History of Judaism

Judaism began in the middle east.

Judaism does not have any one founder but Jews trace
their history to three men- Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
They are called Patriarchs.
According to the Torah, Abraham lived in Ur which is
now called Iran.
God told Abraham to leave his home and fo to the
promised land where his descendants would live
forever.
These descendants are called Jews.
The promised land was Canaan and is now
called Israel.
Abraham believed in one God (monotheism).
His wife Sarah could not have children and so
she offered her servant Hagar to Abraham who
bore him a son named Ishmael.
God later blessed Sarah with the promised son
who she named Isaac.
Isaac had a pair of twin named Esau and Jacob.
Jacob, the younger of the two, was the third
Patriarch.
Jacob had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of
Israel, forming the Jewish nation.
Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son who was sold
into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers.
A famine forced Jacob and his sons to go to
Egypt where they were reunited with Joseph.
However, within a few generations, the Jewish
people were seen as a threat by Pharaoh who in
turn enslaved them.
Moses was used by God to free the Israelites
and lead them to the promised land.
This journey is known as the Exodus.
 THE NATURE/
ATTRIBUTES OF
GOD
1. Omnipotent
This means all-powerful
The TeNaKh tells of powerful acts of God such
as creating the Earth and parting the Red Sea.
2. Omnipresent
This means present everywhere all the time.
Jews believe that God can be everywhere with
everyone at the same time.
Jews also believe that since all of nature was
created by God, all of nature must reflect His
handy work.
3. Omniscient
This means all knowing.
God knows His creation intricately.
He knows the movement of the planet and
when volcanoes will erupt.
He knows the thoughts and desires of every
human heart.
Psalm 139 talks about God knowing everything
about us.
4. Incorporeal
Jews believe that God is a spirit rather than a
physical being.
The fact that He is not a physical being means
that He is not bound by time and space.
5. Eternal
God has existed before time began and will go on
existing forever.
God is a compassionate and merciful judge.
God is also holy and powerful.
Two of the Hebrew names for God are Elohim and
Adonai.
These names speak to God’s authority and role as
Master.
6. Sacredness of His name
The sacredness of God’s name is very important.
The Hebrew name for God is Yahweh (YHWH).
Jews believe that God’s name cannot be spoken
or written down.
Therefore when Jews write down God’s name,
they write it like this: YHWH or G~d.
God’s name is also held sacred when Jews read
the Torah.
They use a silver pointer called a Yad to follow
the words so that their fingers do not touch the
sacred pages.
7. One in His works
Jews believe that Yahweh is the single Creator
of the world.
Genesis 1 states that “In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth.”
Jews believe that the beauty and complexity of
nature proves that God must have designed it.
Jews believe that God also sustains and controls
the Earth.
8.The one and only God
Jews are monotheistic. They believe in only one
God.
A very important verse of the TeNaKh to Jews
is found in Deuteronomy 6 v 4 that says ‘Hear
Oh Israel. The Lord our God is one Lord.’
This is called the Shema prayer and is recited
twice everyday by Jews.
 JEWISH
CEREMONIES AT
HOME
Bethe Sabbath begins, the Jewish housewife
cleans the house and prepares the Sabbath
meal.
The men go to the synagogue at the beginning
of the Sabbath.
At home, the mother and children welcomes
the Sabbath by lighting some candles and
saying a blessing.
 The Kiddush Ceremony
The evening ceremony at home is called the
Kiddush Ceremony.
This takes place on the Friday evening after
the husband returns home from the synagogue.
When the husband returns home, he gathers
the family around the table.
He prays for his children and blesses them.
He reads the last 22 verses of Proverbs 31 as a
tribute to his wife and all Jewish wives and
mothers.
Next he recites the Kiddush prayer of
Sanctification over a glass of wine.
This tells everyone that the Sabbath is set a
part as a special day and it reminds everyone of
God’s kindness.
After the prayer, everyone drinks a little of the
wine.
On the table are two specially baked loaves of
bread called Challah/Hallah, covered with
white cloth.
These remind Jews that God sent manna
(bread) from heaven for the Israelites while
they were in the wilderness.
On the Sabbath day, God sent a double portion
of the manna so that the Jews would not have
to work on that day.
The husband takes the bread, says a blessing
over it and hands it to every member of the
family.
The family then eats the male that the wife had
prepared.
At the end of the meal, the father washes his
hand in a bowl of water.
Everyone joins in the singing of special songs.
The Kiddush ceremony ends with the reciting
of grace in which God is remembered for
providing His children with food and for His
loving-kindness and mercy.