Judaism

Judaism
The original uploader was Gilabrand at English Wikipedia. · CC BY 2.5 · source
Name	Judaism
Alt	Torah scroll, menorah, Star of David
Caption	Symbols associated with Judaism: a Torah scroll, a menorah, and the Star of David
Type	Abrahamic religion
Main locations	Israel (state), United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Argentina, Canada, Australia, Germany, Brazil
Scriptures	Tanakh, Talmud, Mishnah
Founders	Moses, Abraham
Languages	Hebrew language, Aramaic language, Ladino, Yiddish language

Judaism is an ancient Abrahamic faith centered on a covenantal relationship between a people and the divine, grounded in legal, ethical, and ritual traditions. It has influenced Christianity and Islam, shaped the histories of Ancient Israel and Judah, and remains a major cultural and religious force in modern societies such as Israel (state), the United States, and European states. Judaism encompasses a spectrum of observance, law, and theology transmitted through sacred texts, rabbinic interpretation, communal institutions, and cultural practices.

Overview

Judaism traces communal identity to figures like Abraham and Moses and to institutions such as the Temple in Jerusalem and later rabbinic academies. Core elements include covenantal law encoded in the Torah and elaborated in rabbinic works like the Talmud, practiced in synagogues such as Great Synagogue of Jerusalem and communal bodies like the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Throughout history, communities developed regional cultures—e.g., Sephardi Jews in Iberia and the Mediterranean, Ashkenazi Jews in Central and Eastern Europe, and Mizrahi Jews across the Middle East—connected by shared texts and liturgies like the Siddur.

History

Origins are rooted in the ancient Near East with the patriarchal narratives set in contexts involving regions such as Canaan and interactions with powers like Ancient Egypt and the Assyrian Empire. The monarchic period saw rulers such as David and Solomon and the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, followed by exile to empires including the Babylonian Empire and the Persian Empire. The Second Temple era involved contact with Hellenistic civilization, uprisings like the Maccabean Revolt, Roman rule culminating in the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE and the dispersal known as the Jewish diaspora. Rabbinic Judaism developed through institutions in Yavneh and academies in Babylonia producing the Mishnah and Talmud Bavli. In medieval Europe and the Islamic world, communities engaged with authorities such as the Caliphate and experienced events like the Spanish Expulsion of 1492 and persecutions during the Black Death. Modern transformations include movements during the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment), migration to the United States, the emergence of Zionism and the founding of Israel (state), and atrocities such as the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany.

Beliefs and Theology

Core theological claims include monotheism articulated by prophets like Isaiah and lawgiver traditions attributed to Moses, centering on a single God worshipped in prayer traditions preserved in the Shema Yisrael and liturgical compositions by poets such as Judah Halevi. Concepts of covenant, election, justice, and repentance recur throughout texts such as the Tanakh and rabbinic literature authored by sages like Hillel the Elder and Rabbi Akiva. Messianic expectations evolved across periods, influenced by figures and movements including the Hasmoneans and later messianic claimants such as Shabbatai Tzvi. Theodicy and law interpretation engage texts like the Book of Job and legal codes such as the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

Sacred Texts and Law

Judaism’s written canon, the Tanakh, comprises the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. Rabbinic expansion yielded the Mishnah and the Talmud, central to halakhic discourse preserved in academies such as Sura (city) and Pumbedita. Legal codifications include the Shulchan Aruch by Joseph Karo and philosophical syntheses like the Guide for the Perplexed by Maimonides. Liturgical texts include the Siddur and the Passover haggadah such as the Haggadah shel Pesach. Commentators ranging from Rashi to Nahmanides shaped exegesis, while responsa literature records rulings by rabbis in communities like Vilna and Safed.

Practices and Rituals

Daily and lifecycle observances span prayer, dietary law, and festivals. Prayer services follow liturgies found in the Siddur and are led by cantors trained in traditions from synagogues such as Great Synagogue of Sydney or institutions like the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Dietary rules—kashrut—are supervised by rabbinic authorities such as the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and reflected in products certified by agencies like OU (kashrut). Festivals include Shabbat, Passover, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Hanukkah, with pilgrimages historically to the Temple Mount and modern observance in communities across cities like New York City and Jerusalem. Lifecycle events—brit milah, bar and bat mitzvah, marriage under a chuppah, and burial customs—are performed according to communal law and rites recorded in works by authorities such as Solomon Luria.

Denominations and Movements

Modern denominational landscapes encompass movements such as Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism, and Reconstructionist Judaism, each with institutions like yeshivot in Jerusalem and seminaries in New York City. Hasidic dynasties—e.g., Chabad-Lubavitch and Satmar—emphasize mysticism from sources like Kabbalah and communities centered in locales such as Bnei Brak and Brooklyn. Secular and cultural Jewish identities interact with political movements like Zionism and organizations such as the Jewish Agency for Israel. Debates over conversion, gender roles, and ritual practice involve bodies like the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and international federations such as the World Jewish Congress.

Culture, Demography, and Contemporary Issues

Jewish cultural production includes literature by authors like Franz Kafka, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Elie Wiesel, music traditions from klezmer to liturgical composers such as Salamone Rossi, and visual arts preserved in institutions like the Jewish Museum (New York). Demographically, populations concentrate in Israel (state), the United States, and diaspora communities in France, Canada, and Argentina, while migrations have shaped diasporic networks linking cities such as London and Buenos Aires. Contemporary issues include communal responses to antisemitism from actors like Nazi Germany historically and modern extremist movements, debates over Israeli policies involving institutions such as the Knesset (Israeli parliament), interfaith engagement with bodies like the Vatican and ecumenical councils, and scholarly study in universities such as Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Oxford University. Ongoing scholarship and communal leadership continue to adapt ancient law and culture to technological, legal, and political developments in the twenty-first century.

Category:Abrahamic religions