Origins of Judaism
What does Monotheism mean?
The belief that there is only one God
What was the Babylonian Captivity?
The Babylonian captivity or exile refers to the time period in Israel’s history when Jews were taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon.
Who was Esther, and what did she do that was important for the Jews?
She married the Persian emperor. One of his advisors planned to kill all the Jews. Esther convinced the Persian king to reject this plan.
Name the 1st section of the Hebrew Bible.
The Torah
Tells the story of God’s creation of the world
Tells of the life of Abraham and God’s covenant with him.
What is Ethical Monotheism?
The idea that there is one God who sets down ethical rules, or rules about right and wrong.
Who did God give the first covenant to? Stating that this person needed to move their family to Canaan and that in turn, he would always be protected from their enemies.
Abraham, the “father,” or the first, of the Jewish people.
What Persian king allowed the Jews to return home?
The Babylonians were conquered by the Persian king Cyrus the Great. The new ruler let 40,000 Jews return home.
What are two things that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have in common?
Christians and Muslims, like Jews, honor Abraham as a founding figure and Moses as a messenger of God. They both share with Jews the belief in a single God.
The second section of the Hebrew Bible is The Prophets, what is 1 thing it covers?
Reminds people to obey God’s laws.
Tells people how they should relate to God, other people, to the land, and to themselves.
Traces the history of Judaism and the Jewish people.
What is Righteousness and Justice?
The idea that people need to be honest, kind, and treat everyone fairly
Who did God give the Ten Commandments to?
The Israelites traveled for 40 years in the wilderness. During that time, the Torah says, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, part of a code of laws that the Israelites were to follow.
How did the Babylonian Exile lead to the Diaspora?
Due to the Babylonian Exile, communities of Jews now lived throughout the Babylonian empire, which stretched across the Fertile Crescent. These communities outside the Land of Israel came to be known as the Diaspora.
Why did the Jews decide to change from an Oral Torah to a written Torah?
Jewish leaders feared that the Oral Torah would be lost in the Diaspora, and that direct passing down of the law might become impossible or unreliable. Because of that, within a few hundred years after the destruction of the Second Temple, the Oral Torah was set down in writing.
The third section of the Hebrew Bible is The Writings, what is 1 thing it covers?
Psalms: poems or songs offering praises or prayers to God
Include the Book of Proverbs, which contains wise sayings.
Tells about heroes such as Esther
Contain books, such as Chronicles, that provide a history of the early Jewish people.
What is observance of Law?
The individual responsibility that God's laws and commandments apply equally to every Jewish person.
How did Israel split following Solomon’s death?
After Solomon’s death the kingdom split in two, with Israel in the north and Judah in the south
How did the Diaspora lead to new ways of worship?
Many Jews lived too far from Jerusalem to return for worship. Jews had to practice their faith wherever they were living. In the Diaspora, synagogues became even more important.
Who were the Maccabees and what did they do?
A family known as the Maccabees rebelled and won independence from Greek rulers who tried to ban important parts of Judaism.
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees, freedom of religion, and reclaiming of the Temple.
Why do Jews value the Hebrew Bible?
The Hebrew Bible and commentaries on the Bible are vitally important to Jews. They are important because they are the source of Jews’ most important teachings, including teachings about ethics.
What does Love for others mean?
“Love your fellow [human being] as yourself.” Jews are required to help others.
Who did the Northern Kingdom fall to? Who did the southern kingdom fall to?
Eventually, the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians. Later, the southern kingdom fell to the Babylonians.
Who were the three Kings of Israel? Know the exact order. On the test, you also need to know exactly what they did.
1. Saul, drove off their enemies.
2. David, made Jerusalem the capital.
3. Solomon, built a magnificent temple to be used to worship God.
Who was Yohanan ben Zaccai, and how did he help the Jewish religion to continue during the war against the Romans?
He secretly visited the Roman commander. He received permission to set up a center for Jewish scholars in another part of Judaea. The Temple was gone, but learning survived and remained important to Jews.
What is the Talmud?
The Talmud is a collection of oral teachings and commentaries about the Hebrew Bible and Jewish law. Jews still study and discuss it.
What are the two of the things that Women in Judaism are allowed to do?
The right to be consulted about whom they would marry and the right to take cases to court.