It's called Jewish religious law. What is the faith of the Jews? Religion of the Jews. Currents in Judaism

a religion practiced primarily among Jews. Emerging from the pagan polytheism of the ancient Jewish tribes, Judaism from the 7th century. BC. becomes a monotheistic religion. Characteristics: belief in the one god Yahweh and the Messiah (savior), the dogma of the Jews being chosen by God, many ritual instructions covering almost all areas of the life of believers. The sources of the doctrine are the Old Testament (also recognized by Christians) and the Talmud (a complex system of commentaries on the Old Testament books). The Jewish Church is a synagogue. Judaism is the state religion of Israel.

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JUDAISM (Yagadut)

The concept of “Judaism” is not only a synonym for the religion of the Jews. It also includes moral and national traditions Jewish people. At first, this concept applied only to the religious sphere. It was introduced by Jews who lived in areas where Hellenic culture dominated. The word "Judaismos" meant everything that related to the Jewish religion and distinguished it from the religions and rituals of the peoples neighboring the Jews. In the centuries-long confrontation with Hellenism, which was the dominant culture in the pagan world, I. survived, and moral values, contained in the Torah* and other books of the Bible, have become the property of many nations. The source of information should be considered primarily the Torah and the books of the Prophets. It is based on a worldview that the sages formulated in the saying: “Adam was created solely for the sake of peace between people, so that man would not say to his neighbor: my father is more noble than yours, and so that the renegades would not say: there are many deities in the sky.” God alone created everyone, and man cannot say to his neighbor: my Creator is greater than yours; and everyone is judged by his deeds, and not by his pedigree. Abraham was chosen only so that “he would command his sons and his household after him to keep the path of the Lord, doing good and justice” (Gen. XVIII, 19), and because “Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My covenant: Mine commandments, statutes and teachings" (Gen. XXVI, 5). And everyone can accept the Torah of the Lord and become one of the sons of Israel: “As one of you, there should be a ger* living with you, and you should love him as yourself” (Lev. XIX, 34). And the Temple that Solomon built was declared open to all nations: “And the stranger who is not from Your people Israel, but came from a far country for the sake of Your name, because he heard about Your Great Name, and about Your strong hand and to the outstretched right hand, and he will come and pray in this Temple, You will hear from heaven..." (I C. VIII, 41-43). In all of the above, one can trace the worldview of Jewry, which sees as its goal the introduction and spread of faith in the whole world One God. This idea was expressed by all the prophets, and it accompanied the Jewish people throughout their history. The highest ideal of the nation is the establishment of peace in the universe: “And at the end of days the mountain of the Temple of the Lord will be exalted above all the mountains and will be exalted above the hills, and they will flock to all peoples are with her. And many nations will go and say: Let us go and go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, [...] for the Torah will go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, [...] and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. People will not raise sword against nation and they will no longer learn war" (Isa. II, 2-4). I. demands social justice in society. The poor are not at all the person who is persecuted by the gods, as idolaters claim. The poor need support, and he has the right to receive it. The poor man is not a pariah in the country, and society is obliged to help him by all possible means. R. Simlai of Lod, who lived during the period of the first Amoraim*, proposed to formulate the principles of I. He said: six hundred and thirteen commandments (mitzvot) are given Moses* (on Mount Sinai) had three hundred and sixty-five prohibitions and two hundred and forty-eight commandments. King David came and reduced these six hundred and thirteen commandments to eleven, which represent the quintessence of the spiritual and moral perfection of man. Their essence is contained in the XVth Psalm : 1) pure in thoughts; 2) does justice; 3) speaks the truth in his soul; 4) does not blaspheme; 5) does not harm another; .) does not offend his neighbor; 7) vile things are disgusting to him; 8) honors the God-fearing; 9) does not betray his oath, even if it is to his detriment; 10) does not give money on interest; 11) does not take bribes. The prophet Yeshayahu came and reduced these eleven to six: 1) righteous; 2) straightforward; 3) covetousness is disgusting to him; 4) not involved in bribery; 5) does not want to hear about bloodshed; .) hates evil. The prophet Micah came and reduced these six to three: “Tell the person what is good and what the Lord requires of you: only to do justice, and to love goodness, and to be humble with the Lord.” The same Yeshayahu reduces perfection to two requirements: administer justice and create justice. The prophets Amos and Havakuk came and reduced everything to one demand: “Turn to Me and you will live” (Amos), and “The righteous will live in his faith” (Havakuk). Thus, p. Simlay defines Judaism as belief in God and moral improvement. Talmudists did not try to establish norms and formal dogmas of the Jewish religion. However, Rambam* already formulated thirteen fundamentals of faith, which were subsequently accepted as the quintessence of Judaism. In modern times, two main modern trends in Judaism. Adherents of the Haskalah (Enlightenment) in Western Europe reduced Judaism to a religion and denied its national aspect. On the contrary, the Jewish masses of Eastern Europe accepted the national and later the state aspects of Judaism. They saw in the beginning process of settling Eretz Israel the fulfillment of prophetic promises about the future of the people of Israel and the most important moment revival of the nation. They saw the halutzim - the pioneers who dedicated themselves to the revival of Eretz Israel - as people making a great contribution to Judaism, and they saw each settlement that arose in the Holy Land as a stronghold that helped protect the moral values of Judaism.

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There are many different religions inherent in individual nations and peoples. The religion of Judaism has its own characteristics that qualitatively distinguish it from the rest. For example, the components of Christianity - Orthodoxy and Catholicism - have gathered in their faith a variety of people who live in the territories of many states and continents. In contrast, Judaism is exclusively the national faith of the Jews.

Who is the founder of Judaism?

Judaism is the oldest religion of the Jewish people, the founder of which is considered to be Moses. He succeeded in creating a single people from the disparate tribes of Israel. In addition, he is known for having planned and carried out the departure from Egypt of the Jews who lived there as slaves. At that time, the Jewish population increased greatly, and the Egyptian ruler ordered all born boys of Jewish nationality to be killed. The future prophet survived thanks to his mother, who, placing the newborn baby in a wicker basket, sent her sailing along the Nile. Soon the basket was discovered by the pharaoh's daughter, who adopted the found boy.

Growing up, Moses constantly noticed the oppression that his fellow tribesmen were subjected to. In a fit of rage, he once killed an Egyptian overseer and had to flee the country. The land of Midian sheltered him. He lived in a semi-nomadic city mentioned in the Bible and Koran. It was there that God, in the form of a flaming but fireproof bush, called him to himself. He told Moses about his mission.

The Torah, also called the Mosaic Pentateuch, is the holy book of the Jews. Its text is quite difficult for ordinary understanding. Theosophists and theologians have been creating commentaries on the main Jewish book for thousands of years.

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Judaism: what kind of religion?

“Judaism” is a concept that is associated with the word from the ancient Greek language Ἰουδαϊσμός. It is used to denote the religion of the Jews as opposed to the paganism of the Greeks. The term itself comes from the name Judas. This biblical character is very famous. The Kingdom of Judah, and then the Jewish people as a whole, received its name in honor of him. Some confuse Judas, who is the son of the patriarch James, with his namesake, who sold Jesus for several pieces of silver. These are completely different personalities. Judaism is a monotheistic religion that recognizes God as the only one.

Jews are an ethno-religious group consisting of people who were born Jewish or converted to Judaism. Today there are more than 14 million people who are representatives of this religion. It is noteworthy that almost half of them (about 45%) are Israeli citizens. Large communities of Jews are concentrated in the USA and Canada, while others settled in European countries.

Initially, Jews were the people living in the Kingdom of Judah, which existed in 928-586 BC. Further, this term was assigned to the Israelis of the tribe of Judah. Today, the word “Jew” refers to all people who are Jewish by nationality.

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What do Jews believe?

The basis of all Jewish beliefs is monotheism. These beliefs are outlined in the Torah, which according to legend was received by Moses from God on Mount Sinai. Since in the Mosaic Pentateuch there is some correspondence with the books Old Testament, it is often called the Hebrew Bible. In addition to the Torah, the Holy Scriptures of the Jews also include such books as “Ketuvim” and “Nevim”, which together with the Pentateuch are called “Tanakh”.

According to the 13 articles of faith that the Jews have, God is perfect and one. He is not only the Creator of people, but also their Father, the source of kindness, love and righteousness. Since people are God's creations, they are all equal before God. But the Jewish people have a great Mission, the task of which is to convey Divine truths to people. Jews sincerely believe that someday the resurrection of the dead will occur, and they will continue their lives on earth.

What is the essence of Judaism?

People who profess Judaism are Jews. Some followers of this religion are sure that it appeared in Palestine - back in the period of Adam and Eve. Others insist that Judaism was founded by a small group of nomads, one of whom, Abraham, made a pact with God that later became the main tenet of this religion.

According to this document, better known to everyone as the commandments, people had to observe all the rules of a decent life. For this they received divine protection. The main sources for studying this religion are the Bible and the Old Testament. Judaism recognizes only historical, prophetic types of books and the Torah - narratives that interpret the law. In addition, the sacred Talmud, which consists of the Gemara and the Mishnah, is especially revered. It covers many aspects of life such as ethics, morals and law. Reading the Talmud is a sacred and responsible mission that only Jews are allowed to perform. It is believed to have great power, like mantras.

Main symbols

Speaking about what Judaism is, it is necessary to highlight the main symbols of this religion:

One of the most ancient symbols is the Star of David. It has the form of a hexagram, i.e. the image is a six-pointed star. Some believe that this symbol is made in the form of shields, reminiscent in shape of those that King David’s warriors used in their time. Despite the fact that the hexagram is a symbol of the Jews, it is also used in India to depict the Anahata chakra.
The menorah is made in the form of a gold candlestick with 7 candles. According to legend, during the period when the Jews wandered through the hot desert, this item was hidden in the Tabernacle of Meeting, after which it was placed in the Jerusalem Temple. The menorah is the main element of the coat of arms of the Israeli state.
The yarmulke is considered a traditional headdress for a Jewish man. It can be worn alone or under another hat. Jewish women who are adherents of Orthodox Judaism are required to cover their heads. For this purpose, they do not use a skull cap, but an ordinary scarf or wig.

Despite the many symbols, the Jews reject any image of God. They try not to call him even by name, and the word Yahweh, which is still used in speech, is a conditional construction that consists only of consonants. Jews do not attend temples because they do not exist as such. A Jewish synagogue is a “house of meeting” where the Torah reading takes place. A similar ritual can be performed in any room, which must be clean and spacious.

Regional religions:

Judaism

Judaism is the monotheistic national religion of the Jews. Followers of Judaism call themselves Jews. When asked where Judaism arose, both historians and theologians answer the same way: in Palestine. But to another question, when did monotheistic ideas arise among Jews, they answer differently.

According to historians, until the 7th century. BC. the Jews had a different religion. It is called the Hebrew religion. It originated in the 11th century BC. along with the emergence of classes and the state among the Jewish people. The ancient Hebrew religion, like all other national religions, was polytheistic. Historians believe that monotheistic ideas among Jews formed into a religion only in the 7th century. BC. during the reign of King Josiah in Judah (Southern Palestine). According to historians, not only the century, but also the year of the beginning of the transition of Jews from the Hebrew religion to Judaism is known from sources. It was 621 BC. This year, King Josiah of Judah issued a decree prohibiting the worship of all gods except one. The authorities began to decisively destroy traces of polytheism: images of other gods were destroyed; sanctuaries dedicated to them were destroyed; Jews who made sacrifices to other gods were severely punished, including death.

Theologians believe that Judaism was already practiced by the first people: Adam and Eve. Consequently, the time of the creation of the world and man was at the same time the time of the emergence of Judaism.

According to historians, the Jews called this only God by the name Yahweh (“Existing One,” “Existing One”). Cultists believe that it is impossible to assert that God’s name was Yahweh, because if the people of that distant time knew the name of God, then today’s generation of people, according to a certain historical reason Doesn't know his name.

The international directory “Religions of the World” states that in 1993 there were 20 million Jews in the world. However, this figure is apparently unreliable, because a number of other sources indicate that in 1995-1996 there were no more than 14 million Jews living in the world. Naturally, not all Jews were Jews. 70 percent of all Jews live in two countries of the world: in the USA 40 percent, in Israel 30. The third and fourth places in terms of the number of Jews are occupied by France and Russia - 4.5 percent each, fifth and sixth by England and Canada - 2 percent each. In total, 83 percent of Jews live in these six countries of the world.

There are four faiths in Judaism. Main denomination - Orthodox Judaism. It dates back to the emergence of Judaism as such.

Karaiteism originated in Iraq in the 8th century AD. Karaites live in Israel, Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. The word “Karaite” means “reader”, “reader”. The main feature of Karaiteism is the refusal to recognize the holiness of the Talmud.

Hasidism originated in Poland at the beginning of the 18th century. Hasidim are everywhere where there are Jews. The word “Hasid” means “pious,” “exemplary,” “exemplary.” Hasidim require “fervent prayer” from their adherents, i.e. loud prayer with tears in my eyes.

Reform Judaism originated at the beginning of the 19th century in Germany. There are supporters of reformed Judaism in all countries where there are Jews. The main thing in it is ritual reforms. If in Orthodox Judaism rabbis (as ministers of worship are called) wear special religious clothes during services, then in Reformed Judaism they conduct services in civilian dress. If in Orthodox Judaism rabbis say liturgical prayers in Hebrew (as the Jewish language is called), then in Reformed Judaism in the language of the countries in which Jews live: in the USA - in English, in Germany - in German, in Russia - in Russian. If in Orthodox Judaism women pray separately from men (or behind a partition, or on a balcony), then in Reformed Judaism women pray in the same room with men. While in Orthodox Judaism only men can be rabbis, in Reform Judaism women can also be rabbis.

There are eight main principles in the dogma of Judaism. These are the teachings:

about sacred books,
about supernatural beings
about Mashiach (Messiah),
about the prophets
about the soul
about the afterlife,
about food prohibitions,
about Saturday.

The sacred books of Judaism can be divided into three groups. The first group includes one book-volume, which is called the word Torah(translated from Hebrew as “Law”).

The second group again includes only one book-volume: Tanakh. The third group includes a certain number of book-volumes (and each volume contains a certain number of works). This collection of sacred books is called the word Talmud("Studying").

Torah- the most important, most revered book in Judaism. All copies of the Torah from ancient times to the present day are written by hand on leather. The Torah is kept in synagogues (as Jewish houses of worship are called today) in a special cabinet. Before the start of the service, all rabbis in all countries of the world kiss the Torah. Theologians thank God and the prophet Moses for its creation. They believe that God gave the Torah to the people through Moses. Some books say that Moses is considered the author of the Torah. As for historians, they think that the Torah was written only by people and it began to be created in the 13th century. BC. The Torah is one book-volume, but it consists of five book-works. The Torah is written in Hebrew and in this language the books of the Torah have the following names. First: Bereshit (translated - “In the beginning”). Second: Veelle Shemot (“And these are the names”). Third: Vayikra (“And he called”). Fourth: Bemidbar (“In the Desert”). Fifth: Elle-gadebarim (“And these are the words”).

Tanakh- this is one book-volume, which consists of twenty-four book-works. And these twenty-four books are divided into three parts, and each part has its own title. The first part of the Tanakh includes five books, and this part is called the Torah. The first holy book, which is called the Torah, is also an integral part of the second holy book, which is called the Tanakh. The second part - Neviim (“Prophets”) - includes seven books, the third - Khtuvim (“Scriptures”) - includes twelve books.

Talmud- this is a number of book-volumes. The original (written partly in Hebrew, partly in Aramaic), republished in our time, is 19 volumes. All volumes of the Talmud are divided into three parts:

Mishnah,
Palestinian Gemara
Babylonian Gemara

According to the main idea of this teaching, believers should honor the prophets. Prophets are people whom God has given the task and opportunity to proclaim the truth to people. And the truth that they proclaimed had two main parts: the truth about correct religion (how to believe in God) and the truth about right life(how to live). In the truth about correct religion, a particularly important element (partly) was the story of what awaits people in the future. The Tanakh mentions 78 prophets and 7 prophetesses. Veneration of prophets in Judaism is expressed in the form of respectful conversation about them in sermons and in everyday life. Among all the prophets, two great ones stand out: Elijah and Moses. These prophets are also revered in the form of special ritual actions during the religious holiday of Passover.

Theologians believe that Elijah lived in the 9th century. BC. As a prophet, he proclaimed the truth, and in addition, performed a number of miracles. When Ilya lived in the house of a poor widow, he miraculously renewed the supply of flour and butter in her house. Elijah resurrected the son of this poor widow. Three times, through his prayers, fire descended from heaven to earth. He divided the waters of the Jordan River into two parts and, together with his companion and disciple Elisha, walked through the river through a dry place. All these miracles are described in the Tanakh. For his special services to God, Elijah was taken alive to heaven.

In theology (both Jewish and Christian) there are two answers to the question of when Moses lived: 1/ in the 15th century. BC. and 2/ in the 13th century. BC. Supporters of Judaism believe that one of the great services of Moses to the Jews and to all humanity is that through him God gave the people the Torah. But Moses also has a second great service to the Jewish people. It is believed that God, through Moses, led the Jewish people out of Egyptian captivity. God gave instructions to Moses, and Moses, following these instructions, led the Jews to Palestine. It is in memory of this event that the Jewish Passover is celebrated.

The Jewish Passover is celebrated for 8 days. The main day of the holiday is the first. And the main way of celebrating is a festive family dinner, which is called the word “Seder” (“order”). During the Seder every year, the youngest of the children (of course, if he can talk and understands the meaning of what is happening) asks the oldest member of the family about the meaning of the Passover holiday. And every year the oldest member of the family tells those present about how God, through Moses, led the Jews out of Egypt.

All religions of class society have teachings about the soul. There are several main points in Judaism. The soul is the supernatural part of man. This answer means that the soul, unlike the body, is not subject to the laws of nature. The soul does not depend on the body; it can exist without the body. The soul exists as an integral formation or as a collection of smallest particles; the soul of each person was created by God. Also, the soul is immortal, and during sleep, God temporarily takes the souls of all people to heaven. In the morning, God returns the souls of some people, but not others. People to whom He does not return their souls die in their sleep. Therefore, having risen from sleep, the Jews in a special prayer thank the Lord for returning their souls. All other religions believe that while a person is alive, the soul is in his body.

The doctrine of the afterlife in Judaism has changed over time. We can talk about three versions of the doctrine of the afterlife, which successively replaced each other.

The first option took place from the time of the emergence of Judaism to the time of the appearance of the first books of the Talmud. At this time, the Jews thought that the souls of all people - both righteous and sinners - went to the same afterlife, which they called the word “Sheol” (the translation of the word is unknown). Sheol is a place where there was neither bliss nor torment. While in Sheol, the souls of all the dead people awaited the arrival of the messiah and the decision of their fate. After the arrival of the Messiah, the righteous received a reward in the form of a happy life on a renewed earth.

The second version of the doctrine of the afterlife existed from the time of the appearance of the Talmud until the second half of our century. In this version, the content of the books of the Talmud was interpreted as follows. To receive a reward, there is no need to wait for the Messiah: the souls of the righteous, immediately after parting with their bodies, were sent by God to heavenly paradise (“gan eden”). And sinners were sent to hell, to a place of torment. The words “Sheol” and “Gehenna” were used to refer to hell. (“Gehenna” was the name of the valley in the vicinity of Jerusalem, where garbage was burned. This word was also transferred to the name of the place of torment of the soul after the death of its body.) At the same time, it was believed that Jewish Jews go to hell only for a while, and Jews are wicked and people other nationalities (they were called “goyim”) forever.

The third option is set out in a number of works by modern theologians. Compared to the second option, the third has only one change in the understanding of the picture of the afterlife. But this change is very significant. A heavenly reward, according to a number of theologians, can be received not only by Jewish Jews, but also by people of other nationalities and with a different worldview. Moreover, it is more difficult for Jews to earn heavenly rewards than for non-Jews. People of other nationalities only need to lead a moral lifestyle, and they will deserve to live in paradise. Jews must not only behave morally, but also comply with all the purely religious requirements that Judaism imposes on Jewish believers.

Jews must observe certain dietary prohibitions. The largest of them are three. Firstly, they cannot eat the meat of those animals that are called unclean in the Torah. The list of unclean animals based on the study of the Torah is compiled by rabbis. It includes, in particular, pigs, hares, horses, camels, crabs, lobsters, oysters, shrimp, etc. Secondly, they are prohibited from eating blood. Therefore, you can only eat bloodless meat. Such meat is called “kosher” (“kasher” from Hebrew translates as “suitable”, “correct”). Thirdly, it is forbidden to simultaneously eat meat and dairy foods (for example, dumplings with sour cream). If at first the Jews ate dairy foods, then before eating meat they should either rinse their mouths or eat something neutral (for example, a piece of bread). If they first ate meat food, then before eating dairy they must take a break of at least three hours. In Israel, canteens have two windows for serving food: one for meat and one for dairy.

Judaism is the religion of a small but talented people who have made a significant contribution to historical progress. And for this alone, the national religion of this people deserves respect.

Judaism was an important ideological source for the two largest religions in the world - Christianity and Islam. The two main holy books of Judaism - the Torah and Tanakh - also became sacred for Christians. Many ideas from these books were repeated in the holy book of Muslims - the Koran. The Torah and Tanakh gave impetus to the development of world artistic culture, therefore cultured person must know what Judaism is.

Gods in Judaism

The history of the ancient Jews and the process of formation of religion are known mainly from the materials of the Bible, its most ancient part - the Old Testament. At the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. Jews, like the related Semitic tribes of Arabia and Palestine, were polytheists, believed in various gods and spirits, in the existence of a soul that materializes in blood. Each community had its own main god. In one of the communities, this god was Yahweh. Gradually the cult of Yahweh comes to the fore.

A new stage in the formation of Judaism is associated with the name of Moses. This is a legendary figure, but there is no reason to deny the possibility real existence such a reformer. According to the Bible, Moses led the Jews out of Egyptian slavery and gave them the Covenant of God. Some researchers believe that the reform of the Jewish religion is connected with the reform of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Moses, who may have been close to the ruling or priestly circles of Egyptian society, adopted Akhenaten's idea of one God and began to preach it among the Jews. He made some changes in the ideas of the Jews. Its role is so significant that Judaism is sometimes called mosaicism, for example in England. The first books of the Bible are called the Pentateuch of Moses, which also indicates the significance of the role of Moses in the formation of Judaism.

Basic Ideas of Judaism

If we briefly summarize the main ideas of Judaism, we get the following list:
Man was created by God, in the image and likeness of his Creator
God is the source of Love, Grace and Supreme Justice, he has absolute Reason and Omnipotence
Life is a dialogue between the Lord and an individual (or an entire people)
Man is an immortal spiritual being, capable of endless development and self-improvement.
People, regardless of race, are equal before the Lord, everyone is given free will
The Jewish people have a special mission - to convey Divine truths to the rest of humanity
Gentiles must observe only the seven laws of the sons of Noah, and Jews must fulfill mitzvot, consisting of 613 prescriptions
The spiritual principle dominates over matter, but the material world must also be treated with respect
After the coming of the Messiah (Mashiach), a new kingdom and peace will come throughout the entire earth
At the end of days the dead will rise again and live again on earth in the flesh

The sacred book in Judaism is the Torah, which is also called the Pentateuch of Moses. The text of the Torah is very difficult to understand, so theologians and theosophists for many centuries created commentaries on the main book of the Jews.

Who founded Judaism

It is generally accepted that the founder of Judaism is Moses (“he who was rescued from the water”). The prophet of Judaism managed to unite the scattered tribes of Israel into a single people. He is also famous for carrying out the exodus of Jews from Egypt, where they lived as slaves.

During the time of Moses, the people of Israel increased in numbers so much that the ruler of Egypt gave the order to kill all newborn Hebrew boys. The mother of the future prophet saved the baby from death. She placed the child in a wicker basket and entrusted it to the waters of the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter discovered this basket and wanted to adopt the sleeping baby.

Moses grew up and noticed how his fellow tribesmen were oppressed in every possible way. One day, in a fit of anger, he killed an Egyptian overseer, and then fled the country to the land of Midian (a semi-nomadic city mentioned in the Koran and the Bible). Here he was called by God, who appeared to Moses in the form of a bush engulfed in flames, but not burning. God revealed his mission to Moses.