Jewish faith that. What is Judaism and who are the Jews

Hello everyone! Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic religions, that is, one in which there is only one God - the creator of all things. The very name of the religion comes from the name of Judas. Only this is not the man who betrayed Christ. This is the Old Testament Judas, about which there is little information in the sources. Nevertheless, his children began to be called the "tribe of Judah", which gave the name to the people of the Jews - the Jews.

In this post, we will briefly talk about this religion.

Basic books of Judaism

Judaism is an Old Testament religion whose main book is the Old Testament of the Bible. In this creation, two texts are especially revered by the Jews: “Torah” and “Pentateuch”. These texts come directly from Moses (in Hebrew transcription - Moishe). These two texts completely regulate the life of an Orthodox Jew (Jew). At the same time, he must fulfill all 613 provisions of the Pentateuch, while for a non-Jew it is enough to fulfill seven:

• Idolatry is a sin! We must believe only in one God.
• Blasphemy is a sin! It is not good to defile the name of the Almighty.
• The sin of murder ("Thou shalt not kill")
• Sin of theft (“Thou shalt not steal”)
• The sin of adultery (“Thou shalt not commit adultery”)
• The sin of eating the flesh of a living animal.
• The court must be fair.

As you might guess, these sins (prohibitions) also entered the Christian value system called “mortal sins”, that is, those that defile the very soul.

Basic Religious Principles of Judaism

• There is only one God to be worshiped.
• God is not just some higher intelligence or something, he is the absolute source of all things: matter, love, wisdom, goodness, the highest principle - so to speak.
• All are equal before this God, regardless of race, gender, religion.
• At the same time, the mission of the Jews is the enlightenment of mankind about divine laws.
• Life is a dialogue between God and man. This dialogue is conducted both at the individual level, and at the level of nations (national history), and at the level of all mankind.
• Human life has an absolute value, because a person is recognized as an immortal being (at the level of the soul), which God created in his own image and likeness.
• Judaism is in some ways an idealistic religion, since it assumes the primacy of the spiritual principle over matter.
• Judaism assumes the arrival at certain periods of the history of the Mission - the prophet of God, whose task is to return the lost humanity to God's laws.
• In Judaism there is also the teaching of the resurrection of the dead at the end of human history. This teaching is called "eschatology".

As you can see, between Judaism, Christianity, and even Islam, there are serious similarities that simply cannot be ignored. It can even be argued that these world religions appeared thanks to Judaism. And in this sense, the mission of the Jews is being implemented very zealously! How do you think?

A bit of history

The history of this in brief represents a change in the following stages of the development of Judaism:

1. Biblical Judaism, which took place from the 10th to the 6th centuries BC. God there is called Yahweh, and he is quite cruel: remember how he told Joseph to kill his son Abraham, and then had mercy - this is how one of the followers of faith in one God was tested.
2. Temple Judaism is the period from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD. It also includes the Hellenistic (ancient) version of this belief. This branch, like the previous one, is connected with the history of the Jewish (Jewish people) and took shape when they returned to Palestine and rebuilt the second main temple. During this period, the rite of circumcision and the veneration of the Sabbath appeared. It was this version of this religion that Jesus of Nazareth himself encountered when he said that it was not the Sabbath for man, but man for the Sabbath.
3. Talmudic Judaism dominated from the 2nd century AD to the 18th century, more precisely until 1750. Another name is rabbinism. That is why Orthodox Jews are sometimes called rabbis. This version of the doctrine is known for the exaltation of the Talmud: they say the Mishnah slightly removed the Jews from God, so you should now read the original version of the doctrine, which is given in the Torah and the Pentateuch.
4. Modern Judaism is the version of the creed from 1750 to the present.

As it is easy to see, the history of the Jews is the most real sign of the omnipotence of spirit over matter. This is proved by the fact that this people from its very appearance clearly knew where their state should be. And this state was formed, albeit not peacefully, in 1948. See here for more details.

Sincerely, Andrey Puchkov

Federal Agency for Education

Russian State University I. Kant

History department

TEST

ON THE COURSE "HISTORY OF RELIGIONS"

JUDAISM: ORIGIN AND FEATURES

2nd year students

OSP "Culturology"

Correspondence form of education

Kataeva T. O.

Kaliningrad

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………3

ORIGIN AND STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT………………………………….4

The Age of the First Temple……………………………………………………........5

Pentateuch (Torah)…………………………………………………………….7

The Age of the Second Temple……………………………………………………………9

FEATURES OF EDUCATION. THE IDEA OF THE ONE GOD………………………………………………………11

HOLIDAYS POSTS……………………………………………………………12

CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………14

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………15

INTRODUCTION

Judaism (from other Hebrew. Yahudut - the inhabitants of ancient Judea), the earliest monotheistic religion that arose in the 1st millennium BC. e. in Palestine. A characteristic feature of Judaism, which distinguishes it from the national religions of other peoples, is monotheism - faith in the One God. Based on Judaism, two world religions were born: Christianity and Islam. The Jewish religion is one of the most vibrant cultural traditions. Adherents of Judaism believe in Yahweh (the only God, creator and ruler of the universe), the immortality of the soul, the afterlife, the coming arrival of the messiah, God's chosen people of the Jewish people (the idea of ​​a "covenant", a union, an agreement between the people and God, in which the people act as the bearer of divine revelation) .

Judaism is not just a religion of the Jewish people, but a set of laws that regulates not only religious, ethical and ideological, but also almost all aspects of the life of adherents of this doctrine. In Judaism, 613 mitzvahs are defined (248 commands and 365 prohibitions. Among mitzvot the so-called Ten Commandments containing universal ethical norms of human behavior: monotheism, a ban on the image of God, on pronouncing His name in vain (in vain), keeping the holiness of the day of rest on the seventh day (Saturday), honoring parents, prohibiting murder, adultery, theft, false witness and selfish lust. Deviation from the fulfillment of the commandments - as a consequence of the operation of the principle of free will, is considered as a sin, which entails retribution not only in the other world, but already in earthly life. Also, of all the rules, there are seven that are binding on all people: the prohibition of blasphemy, the prohibition of bloodshed, the prohibition of theft, the prohibition of debauchery, the prohibition of cruelty to animals, the command of justice in court and the equality of man before the law. The canon of the holy books of Judaism includes the Torah ("Pentateuch of Moses"), the books of the prophets, etc. Various interpretations and commentaries of the canon are collected in the Talmud. In Judaism, mystical teachings (bondage, Hasidism) became widespread.

Starting to take shape as a religion of Polistina, Judaism develops as a religion not associated with any territory. A characteristic feature of Judaism is isolation along national lines. One state means one religion; people who refused and did not enter this system were considered as a kind of danger.

Judaism belongs to the family of "monotheistic" religions, as do Christianity and Islam. All three religions have much in common, both in terms of geography of origin and in terms of theological system. The Hebrew Bible has become the most influential book in the history of mankind: Jews and Christians rank it among their most important religious texts. It has much in common with the Koran. Some of its central ideas are about the existence of the One God, a single universal moral code that people should take care of the poor, widows, orphans and travelers, that the Jews are the people chosen by God.

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT STAGES

The ideas of the ancient Jews about the One God developed over a long historical period (XIX - II centuries BC), which was called the biblical and included the era patriarchs(forefathers) of the Jewish people. According to legend, the very first Jew was the patriarch Abraham, who entered into a sacred union with God - a “covenant”. Abraham made a promise that he and his descendants would remain faithful to God and, as proof of this, keep the commandments ( mitzvot). For this, God promised Abraham to protect and multiply his offspring, from which a whole nation would come. This people will receive from God the possession of Israel - the land on which they will create their own state. The descendants of Abraham formed a union of 12 tribes (tribal groups), connected by blood relationship, which came from the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel).

But before receiving the land promised by God ("the promised land"), the descendants of Abraham ended up in Egypt (about 1700 BC), where they were in slavery for 400 years. The prophet Moses brought them out of this slavery ( Moshe). This was followed by a 40-year wandering in the wilderness, during which all former slaves had to die so that only free people could enter the land of Israel. During this wandering through the desert, the central event of Judaism and its entire history takes place: God calls Moses to Mount Sinai and through him gives the Ten Commandments and the Torah to the entire Jewish people. . The beginning of the existence of the Jews as a single people is marked, and Judaism is the religion that these people profess. The God of the Jews, called by the name of Yahweh ("Jesus", from whose being everything flows), had neither images nor temples.

In the XIII century. BC e., when the Israelite tribes came to Palestine, their religion was a lot of primitive cults, common to nomads. Only gradually did the religion of Israel arise - Judaism, as it is presented in the Old Testament. Trees, springs, stars, stones, animals were deified in early cults.

Traces of totemism are easy to see in the Bible when it comes to different animals, but above all - about snake and about bull. There were cults of the dead and ancestors. Yahweh was originally the deity of the southern tribes. This ancient Semitic deity was represented with wings, flying between the clouds and appearing in thunderstorms, lightning, whirlwinds, and fire. Yahweh became the patron of the tribal union created for the conquest of Palestine, revered by all twelve tribes and symbolizing the strength that binds them. The former gods were partially rejected, partially merged into the image of Yahweh (Jehovah is a later liturgical rendering of this name). The content side of the religious ideas of the era of the patriarchs can be restored only in the most general terms. The religion of the patriarchs is based on the idea that the head of the clan has the right to choose any name he likes for the god of his fathers, with whom he establishes a special personal connection, a kind of alliance or covenant.

Age of the First Temple

In the XI century. BC e. Jews create the state of Israel, the capital of which is the city of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). In 958 BC. e. King Solomon builds a Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Zion in honor of the One God. In the history of Judaism, a new temple period, which lasted about 1500 years. During this period, the Jerusalem Temple became the main spiritual center of Judaism. The servants of the Jerusalem Temple constituted a special category of Jewish society. Their descendants still perform special ritual functions and observe additional prohibitions: marrying a widow or a divorcee, etc.

During the same period, the writing Tanakh- The Holy Scriptures of Judaism (Christian tradition has completely included the Tanakh in the section of the Bible called the Old Testament). The king not only controlled the functioning of the Temple, but also made decisions on issues of a purely cult nature. The possibility of interference in the sphere of worship was rooted in the idea that the king was chosen by God, which turned him into a sacred person. The rise of the Temple in Jerusalem and its transformation into an official sanctuary undermined the prestige of local sanctuaries and contributed to the centralization of religious power.

In 587 BC. e. Israel was captured by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, who destroyed the Jerusalem temple, and most of the Jews were forcibly resettled in Babylonia. The prophet Ezekiel becomes the spiritual leader and mentor of the settlers. He developed the idea of ​​the revival of Israel, but as a theocratic state, the center of which would be the new Jerusalem Temple.

New in religious history, characteristic of Judaism, its distinctive moment is the understanding of the relationship between God and his “chosen people” Israel as a relationship of “union”. The union is a kind of contract: the people of Israel enjoy the special protection of the almighty God, they are “the chosen people”, provided that they remain faithful, that they follow the commandments of God and, most importantly, do not deviate from monotheism. The peculiarity of Judaism is that God acts in the history of his people. A kind of constitution of this allied relationship between Israel and its god is the Law in which Yahweh expressed his will. Along with the revelation of God in nature and history, the Law stands above all else, in which the will of the Lord is clearly and clearly formulated in the form of “commandments”. Faith in the Messiah in the predictions of the prophets becomes the basis of Judaism: God will find peace and happiness, and sins will be punished, a terrible judgment will be done. Judaism, as a “religion of the law,” faced a trend that manifested itself in the fact that the Law turned into something self-sufficient, so that even Yahweh retreated into the shadows. The law, as it were, became isolated from man, turned into something with its own logic of development, so that its requirements turned into an intricate set of contradictory prescriptions; serving God became tantamount to fulfilling the letter of the Law, not spiritualized by the participation of the “heart.” Thus, religion in Israel was reduced to a purely external worship, which was based on the confidence in receiving a “fair” reward from God for performing rituals and following the prescribed norms of behavior.

• The most ancient period: the origin of beliefs and archaic cults.
• Moses and the exodus to Israel.
• Formation of the concepts of monotheism and God's chosen people in the Palestinian and post-captive periods.
• The period of the diaspora and the formation of sects.
• Judaism after the rise of Christianity.
• Sects and currents in the Middle Ages, modern and modern times.

1. Doctrine of Judaism.
2. Ethics of Judaism and cult.
3. Judaism in the modern world.

Judaism ( mosaicism) is one of the few national religions of the ancient world that has survived with minor changes to the present day. Entered a significant part of Christianity and Islam. Jews are an ethno-religious group that includes those who were born Jewish and those who converted to Judaism. In 2010, the number of Jews worldwide was estimated at 13.4 million, or about 0.2% of the total population of the Earth. About 42% of all Jews live in Israel and about 42% live in the US and Canada, most of the rest live in Europe.

In most languages, the concepts of "Jew" and "Jew" are denoted by one term and are not distinguished during conversation, which corresponds to the interpretation of Jewry by Judaism itself. In modern Russian, there is a separation of the concepts “Jew” and “Jew”, originating from the Greek language and culture, denoting, respectively, the ethnicity of the Jews and the religious component of Judaism. In English there is a word judaic (Judaic, Hebrew), which comes from the Greek Ioudaios - a broader concept than Jews.

1. Sources: Old Testament, Talmud.

Bible in Greek means "books" (translation of the Hebrew " soferim"). The Hebrew Bible (in Christianity, the Old Testament) - Tanakh - the name of the Jewish Holy Scripture accepted in Hebrew. Consists of the following books:

1. Torah - The Pentateuch of Moses. Translation of names from Hebrew: In the beginning, Names, And called, In the desert, Speeches.
2. Nevi'im - Prophets - include, in addition to prophetic, some books that today are considered to be historical chronicles. "The Early Prophets": Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel (1 and 2 Samuel) and 1 and 2 Kings (3 and 2 Samuel). "Later Prophets", including 3 books of "great prophets" (Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel) and 12 "minor prophets". In the manuscripts, the "minor prophets" made up one scroll and were considered one book.
3. Ketuvim - Scriptures - include the works of the wise men of Israel and prayer poetry. As part of Ketuvim, a collection of “five scrolls” stood out, including the books Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes and Esther, collected in accordance with the annual cycle of readings in the synagogue.

The Tanakh contains 24 books. The composition of the books is almost identical to the Old Testament, but differs in the order of the books. The Catholic and Orthodox canons of the Old Testament may include additional books that are not part of the Tanakh (apocrypha). As a rule, these books are part of the Septuagint - despite the fact that their original Hebrew source has not been preserved, and in some cases, probably did not exist.

The Jewish counting tradition combines the 12 minor prophets into one book, and considers the pairings of Samuel 1, 2, Kings 1, 2, and Chronicles 1, 2 in one book. Ezra and Nehemiah are also combined into one book. In addition, sometimes pairs of books of Judges and Ruth, Jeremiah and Eich are conditionally combined, so that the total number of books of the Tanakh is equal to 22 according to the number of letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Christian tradition, each of these books is treated as a separate book, thus referring to the 39 books of the Old Testament. Canon: The Masoretic text is a variant of the Hebrew text of the Tanakh, passed down unchanged for many centuries. The text was based on variants developed and disseminated by the Masoretes in the 8th-10th centuries AD. e. The unified text was compiled from several earlier Tanakh texts; at the same time, vowels were added to the text.

Jewish commentators distinguish several layers of understanding of the Torah.

1. Pshat is a literal interpretation of the meaning of a biblical or Talmudic text.
2. Remez (lit. hint) - “the meaning extracted with the help of hints contained in the text; correlation of one fragment with others in similar places.
3. Drash is the interpretation of a biblical or Talmudic text by combining logical and sophistical constructions.
4. Sod (lit. secret) - the Kabbalistic meaning of the text, accessible only to the elect, who have known all other meanings.

Other sources on the history of Judaism: Flavius ​​Josephus ("Jewish Antiquities", "Jewish War"), Dead Sea manuscripts, apocrypha.

After the expulsion of the Jews from Palestine in the I-II centuries. AD (Jewish war and revolts against Rome) and dispersion throughout the Mediterranean is created Talmud (Teaching) - a huge code of religious and legal rules, worldly and religious wisdom. Compiled in III-V centuries. among the Babylonian and Palestinian Jews (2 editions). The central position of Orthodox Judaism is the belief that the Oral Torah was received by Moses during his stay on Mount Sinai, and its content was transmitted orally from generation to generation for centuries, unlike the Tanakh, the Jewish Bible, which is called the Written Torah ( Written Law).

Sometimes the Talmud is divided into two parts or layers:

1. Mishnah(Repetition) - the interpretation of the law (in Hebrew) - the first written text containing the fundamental religious prescriptions of Orthodox Judaism.
2. Gemara(Completion) - the interpretation of the interpretation (in Aramaic) - a set of discussions and analyzes of the text of the Mishnah, conducted by the Amorays (teachers of the law).

Each of them is further divided into 2 parts:

1. Halacha(Law) - clarifications of laws and ritual rules
2. Haggadah(Tradition) - legends, parables, legal incidents, etc.

In the narrow sense of the word, the Talmud refers to the Babylonian Talmud. Later in the VI-X centuries. various comments were added to the Talmud - Midrash.

Subsequently, the writings of theologians and authoritative leaders of Jewish communities also began to play the role of sources.

2. The main stages of the history of Judaism.

The history of Judaism is divided into the following major periods of development:

• "biblical" Judaism (X century BC - VI century BC),
• Second Temple Judaism (6th century BC - 2nd century AD), including Hellenistic Judaism (after 323 BC),
• Talmudic Judaism (2nd century AD - 18th century AD),
• modern Judaism (1750–present)

Judaism arose in the II millennium BC. based on the polytheistic rites of the nomadic Jewish tribes of Northern Arabia, and after the conquest of Palestine in the 13th century. absorbed the religious ideas of the local agricultural peoples.

The most ancient period: the origin of beliefs and archaic cults.

Archaic cults in Judaism include:

• Ancestral cults.
• Funeral cult.
• cattle cult.
• Numerous taboos.

ABOUT tribal cults testifies to the veneration of the spirits of ancestors. So, in the book of Genesis it is described how one of the wives of Jacob during the flight stole the idols of her father. Idols ( teraphim) were family patrons. The father was angry not so much for the flight of his daughters and son-in-law as for the kidnapping, caught up and demanded the return of idols. In the Book of Kings, David says: "We have a kindred sacrifice in our city." Also, tribal cults can be traced in the legends about the patriarchs, their images are considered as the personification of tribal divisions. In ancient times, religious honors were given to ancestors.

Funerary cult the ancient Jews had a simple one. The dead were buried in the ground. Ideas about the afterlife were very vague. There was no belief in afterlife retribution: for sins, God punished people in this life, or their offspring. There are episodes in the Bible in which God punishes the guilt of the fathers in children up to the third and fourth generation. They believed in the ability to call the shadows (souls) of the dead and talk with them, for example, King Saul ordered the sorceress to call the shadow of the deceased Samuel.

So pastoral cult connect the origin of Passover (Pesach), which is believed to have a totemic origin and was originally dedicated to the spring sacrifice of the first offspring of the flock (later Passover became associated with the exodus of the Jews from Egypt). Also, the nomadic way of life of the ancient Jews reflects the mythical image of Azazel, to whom they sacrificed a goat ("scapegoat") - they drove him alive into the desert, laying on his head all the sins of the people (expiatory sacrifice). In the nomadic era, there was also a lunar cult, with which the celebration of the Sabbath, which originates from the full moon festival, is associated.

The Jewish religion is characterized by many prohibitions ( taboo) associated with food and sexual life, in which they see a reflection of the most ancient cults. For example, the ban on eating the meat of certain animals (pork, camel, hare, jerboa meat and some birds) has existed since nomadic times, as well as the ban on eating blood, which was considered the soul of the body. The rite of circumcision arose from initiations - initiations into adulthood. It represented the consecration of marriage, and later came to be regarded as a sign of the covenant.

Moses and the Exodus to Israel
Actually, the emergence of Judaism as a religion is usually associated with the name Moses(hence one of the names of this religion - mosaicism), as well as Yahweh- the central figures of the whole religion. At first, Yahweh was the god of only the Jews (the tribe of Levites), and then became the national god of all Jewish Israelites. At the same time, the existence of other gods was not excluded: each nation had its own patron god (henotheism).

The formation of the image of Yahweh and his cult took place during the period of the conquest of Palestine. Yahweh acts primarily as a warrior and leader in the struggle against all enemies ( Sabaoth- God of armies). He helped in the battles, ordered to conquer Palestine. Its characteristic features at this time are ruthlessness, bloodthirstiness and cruelty: “they killed everything that breathed”, “for it was from the Lord that they hardened their hearts”, “they were exterminated as the Lord commanded Moses”, etc. Yahweh gave Moses laws - commandments (Exodus 20.1-17), which were to become the ethical code of the Jews.

Formation of the concepts of monotheism and God's chosen people in the Palestinian and post-captive periods

The conquest of Palestine led to a change in the entire life of the ancient Jews - from nomadic to settled - and religion. At this time, the formation of statehood takes place. Intermingling with the locals led to the veneration of local deities Vaal(communal and city patrons). Yahweh was revered, but, although Solomon in the tenth century. BC. and built a magnificent temple in Jerusalem, there was no centralization of the cult yet. Agricultural cults and holidays entered the life of the Jews: mazzot(spring feast of unleavened bread, which merged with pastoral passover), shebbuot- Pentecost (wheat harvest festival), sukkot(Feast of Tabernacles in honor of the gathering of fruits, etc.

The whole cult was concentrated in the hands of a separate and hereditary group of priests from the Levites. There were also magicians and fortune tellers (mentioned in the Bible). played a special role Nazirites- people dedicated or consecrated to God. They observed strict rules of ritual purity: they limited themselves to food, did not drink wine, did not touch the body of the deceased, did not cut their hair. They were considered saints, and they were credited with prophetic knowledge and extraordinary abilities. The Nazarite rules were laid down in the Book of Numbers in the Bible. Legendary figures also appear there, for example, Samson.

From the 8th century BC. prophets appear among the Jews. Initially, they were fortune tellers with shamanistic features (they went into a frenzy). Over time, the prophets became spokesmen for popular discontent: they acted as denouncers of the sins of the people, advocated the restoration of the cult of Yahweh, preached the idea of ​​moral sin, and not ritual sin, as before (Isaiah 1:16-17). Some acted as political publicists and opposed the official temple priesthood.

In 621 BC King Josiah carried out a religious reform aimed at a sharp centralization of the cult. The objects of worship of all other gods except Yahweh were removed from the Jerusalem temple, by order of the king, all the priests-servants of these cults, as well as spellcasters, magicians, etc. were killed, the Easter holiday was officially restored. With the help of religious centralization, the king sought to achieve political centralization.

However, in 586 BC. Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Jerusalem Temple. The Jews were subjected to Babylonian captivity for half a century. It also had an impact on religion. The Jews borrowed some elements of Babylonian cosmology and mythology. In some studies: cherubs correlate with winged bulls (kerubs), the biblical characters Mardochai and Esther are taken out of Marduk and Ishtar (Purim holiday in honor of salvation), Babylonian features are found in the story of the creation of the world, the story of the flood has parallels with the Babylonian myth of Utnapishtim. It is believed that the Jews took the image of the evil spirit Satan from Mazdaism (initially, the Jews believed that evil comes from God as a punishment).

In 538 BC Jews were returned from captivity by the Persian king Cyrus. The Temple in Jerusalem was restored. However, after the return, sharp internal contradictions began. The Jerusalem priesthood was used to curb the people. No cult centers were allowed, sacrifices to Yahweh could only be offered in Jerusalem, cleansing sacrifices were required at every turn. The priesthood was a strictly closed caste.

During this period, the main features of Judaism were formed: strict monotheism (for the first time in history!) And the centralization of the cult, the canonization of sacred books took place. The tribal god Yahweh becomes the single god-creator of the world and the almighty. The Bible is edited in the spirit of monotheism (the final edition was created by the 5th century BC). The concept of being chosen by God begins to play an important role, which becomes the basis of consolation instead of the idea of ​​afterlife retribution. Its essence is as follows: if the Jews suffer, then they themselves are to blame, because they sin and violate the commandments of God, therefore God punishes them. But despite this, they remain the chosen people. Yahweh will still forgive them and exalt them above all peoples on earth. This contributed to the separation of the Jews from all other peoples, including the ban on marriages.

Thus, in the post-captive period, 7 main elements of Judaism were formed:

1. The doctrine of God, the essence of the universe and man.
2. The concept of God's choice.
3. Holy Bible.
4. Code of religious laws, covering the area of ​​secular law.
5. Order of religious ritual.
6. The system of religious institutions.
7. Code of Moral Relations.

The period of the diaspora and the formation of sects.
In the Hellenistic era (from the end of the 4th century BC), the scattering period begins ( diaspora) Jews in the ancient world and the formation of a synagogue organization takes place. Synagogue(from the Greek skhodka, meeting) is not only a prayer house, but also the center of social life, as well as the center for managing the Jewish community outside of Judea. It kept the common treasury, property, the synagogue was engaged in charity, prayers and the Holy Scriptures were read in it, but sacrifices were not made in it, which were done only in the Jerusalem temple. The spread of Jews around the world contributed to overcoming national isolation and narrow-mindedness. Admirers of Judaism appeared among non-Jews - proselytes.

Of great importance was the translation of the Bible into Greek - the Septuagint (III-II centuries BC). This contributed to the convergence of Hellenistic religious philosophy and Judaism and the emergence of syncretic religious-idealistic systems, one of which was created by Philo of Alexandria (10s of the 1st century BC - 40s of the 1st century AD) - Judaic- Hellenistic philosopher, theologian and exegete.

Philo, brought up in Hellenic culture, saw the truths of Greek philosophy behind the text of the Pentateuch. His philosophical system is theocentric. God is seen as a true being. He strictly distinguishes between the essence of God and his existence, and in connection with this he develops both negative (apophatic) and positive theology: every person can conclude that there is a Creator God from contemplating the order of the natural world; but the knowledge of the divine essence lies beyond the limits of the mind of man. In his essence, God is unknowable, unnameable, indefinable and inexpressible. According to Philo, the highest Deity - Jehovah of the Pentateuch of Moses - is absolutely transcendent to the world "Existing God", above the Good, the One (or the Monad). While remaining transcendent, God is connected to the cosmos as its creator and providential ruler. According to Philo, the two main names of Jehovah - "God" and "Lord" - indicate two corresponding forces: the first designates his creative power, the second - his power. The doctrine of the divine logos is intended to explain how God is connected with everything that is not himself. Together with Sophia (“the mother of all things”) and Justice, the transcendent God gives birth to the Son and his most perfect creation - the Logos-Word, which is the “instrument” of God’s creative thought, the “place” where ideas are located. It is the Logos-Word that creates the spiritual and material world and man, thanks to its activity the ideas-logos create the world. Man is created in the image and likeness of God, which means that he is reasonable. The goal of earthly human life is considered by Philo, in accordance with the famous formula of Plato, as “likeness to God”, and this “likeness” means “knowledge of God”. However, it is impossible to fully know God, because then the likeness would turn out to be an identification, which is impossible in the case of the creator and his creation. The goal achievable by a person in this life is to become wise. Philo personifies the highest ideal in the image of Moses. The path to the highest ethical ideal of a sage lies through the manifestation of natural (granted from God) noble inclinations (“virtue of Isaac”), education (“virtue of Abraham”) and exercise-austerity (“virtue of Jacob”). Philo's views had a huge impact on the formation of Christian philosophy, and above all on the exegetical method and theological views of the first Christian philosophers.

The deprivation of Judea of ​​political independence and the establishment of foreign power contributed to the emergence of faith in supernatural help for liberation from oppressors and faith in a deliverer messiah. With the doctrine of the Messiah came the doctrine of the coming age - eschatology, about future bliss, another world where the righteous will receive a well-deserved reward. There is a vague belief in the afterlife and in the resurrection of the dead. Influenced by the study of the prophets, apocalyptic.

In II-I centuries. BC. movements and sects appear in Judaism, the main of which were Sadducees, Pharisees and Essenes.

As part of the flow Sadducees there were members of priestly families, as well as military and agricultural aristocracy. The founder of this trend was sadok- high priest in the reign of Solomon. From the end of the 2nd century BC. Sadducees were the backbone of the ruling dynasty. They scrupulously adhered to the temple cult, strictly followed the religious tradition, observed the rites, but only on the basis of the written tradition, rejecting the oral teaching. Any attempts at a new interpretation of the "Law" were seen as a protest and an encroachment on their monopoly rights. They strove for the concentration of spiritual and secular power. In the philosophical and theological teaching, the Sadducees rejected the predestination of fate, denied the afterlife and the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels and evil spirits, taught that in the next century there will be neither eternal bliss nor eternal torment for the righteous and wicked people. The Bible Encyclopedia of the Sadducees says: "The teachings of these skeptical materialists were not particularly widespread." After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, the Sadducees left the historical arena.

Sect Pharisees (from Heb. "to excommunicate", "to separate") arose after the Babylonian captivity. According to one version of the Pharisees in the II century. BC separated from Hasidim("pious"), who held to national isolation and the requirements of the law. The sect consisted mainly of the middle strata of the population, but, above all, "scientists-wise men" (professional lawyers). Their total number was quite significant: for example, at the turn of the old and new eras, 6,000 Pharisees refused to take an oath to the Roman Emperor Augustus. The Pharisees were considered authoritative interpreters of the laws and, unlike the Sadducees, applied their interpretation to new historical conditions. In this regard, they have developed a coherent system hermeneutics(a way of extracting a secret meaning from a text) and logical techniques of deductions and syllogisms (a conclusion consisting of two judgments-parcels, from which a third judgment follows - a conclusion). With the help of these techniques, new laws were derived from the Pentateuch or old ones were modified in relation to new conditions. The Pharisees recognized divine predestination, believed in the immortality of the soul, in angels and spirits, in the resurrection of the dead and in the afterlife reward. They actively participated in political life, and during the period of Roman domination, most of them made up the party of "peace with Rome." Therefore, the word "Pharisee" eventually became associated with demagogy, hypocrisy, hypocrisy. The Pharisees reached their highest flourishing after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and acted in the synagogues in the Diaspora. Created the first and main part of the Talmud.

Essenes or Essenes (from Arameis.Hasaya - "pious") existed from the second half of the 2nd century. BC. They mostly lived in communities around the western coast of the Dead Sea. They had special principles of social organization: they rejected private property, slavery, trade. They practiced collective life and common property (not only the cash desk was common, but even clothing). They refused marriage and sexual life, believing that this destroys their community, although some recognized marriage as a means of continuing the human race. Admission to the community took place only after a special test. The Essenes believed in one God, in the immortality of the soul, but also in the transmigration of souls after death. Their main task, they considered the preservation and exaltation of the purity of morals and piety. Therefore, they were very religious and led a strict moral life.

There were other, less common sects. So, therapists(from the Greek. "healing") considered themselves healers in the service of God, were engaged in the treatment of the sick, despised sensual pleasures, preached pacifism. Zealots(from the Greek. "zealots") in religious views were similar to the Pharisees, but diverged from them in the political program - they were characterized by patriotism and anti-Roman orientation. Zealots' love for freedom was elevated to the level of religious dogma: God is the only ruler of the world, therefore, taxes should not be paid to the Roman emperor. Sicarii("daggers") were a religious-terrorist group and physically destroyed the Romans and pro-Roman Jews.

In the Hellenistic period, the prerequisites for Christianity are formed, which arises from Judaism and the Hellenistic-Roman culture at the beginning of the 1st century AD.

Judaism after the rise of Christianity.
In 70 AD after the anti-Roman uprising, the Jerusalem temple was destroyed, and in 133 - Jerusalem, and the last remnants of the Jewish statehood were destroyed. The Jews were finally expelled from Palestine and settled throughout the Mediterranean. The synagogue becomes the basis of Jewish life. The Talmud is compiled, containing both religious, legal and social prescriptions. The Talmud becomes the basis of the entire life of Jewish communities - not only religious, but also legal and social. In view of the absence of a state and secular power, the leaders of the communities - talmid-khakhams - play the main role, and later rabbis. They were addressed in all cases of life, hence the appearance in Judaism of petty religious prescriptions, the preservation of the isolation and isolation of the Jews. The rabbis were peremptory judges in both religious and worldly affairs of the Jews, who united around synagogues (a synagogue community organization - kahal).

In the Talmudic period in the development of Judaism, 2 trends arise - conservative and modernizing. The emergence of new sects was associated with them in the Middle Ages. Yes, sect Karaites rejected the Talmud and demanded a return to the pure teachings of Moses. Attempts at a rational interpretation of Judaism arose under the influence of Islam. So, Moses Maimonides(1135-1204), relying on the teachings of Aristotle and the Muslim rationalists of the Mu'tazilites, tried to rationally or allegorically interpret the Bible. He put forward 13 main provisions of Judaism, seeking to free her from petty pretensions.

Mystical teachings were widely spread - Kabbalah (in Hebrew. Acceptance or tradition). Main essay Zohar(radiance) appeared in the XIII century. The basis of this doctrine is pantheism: God is an infinite, indefinite being, devoid of any attributes. One can approach God only through the mysterious meaning of names, the letters that make up names, and the numbers that make up letters. In this regard, the combination of numbers and magic formulas occupies a large place in the practice of Kabbalah. Supporters of this doctrine believe that there is no evil in the world, and evil is the outer shell of goodness, that is, God. Kabbalists believed in the transmigration of souls: the soul of a sinner is reborn in another body, human or animal, and this continues until the soul is cleansed of sins. After purification, the soul ascends and passes into the realm of pure spirits. Kabbalists cast out unclean spirits from the sick.

In modern times, another current is spreading - hasidism (Hasid - pious). Founder Israel Besht. He taught that the ritual rules and prescriptions of the rabbis are not needed, but one should strive for direct communication with God, which can be achieved in prayerful ecstasy. Only the righteous can achieve such fellowship. tzaddiks- keepers of divine secrets.

There is also a rationalist movement aimed at weakening religious legislation - Haskalah. One of the most widespread trends in the twentieth century. became Zionism - political Judaism aimed at restoring the Jewish state in Palestine (founder Theodor Herzl).

3. The doctrine of Judaism.

In modern Judaism there is no single and universally recognized institution or person who has the authority of a source of law, teaching or power. The sources of faith are the Tanakh ("Old Testament") and the Talmud ("Oral Torah"). The main features of the creed are called the 13 principles of faith. They begin with the phrase "I believe with complete faith." The main ones are as follows:

• Monotheism, deepened by the doctrine of the creation of man by God in his own image and likeness - the result of which is God's love for man, God's desire to help man and confidence in the final victory of Good.
• The concept of life as a Dialogue between God and Man, which is conducted both at the level of the individual, and at the level of the people and at the level of "all mankind as a whole."
• The absolute value of Man, human life (as an individual, as well as peoples, and also all mankind as a whole) - as an immortal spiritual being created by God in His own image and likeness, the doctrine of the ideal purpose of man, which consists in endless all-round spiritual improvement.
• The doctrine of a special Mission (that is, Chosenness), which consists in conveying these Divine truths to humanity and through this helping humanity to come closer to God. To realize this task, God made a covenant with the Jewish people and gave them commandments. The Divine Covenant is irrevocable; and it imposes a higher level of responsibility on the Jewish people.
• The doctrine of the resurrection from the dead at the end of days (eschatology), that is, the belief that at a certain time the dead will be revived in the flesh and will live again on earth.
• The doctrine of the complete dominance of the spiritual principle over matter.

Most Jews are within traditional Judaism and are influenced by Talmudic rabbis. The Talmud contains the smallest instructions and prohibitions concerning all aspects of the daily life of a believing Jew (613 in total). The interpreters of these instructions are the rabbis. At the same time, they are not clergy, do not hold public positions, but are private individuals who enjoy great authority as scholars and connoisseurs of writing.

Fraternities play an important role in the life of Jews ( hevros), which are mutual aid societies for various occasions.

The whole life of a believing Jew is subject to prohibitions and regulations regarding food, clothing, prayers, holidays, etc. And each step of the believer is accompanied by a prayer. Numerous food prohibitions, for example, meat is divided into kosher and clubs, so there are cutting specialists. Men's clothing should be long, of a uniform fabric, pockets below the waist, the head should always be covered, even during sleep. A beard and long hair at the temples are obligatory - sidelocks. There are numerous restrictions for women, for example, ablutions must be performed in a pool of stagnant water.

Sabbath is especially observed: one cannot engage in any activity, even light a fire or touch money. There are several annual holidays: Pesach, Shebbuot (after 50 days), Sukkot, Purim, Kippur (day of forgiveness), etc.

The humiliated position of a woman is also characteristic. She cannot be a witness in court, go outside without a cover, etc. Every believing Jew says a prayer every day in which he thanks God for not creating him as a woman, and a woman for the fact that God created her to obey a man.

Judaism is characterized by religious education and training - from the age of 5-6 in synagogue schools.

In a long history, only two non-Jewish states proclaimed Judaism their religion for a short time - the Himyarite kingdom in South Arabia in the 6th century. and the Khazar Khaganate - in the VIII century.

In Israel, Judaism is still the state religion today. Talmudic principles are widely applied in legislation, court and other spheres of life. Religion in Israel is an integral part of state policy, it is not separated from the state and plays an important role in the spheres of public and private life - from the birth of a person to his funeral.

Actually religious people make up about 30% of the Jewish population of the country. Israel recognizes only the Orthodox direction of Judaism and does not recognize the reformist and conservative trends common in the United States.

The ultra-Orthodox (and there are also many directions within them) live in compact groups, the largest of which are the Mea Shearim area in Jerusalem and the city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv. They are easily distinguished by their black hats, black suit and sidelocks. They buy food only in special, especially kosher stores, they will never dine in a house that they are not sure about kosher. They are not snobs - they are brought up that way from generation to generation. Their children are brought up in strictness, walk orderly, study in special schools. Boys separately, girls separately. On buses, men are in the front and women are in the back. In the synagogue: men in the hall, women in the gallery behind the curtains. At a celebration in a restaurant: men in one room, women in another. The use of contraceptives is forbidden, abortion is forbidden, and there are many children in families. Most of them don't have TVs. The ultra-Orthodox go to the beach, but they have a separate beach and there are men's and women's days. Many ultra-Orthodox people choose not to serve in the army. To do this, they announce that they are going to study at a yeshiva (religious high school) and dedicate themselves to God. Such a student is not allowed to work. They receive a small allowance from the state for the life and maintenance of the family. And the community helps. And the children pass on clothes from the elders to the younger ones. Politically, they are amorphous. "As the Rebbe says, we will vote." Basically, their religious authorities support the right bloc.

Representatives of the national-religious camp are very different from them. They are dressed in ordinary civilian clothes, they can be distinguished by a knitted kippah. They believe in God just like the ultra-Orthodox, follow the same traditions, but they have televisions, they serve in the army in combat units. They are zealous supporters of Zionism and do everything in their power to strengthen the Zionist character of the state. They form the backbone of the settlement movement. They vote for right-wing parties.

About 50% of the Jewish population of the country, being non-believers, to some extent observe certain traditions: they do not eat pork, they fast, etc. They have nothing against religious rules and put up with some restrictions caused by religious laws: buses do not run on Saturday, shops and most places of entertainment are closed.

About 20% of the Jewish population, being ardent atheists, protest against religious dominance, demand to separate religion from the state, stop funding religious organizations and call them all into the army.

The status quo currently established in Israel between religious and atheists is quite stable and is unlikely to change significantly in the near future.

additional literature

Hello, friends. Are you interested in learning about the oldest religion in the world that has survived to this day? About its principles, foundations, commandments and secrets, about the history of development and stages of formation? Perhaps you want to go to Israel and take a tour of the holy places?

Or maybe you have heard the absurd opinion of the unenlightened that Judaism has common roots with Judas, who betrayed Christ? Or do you have other questions regarding this topic?

If yes, then we will satisfy your curiosity, and after reading this article, everything will become extremely clear.
Judaism is the faith (religion) of the Jewish people. The term "Judaism" or "Jewish religion" is sometimes used. Let's start with a little historical background.

The very word "Judaism" was formed from the term "the tribe of Judah." What it is? The fact is that the people of Israel “grew up” from the tribes of Israel (tribes) of the descendants of the sons of Patriarch Jacob. And he had them, not a lot, not a few, but twelve! Sons were born from four different women: two wives and two of their maids (yes, this happens). The fourth son was Judas.

According to Scripture, Judah played a special role in the formation of the Israelite people. His name formed the basis of the name of the religion and the entire Jewish people; in Hebrew and other languages, this name sounds like "Jews."

The history of Judaism covers more than three thousand years, this religion is considered the most ancient of those that have survived to this day. Judaism is a monotheistic religion, which means that its adherents believe in one God.

According to the science that studies the religion, philosophy, culture and social development of the Jewish people, Judaism, there are four major stages in the entire history of the development of the Jewish faith:

1) The Biblical period (from the 20th to the 6th century BC).

At that time, there was still no written language and chronology, so all knowledge and religious concepts were passed from mouth to mouth and were rather mythological in nature. Even when the holy book appeared, it was not yet called the Bible. It was the Judaism of priests and prophets.

2) Judaism of the Second Temple or Hellenistic. (from the 6th century BC to the 2nd century AD).

This stage began after the Jewish people returned to Palestine from Babylonia (where most of them were forcibly resettled). They were in Babylonian captivity from 598 to 539 BC.

Among modern religious scholars, the idea is widespread that the Jewish faith is based on the principle of the union of God with the people of Israel, which he concluded on Mount Sinai in the era of Moses. The second stage of Judaism is considered bookish, in contrast to the first. At that time, sacrifices and other ancient rites were still common.

The high priest who wrote down the scriptures was called Ezra (in Islam he is called Uzayr). He recreated Jewish statehood on the basis of the law of the Torah (the law of Moses), wrote the holy book of Ezra.

During the time of the Second Temple, so-called Messianic Judaism became widespread. Its postulates are based on the faith of the Jewish people in the Messiah. When Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) appeared, tens of hundreds of Jews followed his faith. After Yeshua's death on the cross and his resurrection, this trend also took hold of other peoples, over time gradually transforming into Christianity, which had little in common with Messianic Judaism.

3) Talmudic (rabbinic or rabbinic) Judaism (from the 2nd to the 8th century AD).

After the Second Temple was destroyed, the Talmudic stage in the development of Judaism began. The rites of sacrifice have become obsolete and ceased.

This period was based on the belief that the main sacred text of Judaism - the Written Torah (the Pentateuch of Moses and its Ten Commandments) also contains oral explanations and laws that were not written down and were passed down between generations by word of mouth. They were called by the Jewish people the Oral Torah (or Talmud). The Oral Torah is a kind of addition to the Written Torah (the main sacred scripture of Judaism).

4) Modern (from 1750 to our time).

The main currents of modern Judaism date back to the days of rabbinism.
At present, there are about fifteen million adherents of Judaism, of which about 45% are Israelis, about 40% live in Canada and the United States of America, the rest mainly in Europe.

The main currents of modern Judaism are Orthodox, Reformists and Conservatives. So that these words do not remain hanging in the air as an empty sound, we will briefly explain the essence of each.

Orthodox Judaism

Halakha is the centerpiece of Orthodox Judaism. So, halacha is a set of laws and rules of Jewish law that regulates the life of Jews in all respects (family, religious, social and cultural). These are the laws that are contained in the Torah and the Talmud and which the representatives of Orthodox Judaism follow strictly and tirelessly. The Halacha also contains legal decisions and the laws of the rabbis, dictating the rules of conduct.

These laws fall into five main groups:

1. these are the laws of the Written Torah, interpreted in accordance with the Oral Torah;
2. laws, the foundations of which are not in the Written Torah, but they were also received by Moses (Moshe) on Mount Sinai;
3. the laws that were derived by the sages on the basis of the analysis of the Written Torah;
4. laws that the sages established in order to protect the Jews from violating the laws of the Written Torah;
5. the prescriptions of the sages, designed to regulate the life of Jewish communities.

The development of the Halacha continues at the present time, it is believed that the Torah contains answers to absolutely all questions that arise before the Jewish people.

Orthodox oppose any innovations in religion.

Reform Judaism (sometimes referred to as Progressive or Modern Judaism)

In contrast to the teachings of the Orthodox direction, representatives of Reform Judaism advocate innovation and renewal. Progressive Judaism arose in the nineteenth century in Germany. Its adherents believe that the old ethical commandments should be preserved, and ritual ones should be abandoned. Which is what was done. The ritual of the divine service underwent a reformation, namely: the service was conducted in German, the shofar (ritual horn) was no longer blown, ritual clothes were not required during prayer, women were recognized as equal to men in all religious matters.

According to the reformists, religion should develop and improve, thus adjusting to the spirit of modernity. Justice, mercy, and respect for one's loved one is the path followed by the movement of Reform Judaism.

Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism arose in Europe, or rather Germany, several decades later than reformist Judaism. This is "something in between" (so to speak) between orthodox and reformist views. Its adherents are supporters of the idea of ​​a compromise between traditional religious teachings and modern ones.

The ideas of conservative Judaism, however, are much "softer" than orthodox. For example, members of sexual minorities are allowed to be ordained rabbis. You can even enter into same-sex marriages. That's it, friends! That's conservatives for you!

The main ideas of this trend are the following:

• Halacha is recognized as the main life guide;
• The attitude towards modern culture should be only positive;
• The foundations of the Jewish religion are not given fundamental importance.

Commandments of Judaism

The Torah does not contain ten commandments as in the Bible, but as many as six hundred and thirteen! Of these, two hundred and forty-eight (as many bones and organs in the human body) commandments oblige one or another action, and three hundred and sixty-five commandments (this, you guessed it, the number of days in a year) forbid!

We will not list them all, but we will give the most interesting, unusual and ridiculous (and there are some of them):

• “The husband must remain with his wife during the first year of marriage”, like this, it is apparently not necessary to stay for the second and subsequent years of married life.
• “If you bought a Jewish slave, you must marry her or marry her son.”
• "Buy a Jewish Slave". Paying attention to the previous commandment, it turns out completely without options.
• "Don't settle in Egypt."
• "Don't scratch your body."
• "In the seventh year it is necessary to stop the cultivation of the land."
• "Abandon everything that grows on the earth in the seventh year."
• “If a human corpse is found in the field and it is not known who killed him, it is necessary to break the head of the heifer.” (Just in case, let's explain that the heifer is, apparently, a cow).
• "For those who committed deliberate murder, it is necessary to allocate six cities of refuge."
• In addition, there are others such as: do not shave with a blade, do not tell fortunes, do not guess, do not engage in magic, do not wear women's clothing for men and men's clothing for women, and a number of other commandments.

Symbols, attributes, traditions and holy places

The main attributes of Judaism are:

• shofar (ritual horn, it is blown at worship in the Synagogue - the center of the religious life of the Jewish community);
• poison (the so-called pointer for reading the Torah);
• Tanakh (holy scripture);
• a mug intended for washing hands;
• candlesticks;

Symbols and traditions of the Jewish faith:

• shema - a prayer that consists of four quotations from the Pentateuch;
• observance of Shabbat - in Judaism, this is the seventh day of the week, on which you need to refrain from work;
• kashrut - a set of rules governing the attitude to food and other branches of life;
• wearing a kippah - a Jewish national headdress, a small hat covering the top of the head, it symbolizes humility and admiration for the Lord;
• star of David - the Jewish symbol depicted on the flag of Israel, which is a six-pointed star (two equilateral triangles are superimposed on each other, one angle down, the other up);
• Menorah menorah - a golden lamp, is the oldest symbol of Judaism and the religious emblem of the Jewish people;
• the lion is the symbol of the Jewish tribe.

Holy places:

• At an altitude of seven hundred and seventy-four meters above sea level, the Temple Mount rises above the old city of Jerusalem (this is a quadrangular area, fenced with high walls), and it goes underground for about as much. Active excavations are currently underway there. On the Temple Mount was the First, and then the Second Temple. According to Jewish belief, the Third Temple will be built there in the future. At present, Muslim religious buildings are built there - the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock (these are the third most important Muslim shrines).
• The Wailing Wall (its other names are Western Mountain or A-Kotel) is the main shrine of the Jewish faith. It is located around the surviving western slope of the Temple Mount. According to legend, wishes written on a piece of paper and left in the Wailing Wall will certainly come true. Every year, pilgrims from all over the world leave their innermost wishes with faith and hope, waiting for their fulfillment. So, if you are going to visit Israel, correctly formulate your desires in advance, because they tend to come true!

If, dear readers, this article only fueled your interest in the Jewish religion, ancient customs, shrines.

If you want to know more, delve into history, and possibly trace the connection of Judaism with Christianity and other religions, we advise you to read books that can be ordered easily by simply clicking on the appropriate links:

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Judaism is the national religion of the Jewish people. The followers of this faith call themselves Jews. It is believed that Judaism originated in the city of Palestine. Theologians are sure that the time of its occurrence is calculated from the time of Adam and Eve.

Even schoolchildren know about the existence of this religion. Often history teachers ask their students to prepare a report on Judaism. In it, the student needs to be told briefly about Judaism, paying attention only to the main points. First of all, it should be noted that the main source for the study of Judaism is the Bible and the books of the Old Testament.

This religion recognizes three types of books: books of the law (Torah), historical books and prophetic. The origin of this ancient literature is still not known for certain.

But all Jews honor the scriptures sacred to them. Judaism is known to everyone, including numerous prohibitions that are associated with work on certain days, with the use of certain foods.

Jews are forbidden to eat the meat of certain animals. The list of "unclean foods" is established by the rabbis based on the study of the Torah. This list includes the meat of pigs, camels, hares, horses. Jews are also forbidden to eat shrimp, oysters and many other foods. Proper food is called "kosher" in the Jewish language.

Interestingly, the followers of this religion are forbidden to eat meat products together with dairy products. In Jewish restaurants, canteens, cafes, this rule is observed.

There are even separate windows in the canteens for dairy and meat food. Prohibitions apply not only to food, but also to clothing, as well as many other aspects of life.

Already on the 8th day of life, a newborn boy should be circumcised. certain requirements are also imposed on the appearance of believers. Men should wear long clothes and their heads should be covered at all times, even when they sleep.

Religious Jews grow a beard. During prayer, you need to wear a special cover over your clothes. On Saturday, people are forbidden not only to work, but also to lend and borrow, light a fire, and touch money. Traditions are honored in Israel, so on Saturdays almost all shops are closed, not to mention businesses.

A believing Jew must observe all religious holidays. It is noteworthy that the Israeli people honors all Jewish traditions.

In this country, the whole way of life is designed to in no way offend the feelings of a believer. All this is achieved by a very correct religious education. In Jewish schools, much attention is paid to the study of religion, its history, its basic principles.

On them, students are told about the sacred books, about the prophets, about all existing holidays. And this is very correct. This is one of the differences between this religion and other religions. Unfortunately, in many countries the spiritual education of young people is not developed at all.

Children and teenagers do not know anything about their faith, about sin, about those traditions that they must observe. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why there is so much evil, violence, crime and other human vices in the world.

Some scholars find it difficult to speak briefly about Judaism. This is a great faith with its own characteristics that require a certain approach. To understand it, having learned about it only a number of well-known facts, is impossible.