CREED

Refers to a variety of ways which a certain religion

use to express what are most essential or valuable-
ideas, words, or images.
CREED

Creedal expressions
-Stories, symbols, myths
-Doctrine
CODE

Moral guidelines that seeks to state what is

most important to a community of believers.
CEREMONY

Ritual actions to celebrate or re-enact

faith experiences of the people.
JUDAISM
 What is Judaism?
• Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, originating
around 3,500 years ago.
• Despite its relatively small population (with respect to other
religions) around the globe and in the country, it has
influenced Western civilization.
• Jews believe that being Jewish defines an important and
critical part of their being; many believe that Judaism tells
them the meaning of life and how to live it.
What is Judaism?
• If we ask what all Judaism identify in common, they
point to the Five Books of Moses (the Torah).
• The Torah comes ‘in the beginning,’ and explains
‘where it all began’. This is important because it forms
the critical component of the holy writings of Judaism;
obviously, the Torah plays an important role in Jewish
religious life.
What is Judaism?
• In order to understand Judaic beliefs and practices, it is
important to begin with the story of the Jewish people
to see how their religion is inseparable from their
history.
• Much of Jewish history is recorded in the Hebrew
Bible (which is the “Old Testament” for Christians),
but we need to emphasize that these texts were written
by the Jews themselves in the Promised Land.
• History of the word Judaism- The Jews live in
Palestine where they had a kingdom called Judah.
During the Roman empire, This place was known
as Judea, So that people of Judea were the Jews
and their religious belief is Judaism.
 CENTER OF BELIEF
COVENANT

Belief that there is a covenant with God

and Abraham. you are my people and I will
be your God.
FOUNDER: ABRAHAM AND MOSES
 GOD:

•Yahweh,
•Elohim
•Adonai
 SYMBOLS

Menorah
• Menorah- a candle with seven
branches to give continual light. It
is a symbol of Judaism. The seven
branches of the Menorah are
symbolic of the seven levels of
heaven and the number of days in
a week.
 Six pointed Star
Known as Magen David ("Shield of David")
in Hebrew, the Star of David has been used as
a decorative motif in Judaism since ancient
times but it was only around the Late Middle
Ages that it began to be used as a symbol of
Judaism and Jewish identity. A Star of David
is prominently featured on the flag of Israel.
 CREED OFJUDAISM

• One of the most unique beliefs in Judaism is the assertion that God is the
LORD OF HISTORY. YAHWEH is a transcendent Deity-The totally
other. Yet immanent.
• The foundational event for Israel is the EXODUS in which YAHWEH
sent his people free (EX 3:7)
• Moses learned the experience of the Name of G-d- AYEH ASHER
AYEH- "I am who am" also " I will be with you or you will experience
who I am from what I do to you in your history.
• Recognizing God's action for them in their history, the Jewish
people looked backward and recognized God as the Creator
and the one who shaped their past history from the time of
ABRAHAM. with Abraham, they see God as a God of History
and as God of Justice who will continue to take care of his
people. Thus they believe that in the expectation of the coming
Messiah. They still believe in the coming of the Messiah.
 CODE OF JUDAISM
• Jewish Bible(TANAKH)- which is the same as the old testament of the
Christians.
• Torah- first five books- Genesis, Exudus, Leviticus, Numbers and
Deuteronomy. - Pentateuch for Christians
• - story of how God gave them the Law through Moses in Mount Sinai.
• NEVI’IM
• KETHUBIM
 SACRED TEXTS

The Torah is also known

as the Chumash,
Pentateuch or Five
Books of Moses.
Torah
• The Torah contains the early history of Judaism, as
well as the law and teaching ‘handed down’ to Moses
by Yahweh or God Himself.

• Genesis, the first book of the Torah--and of the

Hebrew Bible--which tells us the mythic origin
(Genesis means “origin”) of the entire world.
Torah
• The second book, Exodus, begins with the Egyptians
being threatened by the growing population of the
Hebrews in their land.

• The specific laws about the Passover and rituals were

given throughout the last three books (Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
Poetry
 Prophets
• Texts written by the prophets-
• Isiah Zechariah, Etc.
 Talmud and Midrash

• Spoken laws

• Commentaries on the
Torah
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS LIST IN EXODUS 20:2-
17
 13 PRINCIPLES
• The great codifier of Torah law and Jewish philosophy,
Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides" also known as
"The Rambam"), compiled what he refers to as the
Shloshah Asar Ikkarim, the "Thirteen Fundamental
Principles" of the Jewish faith, as derived from the Torah.
Maimonides refers to these thirteen principles of faith as
"the fundamental truths of our religion and its very
foundations." The Thirteen Principles of Jewish faith are as
follows:
 13 PRINCIPLES
• G-d exists
• G-d is one and unique
• G-d is incorporeal
• G-d is eternal
• Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other
• The words of the prophets are true
• Moses' prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of
the prophets
• The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible)
and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the
Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses
• There will be no other Torah
• G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men
• G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked
• The Messiah will come
• The dead will be resurrected
 CEREMONY OF JUDAISM
1. Passover
- time for the barley
harvest
- Seder
- Also the Passover during
the ten plagues
Beliefs and Practices
Passover
• The Jews have many Holy Days throughout the year,
but perhaps the most important for them is the Feast of
the Passover, which commemorates the liberation of
the Hebrews from Egypt.
• The Jewish liturgical year begins with the month of
Nisan in spring, and the Passover begins on the 15th of
Nisan, celebrated for 8 days (Démann,1961:92, 95).
Beliefs and Practices
Passover
• One of the parts of the Passover is the Seder, or the
Paschal meal shared by the family on the eve of the first
day of the feast. Traditionally, first born sons fast on the
day leading to the Seder to commemorate the killing of
the Egyptian first-born (de Lange, 2000: 98).
• The primary food ingested during the Passover is
matzah, or unleavened bread, which was consumed
during the Exodus, when there was no time to prepare
decent bread. It symbolizes freedom and liberation.
Beliefs and Practices
Passover
• In connection to this, all leavened items must be
removed, in preparation for the festival.
• Wine is also served, where all participants are supposed
to drink four glasses throughout the ceremony.
• There is a table set for Elijah, whom the Jews believe
will come again to prepare the way of the Messiah (de
Lange, 2000: 99).
 SABBATH
• From sunset Friday evening to sunset
Saturday, is a reminder of the
creation of the world.
• In homes candles are lit at sunset and
the people go to synagogue.
• They return home for the evening
meal.
• Next day the family goes to the
synagogue for communal worship.
• SHEMA- the chief prayer at the
Jewish worship
Beliefs and Practices
Sabbath

• The veneration of the Sabbath day originates with the

Creation story; God rested in Sabbath. It was also one
of the Ten Commandments that Moses received in Mt.
Sinai: “Keep holy the Sabbath Day.”
 2. Pentecost
• Time of the wheat harvest
• "Feast of Harvest” SHAVOUT
• Takes place 7 weeks after the Passover
• Recalls when Moses led the Jews to the foot
of Mt. Sinai in the Land of Median
 Tabernacle
• SUKKOTH
It is the time when the when the Jews
lived in small shelters or tabernacles
• Tabernacle, (“dwelling”), in Jewish
history, the portable sanctuary
constructed by Moses as a place of
worship for the Hebrew tribes during
the period of wandering that
preceded their arrival in the
Promised Land.
 PURIM

• English Feast of Lots, a

joyous
Jewish festival commemora
ting the survival of the Jews
who, in the 5th century BC,
were marked for death by
their Persian rulers.
Book of Esther
 Hanukkah
• Hanukkah commemorates the Maccabean victories
over the forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV
Epiphanes (reigned 175–164 BCE) and the
rededication of the Temple on Kislev 25, 164 BCE. Led
by Mattathias and his sonJudas
Maccabeus (died c. 161 BCE), the Maccabees were the
first Jews who fought to defend their religious beliefs
rather than their lives. Hanukkah is celebrated for
eight days beginning on Kislev 25.
• - Festival of lights
 ROSH HASHANAH
• The New Year
• Is reckoned as the time to look back over
the year and start over with a clean
sheet.
• also called the annual Day of Judgment;
during this period each Jew reviews his
relationship with God, the Supreme
Judge.
• SHOFAR- a ram’s horn
- as prescribed in Numbers 29:1;
the notes of the shofar call the Jewish
people to a spiritual awakening
Tishri 1 (September or October).
 YOM KIPPUR
• Yom Ha-kippurim -Day of Atonement most
solemn of Jewish religious holidays, observed on
the 10th day of the lunar month of Tishri (in the
course of September and October.
• Yom Kippur concludes the “10 days of
repentance” that begin with Rosh Hashana (New
Year’s Day) on the first day of Tishri. The Bible
refers to Yom Kippur as Shabbat Shabbaton
(“Sabbath of Solemn Rest,” or “Sabbath of
Sabbaths”) because, even though the holy day
may fall on a weekday,
• it is on Yom Kippur that solemnity and cessation of
work are most complete. The purpose of Yom Kippur
is to effect individual and collective purification by the
practice of forgiveness of the sins of others and by
sincere repentance for one’s own sins against God.
 SYNAGOGUES

• A place of worship
• It is where ceremonies and
rituals are recalled and
celebrated.
• SABBATH- Celebrated every
week
• This is focused on the family
that extends into the
community in the wider world.
 RITUALS

Circumcision (BRIT MILAH)

• An eternal Mark of being a Jew.
• Done when a boy is 8 days old.
• Done by a MOHEL- Circumciser

Seudat mitzvah
- A meal that takes place after the
ceremony
 BAR/ BAT- MITZVAH
• Means in Hebrew “ a son/Daughter of the
Commandment”
• It is also the ceremony of the religious
confirmation
• The boy will have learn to translate parts of the
Pentateuch and the propethic readings which he
will have to recite in the synagogue on the
Sabbath nearest to his t13th birthday.
• He is then considered as an adult member of the
Jewish society .
• Marriage continues the traditions and belief
of the Jews.
• SOULMATE- perfect match is called MARRIAGE RITUAL
"bashert," a word meaning fate or destiny.
The word "bashert" can be used to refer to
any kind of fortuitous good match
• For Seven days after the burial, known as
SHIVA, the mourners of the dead person,
stay at home
• Family members even if they are far away, BURIAL
try to go to the SHIVA.
• It is in death where one can see face of G-
d.
• This explains why they bury their dean six
feet of the ground to signify the dead going
down to SHEOL.

• The face of God is hidden in human life but

is revealed only when one dies.
 SECTS OR SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
IN JUDAISM

ORTHODOX JEWS
• Faithful to ancient tradition
• Torah was written by Moses, inspired by
G-d
• They live by the laws of the Tanakh and
the Talmud.
• Orthodox Judaism believes that both
the Written and Oral Torah are of divine
origin, containing the exact words of God
without any human influence.
REFORMED JEWS
• Reform Judaism affirms the central tenets
of Judaism - God, Torah and Israel - even
as it acknowledges the diversity of Reform
Jewish beliefs and practices. We believe
that all human beings are created in the
image of God, and that we are God’s
partners in improving the world.
• LIBERALS
They interpret the Torah in the light of
modern research
Germany in 1819
Britain in 1842
Conservative Jews
• attempts to combine a positive attitude
toward modern culture, acceptance of
critical secular scholarship
regarding Judaism's sacred texts and
commitment to Jewish observance.
• They respect the Torah and interpret it in
the light of modern knowledge.
HASSIDIC JEW
• Started in Poland about 250 years ago
• They believe in direct approach to God
through personal experience and prayer
• KABBALAH- stressed more inward
religion in the 13th century
• “ we need to know and practice the
presence of G-d.”
ZIONISM
• Found in 1896 by Theodr Herz
• He warned the Jews to return to Palestine
and set up their own state
• It is a Jewish nationalist movement that has
had as its goal the creation and support of a
Jewish national state in Palestine, the
ancient homeland of the Jews