Download Judaism Study Guide | World Religions | REL 2300 and more Study notes World Religions in PDF only on Docsity! Judaism: Chapter 8 I. First encounter a. Salem – means “peace” and “wholeness” b. The Western Wall – now used for contemplation and prayer i. Men and women are separated ii. Many leave pieces of paper with prayers in the cracks of the wall in order to speak with god II. An Overview of Jewish History a. The major historical event that effected the Jews was the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E., which brought about the end of the temple-based ceremonial religion of that region and the widespread dispersion of its people to lands far away from Israel. b. Biblical Judaism – Judaism before the destruction of the Second Temple c. Rabbinical Judaism – the Judaism that developed after the destruction of the second temple d. Two spans of time divided into two periods each i. Biblical 1. First great span of time – a homeless people established a homeland in Israel and made Jerusalem the capital of its kingdom 2. Second – the first Temple and kingdom of Judah is destroyed by Babylonians and Israelites forced into Babylonia a. They realized that they needed to put their religion and laws and beliefs down on paper, so they made the Hebrew bible ii. Rabbinical 1. First period – evolution of Judaism and traditional Jewish life 2. Second – 200 years ago, the reform a. The reform questioned and modernized traditional Judaism and helped produce the diverse branches within Judaism that exist today. b. Raised the issue of Jewish identity c. Response to the new thinking of the European Enlightenment, the liberal thought of the American and French Revolutions, and the laws of Napoleon III. Hebrew bible a. Says that Hebrews/ Israelites were landless people with an ancestor named Abraham b. Made up of individual ‘books’ c. Divided into three sections i. Torah – the teaching 1. Has 5 books, sometimes called the Pentateuch 2. Sacred core of the Hebrew bible 3. Includes stories & laws
