Judaism
From Sixth World Wiki
Contents |
[edit] Basic Beliefs
There is a story in wide circulation about a question asked of Rabbi Hillel -- a notable rabbi from the 1st century BCE. A non-Jew asked the rabbi to teach him everything about the Torah while standing on one foot. Rabbi Hillel responded: "What is hateful to you, don't do unto your neighbor. The rest is commentary. Now, go and study.
Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, (a.k.a. Maimonides) is generally accepted as one of the most important Jewish scholars from Medieval times. He wrote a list of thirteen principles of faith. This list has been generally accepted by Jews for centuries as a brief summary of the Jewish faith. However, the liberal wings of Judaism dispute some of the 13 today.
God exists.
God is one and unique.
God is incorporeal.
God is everywhere, in everything, and anyone.
God is eternal.
Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other.
Magical ability is recognized as a divine gift (Orthodox Judaism restricts magical work to healing and defense against hostile magic and spirits).
The use of magic on the Sabbath is forbidden among Orthodox, Conservative, and some temples of Reform Judaism.
The words of the prophets are given to them by God, and therefore true.
The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses.
There will be no other Torah.
God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
God will reward the good and punish the wicked. (However, God does this by making things have their own consequences. (S)He swore to stop physically meddling with the world after the Great Flood.)
It is sinful to use magic for evil ends.
The equality for metahumans and the Awakened are upheld under Jewish Law.
The Messiah will come.
The dead will be resurrected.
(Edited by SpasticTeapot due to minor innacuracies).
[edit] Common Additional Beliefs
(Section on Jesus edited out for sheer inaccuracy. -SpasticTeapot)
The Jews are often referred to as God's chosen people. This does not mean that they are in any way to be considered superior to other groups. Biblical verses such as Exodus 19:5 simply imply that God has selected Israel to receive and study the Torah, to worship God only, to rest on the weekly Sabbath, and to celebrate the festivals. Jews were not chosen to be better that others; they were simply selected to receive more difficult responsibilities, and more onerous punishment if they fail.
The 613 commandments found in Leviticus and other books regulate all religous and secular aspects of Jewish life.
The Ten commandments, as delineated in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, form the basis for all of Jewish law.
The Messiah (the anointed one of God) will arrive in the future, preceeded by the return of Eljah the Prophet, and gather Jews once more into the land of Israel. There will be a general resurrection of the dead at that time. The Jerusalem Temple, destroyed in 70 CE, will be rebuilt.
A fetus gains full personhood when it is half-emerged from its mother's body.
Boys reach the status of Bar Mitzvah on their 13th birthday; girls reach Bat Mitzvah on their 12th birthday, although many Reform temples place this at 13 as well. This means that they are recognized as adults in the religous sense of the word, and are personally responsible to follow the Jewish commandments and laws. Males (and females in reform temples) are allowed to lead a religious service; they are counted in a "minyan" (a quota of 10 men necessary to perform certain parts of religious services). Following their Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah they can sign contracts; they can testify in religious courts; theoretically, they can marry, although the Talmud recommends 18 to 24 as the proper age for marriage.
The more liberal movements within Judaism differ from some of the above beliefs concerning women's rights, the source of the Torah, the concept of direct reward and punishment according to one's behavior, etc.
[edit] Jewish Practices
(Please note that these are Orthodox practices, and may vary amongst other denominations.)
Observation of the weekly Sabbath as a day of rest, starting at sundown on Friday evening, continuing to the following Saturday evening.
Strict discipline, according to Jewish Law, which governs all areas of life.
Regular attendance by Jewish males at Synagogue.
Celebration of the annual festivals including:
Passover, or Pesach is held each Spring to recall the Jews' deliverance out of slavery in Egypt circa 1300 BCE. A Seder meal, which is used to represent many facets of life for the Jewish slaves of ancient Egypt, is eaten at this time. Six different foods are placed on the seder plate in the order in which they area eaten:
Karpas (vegetables dipped in salt water) recalls the bitter tears shed during slavery
Maror (bitter herbs) to symbolize the bitterness of slavery. Horseradish is traditional for this, although some use anything from ginger to habanero peppers.
Chazeret (bitter vegetables) also to symbolize the bitterness of slavery.
Choroset (apple, nuts & spices with wine) represents the mortar used by Hebrew slaves.
Also placed on the seder plate, but uneaten during the Seder meal:
Zeroa (lamb shankbone) to recall the Passover sacrifice in the ancient temple.
Beitzah (roasted egg) symbolizes mourning, sacrifice, spring, and renewal.
Not placed on the Seder plate, but often eaten, is a boiled egg.
After women were first allowed to become Rabbis, some Jews commented: "A woman belongs as a Rabbi like an orange belongs on a seder plate." As such, some Reform Jews now include an orange with their Seder Plate to commemorate female Rabbim, although this fad has started to fall out of general practice in the 90's.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, and is the anniversary of the completion of creation, about 5760 years ago. It is held in the fall, and is coincidentally also one of the four times each year at which the ancient Israelites were expected to pay taxes.
The 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, are days of repentance and asking apology for wrongdoings unto others. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting until sundown.
Sukkot, or the Feast of Booths is an 8 day harvest festival; this is essentially a time to enjoy what God has given to us and to thank him for it. (a Sukkah is a small hut akin used by the ancient Israelites during the harvest when men could not return home every night, and is the location of Sukkot meals and activities)
Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights is an 8 day feast of dedication. It recalls the war fought by the Maccabees in the cause of religious freedom. It is typically observed in December, although this varies due to the lunar calendar. Originally a minor Jewish holy day, it has become more important in recent years as Jews tried to find something to match Christmas. In order to make it more of a proper holiday, someone (who exactly is unknown) wrote up the fictional miracle of the oil, which, despite being only enough for one day, lasted the 8 days necessary to press olives into a finished product.
Purim, the Feast of Lots recalls the defeat of the evil vizier Haman, who intended to kill all the Jews of Persia. He was thwarted in his plans by the (later Queen) Esther circa 400 BCE.
Shavout, the Feast of Weeks recalls God's revelation of the Torah to the Jewish people. It is held in late May or early June.
The local synagogue is governed by the congregation and is normally led by a rabbi who has been chosen by the congregation. A rabbi is a teacher who has been well educated in Jewish law and tradition.
Any adult male with sufficient knowledge can lead religious services. In reform and some conservative congregations, a woman can also preside. This is often done in those Jewish communities who lack a rabbi.
The Chief Rabbis in France and Great Britain have authority only by the agreement of those who accept it. Two Chief Rabbis in Israel have civil authority in areas of family law.
