewish people from their physical and spiritual exile, because this exile causes the melancholy that the Jewish people experience by being apart from God's presence. The Redemption, which Jews believe will be brought by the Messiah, will result in the Jewish people returning to Jerusalem.

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According to ancient Hebrew tradition, Jerusalem is the site where God took the very earth from which Adam, the first man, was formed (midrash Rabbah 14:8). Read Genesis carefully; Adam was not created in the garden of Eden; he was taken there. Jerusalem, because it is the first place on Earth where the spirit of God dwelt, is considered a direct link to God.

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Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion and Jerusalem has been its only holy site for over 3000 years. King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by invading Babylonians, and rebuilt at the same site (known as the Temple Mount) about 2500 years ago. It was then destroyed again when the Romans conquered Judea about 2000 years ago, killing a million Jews. All Jews who value their heritage feel ties to Jerusalem and the holy land, where so many of their people struggled for the freedom to practice Judaism. At the same time, Jews believe that all people should be welcome there, regardless of faith.

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Jerusalem is the eternal Jewish city, and a symbol of a future time of peace. Jerusalem is also the focal point of prayer of the Jews. When they pray, wherever they are, they face towards Jerusalem (Talmud, Berakhot 30a), with love and longing. The sentiment is aptly expressed in Psalm 137: "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion....If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its wisdom." For thousands of years we remembered our exile and prayed for its end. Now at least we can do so from "up close."

Answer 2

Judea was within the borders of present-day Israel.
Judea's importance:

Jerusalem, which is in Judea, is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was chosen by God (Zechariah 3:2). It was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon.
Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings ch.8).

See also the Related Links.

Link: The Promised Land

Link: The Western Wall

Link: Destruction and Diaspora

Link: Beauty of Jerusalem

Answer 3

Here is all the "Jerusalem" you could ever want! http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=242&letter=J&search=Jerusalem [[User:67.148.120.72|67.148.120.72]]stardingo747

Answer 4

Because it was the land of the Forefathers, the First Temple and the Prophets.

Answer 5

When the kingdom of David was partitioned in 930 BCE, the northern kingdom was known as Israel and the southern kingdom was known as Judah. The name Judah continued to be used, and the name continued through Babylonian conquest and the return of the Jews. Language usage shifts with time, and by the time Rome took control in the year 6 CE, the name had morphed into Judea or Judaea. By that time, the former northern kingdom was divided into Samaria and Galilee. When Rome put down the second great Jewish revolt in the year 136, Rome renamed the province Palistinia and pushed most of the Jewish population into forced exile (many were shipped out as slaves). For the almost 2000 years following this, the Jewish community has retained bitter memories of this exile and the hope of eventual restoration of the homeland they were driven from.

Answer 6

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