Judaism
The tribe known as Hebrew evolved in and around the Arabian desert before 3,000 BCE, ultimately settling in Canaan, an area near current Jerusalem. They became known as a religion that attempted to understand God, and understand humanity in the context of God. This religion, Judaism, was the first of the monotheistic religions to emphasize a single, nature-transcending power, originally conceptualized as Other, from which one has issued, called God. Earlier cultures concluded that a moral life, behavior deemed essential to community success, was important to the survival of the human species. Jews believed this moral behavior flowed from God. They believed that God represented righteousness and love, and that these attributes were everlasting. Jews proclaim “In the beginning God created the heavens and earth and pronounced it to be good”. This statement defines the essence of the Jewish faith.
Jews believe that God created the earth and provided the means by which humans could subsist. Because God declared the earth good, earth was deemed to be beneficial to humans. Judaism promotes an appreciation for nature and the tendency for humans to do good within the natural environment. This resulted in a radical change in the way humans perceived the world. Prior to Judaism, religions described the world as harsh, cruel, making human survival difficult. The Jewish religion professed the world as good and advantageous for humans, a dramatic change in the way humans thought. Furthermore, the Jewish religion professed that humans were designated by God to have dominion over the world.
God provides abundance is a belief first articulated in the Jewish religion. In the region of Canaan, food was abundant, deemed to be a gift from God. Accumulation of possessions was deemed to be good, also gifts from God. God’s abundance was to be shared among the whole nation, not hoarded. Community organization, planning, and actions performed by the individual for the good of the community were applauded.
Understanding humanity in the context of God is a key focus of Judaism. While humans were considered frail creatures, humanity working in concert with nature, created the possibility of achieving great things. Humans act by God’s direction but have free choice and freedom to act; free choice is a key attribute of Judaism. Furthermore, humans acting in concert with each other for the good of the community was an essential part of the religion. Community wellbeing is of utmost importance to Jews. Containment of human emotions and desires for the betterment of the tribe is reflected in the concept of morality, a set of personal behaviors serving to guide an individual to act in the best interest of the community. Failure to act in accordance with God’s commands compromises success of the community and is therefore a sin.
Jews take direction from God through the Ten Commandments passed from God to Moses:
I am the Lord thy God, there shall be no other gods before me nor graven images unto thee
Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain
Remember the sabbath, keep it holy
Honor thy father and thy mother
Thou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not commit adultery
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors house or wife
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors possessions
History is an important feature of Judaism. Jews believe that history reflects the actions of God, who controls all events. And, they believe that God intervened directly with the Hebrew tribe, making them the chosen people. Therefore, human actions determine the outcome of events and history, revealing that which was already existent but not yet manifest. The valuation, or hallowing, of life is also important. In early cultures, taking a life often lead to blood feuds that could destroy a community. Since community wellbeing is of paramount importance in a successful society, avoidance of extreme interpersonal conflict was strictly enforced. Conflict avoidance is a major feature addressed in the Ten Commandments - thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not covert thy neighbors wife, house, or possessions.
Belief that life is a progressively improving condition underpins the concept of hope, the expectation that a time would come when things would be perfect for the whole human race. This was envisioned in the coming of a Messiah on a Great Day when peace and utopian life would break out. Justice would prevail across the land. Justice is an important attribute of Judaism. Justice is a philosophy by which fairness is administered to sustain harmony within the community. Justice is also a reflection of the learning process by which societies became successful, the consequence of naturally learning how to live together. Community success depends on social order, existence of an organization ensuring that all individuals enjoy the benefits of the community, and existence of a power to enforce a set of rules based on moral choices governing human behavior to achieve success for all. Jews believe that justice comes from God.
Jewish values are described in the Torah, the doctrine that guides the Jewish religion. Torah is a written document containing Jewish history, teaching, culture, laws, and practice. Torah is a covenant with God, so reading the Torah regularly in public congregation is a routine part of religious practice. The Torah exists in a variety of forms, variations comprised of the books of the Old Testament describing the time from Genesis to the time of Moses known as the Pentateuch and the Tanakh, plus rabbinic commentaries. While the Old Testament is often thought of a Jewish document, in fact, it is a Christian document containing the works of history from the beginning (Genesis) through the time of Moses (Pentateuch and the Tanakh), as well as the works of prophets living after Moses. The Torah terminates with the death of Moses.
Torah describes afterlife, a physical place called Sheol to which one goes following this life, a reward for following God's ways. This was a broadly accepted concept of the Hebrew nation, although it is no longer a universal belief among all sects of Judaism. Sheol was thought of as located in the center of the earth, although it is not formally described. At the coming of the Messiah, Jews believe that bodily resurrection will occur.
