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History of Judaism
The History of Judaism is the history of the Jewish people, their religion and culture, tracing back to the Biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of the 18th c. BCE. The earliest mention of Israel as a people was discovered in an inscription on the Merneptah Stele from the 1200s BCE.
1,396 Questions
What were the main problems faced by the Israelites between 1800 BCE and 700 BCE?
1) Attacks by foreign nations. This occurred repeatedly (Judges ch.4, ch.6, ch.11; 1 Samuel ch.4, and numerous other occasions). 2) Internal strife (1 Kings ch.12 and other passages).
3) Occasional famine (such as Joel ch.1 and 2 Kings 4:38).
4) Religious backsliding, which (as the Prophets had warned) eventually led God to allow the First Temple to be destroyed by the Babylonians. (See: Destruction and diaspora)
What does b'rith mean in Hebrew?
B'rith, often pronounced "bris" or "brit," means -
1) Covenant
2) (The covenant of Jewish male) Circumcision. Genesis 17.
See also:
Who is booz in Jewish History?
If you are talking about Bo'az (בועז), he was a biblical character from the book of Ruth.
See related links for an article on Bo'az.
Why were Jews from Spain called Sephardim?
The word comes from the Jewish word "Sepharad," referring to a particular location.
As used today it means "Spanish" and specifically refers to the Jews on the Iberian Peninsula before they were expelled in the 15th century. It also refers to the liturgy, customs, and traditions of that community.
How did Jewish people happen to be in Germany then relocate to Israel?
Jews were all over Europe not only Germany. Many them were murdered during world war 2. The lucky ones escaped to other counteries and then by boats to Israel
Are Zionists devil worshipers?
Answer 1
The question is absurd on its face. After running through roughly fifteen ways to answer it, I decided that the best answer is: No, and if I were you, I'd be careful around whoever put that idea into your head.
Answer 2
This is the type of argument against Israel and its validity that reeks of desperation. The person who made the argument realized that Israel is valid on international legal grounds, historical grounds, political grounds, economic grounds, and so on, but really wishes that it did not exist. Therefore, in order to make Israel impossible to defend, he tars Zionism (which is a form of patriotism towards a Jewish State) with devil worship (which almost everybody seems to agree is wrong), even though the two principles are not at all related.
Additionally, the term Zionist is often incorrectly used to describe a conspiratorial cabal bent on world domination. Not only does this cabal not exist, but this is something that reeks of Anti-Semitism and merely replaces the word "Jew" with the word "Zionist" to seem less offensive.
Why did Abraham leave Ur to migrate to Canaan?
Because God spoke to him and offered him the eternal covenant. This was in the nature of a contract between Abraham and his descendants, and God. If Abraham agreed to trust God, and leave his home, and go searching for the 'promised land', and if he agreed also to remain faithful to the one true God of Israel, then in return God would bless all of his descendants and make them the founders of 'great nations'.
Abraham was a Hebrew, and the founder of Judaism.
Who are the eleven German-Jewish Nobel Prize winners?
The Wikipedia article entitled 'List of German Jews ...' gives the following German-Jewish Nobel Laureates in the sciences and medicine:
- Adolf von Baeyer (1905 - Chemistry)
- Hans Bethe (1967 - Physics - emigrated to the US in 1935)
- Max Born (1954 - Physics)
- Paul Ehrlich (1905 - Medicine)
- Albert Einstein (1921 - Physics)
- James Franck (1925 - Physics)
- Fritz Haber (1918 - Chemistry)
- Otto Meyerhof (1922 - Medicine)
- Otto Stern (1943 - Chemistry - awarded after emigration to the US)
- Otto Wallach (1910 - Chemistry)
- Otto Heinrich Warburg (1931 - Medicine)
- Richard Willstätter (1915 - Chemistry)
Note that Hans Bethe and Otto Stern are often listed as US Nobel laureates.
Balfour Declaration of 1917.
How large a group were the pharisees?
They were the majority of the Jews.The Jewish group that concentrated on the study, teaching and application of the Torah in every century was and is the Torah-sages and their many disciples, from Abraham down to today.
The word "Pharisees," which is based on a Greek misspelling used by Josephus, actually refers to the Sages of the Talmud. (The Hebrew word "p'rushim," to which he referred, means people of temperance; the opposite of epicurean.)
Josephus talks of three groups among the Jews in late Second-Temple times: Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. This may convey the mistaken impression that the Pharisees were just one "sect" among others, when in fact Josephus himself admits that the Pharisees (Torah-sages) with their disciples and followers constituted the large majority of the Jewish people. As he himself writes (Antiquities book 18), "the cities give great attestations to them." The Torah-sages such as Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel, Chanina ben Dosa, Bava ben Buta, Shimon ben Hillel, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Akiva, and hundreds of others, were active at that time and their yeshivot (Torah-academies) were flourishing. Their tens of thousands of disciples and hundreds of thousands of sympathizers were active in the Jewish world in that generation; they were the leaders and the forefront of Judaism.
Although the Christian Testament portrays them poorly, in fact the Pharisees were very egalitarian. They taught that all men were created in God's image and that all had the same rights, and the same right to an education, etc. They were devoted to the practicing of kindness, charity, the fulfillment of mitzvot, the study and teaching of Torah and the education of all people, regardless of status in society. They detested hypocrisy and actively sought it out and criticized it whenever they encountered it.The Pharisees were the only movement to survive the destruction of the Second Temple and were the ancestors of modern Judaism.
Our traditional Jewish beliefs today, including the afterlife and the resurrection, are traditions continuing from the Prophets and the Sages of the Talmud ("Pharisees").
What was ancient Israel's culture like for its slaves?
"Slavery" in Israel was an indentured servitude, not slavery as the term is usually understood.
1) An unemployed person could sell six years of his life and do tasks which the householder requested.
2) A thief who was unable to make restitution, could be made to work it off.
In both cases:
a) It is forbidden to hit a servant for any reason.
b) Hitting a servant would incur heavy punishment.
c) The servant must be given hefty gifts when he departs (Deuteronomy ch.15).
d) The householder must by law provide the servant with accommodations and food of the same quality as those of the family.
e) The servant is "off duty" during Sabbaths and holidays.
f) The householder must provide financial support to the family of the servant.
g) It is forbidden to overwork the servant or make unreasonable demands.
h) It is forbidden to embarrass the servant.
i) The servant is at all times under the protection of the court, who may intervene on his behalf.
Is the apple company by zionists?
Answer
No, they are not.
Note:
This seems like a case where the term "Zionist" is being misconstrued.
Zionism: a belief that the Jews should have political self-sovereignty and is the patriotic sentiment behind the Establishment of the State of Israel.
Unfortunately, many people use the term "Zionism" to refer to a non-existent cabal of Jews who "control the world". As such a cabal does not actually exist, Madonna cannot be a part of it.
What is a false fact about Anne Frank?
Anything that is not correct about Anne Frank is presumably a "false fact". For example, she died in the concentration camps, so to say that she survived the war would be a "false fact".
What was the pact the Jewish hellenizers initiated with the gentiles?
In Hebrew, this is classically (and esoterically) known as "Inscribe to you on the horn of the ox that you'll have no part in God's Torah" (Midrash Rabbah 2:4). The deeper meaning is beyond the scope of this answer, but the words include the plain meaning of abandonment of the Torah. Through their anti-religious actions the Hellenizers publicly demonstrated their desire to mingle into Greek society, permanently. Thus, an implicit pact with the Greeks was formed, whether one-sided or mutual. In addition, many people are unaware that the Syrian-Greeks were not the ones who initiated the outlawing of Torah-observances, in the period leading up to the founding of Hanukkah. Rather, it was the Hellenizers, who actively petitioned the Syrian-Greeks to create and enforce the anti-religious decrees. The Greeks, for their part, on more than one occasion wondered out loud why they had gotten so entangled in the internal life of the Jews (since simple governance and taxation had until then been the limit of their involvement). Like the later Sadducees and Essenes, the Hellenized Jews eventually either repented or went lost.
See also the Related Links.
Hashem al-Tarif is an Egyptian mountan in the Sinai Peninsula that some Biblical Scholars and TV personalities have argued is the "real" Mount Sinai. No religious scholarship in Judaism or Christianity has supported this claim.
What group caused the fall of israel and scattered the tribes of israel?
Since the question doesn't specify, we'll discuss the exile of the Ten Tribes of Israel, the destruction of the First Temple, and the destruction of the Second Temple. In each case, we'll give 1) a spiritual reason, and 2) a political ("current events-type") reason. The Ten Tribes (some 2650 years ago):
1) The spiritual reason was that for over two centuries the Ten Tribes had cut themselves off from the more-righteous tribe of Judah and the Temple, and had been much more lax about the prohibition against idolatry. The prophets, such as Hosea, had warned them but were not sufficiently heeded.
2) The temporal reason was that Assyria conquered them and exiled them.
The First Destruction (some 2500 years ago):
1) The general spiritual reason was that God found the people of Judah to be below the spiritual level that was a requisite for having His presence among them. The prophets had warned them (Jeremiah 7:25) but were not sufficiently heeded (2 Chronicles 36:16). Once God's presence no longer felt welcome in the Holy Temple, its destruction was just a matter of time (see Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 31a, and midrash Eichah Rabbah 1:43).
A more specific spiritual reason was the egregious sins of Menasheh, king of Judah, as stated in 2 Kings 21:11-13 and 24:3.
2) The political reason (the specific temporal circumstance) was the fact that King Yehoiakim, after having been obedient to Nevuchadnezzar (king of Babylonia), became insubordinate (2 Kings 24:1); and Nevuchadnezzar responded by conquering the land of Judah, destroying the First Temple and exiling the populace.
Some positive results: the false prophets, at long last, were silenced forever. They had predicted that no Destruction would take place.
Also, the lure of idolatry finally weakened, since the Destruction and Exile happened exactly as predicted by the true Prophets, who were the same ones who had spoken ceaselessly against dabbling in idolatry.
The Second Destruction (in 68 CE):
1) The spiritual reason was that the Jewish people were plagued by an internal enemy, the Sadducees, who had been dragging the spiritual level of the people downwards for many decades. These were men of power who (along the lines of the earlier Hellenizers) were less interested in Torah than in pleasure, politics, and obsequiousness to the Herodian kings and the Romans. Even the once-pious Hasmoneans had eventually become infiltrated by the Sadducees. They'd fomented unnecessary wars, sown discord among the Jewish people (see Talmud, Yoma 9b), and had even killed a number of the leading Torah-sages (Talmud, Kidushin 66a). The Second Destruction, as painful and tragic as it was, at least accomplished the disappearance of the impious cliques (as alluded in the parable in the Talmud, Gittin 56b, in which the "barrel of honey" represents Jerusalem and the Temple, and the "דרקון" [serpent] hints to the Sadducees, among others). Once Jerusalem and the Temple were razed, the men of power melted away and the internal life of the Jewish communities returned to the aegis of the Torah-sages. Other non-traditional groups including the Samaritans and the Essenes also now dissociated themselves from the Jewish people.
2) The political trigger to the Second Destruction was the anti-Roman revolt fomented by the Zealots, who acted against the advice of the Rabbis and left the Romans no choice but to crush the people (Talmud, Gittin 56).
Did the purple gang hang out at a speak easy called rosie truly or midnight rosie?
I don't know about the 1920s Detroit-based Purple Gang in particular, but the Murder Incorporated organization did. Here is one sentence from an article:
"Based in part out of the Midnight Rose candy store in Brooklyn, the Murder Incorporated hitmen used a wide variety of weapons, including ice picks, to murder their victims."
See the attached Related Link.
What was the Jewish temple roof made out of?
The Temple was built of stone. The roof (as far as I know) was of flat pieces of marble.
What role has history played in the development of Jewish identity?
The textbook states that the whole of Jewish history covers more than 4000 years. It cannot be summarized in single book or story. Mainly there are two types of Jews, practicing and "ethnic" Jews, who are less strict in their observance of faith but still embrace their Jewish ethnicity, history, and culture. The story of early Judaism is found in Tanakh, the Hebrew scriptures and it begins with Abraham, who is credited for spreading the Judaic faith. These were his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel, which means "he who wrestled God", after he fought with the angel of God all night long. Israel's children became forever known as "children of Israel." Israel was father to twelve sons, who became known as the twelve patriarchs of Israel. From each of these sons sprang a tribe of people, named after their "father" and collectively called the Twelve Tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah (from whom the Hebrew people would eventually come to be called Yehudi, "Judeans," eventually shortened to Jews), Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph, and Benjamin. Fifteen million people in the world now claim to be descendants of Abraham through one of these twelve patriarchs.
Judaism does not exist just on one spot of ground. Throughout the history it has transformed itself. The three main Jewish divisions carry on the tradition, even though, often they do not get along at all. The Orthodox are the traditionalists, holding to scripture and Talmud. They are often seen in their traditional garb of black suits and beards, black hats and prayer shawls, watching over the production of Kosher foods and participating in ceremonies that go all the way back to early rabbinical times. The Reform branch is the liberal branch, applying tradition to contemporary society and visualizing Judaism as a living, breathing tradition that must constantly reform to new social conditions. The Conservative branch is a bit of a compromise, seeking to place rabbinical Judaism in a modern context. Other, smaller branches of Judaism include Reconstructionist and Secular Humanistic Judaism. Sometimes they disagree, but at the core of each branch is the tradition, the love, and the history that binds them to the faith of their fathers.
Which has been a major goal of both the Zionists and the Palestinian Arabs in the Middle East?
To each establish their own independent countries.
Do the Jews control Hollywood?
First of all, there is no such thing as "the Jews." Asking this question would be like asking the question "Do the Christians control the presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court?" Just because all U.S. Presidents, the overwhelming majority of current and past U.S. Senators and Representatives, and the majority of current and past Supreme Court justices are/have been Christian, does not mean that there is some monolithic entity called "the Christians" that "control" those institutions.
For the best-researched and documented work explaining the preponderance of Jewish people in Hollywood/the U.S. entertainment industry, see Neal Gabler's Book, "An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood." (N.B., Gabler does not subscribe to the notion that there is such a thing as "the Jews." The title is taken from a line in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Last Tycoon."
