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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
When did Jews stop offering animals sacrifices and replace it with prayer?
The Jews stopped offering animal sacrifices in 70 CE, after the Temple was destroyed and therefore they no longer had a sacred place in which to offer sacrifices. The Rabbis argued that the purpose of the sacrifice was to draw someone closer to God and that prayer could effectively do this in the absence of the Temple.
Was Moses a real person according to Jewish tradition?
Yes, he was. This Jewish tradition has been handed down for over 3,300 years by the entire Jewish nation, and accepted by Christians and Muslims as well. Moses is mentioned many times in the Torah and Rabbinic literature. He is also mentioned by ancient non-Jewish writers going back over 2,300 years, including Hecataeus, Strabo, Alexander Polyhistor, Manetho, Apion, Chaeremon, Tacitus, and Porphyry. Non-religious ancient Jewish sources mention him too, such as Artapanus, Eupolemus, Josephus and Philo.
Why did the Jewish people like the Pharisees?
This question does not specify time and the answer is different based on when this question takes place.
If this is in reference to the Roman Period: The Pharisees were a populist movement, therefore they catered to the interests of the Jewish people. They opposed the Sadducees who represented elite interests and the Priestly class in general. Smaller movements like the Essenes were littered about, but the Pharisees were the most popular because they covered a large base.
If this is in reference to anything after the Roman Period: The Jewish people ARE the Pharisees and Pharisaic Traditions. So the question at this point is more along the lines of "Why do the Jewish people like their own take on religion?" which is a nonsensical question. (If you didn't like your take on religion, you would change it.)
What are some conflicts Judaism has had?
All proselytizing religions have a tendency to cause conflicts. It is the natural consequence of believing that only your religion is true. However, Judaism hasn't actively sought converts in over 2000 years and even then, has never been a single truth religion. In other words, Judaism has always taught that there are different paths for different people. What most people aren't familiar with is the Jewish concept of Noahide - the path to righteousness for non-Jews.
It should be noted that although the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) specified that the Israelites were supposed to kill all of their enemies, both the Tanakh and Jewish historical documentation specify that this never happened. Modern historians and archeologists support this.
Why and how did the Jews come to Venice?
The "why" is pretty straightforward. Jews could make a living in Venice as merchants. Although the Anti-Semitism there was potent, it had not risen to the point where they were actively excluded from the city and so, they lived there.
As to how they arrived, some came overland from other areas of Italy or Austria. However, the majority came from the Ottoman Empire on trading missions and chose to stay.
The commandments to be found in the Torah are commonly distilled down into a list of 613, known as the Taryag Mitzvot. The list compiled by Maimonides, a great medieval philosopher and rabbi, is generally considered the most authentic
When did Jewish culture originate?
The culture built up over time, alongside the religion, since the culture is an adjunct and a product. Therefore it makes more sense to speak of when Judaism itself originated.
Judaism was founded 3800 years ago.
Abraham (18th century BCE), tenth-generation descendant of Noah, of Hebrew lineage, was the son of Terah, uncle of Lot, father of Isaac, grandfather of Jacob, and forefather of the Israelites. His story is in Genesis ch.11 (end), through ch.25. Jewish tradition states that he was the first to actively spread belief in One God; and it is in his merit that Jews continue to exist (Genesis 18:19, and ch.17).
Abraham became the first to advance the idea of ethical monotheism: the worship of One God, and the appropriate ethical code of conduct.
The Kuzari (Rabbi Judah HaLevi, 1075-1141) states that Abraham was gifted with high intelligence; and, as Maimonides (1135-1204) describes, Abraham didn't blindly accept the ubiquitous idolatry. The whole populace had been duped, but the young Abraham contemplated the matter relentlessly, finally arriving at the conclusion that there is One God and that this should be taught to others as well. This is what is meant by his "calling out in the name of the Lord" (Genesis ch.12). As a young man, he remonstrated with passersby in public, demonstrating to them the falsehood of their idols; and our tradition tells how he was threatened and endangered by Nimrod.
Subsequently, Terah relocated to Harran; and it is here that Abraham began to develop a circle of disciples (Rashi commentary, on Genesis 12:5).
Later, God told Abraham in prophecy to move to the Holy Land, which is where he raised his family.
He continued his contemplations, eventually arriving at the attitudes and forms of behavior which God later incorporated into the Torah given to Moses.
Abraham became the greatest thinker of all time. His originality, perseverance, strength of conviction, and influence, cannot be overestimated.
Abraham, with God's help, trounced the supremacy of the evil Nimrod.
He received God's promise of inheriting the Holy Land (Genesis ch.13).
He strove to raise a family (Genesis ch.15, 17, and 24) which would serve God (Genesis 18:19); and God eventually blessed his efforts, granting him numerous descendants (ibid., ch.16, 21 and 25), in keeping with His promise (Genesis ch.17).
Abraham founded the Jewish people and lived to see his work live on in the persons of Isaac and Jacob; and he taught many other disciples as well (Talmud, Yoma 28b).
He saved the population of the south of Canaan from invading foreign kings (Genesis 14); and he was feared by neighboring kings (ibid., ch.12 and 20).
Abraham gave tithes (Genesis ch.14), entered into a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15 and 17), welcomed guests into his home (Genesis ch.18) unlike the inhospitable Sodomites (Genesis ch.19), prayed for people (Genesis ch.18), rebuked others when necessary (Genesis ch.20), eulogized and buried the deceased (Genesis ch.23), and fulfilled God's will unquestioningly (Genesis ch.22). He became renowned as a prince of God (Genesis 23:6).
The gravesite of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives (Genesis 49:29-32) is located in Hebron and has been known and attested to for many centuries.
All of the above practices of Abraham were based upon the ways of God, which Abraham understood through his contemplations. These, and similar personality traits, were the teachings of Abraham and his descendants (unlike idolatry, which had no moral character; with worship of the gods accompanied by things such as human sacrifice, "sacred" prostitution, and animal worship).
It is therefore clear why God expresses His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and calls Himself the God of Abraham (Genesis 26:24), and says that Abraham obeyed Him fully (Genesis 26:5). And this is why Abraham is credited with having begun the religion which became known as Judaism. (However, Abraham and his descendants observed their traditions voluntarily, until the Giving of the Torah to Moses 3325 years ago, when God made it obligatory.)
What did the Ancient Hebrews trade?
By around 700 BCE, camels were being used to cross the Jordanian desert, providing new trading opportunities for Judah, particularly as a transit point for trade between the east and Mediterranean ports. With its new wealth, Judah could absorb Israelite refugees after the destruction of Israel in 722, and its population grew rapidly.
Jews of the diaspora were expected to help support the Jerusalem Temple, and their pilgrimages also added to the Judean economy. By the beginning of the Christian era, 'God fearers' became an important new source of revenue for Jerusalem. These were pagans who wanted to be sure to worship all the gods for fear of offending any. Since the Jewish God could only be worshipped in Jerusalem, they added to the economic welfare of Judea.
How do Jews view the Holocaust?
It depends on their background: Ashkenazi Jews view it as the "quintessential tragedy of the 20th century."
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For many Jews the Holocaust has become a central and integral part of Jewish identity: they have become, so to speak, 'the People of the Holocaust', though this expression is not used. It may be the case that this is felt more strongly by secular (that is, non-religious) Jews than by practising religious Jews.
The Holocaust raises a number of difficult theological questions, and not only for Judaism.
Why did the Zionism opposed the creation of a Jewish state in palestine?
Some Orthodox Jews did not approve of the modern nation of Israel, because it was created by humans via the United Nations. It was not directly created by God. Most Jews have no problem with the modern nation of Israel, and those Orthodox Jews are in the minority as far as most Jews are concerned.
Why are Jews good at making money?
Not all Jews are smart and rich, there are poor Jews, too. It is too broad of a generalization to claim that all (or even most) Jews are rich. The reason that many Jews are smart and rich is that the Jewish culture values education. Those Jews that are rich tend to give to charity, because the Jewish religion puts an emphasis on giving to charitable causes, too. I do not know why some Jews are so smart, but I do know that Albert Einstein was Jewish.
How did world war 2 affect Sweden?
Sweden remained neutral during World War II despite its close location to Germany and other involved countries. Franco British allies granted support in the war on the condition that they could pass through neutral Norway and Sweden instead of taking the road through Soviet occupied Russia. In 1943, Sweden housed all of Denmark's Jews and took in Jews from Norway and Finland. It is reported that Sweden aided and helped more Jews than any other country during the war.
See related links for more information.
What role did Abraham play in earth Hebrew history?
Abraham is the Patriarch, meaning founder, of the Jewish religion.
ANOTHER ANSWER:
Abraham "IS" a most important figure for "all of mankind" to this day and into our future... not just for the Jews. It's Abraham's descendants, the tribe of "Judah" [the Jews] through whom the Messiah is traced. The One through whom "all the families [nations] of the world shall [eventually] be blessed" [receive Salvation; saved from the Second Death].
"...in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Gen.12:3 KJV)
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh [the wicked pulls of the flesh and the world - through Faith] shall not be hurt of the Second Death." (Rev.2:11 KJV)
The Salvation of the whole earth [not just the Jews] was made possible through Faithful, Obedient Abraham and the LORD's [Jesus Christ's - see John 1:1-3] original covenant [agreement] with him:
"Because that Abraham OBEYED MY VOICE, and kept My charge, My COMMANDMENTS, My statutes, and My Laws." (Gen.26:5 KJV)
Mankind [all of mankind] traces his salvation through the Faithful man, Abraham:
"For the Promise [from Jesus Christ, the Creator God of the Old Testament], that he should be the HEIR OF THE WORLD, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the Law, but through the Righteousness of Faith." (Rom.4:13 KJV)
"KNOW YE THEREFORE that they which are of Faith, THE SAME ARE THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM." (Gal.3:7 KJV)
"And IF YE BE CHRIST's [through Faith], then are ye Abraham's seed, and HEIRS according to the Promise." (verse 29)
Abraham's importance isn't "past tense" -- it looks forward to the FUTURE! For the whole world; to all the generations of man.
"Because the Scripture [the Divinely-revealed Living Word of God - the Bible] foresaw that God would bring the heathen into Right Standing with Himself on condition of Faith, He beforehand proclaimed the Good News to Abraham in the Promise, 'It is through you that all the heathen will be blessed." (Gal.3:8 WNTWilliam's New Testament)
"For assuredly it is not to angels that He [God] is continually reaching a helping hand, but it is to the descendants of Abraham. And for this purpose it was necessary that in all respects He should be made to resemble His brothers, so that He might become a Compassionate and Faithful High Priest in things relating to God, in order to atone for the sins of the people. (Heb.2:16-17 WEY Weymouth's New Testament)
It's mankind that needs to learn to emulate the Faith of its Faithful father, Abraham, by its actions, deeds, works:
"...Take the case of Abraham our forefather. Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be Righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar? You notice that his Faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his Faith was Perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'And Abraham BELIEVED God, and his Faith was placed to his credit as Righteousness,' and he received the name of 'God's friend.' You ALL see [not just 'you Jews see'] that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced Righteous, and not simply because of Faith." (James 2:20-24 WEY)
Abraham's Faith and Actions are important to the whole world; because when God opens up the books of the Bible, His written Word, to Judge all of mankind on Judgment Day... Abraham's Faith and Actions will be the example God will cite regarding Righteousness and Right Character and Right living, which shall be the "measuring stick" by which all of mankind's deeds shall be weighed.
"...I saw a Great White Throne, and I saw the One who was sitting on it... And the books [of the Bible] were opened, including the Book of Life. And the [resurrected] dead [all of mankind] were Judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done... They were all Judged according to their deeds. And death and the grave were thrown into the Lake of Fire. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH - the Lake of Fire. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the Lake of Fire." (Rev.20:12-15 NLT New Living Translation)
Abraham's example on how to live in Peace with God and one's fellow man is exemplary with our Creator and worthy of emulation. The whole world can benefit from his importance to God. All of God's Children should behave as well as Abraham... instead of embracing every form and depth of wickedness as it actually does.
"Try to live in Peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the LORD. Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison." (Heb.12:14-15 NLT)
Abraham's life; his Faith and Actions, is important to all of mankind... past, present and future... whether they know it or not. He is the Faithful, Righteous man through whose descendants, the Jews, God chose to be born and save the world.
"Let the one who is doing wrong continue to do wrong; the one who is vile, continue to be vile; the one who is good, continue to do good; and the one who is holy, continue in holiness. See, I AM coming soon, and My Reward is with Me, to repay all according to their deeds." (Rev.22:11-12 NLT)
In the Judgment, how many people will "measure up" to Abraham's important Righteous examples of Faith and Works?
How long did the pogroms in Russia last?
The official death toll released by the Procurator General of the USSR (tallies were compiled based on lists of named victims) was 32 people (26 Armenians and 6 Azerbaijanis), although some have revised this figure up into the tens and hundreds. Source: Wikipedia via Google search
What was the purpose of pogroms?
Pogroms were a way that non-Jews manifested their anger with Jews over perceived grievances. Many rulers and clerics though it was easier to blame the Jews for problems like crop failures, disease, raids and defeats by enemies, and other issues than to be honest that they had no viable solution. Believing these lies, non-Jews attacked the Jewish community in "reprisal".
Why did helmuth hate the Jews?
It was not just Heinrich Himmler who hated Jews. Most of Austria and Germany hated Jews. They had this false idea that the Jews were the cause of World War 1 and that they controlled the world. Himmler was just an ignorant, insecure man who fell for a madman.
What are the characteristics of the supreme being of the ancient Hebrews?
The Creator of the universe.
Dictionaries define "Judaism" as The monotheistic religion of the Jews, since the founding principle of Judaism was and is the belief in One ethical God. This was the teaching which was spread by Abraham, and has continued since then. From Judaism, belief in One God has spread through the Western world.
Why is Passover significant for the Jewish people and for Jesus?
On the night of Christ's betrayal and arrest, He and the disciples had not long before finished celebrating the Passover meal at which the sacrament of Holy Communion was instituted by Christ himself.
How were Jewish people treated in England and Europe in the past centuries?
Answer 1
The question is much too broad. Try asking about a specific country or century.
There were places and periods of prosperity, and there were times and periods (often in the same places) of attacks, blood-libels, pogroms, massacres, expulsions, the Crusades, and the Holocaust.
Answer 2
Before answering, it is important to note how overly broad and general this question is. People have written books on Jewish history that within them cover just a few days (like books on the Six-Day War), so writing about two millennia of Jewish History would be next to impossible. However, I will attempt an extremely broad coverage of different events using numbers sequentially and letters regionally. (i.e. 1A and 1B both happen at the same time but in different places and 1B and 2B happen in the same place but 1B happened before 2B.)
Regions: A = Western Europe, B = Germany and North Central Europe, C = Eastern Europe.
1A) As the Roman Empire disintegrates, the Medieval Christian states begin to impose harsh laws on the Jews but allow them to practice Judaism openly if they follow these rules. Typically the community would be allowed to live in one neighborhood, called a "ghetto" (after the Venetian neighborhood so designated), under the stewardship of a Kahal (or Jewish Board of Directors). However, the cities allowing Jews to set up these types of neighborhoods were few and far between, leading many Jews to emigrate out of Western Europe and further east to find sanctuary. In addition, Jews were banned from many occupations which lead them into very specialized fields. Anti-Semitism was pervasive and common which lead to numerous pogroms and religiously incited massacres. Judaism was also defined religiously at this point, which meant that a Jew could convert to Christianity and become just as accepted to them as native-born Christians. Rabbis in these Kahals correspond with their counterparts in the Arab World.
1BC) Jews begin to arrive in these regions due to more fluid borders and less stringent obligations. The Jews moving to Central and Eastern Europe (most often from Western Europe) are typically poorer than those who remained in the Western European cities. Anti-Semitism was still pervasive, but Jewish communities could usually avoid the major cities and instead live as farmers.
2A) Western Europe became more and more Anti-Semitic. Beginning with the Expulsions from Spain and Portugal, Western Europe begins to formalize the Jewish-Race concept wherein there is something wrong with the Jew that makes him unfit for European civilization (converting to Christianity will not fix him). Jews have minimal involvement in France and slowly begin to return to the United Kingdom (they were expelled in 1290). Western European Jews tried to challenge convention, but were much less successful than their German and Dutch brethren. In the 1700s and 1800s, the Jews of the United Kingdom began to gain more rights and political freedoms.
2B) The German Jewish community really begins to develop and urbanize during this period, becoming much more similar to the Western European communities than the Eastern European communities. They deal with many of the same problems and restrictions that Western European Jews do, but a more tolerant atmosphere in Germany lends itself to the Jewish Enlightenment (the Haskalah), in which Jews begin to join the Modern European discussions on Rights and Freedoms. German Jews begin to assert that they can be European citizens without giving up their religious background. By the mid-1800s, German Jews have founded what are now known as the Conservative, Reform, and Secular Movements in Judaism. In the Netherlands, the Jewish community was able to openly practice without discrimination, making Amsterdam a haven for many Jews fleeing Western Europe. As a result of Amsterdam's freer intermingling, Jews there were also able to participate in the wider phenomenon of Modernization.
2C) The Eastern Jewish community, although poor and much maligned by their Christian neighbors begins to become the largest center of Jewish population (with numbers roughly equivalent to every other Jewish community combined). Unburdened with the in-city laws and restricted territories (they lived outside of the city limits and were farmers as opposed to tradesmen), they began to spread. However, the Eastern European Jewish community began to come under direct fire from European imperial governments seeking to ethnically cleanse themselves of Jews. Anti-Semitism becomes much more entrenched and institutionalized as the countries of Eastern Europe begin to modernize. The 1700s sees the rise of the Orthodox Jewish Hasidic and Mitnaged Movements, which showcase Jewish spirituality by interpreting the Jewish tradition in interaction with modernity, holistically, and scholastically respectively.
3AB) The Modern European states began to integrate Jews more fully in society after the Napoleonic era. This meant that Jews were able to fight in European armies and live wherever they wished. However, there was huge backlash. Anti-Semitism manifested in new pseudo-scientific forms which explained that Jews were deficient and this is what led to their differences and impossibility of being proper Europeans. This sentiment explains the rise of Zionism as a way for the Jews to create a state that would cater to their interest away from European questions over the possibility of Jewish integration. The Anti-Semitism expressed in modern Western and Central Europe was directly responsible for the Holocaust which effectively exterminated the majority of the Jewish population in all European countries except the United Kingdom (for obvious reasons).
3C) Eastern European Judaism did not change much other than the fact the Mitnaged and Hasidic movements merged together to form the modern Haredi (ultra-orthodox) community. Eastern European Jewry lost the large majority of its Jewish population in the Holocaust.
Is the Jewish God called Yahweh?
No, Jews never use that spelling.
The name of God (YHWH) is not pronounceable, partly due to to a religious prohibition for Jews (Talmud, Sanhedrin ch.11), and partly due to the fact that the way in which it is pronounced has been lost to history. While the Temple in Jerusalem still stood, only the Kohen Gadol would pronounce the name of God (×™×â€Ã—•×â€) and only one day a year. The remainder of the time, less explicit names of God, such as Adonai or Elohim, were used; and that is what we do today too.
Who freed the Jewish prisoners from the concentration camps?
The Soviet Union was the first country to liberate the Jews. The United States reached the camps in April and May, 1945.
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Liberation took place camp by camp as the Allies advanced. Most Jews were dead by the time the Allies reached the camps.
Why did the ancient Hebrews settle in Canaan?
God gave Abraham the land of Canaan, modern day Israel.
