History of World Religions - Judaism

Summary

The video covers the history and key beliefs of Judaism, the oldest of the three major monotheistic religions. It begins with an overview of Jewish symbols, such as the Star of David, and explores the geographical origins of Judaism in the ancient land of Canaan, now Israel. The video highlights the role of Abraham as the founder, the Exodus led by Moses, and significant events like the building and destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It also explains key Jewish beliefs, including the expectation of a future Messiah.

Takeaways

• 📜 The study begins with Judaism, as it is the oldest of the three major monotheistic religions, preceding Christianity and Islam.
• 🕎 Judaism's key symbols include the Menorah, used during Hanukkah, and the Star of David, the main symbol associated with Judaism.
• 🌍 Judaism originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region known today as Israel, where the largest concentration of Jewish people resides.
• 👴 Judaism is traditionally believed to have been founded by Abraham, who is considered the father of the Jewish people and is also recognized by Christianity and Islam.
• ☝️ Judaism is unique in its monotheistic belief in one God, Yahweh, in a world where polytheistic beliefs were predominant.
• 📜 The Torah is the holy book of Judaism, consisting of the first five books of the Bible and the writings of the Jewish prophets.
• 🔟 The Ten Commandments, which are part of the Torah, are central to Jewish law and are also recognized in Christianity, although Judaism actually has 613 commandments.
• 🏛 The Western Wall in Jerusalem is the holiest site in Judaism, being the last remaining wall of the Second Temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
• 🎉 Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Maccabean Revolt against the Greeks and the rededication of the Second Temple.
• 🕊 Jewish people are still awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, a deliverer promised in the Torah, unlike Christians who believe Jesus fulfilled this role.

Q & A

Why does the speaker choose to start with the history of Judaism when discussing monotheistic religions?

The speaker starts with Judaism because it is the earliest of the three major monotheistic religions, preceding both Christianity and Islam.

What is the significance of the Star of David in Judaism?

The Star of David is the main symbol associated with Judaism, representing the Jewish faith and its cultural heritage.

Where did Judaism originate, and where is the largest concentration of its followers today?

Judaism originated in the region known as Canaan, which is present-day Israel. Today, the largest concentration of Jewish followers is in Israel.

Who is considered the founder of Judaism, and what is his significance?

Abraham is considered the founder of Judaism. He is believed to have made a covenant with God, promising that his descendants would become a great nation if they remained faithful to God.

What is unique about Judaism in the context of ancient religions?

Judaism was unique in ancient times because it was monotheistic, worshiping only one God, in contrast to the predominantly polytheistic religions of that era.

What is the significance of the Ten Commandments in Judaism?

The Ten Commandments, part of the 613 commandments given to Moses, are fundamental laws that are both religious and political in nature, guiding the behavior and governance of the Jewish people.

What is the historical importance of the Exodus in Jewish tradition?

The Exodus, led by Moses, represents the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. It is celebrated during Passover and is a key event in Jewish history.

What is the significance of the Western Wall in Judaism?

The Western Wall is the last remaining part of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which was the holiest site in Judaism. It is considered the holiest site for Jewish worship today.

How does the Jewish belief in a Messiah differ from that of Christianity?

Jews believe that the Messiah, a deliverer promised by the prophets, has not yet come, while Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah who has already arrived.

What are the key aspects of Jewish religious texts, and how do they relate to Christianity?

The Jewish religious text, the Torah, includes the first five books of the Bible and the writings of the prophets. The Christian Old Testament is essentially the Jewish Torah, highlighting the close relationship between the two religions.

Outlines

00:00

🕍 Introduction to Monotheistic Religions: Starting with Judaism

The speaker introduces the study of monotheistic religions, beginning with Judaism, as it is the earliest of the three major religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The structure of the lesson is outlined, focusing on the symbols, geography, history, and beliefs of Judaism. Key Jewish symbols like the menorah and the Star of David are introduced, and the lesson plan includes studying the origins and basic beliefs of Judaism.

05:01

🌍 Geographical Origins and Historical Beginnings of Judaism

The largest concentration of Jews today is in Israel, but Judaism began in the region of Mesopotamia, where it is believed to have been founded by Abraham around the 2000s BC. The narrative explains that Abraham is considered the father of the Jewish people, despite the lack of historical evidence outside religious texts. Judaism was unique for its monotheism in a predominantly polytheistic world, with Yahweh as the Jewish name for God.

10:02

📜 The Exodus and the Ten Commandments

Jewish tradition recounts how a famine drove the Israelites to Egypt, where they eventually became slaves. The prophet Moses led them out of slavery in an event known as the Exodus, celebrated during Passover. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, which are part of a larger set of 613 commandments, serving as both religious and political laws for the Jewish people. Moses died before reaching the Promised Land, which his descendants would eventually enter.

⚔️ The Struggle for the Promised Land and the Establishment of Israel

After Moses's death, Joshua led the Israelites back to Canaan, where they fought local inhabitants for control of the land. These conflicts, documented in Jewish scriptures, depict a violent period of warfare justified by the belief in the land as their divine inheritance. By 1020 BC, the Israelites established a united kingdom under King Saul, followed by King David, who expanded the kingdom and established Jerusalem as its capital.

🔁 Cycles of Freedom and Bondage in Jewish History

The narrative of Jewish history is marked by cycles of independence and subjugation. The united Israelite kingdom split into two, eventually falling to the Assyrians and Babylonians, who enslaved the Jewish people. After the Persian conquest, the Jews were freed and returned to Canaan, only to face subsequent conquest by Alexander the Great and later the Romans. The celebration of Hanukkah commemorates the Maccabean revolt against Greek oppression and the rededication of the Jewish temple.

📖 The Holiest Sites and Scriptures in Judaism

Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism, believed to have been established by King David. The Western Wall, a remnant of the Second Temple, is the most sacred site for Jews today. The Torah, consisting of the first five books of the Bible and the writings of Jewish prophets, is the holy book of Judaism. Jews believe in a future Messiah who will bring peace and justice, a belief that contrasts with Christian views of Jesus as the Messiah.

💬 Conclusion and Key Takeaways on Judaism

The lesson concludes by summarizing the key aspects of Judaism, including its geography, historical origins, and core beliefs. The importance of Jerusalem, the Torah, and the belief in a future Messiah are emphasized. The speaker encourages students to retain these essential questions for future discussions, marking the end of the session.

Keywords

💡Judaism

Judaism is one of the major monotheistic religions, and it was discussed as the first to develop historically before Christianity and Islam. The video explores its origins, traditions, beliefs, and historical significance, highlighting its uniqueness as a monotheistic religion in a predominantly polytheistic ancient world.

💡Abraham

Abraham is considered the founder of Judaism and a central figure in the Jewish faith. The script notes that Abraham lived in Mesopotamia around the 2000s BC and is recognized as a patriarch not only in Judaism but also in Christianity and Islam. He is believed to have formed a covenant with God, which is foundational to Jewish tradition.

💡Monotheism

Monotheism refers to the belief in a single God, which is a defining characteristic of Judaism, making it unique in ancient times when most cultures practiced polytheism. The video emphasizes how Jews worship Yahweh, who is considered the same God in Christianity and Islam.

💡Covenant

A covenant, in the context of Judaism, refers to the agreement made between God and Abraham, promising that Abraham's descendants would become a great nation if they remained faithful to God. This covenant is central to Jewish belief and is tied to the promised land of Canaan, which plays a significant role in Jewish history.

💡Exodus

The Exodus is a significant event in Jewish history where Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. It is celebrated during the Jewish holiday of Passover, and the script highlights how this event represents both spiritual and physical liberation for the Jewish people.

💡Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are a set of religious and political laws that were given to Moses by God during the Exodus. Although commonly thought of as ten rules, Jewish tradition holds that there are actually 613 commandments, which provide a comprehensive guide for both religious and civil life.

💡Promised Land

The Promised Land, according to Jewish tradition, is the land of Canaan (modern-day Israel) that God promised to Abraham and his descendants. The concept of the Promised Land is central to Jewish history, symbolizing their covenant with God and their struggles to reclaim and inhabit this territory.

💡Torah

The Torah is the holy book of Judaism, consisting of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. It includes laws, teachings, and the writings of prophets and is considered sacred by Jews. Christians also recognize it as part of their Old Testament, creating a shared religious connection.

💡Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the Maccabean Revolt against Greek rule and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. The video explains that this celebration symbolizes the Jewish struggle for religious freedom and their resilience in maintaining their faith and traditions.

💡Western Wall

The Western Wall is the holiest site in Judaism, located in Jerusalem. It is the last remaining wall of the ancient Temple built by King Solomon, which was destroyed by the Romans. The wall holds deep religious and historical significance as the closest physical connection to the original Jewish temple.

Highlights

Introduction to the study of monotheistic religions, starting with Judaism due to its chronological precedence over Christianity and Islam.

The Star of David is highlighted as the primary symbol of Judaism, along with the menorah used during Hanukkah.

Geographical origin of Judaism in the land of Canaan, corresponding to modern-day Israel.

Judaism's unique position as a monotheistic faith in a predominantly polytheistic ancient world.

The concept of Yahweh in Judaism, recognized as the same deity worshiped in Christianity and Islam.

The covenant between God and Abraham, marking the foundation of the Jewish faith and its promise of a great nation.

The story of the Exodus, led by Moses, and its significance in Jewish history and celebration, particularly during Passover.

The Ten Commandments as part of the 613 commandments given to Moses, serving both religious and political purposes.

The establishment of the Kingdom of Israel under King Saul, later expanded by King David, who made Jerusalem the capital.

The repeated cycle of Jewish freedom and bondage, from Assyrian and Babylonian captivity to eventual return under Persian rule.

The Maccabean Revolt against Greek rulers and its commemoration through the holiday of Hanukkah.

The Western Wall as the holiest site in Judaism, remaining from the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

The Torah as the holy book of Judaism, containing the first five books of the Bible and the writings of the prophets.

Judaism's anticipation of a future Messiah who will bring peace and justice, in contrast to Christian belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

Summary of key aspects of Judaism, including its geography, founder Abraham, and core beliefs, preparing for further discussion.

Transcripts

greetings and salutations ladies and

gentlemen we'll begin our studies of the

history of the monotheistic world

religions and we'll start it with the

history behind Judaism why Judaism first

well in chronological order of

historical development Judaism develops

before the other two before Christianity

and before Islam thus we'll start with

Judaism to keep it in good order now as

we examine the history behind Judaism uh

how are we going to play this and really

this is the same model that we'll use

with each of the other two religions

we'll start always on this screen on the

left hand side there with the symbol

associated with that religion on the

left hand side at the top you should see

the candles that are the manora which

are used during the celebration of

Hanukkah for the people of Jewish faith

more importantly there in the background

you should also see the Star of David

the Star of David is the main symbol

associated with Judaism now as we

continue to study Judaism we're going to

look at the geography uh in what part of

the world did this religion originate

additionally where do most followers of

Judaism live today so where can you find

them today where did the religion begin

where are they now uh then we'll get

into sort of a real basic history of the

creation of this religion we'll look at

the founder of the Jewish faith and then

we will look at the very basic

traditional history behind the

foundation of this particular faith in

this case Judaism and we'll wrap up with

a little something that I call just the

basics uh and we'll very briefly go

through some of the very basic beliefs

and facts regarding the the Jewish faith

and that the same thing we do with the

other religions as well thus without

further Ado let's go ahead and

begin now people of the Jewish faith can

be found in many parts of the world but

the largest concentration of followers

of Judaism can be found in the country

of Israel when you look at this map here

that shows all the other religions uh

notice how minuscule uh the percentage

of the judaic faith is compared to the

others that is because of the major

monotheistic religions Judaism is the

smallest

now Jewish traditional beliefs state

that Judaism was founded by a man named

Abraham and Abraham is said to have

lived in Mesopotamia in the Fertile

Crescent sometime in the 2000s BC now

there's no way to prove whether or not

Abraham existed uh all three major

monotheistic religions do look to

Abraham as a traditional ancestor but

there's no outside of the religious

writings there's no evidence uh of his

existence it becomes simply a matter of

Faith now the founder of Judaism Abraham

is considered to be the father of the

Jewish people and again as I said he's

connected to the other two monotheistic

religions as well now in this period in

history Judaism would be incredibly

unique because the vast majority of

ancient cultures and ancient religions

were all

polytheistic uh the Jewish people would

be incredibly unique because they are

monotheistic worshiping only one God in

a polytheistic world and speaking of God

uh Jews call God Yahweh now

interestingly enough the god that Jewish

people call Yahweh is the same God that

Christians call God and the same God

that Muslims call Allah so Jews call God

Yahweh and they believe that in the

2000s BC uh God came to Abraham and made

an agreement or a covenant with him and

according to Jewish tradition this

agreement stated that God would make a

great nation out of Abraham and his

descendants if they remained faithful to

God and it is said in tradition that at

this point Abraham left his home in the

city of er traveled the Fertile Crescent

and moved to the land that God

supposedly promised to give to him and

his Descendants the land of Canaan or

what is today the present day country of

Israel according to Jewish tradition

Abraham had children here in uh in

Canaan uh and his son Jacob also known

as Israel excuse me his grandson Jacob

also known as Israel had 12 sons of his

own

who then each went on to lead their own

family group or tribe uh now these 12

family groups or tribes would become the

Mythic 12 tribes of Israel that would

populate the promised land as they would

call it or the land of Canaan now as

time goes on according to Jewish

tradition uh a severe famine gripped the

region that they lived in gripped the

land of Canaan perhaps drought uh

perhaps plague of locust either way

there was a famine and the people left

their Homeland in Canaan and they moved

to Egypt very nearby place with very

fertile

lands according to Jewish beliefs by the

1200s BC the Jews who had moved to Egypt

had somehow become slaves uh however a

prophet and very important person in the

Jewish faith guy by the name of Moses uh

sort of goes head-to-head with the

Egyptian pharaoh secures the release and

freedom of the Jewish people and leads

them on an exodus or a departure from

captivity the exod is celebrated by the

Jewish people today in the religious

celebration of Passover and the Torah

that's the holy book of the Jewish faith

says that during The Exodus God gave to

Moses 10 commandments or 10 laws or

rules for the people to live by in

actuality there aren't 10 there's

actually

613 it's just that Christians and other

westerners only accepted 10 of them so

that's where we get the idea that there

were only 10 commandments when in

reality there were way more than 600 of

them and and it was

more of you know the Ten Commandments

are not just religious rules but they

were also laws politically binding laws

for the people to live by so the Ten

Commandments are actually the 613

Commandments and they're not just

religious Commandments but also

political laws supposedly handed down by

God to Moses for the people to live

by now according to Jewish tradition

Moses doesn't make it back to the

promised land he doesn't make it back to

Canaan he dies before he gets there as

do all of the other Israelites uh who

engaged in the original Exodus but it is

their ancestors who finally returned to

the promised land the homeland of Canaan

and so according to Jewish tradition

after Moses's death a man named Joshua

succeeds him as the leader of the

Israelites and he leads them back into

Canaan after Moses has died and this

period of Jewish scripture and Jewish

history is particularly bloody and

violent because in the scriptures in the

Torah in the writings for the next 200

years years or so the Israelites will

fight the local people the Philistines

and the Canaanites for control of the

land and the Jewish traditional stories

are now pockmarked with stories of War

Stories of Siege of cities Slaughters of

entire populations in order for the

Israelites to reclaim the land that they

believe was their Promised Land kind of

like we mentioned earlier with the

sociology of Religion different

religions using their beliefs to justify

violence and in this particular case you

have this religious belief belief that

the land was promised to them and thus

they're using that belief as a means for

violence to reclaim that land well

they're incredibly successful because by

10:20 BC uh the Israelites have united

into one Kingdom Under a king named Saul

Saul was then later succeeded by the

very famous uh Israelite King David of

the David and Goliath Fame David turns

Israel into an even greater Kingdom uh

and for that great Kingdom he builds a

new capital city called Jerusalem which

if Jewish tradition is to be accepted as

true uh is the modern day city of

Jerusalem that still stands

today now by 9:22 BC the Israelite

Kingdom built by David has now split

into two separate kingdoms and what we

see at this point in history is really

uh that that the story of Judaism is a

story of freedom and Independence

followed by bondage followed by freedom

and Independence followed by more

bondage under the control of others

because this Israelite Kingdom that had

split into to two will eventually be

conquered by the new Power in the region

the Assyrian Empire and the Assyrians

would conquer and Destroy part of the uh

part of the Jewish Kingdom uh and

enslave some of the people until the

Assyrians were then conquered by the

Babylonians who finished off the Jewish

Kingdom and took all of them as slaves

back home to Babylon where they remained

until Along Came the Persians who

conquered the Babylonians and when the

Persians conquered Babylon because the

Persians did not believe in slavery

supposedly they freed the Jewish slaves

and sent them back home to their

Homeland in Canaan and there uh they

continue to live freely in an

independent Kingdom until wait for it

somebody else comes along Alexander the

Great who conquers all of the Persian

Empire including Jerusalem and the land

of Canaan and after Alex Alexander's

Empire fell apart uh the Jewish Kingdom

would remain under the control uh of the

cusd empire

as part of the the old Greek

lands and when the cusd king as it is

written by the by the Jewish traditional

beliefs when the cusd king uh Antiochus

IV tries to force the Jews to give up

their religion and worship the Greek

gods they Rebel if we remember this was

one of the goals of Alexander and the

Greeks to sort of assimilate Greek

culture and spread Greek culture and

Antiochus tries to do this by getting

rid of the monotheistic faith of the

Jews and trying to replace it with the

polytheism of the Greeks again story of

freedom to bondage to Freedom back to

bondage again uh and we see that now the

Jewish people rebel against uh the

Greeks against the uh against Antiochus

in his attempt to force them to accept

the uh Greek religion the Rebellion is

led by a man named Judah makabe and his

brothers and they succeed in defeating

and expelling the Greeks from their

lands and reestablishing an independent

Jewish Kingdom that would continue to

exist

until it was conquered by somebody else

and that would be the Romans in 63 BC so

again we see the pattern of freedom and

Independence bondage freedom and

Independence back again to bondage well

the Jewish celebration of the religious

holiday of Hanukkah is actually a

remembrance of this event it's a

remembrance of the makabe Rebellion uh

and the uh the the the reconsecration of

the temple and the saving of their

monotheistic Faith that's the

celebration of Hanukkah remembering the

makabe Rebellion

all right so that's that's where we're

going to leave the history off and now

we're going to jump into just the facts

the basic facts about Judaism okay uh

really sort of just list off a Litany of

things here the holiest city in Judaism

is Jerusalem the city that they believed

was built by David they call it the city

of David in some regards as a capital to

his kingdom so for the Jewish people

Jerusalem is the holiest city in their

country and and uh and then the the city

is located in the present day country of

Israel and according to the Torah the

land of Canaan which we have already

discussed here which is the present day

land of Israel is the land that Jews

believe God promised to give to Abraham

and his descendants so the land the city

the whole place is incredibly important

religious and holy to these

folks uh people of the Jewish faith

worship their religion in temples that

are called

synagogues and the holiest site in all

of the Jewish faith is a place called

The Western Wall uh and that I mean it's

literally what the name says it's a wall

okay the Western Wall is just a wall but

it's not just a wall you see the history

behind the wall is what's important an

Israelite King by the name of Solomon

years ago built a huge Temple to God in

the capital Jerusalem uh eventually the

temple was destroyed first by the

Babylonians then it was rebuilt in the

first century ad before it was finally

destroyed for Good by the Romans uh in

the year 70 AD when the Romans destroyed

the temple they took apart the whole

thing uh except for part of the walls

and and one of those walls the one on

the western side of the temple was one

of the surviving walls and since it's

the last surviving wall of what had been

the holiest site the holiest temple in

all the Jewish faith that last wall

remains to be the holiest site today and

so the last remaining wall of the temple

the Western Wall is thus the holiest

site in all of Judaism on the right here

you can see this is supposedly what the

original Holy Temple would have looked

like uh in the first century ad when it

was constructed but before the Romans

destroyed it and here we see all that's

left and that is the Western Wall

literally like I said it's a wall but

it's all that remains of their holiest

Temple thus making it the holiest s in

all of

Judaism the Jewish holy book of

scriptures is something that's called

the Torah the Torah from Hebrew

literally translates into the writings

the Torah consists of what are for

Christians anyway the first five books

of the Bible as well as the writings of

the Jewish prophets there's a lot of

connection between Judaism and

Christianity

and for the Christians their Old

Testament is basically the Jewish Torah

so if you're not familiar with Judaism

but you are with Christianity the Old

Testament of the Christian Bible is

basically the Jewish Torah now in these

scriptures the writings of the prophets

and the Torah uh the Jewish scriptures

promised that God would one day send a

messiah who is going to bring peace

Justice and unity to the Earth uh

Messiah means a deliverer and for Jewish

people they believe that that Messiah

has not yet come they believe that this

Messiah is still on the way one day

Christians on the other hand and here's

this connection between Judaism and

Christianity Christians on the other

hand believe that this Messiah was Jesus

and that that person is already come

Jews on the other hand do not believe

this and they are still awaiting the

arrival of this Messiah supposedly

promised by the Torah and by the

prophets okay so there you have it with

Judaism we looked at the geography uh We

examined where Judaism originated as

well as where many of today followers of

Judaism live we saw the founder of

Judaism Abraham and then we looked at

the basic traditional history behind the

foundation of this religion we finished

off with just the basics some really

basic facts and beliefs uh regarding the

Jewish faith so hold on to all of these

essential questions and be ready to

discuss them the next time that we meet

and as always until that time I bid you

farewell