Transcript Judaism - Soren Kerk

JUDAISM
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
MAJOR TEXTS
TIME
Ancient Israelite Religion
• 1600 BCE – 530s BCE
• Evolved over time
• Some stable texts
• Priesthood & temple
• Popular Practice – homes,
altars, “high places”
Second Temple Judaism
• 530s BCE – 70 CE
• Compiling of most texts
• Factions – Political,
Religious, Philosophical
• Beginning of Diaspora
Judaism Now
• C. 100 CE – now
• Diasporic
• Stable Text
• Talmud as key to life
• Home & Synagogue
Household/
Tribal Religion
Late
bronze
age
c. 16001200 BCE
Persian
Period
538-400
BCE
Emergence of
a distinctive
group of
Canaanites
named
“Israelites”
•Rebuilding of
the Temple
•“Reformation”
of practice
•2nd Temple
Period Begins
•Synagogues
appear
HISTORICAL TIMELINE: ISRAELITE RELIGION
Kingdom
Religion
Iron Age
12001000
BCE
•“Israel”
becomes a
regional
power in
Canaan
•Temple built?
1000500s BCE
Kingdom
Religion
•Israel comes
into conflict
with the
Egyptians,
then Assyrians,
then
Babylonians
•Israel/ Judah
Diasporic
Religion
Babylonian
Exile 587539
•Later
Prophetic
Literature
•Diaspora
begins
Diasporic
Religion
Hellenistic
Period
322 – 63
BCE
•Conflict with
Greek
conquerors –
The Macabees
• Hasmonean
Dynasty
(Independent)
Roman
Period
63 BCE –
135 CE
•Roman control
of Palestine
•Emergence of
factions
• Temple
destroyed in 70
CE
JUDAISM
Begins
STAGES
• Household Religion
• Theology: Henotheist
• Authority figure: Patriarch
• Space: Household; purpose-built altars
• Tribal Religion
• Theology: Henotheist
• Patriarchs (Ancestors), sacred stories,
periodic “response to crisis” leaders
(Judges); sometimes priests
• Space: Altars, household, “Tabernacle”
• Religion of a Kingdom
• Theology: Strict Henotheism
• Authority: Law, Sacred stories, King, Prophets,
priests
• Extent: “Ethnically” Israelites; religious identity
= ethnic and civil identity
• Space: The Temple, households
• Religion in Diaspora
• Theology: Strict Monotheism
• Authority: Law/Sacred Text; Teachers (Rabbis)
• Extent: Any ethnically Jewish family,
regardless of location
• Space: Synagogues
Exile: 586-538
BCE
Post-Exilic/2nd
Temple Period:
6th c. BCE – 100
CE
+ P Material
THE SECOND TEMPLE
• 1st Temple – Built by King
Solomon c. 800s BCE;
Destroyed by
Nebuchadnezzar II 587 BCE
• 2nd Temple – Built after return
from exile in Babylon;
completed 500s CE
• Rebuilt by Herod the Great
in 1st century BCE
• Destroyed by the Romans
by Titus in 70 CE
JEWISH DIASPORA
• before fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE,
Jews spread out of
Israel
• A community in
Babylon
• Strong communities
in Alexandria Egypt
and Syria
• By late Roman
period, Jews lived
in many parts
of the Empire
Frontline, From Jesus to Christ. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/jewish.html
MAJOR TEXTS
FORMATION OF SCRIPTURE
1. Important events in the history of a community
2. Stories emerge alongside fables, folk tales, songs, and imagination
3. Older stories are reinterpreted to correspond to needs and beliefs;
stories merge into traditions shared by a wider population
4. In response to tragedy and instability, the community collects,
codifies, and arranges the stories of the past to preserve a cultural
heritage
THE TANAK
• Torah – the Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
• Nevi’im – The Prophets: major and minor; e.g. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel)
• Ketuvim –Wisdom literature like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job; poetry like
Song of Songs and the Psalms
What is a “Canon”?
An authoritative set of scriptures decided upon by a community.
The Jewish Canon/ The Tanak (set by Rabbis after destruction of
the Temple in 70 CE; these sections date back to the Babylonian
Exile (580s BCE)
ROUGH DATES FOR THE
CANONIZATION PROCESS
• 400 BCE – The Torah (Genesis – Deuteronomy) achieved sacred status
• 200 BCE – the Nevi’im , or Prophets, were canonical
• Former Prophets – Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings
• Latter Prophets - – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 minor prophets
• 100 CE – Ketuvim , or writings achieved canonical status
• Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, lamentations, 1&2 Chronicles,
Ezra, Nehemiah, Ruth, Esther, Daniel
THE BASIS OF MODERN HEBREW
BIBLE STUDIES
• J – “Jahwist” materials; earliest
• E – “Elohist” Materials; slightly later (750 BCE?)
• D – DeuteroCanonical Materials (and edits?); 550 BCE
• P – Priestly material; 450 BCE, legal materials and
genealogical lists
ISRAEL’S SACRED NARRATIVE: PATTERNS
• God calls
people into
covenant
• Humans break
the terms of
covenant
Covenant
Forgiveness
/Renewal
• God restores
God’s people
in relationship
Disobedience
Punishment
• God allows
punishment to
occur
(consequences)
ISRAEL’S SACRED PATTERNS
• God creates
the world and
gives Humans
“The Garden”
• Humans break
the laws God
gave them “Eat
of the fruit of
the tree”
Covenant
Forgiveness
/Renewal
• God guides
& protects
humans
Disobedience
Punishment
• Humans are
cast out of
the Garden
ISRAEL’S SACRED PATTERNS
•
Covenant with
Moses &
Covenant with
the Kings
• Kings marry
foreign wives,
allow idols in the
temple
• Forget the
widows and
orphans
Covenant
Forgiveness
/Renewal
• God sends a
savior (Cyrus)
to rescue
God’s people
Disobedience
Punishment
• Assyrian and
Babylonian
Conquests/
Exile
ISRAEL’S SACRED NARRATIVE
Creation
Wandering in the
Desert
Disobedience
Conquest of
Canaan (Judges)
Patriarchs (Abraham
called to Covenant;
stories of his sons)
Sojourn in Egypt &
Exodus
Formation of the
Monarchy
Corruption of the
Monarchy
•Rise of the Prophets
•Building of the Temple
•Foreign wives & practices
•Desecration of Temple
The giving of the
LAW
EXILE
•Prophets – “God is the
God of the Universe”
2nd Temple
Return from Exile
Diaspora (Exile
again?)
•Restoration of the Law
Greek Tyranny
Roman Tyranny
Destruction of the
Temple
OTHER MAJOR THEMES
• Separation: God has chosen Israel as God’s own people,
and they are to be separate from “The Nations”
• Law: Israel’s identity is as a Law-Following people
• Sacred Narratives: stories of the Patriarchs, Kings, Prophets,
and Trials commemorate the continuing action of God as
Provider for the Israelite people
RITUALS AND PRACTICES IN MODERN
JUDAISM
SACRED TIME: YEARLY FESTIVALS
Pilgrim Festivals
High Holidays
• Pesach (Passover)
• Shavuot (Pentecost)
• Sukkot (Tabernacles)
• Rosh Hashanah (New Year)
• Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
“In the Torah, three festivals are designated as
"pilgrimage festivals," during which time all Israelites
who were able were commanded to travel to Jerusalem
and participate in ritual sacrifices at the Temple there
[...] each festival lasts eight days. Additionally, each
festival gained historical significance in the story of
God and Israel surrounding the Exodus from Egypt;
some of these associations are already found in the
Torah, some came later in Jewish history. Most of the
festival activities associated with the "pilgrimage
festivals" are domestic, located among the family in
the home and not in the synagogue.”
Minor Festivals
• Purim (Celebration of Queen Esther)
• Hannukah (Commemoration of
Maccabean Revolt)
• Yom Ha Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance)
Andrew Jacobs, “Major Jewish Festivals and Rituals,” UC Riverside: RLST- 124J
http://andrewjacobs.org/judaism/festivals.htm
• a day of rest, commemorating the day
God rested after creation of the world
• Starts: Sundown Friday Evening
• Ends: Nightfall on Saturday
SHABBAT
• no work can be done
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
No driving
No cooking
No washing
No crafting
Buying/Selling
Using electricity
Driving a car
BLESSINGS FOR THE SHABBAT TABLE
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech
haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav,
v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God,
Sovereign of the universe, who
hallows us with mitzvot,
commanding us to kindle the light of
Shabbat.
A HOLY LIFESTYLE
• FOOD: Keeping Kosher
• Rhythms of Life: Shabbat, Holidays,
morning & evening prayer, coming of
age ceremonies (bar/bat mitzvah)
• Objects & Space: a place of honor for
the Torah in the home, Mezzuzot on the
doorway, tefillin, tallit, and
yarmulke/kippah for prayer
Jewish Boy reads Bar Mitzvah
TODAY’S TEXTS
• Genesis 1-3, 12-13, 16 & 17
• Exodus 19-20
• Isaiah 40
• Jeremiah 31:31- 34
NOTE the break
between Gen 2:3 & 2:4!