What is Judaism? What does it mean to be a Jew? Most people, both Jewish and gentile,
would instinctively say that Judaism is a religion. And yet, there are militant atheists
who insist that they are Jews! Is Judaism a race? If you were to say so, most Jews
would think you were an antisemite! So what is Judaism?
Clearly, there is
a religion called Judaism, a set of ideas about the world and the way we should live
our lives that is called "Judaism." It is studied in Religious Studies
courses and taught to Jewish children in Hebrew schools. There is a lot of flexibility
about certain aspects of those beliefs, and a lot of disagreement about specifics,
but that flexibility is built into the organized system of belief that is Judaism.
However, many people who call themselves Jews do not believe in that religion
at all! More than half of all Jews in Israel today call themselves "secular,"
and don't believe in G-d or any of the religious beliefs of Judaism. Half of all
Jews in the United States don't belong to any synagogue. They may practice some of
the rituals of Judaism and celebrate some of the holidays, but they don't think of
these actions as religious activities. What Do Jews Believe
The closest
that anyone has ever come to creating a widely-accepted list of Jewish beliefs is
Rambam's thirteen principles of faith. Rambam's thirteen principles of faith, which
he thought were the minimum requirements of Jewish belief, are:
1. G-d exists
2. G-d is one and unique 3. G-d is incorporeal 4. G-d is eternal 5.
Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other 6. The words of the prophets
are true 7. Moses's prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets
8. 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 9.
There will be no other Torah 10. G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men 11.
G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked 12. The Messiah will come 13.
The dead will be resurrected
The Seven Laws of Noah
According
to traditional Judaism, G-d gave Noah and his family seven commandments to observe
when he saved them from the flood. These commandments, referred to as the Noahic
or Noahide commandments, are inferred from Genesis Ch. 9, and are as follows: 1)
to establish courts of justice; 2) not to commit blasphemy; 3) not to commit
idolatry; 4) not to commit incest and adultery; 5) not to commit bloodshed;
6) not to commit robbery; and 7) not to eat flesh cut from a living animal. These
commandments are fairly simple and straightforward, and most of them are recognized
by most of the world as sound moral principles. Any non-Jew who follows these laws
has a place in the world to come.
The Noahic commandments are binding on
all people, because all people are descended from Noah and his family. The 613 mitzvot
of the Torah, on the other hand, are only binding on the descendants of those who
accepted the commandments at Sinai and upon those who take on the yoke of the commandments
voluntarily (by conversion). In addition, the Noahic commandments are applied more
leniently to non-Jews than the corresponding commandments are to Jews, because non-Jews
do not have the benefit of Oral Torah to guide them in interpreting the laws. For
example, worshipping G-d in the form of a man would constitute idolatry for a Jew;
however, according to some sources, the Christian worship of Jesus does not constitute
idolatry for non-Jews.
The Dual Nature In Genesis 2:7, the Bible
states that G-d formed (vayyitzer) man. The spelling of this word is unusual: it
uses two consecutive Yods instead of the one you would expect. The rabbis inferred
that these Yods stand for the word "yetzer," which means impulse, and the
existence of two Yods here indicates that humanity was formed with two impulses:
a good impulse (the yetzer tov) and an evil impulse (the yetzer ra).
The
yetzer tov is the moral conscience, the inner voice that reminds you of G-d's
law when you consider doing something that is forbidden. According to some views,
it does not enter a person until his 13th birthday, when he becomes responsible for
following the commandments.
The yetzer ra is more difficult to define,
because there are many different ideas about it. It is not a desire to do
evil in the way we normally think of it in Western society: a desire to cause senseless
harm. Rather, it is usually conceived as the selfish nature, the desire to satisfy
personal needs (food, shelter, sex, etc.) without regard for the moral consequences
of fulfilling those desires.
The yetzer ra is not a bad thing.
It was created by G-d, and all things created by G-d are good. The Talmud notes that
without the yetzer ra (the desire to satisfy personal needs), man would not build
a house, marry a wife, beget children or conduct business affairs. But the yetzer
ra can lead to wrongdoing when it is not controlled by the yetzer tov. There is nothing
inherently wrong with hunger, but it can lead you to steal food. There is nothing
inherently wrong with sexual desire, but it can lead you to commit rape, adultery,
incest or other sexual perversion.
The yetzer ra is generally seen as
something internal to a person, not as an external force acting on a person.
The idea that "the devil made me do it" is not in line with the majority
of thought in Judaism. Although it has been said thatSatan and the yetzer ra are
one and the same, this is more often understood asmeaning that Satan is merely a
personification of our own selfish desires, rather than that our selfish desires
are caused by some external force.
People have the ability to choose which
impulse to follow: the yetzer tov or the yetzer ra. That is the heart of the Jewish
understanding of free will. The Talmud notes that all people are descended from Adam,
so no one can blame his own wickedness on his ancestry. On the contrary, we all have
the ability to make our own choices, and we will all be held responsible for the
choices we make.
Moshiach: The Messiah
I believe with perfect
faith in the coming of the moshiach, and though he may tarry, still I await him every
day.
Principle 12 of Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith
The Messianic
Idea in Judaism
Belief in the eventual coming of the moshiach is a basic
and fundamental part of traditional Judaism. It is part of Rambam's 13 Principles
of Faith, the minimum requirements of Jewish belief. In the Shemoneh Esrei prayer,
recited three times daily, we pray for all of the elements of the coming of the moshiach:
ingathering of the exiles; restoration of the religious courts of justice; an end
of wickedness, sin and heresy; reward to the righteous; rebuilding of Jerusalem;
restoration of the line of King David; and restoration of Temple service. Modern
scholars suggest that the messianic concept was introduced later in the history of
Judaism, during the age of the prophets. They note that the messianic concept is
not mentioned anywhere in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible).
The
moshiach will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5).
The moshiach is often referred to as "moshiach ben David" (moshiach, son
of David). He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments.
(Isaiah 11:2-5) He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example.
He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a
great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15). But above all, he will
be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being.
It has
been said that in every generation, a person is born with the potential to be the
moshiach. If the time is right for the messianic age within that person's lifetime,
then that person will be the moshiach But if that person dies before he completes
the mission of the moshiach, then that person is not the moshiach.
What
Will the Moshiach Do?
Before the time of the moshiach, there shall be
war and suffering (Ezekiel 38:16) The moshiach will bring about the political
and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people by bringing us back to Israel and restoring
Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). He will establish
a government in Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for
Jews and gentiles (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:10; 42:1). He will rebuild the Temple and re-establish
its worship (Jeremiah 33:18). He will restore the religious court system of Israel
and establish Jewish law as the law of the land (Jeremiah 33:15).
Olam
Ha-Ba: The Messianic Age
Olam Ha-Ba (oh-LAHM hah-BAH), the World to Come.
This term can cause some confusion, because it is also used to refer to a spiritual
afterlife. In English, we commonly use the term "messianic age" to refer
specifically to the time of the messiah
Olam Ha-Ba will be characterized
by the peaceful co-existence of all people. (Isaiah 2:4) Hatred, intolerance and
war will cease to exist. Some authorities suggest that the laws of nature will change,
so that predatory beasts will no longer seek prey and agriculture will bring forth
supernatural abundance (Isaiah 11:6-11:9). Others, however, say that these statements
are merely an allegory for peace and prosperity.
All of the Jewish people
will return from their exile among the nations to their home in Israel (Isaiah 11:11-12;
Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). The law of the Jubilee will be reinstated.
In
the Olam Ha-Ba, the whole world will recognize the Jewish G-d as the only true G-d,
and the Jewish religion as the only true religion (Isaiah 2:3; 11:10; Micah 4:2-3;
Zechariah 14:9). There will be no murder, robbery, competition or jealousy. There
will be no sin (Zephaniah 3:13). Sacrifices will continue to be brought in the Temple,
but these will be limited to thanksgiving offerings, because there will be no further
need for expiatory offerings.
Perhaps the oldest records we have of a formal
difference of opinion among Jews dates back to the time of the Maccabean revolt,
which is the basis for the story of Chanukkah. At that time, the land of Israel was
under the relatively benevolent control of Greece, and was deeply influenced by Greek
culture. Hellenizing Jews were opposed by a religious traditionalist group known
as the Chasideans (no direct relation to the modern movement known as Chasidism).
As the Selucid Greeks began to oppress the Jews, war broke out and the Jewish people
united in their opposition to the Greeks.
The war continued for 25 years,
and the Jewish people remained united in purpose. But after the war ended, the Jewish
people became divided into three groups: the Essenes, the Sadducees and the Pharisees.
The Essenes were an ascetic and mystical group devoted to strict discipline.
They lived in isolation from the world. The Dead Sea Scrolls are believed to be the
product of an Essene sect. Some scholars believe that early Christianity was influenced
by the mystical and hermetical teachings of the Essenes.
The Sadducees evolved
out of the Hellenistic elements of Judaism. The movement was made up of the priests
and the aristocrats of Jewish society. They were religiously conservative but socially
liberal. The Sadducees believed in a strict, narrow and unchanging interpretation
of the written Torah, and they did not believe in oral Torah. The Temple and its
sacrificial services were at the center of their worship. Socially, they adopted
the ways of the neighboring Greek culture.
The Pharisees believed that G-d
gave the Jews both a written Torah and an oral Torah, both of which were equally
binding and both of which were open to reinterpretation by the rabbis, people with
sufficient education to make such decisions. The Pharisees were devoted to study
of the Torah and education for all.
After Judea was conquered by Rome and
tensions with Rome began to mount, a fourth group appeared: the Zealots. The Zealots
were basically a nationalistic movement, not a religious one. They favored war against
Rome, and believed that death was preferable to being under Roman control. They would
commit suicide rather than be taken prisoner. The most famous example of the Zealots
was the defenders of Masada, who held the mountain fortress against the Roman Tenth
Legion for months and ultimately committed suicide rather than surrender.
The
Pharisaic school of thought is the only one that survived the destruction of the
Temple. The Zealots were killed off during the war with Rome. The Sadducees could
not survive without the Temple, which was the center of their religion. The Essenes,
who were never very numerous, were apparently killed off by the Romans (they were
easily recognizable in their isolated communities).
Jewish View of Jesus
When we speak about Jesus it's not simply about programs or inquisitions,
or the Holocaust. It's not about if those who perpetrated unspeakable violence against
the Jews in the name of Jesus were actually his followers or not. Many a teacher
has had his disciples misinterpret, misunderstand, or misuse the most sublime of
teachings. So, lets not blame the teacher for the student's failure until we examine
whether or not the student has learned his lessons well and is, indeed, following
the teacher's instructions. By the same rule let's not blame the student until we
see what the teacher has taught.
What did Jesus teach and preach? Looking
at how those who proclaimed to be his followers have acted over the centuries one
might suspect the teacher was himself full of hate. And that is exactly right.
Does it surprise anyone that the New Testament's Jesus advocates persecution of
those who do not follow him? The Gospels speak for themselves. In particular it
is the Jewish people who are singled out for attack.
It was to the Jewish
people that the Gospel's Jesus presented himself and it was they who rejected his
hypocrisy, arrogance and false claims. As a result it was those "unbelieving"
Jews who He condemned and ordered his followers to murder.
(Luke 19:27)
But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither,
and slay them before me.
For the Gospel's Jesus, the dictum (Mat 5:44) But
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; did not
rule out the oppression and slaughter of those who did not accept him Jesus' supposed
prayer " (Luke 23:34) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots, an interpolation not
found in the earliest manuscripts of Luke, is carefully crafted to exonerate the
soldiers who physically affixed him to the cross. The Jews remain unforgiven. The
claim of a gentle Jesus, meek and mild, is simply not true.
The Jesus of the
Gospel of Matthew says. (Mat 11:29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for
I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
In compliance
many of his followers throughout the centuries, have hypocritically perpetrated a
façade of pseudo-piety declaring "Christ-like" gentleness and humility
of some loathsome haters of Jews. They have learned well for Jesus, "gentle
and humble in heart," was one who viciously called for the death of al who did
not believe in him. Indeed, it has led to the slaughter of Christians deemed heretics
by other Christians as well as millions of others who would not accept the "peace
Christ has to offer." If Christianity is judged solely on the person of Jesus
as the Gospels depict him, the result is a negative one. One does not have to point
to the horrible persecutions perpetrated over the centuries in the name of Jesus,
but only to what is taught by the Gospel's Jesus.
Jesus is recorded as forgiving
sins of those who sinned against others (Mat 9:2) And, behold, they brought to him
a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the
sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
(Mark
2:5) When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins
be forgiven thee.
(John 8:11) She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto
her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. He is even supposed to have
told God to forgive
(Luke 23:34) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots., but
he himself forgave no one who disagreed with him
(Luke 19:27) But those
mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay
them before me. Or did anything against him.
(Mat 26:24) The Son of man
goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!
it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
Jesus did not not live
by his own precept that you must love your enemies and pray for them that persecute
you
(Mat 11:20-24) Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his
mighty works were done, because they repented not: {21} Woe unto thee, Chorazin!
woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been
done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
{22} But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day
of judgment, than for you. {23} And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven,
shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee,
had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. {24} But I say unto
you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment,
than for thee.
He taught others to "turn the other cheek" (Mat
5:39) But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee
on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
(Luke 6:29) And unto him
that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away
thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. But did not heed his own teaching.
(John
18:22-23) And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck
Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? {23}
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well,
why smitest thou me?
The New Testament Jesus did not love or pray for his
Jewish adversaries in any interaction with them. Those who disagreed with him were
vilified, called unrepentant sinners and condemned.
The gospels Jesus condemns
the entire Jewish people, not for what may be classified as their own sins, but for
shedding of all righteous blood throughout history.
(Mat 23:35) That upon
you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous
Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple
and the altar.
(Luke 11:50-51) That the blood of all the prophets, which
was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; {51}
From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar
and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
The
Gospel's Jesus irrationally denounced the entire Jewish people for murders they
nor fathers committed. He holds them liable for sins they could not have had no
part in because they were committed even before the birht of Abraham, the progenitor
of the nation of Israel.
John's Jesus is portrayed as though he is no longer
a member of the Jewish people. He willfully disassociates himself from the Jews
(John 8:17) It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men
is true.
(John 10:34) Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law,
I said, Ye are gods?
Moreover, Jesus identifies the Jews as being the children
of the devil; they want to carry out the desires of their father and so are murders
and liars
(John 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:
for he is a liar, and the father of it.
The students have learned their lessons
well, Unfortunately, the teacher's message includes a great deal of evil Often
Jesus' pronouncements are nothing more than seedbeds for future destructive accusations
and mayhem
(Mat 10:34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I
came not to send peace, but a sword.
(Luke 12:51) Suppose ye that I am come
to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
The religious
context in which they are taught only provides moral justification to the immoral.
The students are who they are. How they interpret and carry out or ignore their
teacher's dictums may be debated, but what their teacher taught plain simple tells
us about the teacher.
Yes. It's about Jesus, the Jesus of the New Testament.
It's about what he actually taught.
What was good was not new and what
was new was not good.
