When did Judaism emerge as a religion? Basic Principles of the Jewish Faith

Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world and the oldest of the so-called Abrahamic religions, which, in addition to it, includes Christianity and Islam. The history of Judaism is inextricably linked with the Jewish people and extends back centuries, at least three thousand years. This religion is also considered the oldest of all those that proclaimed the worship of one God - a monotheistic cult instead of worship of pantheons of different gods.

The emergence of faith in Yahweh: a religious tradition

The exact time when Judaism arose has not been established. The adherents of this religion themselves attribute its appearance to approximately the 12-13th centuries. BC e., when on Mount Sinai the leader of the Jews, Moses, who led the Jewish tribes from Egyptian slavery, received Revelation from the Almighty, and a Covenant was concluded between the people and God. This is how the Torah appeared - in the broadest sense of the word, written and oral instruction in the laws, commandments and requirements of the Lord in relation to his fans. A detailed description of these events is reflected in the book of Genesis, the authorship of which is also attributed to Moses by Orthodox Jews and which forms part of the written Torah.

A scientific view of the origins of Judaism

However, not all scientists are ready to support the above version. Firstly, because the very Jewish interpretation of the history of man’s relationship with God includes a long tradition of honoring the God of Israel before Moses, starting with the forefather Abraham, who, according to various estimates, lived in the period from the 21st century. to the 18th century BC e. Thus, the origins of the Jewish cult are lost in time. Secondly, it is difficult to say when the pre-Jewish religion became Judaism proper. A number of researchers attribute the emergence of Judaism to much later times, right up to the era of the second Temple (mid-first millennium BC). According to their conclusions, the religion of Yahweh, the god professed by the Jews, was not monotheism from the very beginning. Its origins lie in the tribal cult called Yahwism, which is characterized as a special form of polytheism - monolatry. With such a system of views, the existence of many gods is recognized, but veneration is given to only one - one’s divine patron based on the fact of birth and territorial settlement. Only later did this cult transform into a monotheistic doctrine, and thus Judaism appeared - the religion that we know today.

History of Yahwism

As already mentioned, God Yahweh is the national God of the Jews. Their entire culture and religious traditions are built around it. But in order to understand what Judaism is, let us briefly touch on its sacred history. According to Jewish belief, Yahweh is the only true God who created the entire world, including the solar system, the earth, all its flora, fauna and, finally, the first pair of people - Adam and Eve. At the same time, the first commandment for man was given - not to touch the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But people violated the divine command and were expelled from paradise for this. Further history is characterized by the oblivion of the true God by the descendants of Adam and Eve and the emergence of paganism - gross idolatry, according to the Jews. However, from time to time the Almighty made himself felt, seeing the righteous in the corrupt human community. Such was, for example, Noah - the man from whom people again settled on the earth after the Flood. But Noah’s descendants quickly forgot the Lord, starting to worship other gods. This continued until God called Abraham, a resident of Ur of the Chaldeans, with whom he entered into a Covenant, promising to make him the father of many nations. Abraham had a son Isaac and a grandson Jacob, who are traditionally revered as patriarchs - the ancestors of the Jewish people. The last one - Jacob - had twelve sons. By God's providence it happened that eleven of them were sold into slavery by the twelfth, Joseph. But God helped him, and over time Joseph became the second person in Egypt after Pharaoh. The family reunion took place during a time of terrible famine, and therefore all the Jews, at the invitation of Pharaoh and Joseph, went to live in Egypt. When the royal patron died, another pharaoh began to brutalize Abraham's descendants, forcing them to do hard work and killing newborn boys. This slavery continued for four hundred years until God finally called Moses to free his people. Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, and at the command of the Lord, forty years later they entered the Promised Land - modern Palestine. There, waging bloody wars with idolaters, the Jews established their state and even received a king from the Lord - first Saul, and then David, whose son Solomon built the great shrine of Judaism - the temple of Yahweh. The latter was destroyed in 586 by the Babylonians, and then rebuilt by order of Tire the Great (in 516). The second temple lasted until 70 AD. e., when it was burned during the Jewish War by the troops of Titus. Since that time it has not been restored, and worship has ceased. It is important to note that in Judaism there are not many temples - this building can only be one and only in one place - on the temple mount in Jerusalem. Therefore, for almost two thousand years, Judaism has existed in a unique form - in the form of a rabbinic organization led by learned laymen.

Judaism: Basic Ideas and Concepts

As already mentioned, the Jewish faith recognizes only one and only God - Yahweh. In fact, the true meaning of his name was lost after the destruction of the temple by Titus, so "Yahweh" is simply an attempt at reconstruction. And she did not gain popularity in Jewish circles. The fact is that in Judaism there is a ban on pronouncing and writing the sacred four-letter name of God - the Tetragrammaton. Therefore, from ancient times it was replaced in conversation (and even in Holy Scripture) with the word “Lord.”

Another important feature is that Judaism is the religion of strictly one nation - the Jews. Therefore, it is a rather closed religious system, which is not so easy to get into. Of course, in history there are examples of the adoption of Judaism by representatives of other nations and even entire tribes and states, but in general, Jews are skeptical about such practices, insisting that the Sinai covenant applies only to the descendants of Abraham - the chosen Jewish people.

Jews believe in the coming of the Moshiach - an outstanding messenger of God, who will return Israel to its former glory, spread the teachings of the Torah throughout the world and even restore the temple. In addition, Judaism has a belief in the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment. In order to righteously serve God and know him, the people of Israel were given the Tanakh by the Almighty - the sacred canon of books, starting with the Torah and ending with the revelations of the prophets. The Tanakh is known in Christian circles as the Old Testament. Of course, Jews categorically disagree with this assessment of their Scripture.

According to the teachings of the Jews, God cannot be depicted, therefore in this religion there are no sacred images - icons, statues, etc. Artistic art is not at all what Judaism is famous for. We can also briefly mention the mystical teachings of Judaism - Kabbalah. This, if we rely not on legends, but on scientific data, is a very late product of Jewish thought, but no less outstanding. Kabbalah views creation as a series of divine emanations and manifestations of a number-letter code. Kabbalistic theories, among other things, even recognize the fact of transmigration of souls, which distinguishes this tradition from a number of other monotheistic, and especially Abrahamic, religions.

Commandments in Judaism

The commandments of Judaism are widely known in world culture. They are closely connected with the name of Moses. This is truly the true ethical treasure that Judaism brought to the world. The main ideas of these commandments come down to religious purity - worship of the one God and love for him and to a socially righteous life - honoring parents, social justice and integrity. However, in Judaism there is a much more expanded list of commandments, called mitzvot in Hebrew. There are 613 such mitzvot. This is believed to correspond to the number of parts of the human body. This list of commandments is divided into two: prohibitive commandments, numbering 365, and imperative commandments, of which there are only 248. The generally accepted list of mitzvot in Judaism belongs to the famous Maimonides, an outstanding Jewish thinker.

Traditions

The centuries-old development of this religion has also shaped the traditions of Judaism, which are strictly observed. Firstly, this applies to holidays. Among the Jews, they are timed to coincide with certain days of the calendar or lunar cycle and are designed to preserve the people’s memory of certain events. The most important holiday of all is Passover. The command to observe it was given, according to the Torah, by God himself during the exodus from Egypt. That is why Passover is timed to coincide with the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian captivity and the passage through the Red Sea into the desert, from where the people were later able to reach the Promised Land. Also known is the holiday of Sukkot, another important event that Judaism celebrates. Briefly, this holiday can be described as a remembrance of the Jews’ journey through the desert after the exodus. This journey lasted 40 years instead of the initially promised 40 days - as punishment for the sin of the golden calf. Sukkot lasts seven days. At this time, Jews are required to leave their homes and live in huts, which is what the word “Sukkot” means. Jews also have many other important dates that are celebrated with celebrations, special prayers and rituals.

In addition to holidays, there are fasts and days of mourning in Judaism. An example of such a day is Yom Kippur - the day of atonement, prefiguring the Last Judgment.

There are also a huge number of other traditions in Judaism: wearing sidelocks, circumcision of male children on the eighth day of birth, a special kind of attitude towards marriage, etc. For believers, these are important customs that Judaism imposes on them. The basic ideas of these traditions are consistent either directly with the Torah or with the Talmud, the second most authoritative book after the Torah. They are often quite difficult for non-Jews to understand and comprehend in the modern world. However, it is they who shape the culture of Judaism today, based not on temple worship, but on the synagogue principle. A synagogue, by the way, is a meeting of the Jewish community on a Sabbath or holiday for prayer and reading the Torah. The same word also refers to the building where believers gather.

Saturday in Judaism

As already mentioned, one day per week is allocated for synagogue worship - Saturday. This day is generally a sacred time for Jews, and believers are especially zealous in observing its statutes. One of the ten basic commandments of Judaism prescribes keeping and honoring this day. Breaking the Sabbath is considered a serious offense and requires atonement. Therefore, not a single devout Jew will work or generally do anything that is forbidden to do on this day. The sanctity of this day is associated with the fact that, having created the world in six days, the Almighty rested on the seventh and prescribed this to all his admirers. The seventh day is Saturday.

Judaism and Christianity

Since Christianity is a religion that claims to be the successor of Judaism through the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Tanakh about the Moshiach on Jesus Christ, the relations of Jews with Christians have always been ambiguous. These two traditions especially moved away from each other after the Jewish conclave imposed a herem, that is, a curse, on Christians in the 1st century. The next two thousand years were a time of enmity, mutual hatred, and often persecution. For example, Archbishop Cyril of Alexandria expelled a huge Jewish diaspora from the city in the 5th century. The history of Europe is replete with such relapses. Today, in the era of the heyday of ecumenism, the ice has gradually begun to melt, and dialogue between representatives of the two religions is beginning to improve. Although among broad layers of believers on both sides there is still distrust and alienation. Judaism is difficult for Christians to understand. The basic ideas of the Christian church are such that the Jews are charged with the sin of the crucifixion of Christ. Since ancient times, the Church has represented Jews as Christ-killers. It is difficult for Jews to find a way to dialogue with Christians because for them, Christians clearly represent heretics and followers of the false messiah. In addition, centuries of oppression taught the Jews not to trust Christians.

Judaism today

Modern Judaism is a fairly large (about 15 million) religion. It is characteristic that at its head there is no single leader or institution that would have sufficient authority for all Jews. Judaism is spread almost everywhere in the world and consists of several denominations that differ from each other in the degree of religious conservatism and the peculiarities of their doctrine. The strongest core is represented by representatives of Orthodox Jewry. The Hasidim are quite close to them - very conservative Jews with an emphasis on mystical teaching. Following are several Reform and Progressive Jewish organizations. And on the very periphery there are communities of Messianic Jews who, like Christians, recognize the authenticity of the messianic calling of Jesus Christ. They themselves consider themselves Jews and, to one degree or another, observe the main Jewish traditions. However, traditional communities deny them the right to be called Jews. Therefore, Judaism and Christianity are forced to divide these groups in half.

Spread of Judaism

The influence of Judaism is strongest in Israel, where about half of all the world's Jews live. Another approximately forty percent comes from North American countries - the USA and Canada. The rest are settled in other regions of the planet.

Judaism as a religion arose “before the beginning of time,” and it is considered the first monotheistic religion that recognized the existence of one and only God. Judaism is in fact not only a belief, but also its basic law. After all, the sacred books contain information about absolutely all social processes, civil and religious laws.

A Brief History of the Origin of Beliefs

The rise of Judaism is attributed to the time when God spoke directly to Abraham and told him to leave home and settle in Canaan. It is here that the history of Judaism begins, and the name of Abraham's grandson, Jacob, is associated with the beginning of a completely new spiritual life.

Further history is directly connected with Egypt and the removal of the Jews from slavery, which was accomplished by Moses. The first documentary era is called the Time of the First Temple, when the Temple of Jerusalem was created. It was here that the first centralization of all beliefs began.

Basic postulates

Judaism as a religion is considered very closely related to Christianity, since the Bible is a holy book not only for Christians, but also for Jews, because it contains the history of the Jewish people.

However, there are some very significant differences between these two world beliefs. Judaism as a religion implies a very close connection between God and people. The Jewish people are called to carry the sacred word to all believers and non-believers. For example, Jews sincerely believe that a person who honors the laws of the Jews, but is not an adherent of Judaism, is respectable and will definitely go to the kingdom of God after death.

The Jewish people, from a religious point of view, are nothing more than an instrument of the Lord, capable of conveying to others the truth about piety. Perhaps this is why Jews have always been considered “the chosen ones of God.”

Holy books of Judaism

In fact, the basis of Jewish beliefs is the name denoting a set of books that in Christianity are considered to be the Old Testament. It is here that the history of the development of Judaism as a religion is collected. It is believed that the first five books were written by Moses under God's inspiration on Mount Sinai, where, by the way, he received the basic commandments. In addition, this same book contains more than 600 commandments that guide Jews in their daily lives. For example, laws on the traditions of Saturday, which is considered a sacred day of the week, when nothing can be created or destroyed, are collected here. The rules regarding nutrition are also collected here. Quite interestingly, Jews are forbidden to mix meat dishes and milk; such products also cannot be stored side by side or cooked in the same container.

And if the Tanakh is of great importance not only for Judaism, but also for adherents of the Christian faith, then the Talmud is important only for Jews. This book is considered the most important educational manual for the people. At one time, the rulers of many states believed that if the Talmud was banned, Jews would be much more willing to convert to Christianity. However, the mass burning of books did not force the Jews to change their philosophy.

Cabal

Judaism as a religion is divided into several movements, among which bondage is distinguished. This term is commonly used to describe a wide variety of mystical teachings of the Jews. The most valuable book here is called the Zohar and is written in ancient. They say that it contains commentaries on the Pentateuch of Moses. From the point of view of cabalists, the Bible is not just a description of history and laws, but is a kind of symbolic encrypted language. Those who manage to decipher the secret messages will be able to understand the essence of the divine, uncover secrets and comprehend the greatest wisdom of the world.

Judaism(ancient Greek, from the name of the tribe of Judah, which gave the name to the kingdom of Judah) is the religion of the Jewish people, the most ancient of the three main monotheistic religions of mankind. Judaism is also called Jewish religion. On Hebrew The terms “Judaism” and “Jewishness” are synonymous.

In the development of Judaism there are three historical periods: temple(the period of existence of the Jerusalem Temple), Talmudic And rabbinic. Modern orthodox Judaism developed on the basis of the movement Pharisees, which arose during the heyday of the Maccabees (II century BC) and includes several directions - Lithuanian, Hasidism of various kinds, modernist Orthodox Judaism, religious Zionism.

Along with belief in God, Judaism includes religious, historical, ritual and national elements. Sources of Modern Judaism: Tanakh(written Torah) and Talmud(oral Torah). Torah also called Pentateuch of Moses, as it contains five books received by Moses from the Lord God on Mt. Sinai.

The most famous symbol of Judaism- six-pointed Star of David.

Tanakh is called Hebrew Bible, describing the creation of the world and man. The Talmud is a collection of laws. The beliefs, ethics, customs and social aspects of Judaism are outlined in the Torah.

Judaism places more importance on behavior than on religion. However, there are fundamental principles that all Jews share - the belief in the only real God to whom every person can turn. God There is spirit, absolute being. God is the Creator of all things at all times, he is a constantly acting Force, he is universal, he rules the whole world.

God established not only natural law, but also moral laws. God gives eternal life. He is all-good, holy, just. God is man's helper. He is a savior, a deliverer from sins and vices - pride, selfishness, hatred and lust. God himself is the creator of both light and darkness. In the fight against evil, the Jew is supported by his faith in God. According to Judaism, man is created "in the image and likeness of God", and everyone is responsible before God himself. Everything is predetermined by God, but at the same time man has free will to make moral choices. Judaism recognizes the immortality of the human soul and believes that all people, regardless of religion and nationality, are equally children of God.

Knowing God in Judaism implies knowing that God rules the world and man must strive to follow the right path that God has opened for people.

Jews believe that at a certain time the dead will be raised to life in the flesh and will live again on earth. "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to everlasting life, others to everlasting contempt and disgrace."(Dan. 12:2). In order to obtain the rescue, because "The righteous of all nations will have their inheritance in the World to Come", required to execute commandments the sons of Noah, namely:

renounce idolatry;
abstain from incest and adultery;
do not shed blood;
do not take God's name in vain;
do not create injustice and lawlessness;
don't steal;
Do not cut parts from a living animal.

Judaism opposes asceticism and is optimistic about the future of this world, where God invites us to establish his kingdom. Jews believe that God chose the Jewish people from all the nations of the world so that, after accepting Revelation, played a central role in the salvation of humanity. And thanks to the consciousness of their chosenness, the Jewish people were able to survive in conditions when they more than once lost their national and political identity.

Judaism places great emphasis on rituals, which are considered a way of surviving the people and preserving the faith.

Prayer obligatory daily ritual of a Jew. It is preferable to pray in a synagogue, since public prayer is more effective. Food prohibitions considered part of a special code of holiness. The ritual of circumcision of the foreskin is a contract with God marked with a sign on the body.

Holidays

Shabbat(Saturday), a weekly day of rest in memory of the creation of the world and the exodus from Egypt;
Rosh Hashanah(New Year), the anniversary of the creation of the world and a day of spiritual and moral renewal;
Yom Kippur(Judgment Day), a day of repentance and return to God through spiritual renewal and good deeds;
Sukkot(Tabernacles), nine days (in Israel and among the Reformists eight), dedicated to the autumn harvest and reminiscent of wanderings in the desert, the last day of the holiday is Simchat Torah (Joy of the Torah);
Passover(Easter), marking the onset of spring and liberation from Egyptian slavery;
Shavuot(Pentecost), partly an agricultural holiday, but primarily a remembrance of the day when Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai;
Chanukah(Feast of Consecration, or Lights), celebrated in honor of the victory of the Maccabees over the troops of Antiochus Epiphanes, as a result of which the Jews achieved freedom to practice their religion;
Purim(Feast of Lots, or Esther), to commemorate the defeat of Haman, who was plotting to destroy the Jews;
Tisha B'Av(Ninth of Av), a day of mourning in memory of the destruction of the First and Second Temples.

Love for God- an integral part of a person. If a person has sinned by action or inaction, he can always repent and will be forgiven.

Basic commandment — "Love your neighbor as yourself" for all are children of God. This is the Jewish concept of human brotherhood under one God.

Judaism in general terms is familiar to every person who has read the Old Testament. You don't have the time or desire to study the Bible, but want to know what religion the Jewish people follow? This article outlines the basic ideas of Judaism - briefly, without unnecessary facts and excessive terminology. After reading the material, you will learn about the founder of the religion, its symbolism and fundamental ideas.

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.

Articles of Faith

To summarize the basic ideas of Judaism briefly: you will 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
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

It is impossible to cover all the principles of Judaism in a brief summary, but the main ideas of this monotheistic religion should become clear to you.

Main symbols

Star of David. This is an ancient symbol, depicted as a hexagram - a six-pointed star. It is believed that it symbolizes the shape of the shields used in the wars of King David. The hexagram sign is traditionally considered a Jewish symbol, but it is also known in India as the designation of the Anahata chakra.

Menorah. Gold candlestick for seven candles. According to legend, during the wanderings of the Jews in the desert, such an object was in the Tabernacle of Meeting, then it was transferred to the Jerusalem Temple. It is believed that Moses received the order to make such a candlestick during a conversation with the Lord on Mount Sinai.

Yarmulke or kippah. This is the traditional headdress for a pious Jewish man. The yarmulke can be worn under a hat or as a separate headdress. In some cases, the cap is attached to the hair using a hair clip. Jewish women who practice Orthodox Judaism are also required to cover their heads. But women do not use a kippah for this, but a wig or scarf.