Oldest Religions: What Are The Core Beliefs of Judaism?

History of Judaism
Like other religions, Judaism is based on a certain number of core beliefs. Judaism is
mono-theistic and is considered one of the oldest religions that is still followed. Also like
other religions, it encompasses multiple denominations or sects.
The history of Judaism spans more than 3,000 years, with roots in the Middle East that go
back to the Bronze Age. Jewish history, beliefs and traditions were recorded in the
Hebrew Bible beginning as early as the 8th century BCE. It was then known as the
‘religion of Abraham’, after the man to whom God, in the Bible, reveals the Jewish
tradition. Abraham is therefore considered the patriarch of the Hebrews, later called the
Jewish people. The religion spread as a result of migration rather than missionary
conversions, like Catholicism, for example. Although it never attracted the number of
followers that other religions did, it still exerts a strong influence in the modern world.
What are the core beliefs of Judaism?
History has the utmost significance in Judaism, as the Bible is centred around historical
narrative, and most Jewish holidays are intended to connect modern Jewish people with
their historical ancestors and traditions. Claiming sovereignty over the Jews, also known
as the Israelites, God established a covenant, or berit, with them and required from them
obedience to his teaching, or law, which is called the Torah . Rituals and religious
observances are guided by the Jewish oral law of halakhah, which means ‘the path one
walks’.
Jewish principles guided by the halakhah can be outlined in values such as justice, truth,
peace, loving kindness, compassion, humility and self-respect. Other Jewish practices are
charity (tzedakah) and avoiding negative gossip (lashon hara, literally ‘evil speech’).
The commandments or mitzvot are the general laws. There are 613 commandments in
the Torah: 248 are positive (‘you shall do this’) and 365 are negative (‘you shall not do
this’). In addition to the commandments, Jewish law comprises rabbinical rules that have
been added over the centuries.
Jewish worship is conducted in a synagogue, although solitary prayer is recited.
Communal prayer is preferred and requires a quorum of ten adult males, called a minyan
(in modern Judaism, women can also be included). A minyan is required for many
traditional ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. The approach to prayer varies
among the diverse denominations as to text differences, frequency of prayer, number of
prayers recited at religious events, and whether musical instruments and choral music are
allowed.
Jewish Dietary Laws
The kashrut is a set of dietary laws that restricts the consumption of certain foods and
defines how foods must be prepared and eaten. The word kosher is used to describe the
foods that meet these standards, and a certification is used to help observant Jews to
identify kosher foods. The kashrut laws have to deal with nascent health regulations and
environmental considerations. However, the brief response to why Jews observe kashrut
is that the Torah says so, and that should be enough for a traditional Jew since he or she
is showing obedience to God.
Jewish Literature
Jewish life and tradition are guided by literature. Study of the Torah and other Jewish
texts has been central to religious life since the beginnings of the Jewish faith. The Torah,
the Tal-mud and other Jewish writings are important sources of Jewish history and divine
commandments, and many interpretations have been written to guide Jews in the
application of these commandments in their daily life. These interpretations continue: as
new dilemmas surface in the modern world, Jews look for responses in their religious
literature.
One of the books is the Tanakh , which is an acronym of the Torah. It consists of the Old
Testament, i.e. the first five books of the story of Moses. The Talmud, or the Oral Torah,
is a collection of rabbinical writings that interpret and explain how to apply the Torah
scriptures. The Midrash is a large body of Jewish literature, the collection of rabbinical
material derived primarily from sermons.
Jewish Movements
As of 2015, approximately 14.3 million people (or 0.2 per cent of the global population)
identify as Jewish worldwide, although not all Jews are observant. It is also important to
note that Judaism is a culture, not just a religion. Jewish life is rich in traditions, rituals
and holidays commemorating the past, celebrating the present and expressing hope for
the future.
There are three main movements in Judaism: Orthodox , Conservative and Reform. The
main differences between these groups are their conception of Jewish law, the authority
of the rabbinic tradition and the significance of the state of Israel . Orthodox Judaism
expects that Jewish and rabbinical law are strictly followed and considers them divine in
origin.
Conservative and Reform Judaism are more liberal. Conservative Judaism follows a
traditional interpretation of the religion. There are also secular Jews who do not follow
rabbinical laws, yet consider themselves Jewish since they are born to a Jewish family
and raised in the Jewish culture with a Jewish identity. There are also converts to
Judaism, who have to be approved by an Orthodox rabbinical authority. All mainstream
branches of Judaism are open to conversions.
Adaptability and Continuity
The Jewish faith has survived over millennia, despite many periods of persecution
through-out history and the Holocaust in the 20th century, during which 6 million
European Jews were systematically murdered. Judaism has persisted to be resilient,
prosperous and vulnerable at the same time. The Jewish world has experienced societal
change, compounded by the turbulent changes in the modern world. Israel is still at the
epicentre of Judaism, despite the geographic dispersal of Jewish communities across the
globe.

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Oldest Religions: What Are The Core Beliefs of Judaism?

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History of Judaism

What are the core beliefs of Judaism?

Jewish Dietary Laws

Adaptability and Continuity

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