Judaism: history, beliefs, and cultural practices

Judaism

The Founding Elements of Judaism

Judaism is one of the oldest and most complex of the world's monotheistic religions. It spawned the birth of both Islam and Christianity. The long development of the Jewish belief system and traditions has formulated the religion as a monotheistic religion of absolute devotion. God is the protector of the Jewish people, who believe themselves to be a chosen race. Through his protection, God also enforces a strict control over his people through the regulations and traditions posited with the text of the Torah. The development of the modern image of Judaism and its various factions depend primarily on the progression of one single family. Starting from Abraham the chosen people string through the new generations of Isaac and later Jacob into what we know them as today. Later renamed as Israel, Jacob later becomes the source of the modern Jewish state.

The Jewish religion is complex and deep. There are a multitude of differing layers which contribute to the way the religion is both practiced and perceived today in the modern era. To be Jewish is a complicated situation, with interwoven aspects of a united religion, race, and nationality. The religious traditions and beliefs which flow throughout the tradition stem initially from the Torah, or the Old Testament of the Bible. It is within this sacred text that the lineage and traditions of the Jewish people are spelled out in great detail, "The Torah has an oral and a write part and also contains teaching stories about God's relationship with the Jewish people," (Burns 1). Through this united source, the religious elements of Judaism are universal among the world's Jewish individuals. There are core basic beliefs, which manifest themselves as the 613 commandments, or Mitzvot, that are found within the writings in the Torah (Burns 1). Together, these commandments formulate the fundamental beliefs of the Jewish religion. Being monotheistic, Judaism posits the existence of only one true God. This God is much more active and wrathful than the one presented within the Christian faith. Judaism also lacks the conception of a hell which is prominent in Christianity. This is based primarily on yet another fundamental Jewish tradition -- the concept of the chosen people. As the chosen people, Jews are promised special attention by God (Burns 1). Although it is known that many trials await the chosen people, Judaism posits the idea that in the end, God will always favor the Jewish tradition. This idea has developed through thousands of years of nation building which led to the current position of a Jewish state in Israel. Israel is the single head of the Jewish tradition, and thus its development is a critical piece of the Jewish puzzle. The development of Israel is associated within Jewish tradition with one family which holds great influence over the traditional beliefs of Judaism. The prophets of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were instrumental in the creation of a Jewish state and haven for all Jewish people.

Within the larger Jewish religion, there are various fractions representing different levels and styles of faith. The three main branches of Judaism consist of the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformist traditions. The most extreme in today's standards is that of the Orthodox fraction. These are "traditionalists who observe most of the traditional dietary and ceremonial laws of Judaism," (Wenner 1). Orthodox Jews dress in traditional attire and are the most immersed within Jewish traditions, both as a state and a religion. Conservative factions are much more recognizable as what an average person might see someone of the Jewish faith. They "do not hold to the importance of a Jewish political state, but put more emphasis on the historic and religious aspects of Judaism, doctrinally somewhere between Orthodox and Reform," (Wenner 1). Most Americans who follow the Jewish faith are typically described as Conservative. However, the long history of Judaism has also sprouted a much more liberal branch, that of the Reformist branch. Reformists make up "the liberal wing of Judaism," who are "culture and race oriented with little consensus on doctrinal or religious belief," (Wenner 1). It is the Reformists who view the Jewish traditions more so from a cultural perspective in order to allow a united, yet divided group of people to flourish across the world. Yet, despite such varying differences, the Jewish faith is still united by the underlying religious teachings of the prophets.

The first major prophet after Moses was that of the elderly Abraham. First seen in the Old Testament at the age of seventy-five, Abraham was greatly respected by God, a role which helped him become one of the most crucial figures within the Jewish religion. Thinking of his role in life as nearly finished, Abraham enjoyed his days on a large plot of land surrounded by his possessions and his family. Yet, this was not to be the final fate of the elderly prophet. Instead, in the Book of Genesis, Abraham was called upon by God to leave the comforts of his surroundings and travel with his entourage to the ancient region of Canaan, or now what is part of modern day Israel. He was sent on a mission by God, who had also promised great rewards for following His will, "The Lord had said to Abraham, leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing," (Genesis 12:1-2). And so, Abraham traveled with his wife Sarah with whom he had not been able to enjoy the gift of parenthood. As an heirless man, Abraham had adopted the care of his nephew Lot. Yet, Abraham was not to be childless long. One of God's promises to him was the promise of children. After honoring the will and glory of God, Abraham placed his faith in the deity. Yet, when God did not immediately make due on his promises to grant Abraham an heir, he and Sarah agreed to have Abraham impregnate one of the servant women in the group, Hagar. Hagar did give birth to Ishmael, but the two quickly became more of a burden than a gift. Years later God granted Abraham his wish, and Sarah had a son, Isaac.

Now, Isaac was the second son of Abraham, but the first within the union of Sarah and Abraham. Although both Sarah and Abraham were well into their ripe old age, God made due on His promise and Isaac was a bit of a miracle child. Isaac's half brother, Ishmael, was later sent off into the desert with his mother Hagar after God had instructed Abraham to leave the two. During Isaac's childhood, God had once again approached Abraham to test his faith. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a sign of his devotion. Abraham had told Isaac the two were to sacrifice a lamb and that "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering," (Genesis 22:8). Upon reaching the mountain top where the sacrifice was to take place, Isaac quickly realized he was the lamb; but, lucky for him God stepped in and replaced him with a real lamb in the nick of time -- rewarding the two for their faith. So Isaac was allowed to live on and eventually have children of his own. Isaac was driven into the desert during a famine, yet he was promised the reward of great lands and descendents just has his father had. After initially having similar fertility problems as his father, Isaac turned to the Lord to deliver him an heir. When God delivered, he did so with twins, which were very much at odds with one another -- Esau and Jacob.

Jacob represents a controversial figure, yet still a continuation of the initial blood line which was so responsible in the formation of Judaism as we know it today. Son of Isaac, Jacob had initially tricked his older brother Esau out of his birthright, the same divine promises that his father and grandfather had experienced. After also tricking his blind father into blessing him in Esau's place, he was driven out to Mesopotamia where he married Rachel and Leah while fathering numerous children. It is within this time period that Jacob begins his role as blessed by God, and he begins to envision the Lord just as his predecessors had. In fact, it is Jacob who later becomes Israel, the founding father of the Jewish nation.