the idea of two gods, one being good and the other evil) and Waldensians (a

Protestant Christian movement which advocated that apostolic poverty is

the way to perfection) in southern France and southern Italy.
The word “inquisition,” has somehow become associated with the word
“torture.” This is because after 1252, torture was used to punish the heretics.
On May 15, a papal bull was issued by Pope Innocent IV, the Ad exstir-
panda, which authorized the use of torture by inquisitors. One common form
of torture was the strappado, wherein the hands were bound behind the back
with a rope, and the accused was suspended this way, dislocating the joints
painfully in both arms.

THE GODHRA TRAIN INCIDENT IN 2002

In February 2002, a train was set on fire in which 59 people, including 25
women and 15 children, were killed. The fire happened inside the Sabarmati
Express train near the Godhra railway station in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Those who died inside the train were mostly Hindu pilgrims and activists
returning from the holy city of Ayodhya after a religious ceremony at the
disputed Babri Masjid site. It took six years for the commission appointed
to investigate the said incident to conclude that the fire was committed by
a mob of 1000-2000 people. Thirty-one Muslims were convicted by the court
for the incident and conspiracy for the crime.
The Babri Masjid site was a source of the Ayodha dispute, which was
centered on access to the site traditionally regarded by the Hindus as the
birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama. Hindus accuse the Muslims of demol-
ishing a previous Hindu temple on the site to create the Babri mosque, which
was destroyed by radical Hindu activists during a political rally that turned
into a riot on December 6, 1992. The Godhra train incident in 2002 was seen
as a Muslim retaliation for the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992. The
discovery in 2003 of Buddhist ruins underlying the Hindu and Muslim layers
at Ayodhya only made matters more complicated.
Although so many atrocities have been committed in the name of religion,
we should bear in mind that more often than not, there are other factors
at play. Politics and economics often play a key role in religious conflicts.
Sadly, some political parties take advantage of religious conflicts to pursue
their own interests, and that is winning in the next elections. In India, for
example, political parties have been accused of using Hindu-Muslim conflict
to advance their own interests by ruling in favor of those who will give them
the highest votes.

Summary
• Religion can be described as a double-edged sword: it can have both positive and negative
effects on society. It has played a very important role in the development of societies by
integrating and stabilizing them; however, it has also created conflicts.

42 World Religions in Focus

• Some of its positive effects are: it promotes social solidarity; it is a source of moral values;
it nurtures positive goals in life; it gives people a sense of belonging; and it fosters social
change.
• Some of religion’s negative effects include: it affirms social hierarchy; it triggers conflicts
and fights; it promotes discrimination; it impedes scientific success and development; and it
hinders the use of reason.
• Some of the world’s atrocities and conflicts were caused by religion such as the self-immola-
tion of a Buddhist monk in Vietnam; the practice of sati or widow burning in India; the Inqui-
sition of the Catholic Church; and the Godhra train incident in India.

Critical Thinking
1. Can you think of other cases of religious conflicts aside from the ones mentioned?
2. Do you agree that sometimes religious conflicts are being used for political reasons? Why
or why not?
3. In your own opinion, can religious conflicts be avoided? If yes, how?
4. Do you think religious groups should have a say in political affairs? Why or why not?

Assessment
A. Identification. Choose from the list below. Write the correct answer on the blank.
a. Babri Masjid f. Indianization
b. Trepanning g. Sati
c. Devaraja h. Strappado
d. Mount Meru i. Babaylan or catalonan
e. Self-immolation j. Ayodhya

1. Hindu concept of god-king

2. The process of spreading Hindu-Buddhist influences from India to Southeast Asia
3. Place where the Hindu deities live according to Hindu cosmology
4. Spiritual leaders in ancient Philippine society who were mostly women
5. Name of the mosque destroyed by Hindu activists in India
6. Birthplace of Rama according to the Hindus
7. A form of torture used during the Inquisition
8. The Hindu practice of widow burning
9. The killing of oneself as a sacrifice
10. The ancient practice of boring holes in the human skull

B. Which effect of religion is referred to in the following sentences? Write the letter of the
correct answer.
Choices:
a. Religion promotes discrimination.
b. Religion promotes social solidarity.
c. Religion affirms hierarchy.

Positive and Negative Effects of Religion 43

 CHAPTER TWO

ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS

F
rom the frontiers of West Asia developed the Abrahamic religions
of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, known as the first monotheistic
religions of the world. They are called Abrahamic religions because they
all trace their origins to the great patriarch Abraham and his descendants.
Followers of these religions, namely the Jews, Christians, and Muslims all
believe that Abraham and his family played a significant role in the begin-
nings of their respective faiths. Since these religions came from the same
region, it is not surprising that they share common beliefs, foremost of which
is the belief that they share common roots to the patriarch Abraham. Aside
from this, they also share certain similarities such as belief in one god. They
also believe in heaven and hell; in prophets as instruments of god in propa-
gating his words to the people; in angels as messengers of god to humanity;
and in judgment day, among others. Today, Christianity is considered as
the most popular religion in the world based on the number of adherents,
followed by Islam. Indeed, these Abrahamic religions have largely influenced
the world today.

46 Abrahamic Religions
LESSON FOUR

Judaism

J udaism is an ancient monotheistic religion that traces its origin as an

organized belief system during the Bronze Age in West Asia. The religion
of the Jewish people, Judaism is one of three Abrahamic religions that
also include Christianity and Islam. It is the religion professed by the Jews
ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDING
1. Judaism is one of the oldest
monotheistic religions in the
world that originated in West
Asia.
known as the “people of the Book” in reference to their sacred text written 2. The Jewish people consider
themselves as the chosen
covering nearly a thousand years and formalized as a canon of teaching by people of God as they must
the end of the first century C.E. The picture below is the Torah which is the provide an example to the
most important text of the Jewish people. It contains the “Five Books of world of their moral behavior.

Moses” and many sacred laws. The Jews consider themselves as the people ESSENTIAL QUESTION
chosen by God to serve as an exemplar of devotion and purity to humankind. 1. What is the role of Abraham
It is quite difficult to study key events in the historical foundation of in the foundation of the
Jewish beliefs?
Judaism without discussing the history of the Jewish people from the time 2. Why are the Jewish people
of the Hebrews’ mass departure from Egypt or the Exodus. During the 20th considered as the “people of
the Book”?
century, the growth in their population has remained sluggish for quite a long
time as it grew to only 25% after the catastrophic event called Holocaust.
According to a 2014 report, there were around 14 million Jewish people
representing 0.2% of the entire world population. The largest concentration
of Jews can be found in Israel, North America (United States and Canada),
and Central Europe. Other countries with sizable Jewish population include
France, United Kingdom, Russia, Argentina, Germany, and Australia.

Torah which in the hif'il conjugation

means "to guide/teach,” is the
central reference of the religious
Judaic tradition.

Judaism 47
 MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
Challenge yourself by arranging the jumbled letter words.

1. ENGSIES 6. WEJSHI
2. BHRAAMA 7. SOMES
3. CNANAA 8. ISIAN
4. T A N E P U ET C H 9. BW E R E H S
5. COBAJ 10. UDISAMJ

CONCEPT MAP

JUDAISM

Worships
Sacred Beliefs and
and Subdivisions
Scriptures Doctrines
Observances

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
It is quite difficult to separate the history of Judaism from the history of the
Jews themselves (Parrinder 1971). The ancestors of the Jews were groups
of Semites called Hebrews whose origin can be traced in the desert lands of
Arabia (Brown 1975). The origin of the Jewish people and the beginning
of Judaism are recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the
Pentateuch. As a religion and culture, Judaism has three notable founding
figures or patriarchs, namely, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These biblical
patriarchs are the physical and spiritual forebears of the Jewish people and
their narratives can be found in Genesis 12-50 of their scripture.
Judaism is anchored upon God’s revelation to Abraham that He is the
creator and ruler of the universe, and that He loves His creatures and demands
righteousness from them (Losch 2001). God chose Abraham and his family
from all the people living on earth as recorded in Genesis 12. After a series
of tragic events involving humankind, God entered into a covenant with
Abraham promising him that he would become the father of a great nation
and would possess vast tracts of land. Abraham, in return, must remain

48 Abrahamic Religions
devoted to the covenant. He would become the embodiment of uprightness
and holiness to the world. Later on, he was succeeded by his son Isaac, his
grandson Jacob, and Jacob’s twelve sons (Hopfe 1983).
These patriarchs are depicted as nomads in biblical stories. According to
tradition, Abraham’s original name was “Abram” who was born in the city of
Ur of the Chaldeas around 1800 B.C.E. Questioning the folly of idol worship,
Abram left his home and family to heed the call of God en route to Canaan
situated on the western side of the Fertile Crescent. The Jewish people believe
that they descended from a tribe in Canaan located in the eastern Mediterra-
nean presently occupied by Israel, Jordan, and Syria (Bowker 1997).
A covenant has been established between God and Abram, and Abram
must prove his worth to this agreement by way of tests of faith throughout
his lifetime. While Abram and his wife Sarai were initially childless, Abram
bore a son to Sarai’s Egyptian handmaid Hagar. He was named Ishmael
who is considered as the ancestor of the Arabs. However, Ishmael was not
the heir to God’s promise. God changed Sarai’s name to “Sarah,” meaning
“princess” or “noblewoman.” Later in life, the old Abram and Sarah had a
son named Isaac, the heir to God’s covenant and the ancestor of the Jewish
people. Abram’s name was changed to “Abraham” or the “the father of many
nations.” Abraham’s story is narrated in Genesis 11-25 of the Hebrew Bible.
The most difficult trial given to Abraham came when God commanded
that he sacrifice his own son Isaac at an altar in Mount Moriah. Abraham
obeyed by building a fire and tying up Isaac. With Abraham’s obedience
being put to the test, an angel stopped him and he was eventually reunited
with his son. A ram was instead sacrificed in place of Isaac.
Later on, Isaac married Rebecca who bore him twin sons, Jacob and
Esau. Always in constant strife, the younger Jacob bought Esau’s birthright
and tricked his father Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing as the eldest son
(Bowker 1997). Jacob fled to his uncle’s house to escape Esau’s fury. Later
on, Jacob returned home and reconciled with Esau. A close encounter with
an angel merited him a change of name from Jacob to “Israel” which means
“the one who wrestled with God.” The Jewish people are referred to as the
“children of Israel.” Among four different women, Jacob fathered twelve sons
and one daughter. The twelve sons who became the ancestors of the tribes
in Israel were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad,
Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin. After being sold to slavery by his
jealous brothers, Joseph was brought to Egypt where his ability to see and
interpret visions earned him a place in the court as a vizier, a position next
only to the pharaoh. As famine struck Canaan, Jacob and his family were
forced to settle in Egypt.
While the book of Genesis ends with a great nation emerging from GUIDE QUESTION
What important roles were played
Abraham’s descendants, the book of Exodus begins with them crying out for
by the patriarchs in laying the
deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Hopfe 1983). They were not in Canaan foundation for the establishment
as initially promised but were under enslavement in Egypt. As centuries for Judaism?

passed and the descendants of Israel grew in number, the alarmed pharaoh
decreed that all male children be put to death by throwing them to the river.

Judaism 49
 A woman from Levi’s tribe, Jochebed, secretly placed her youngest child in
a woven basket and sent him down the Nile River. The pharaoh’s daughter,
Bithia, found the child, rescued him, and reared him as her own. Jochebed
volunteered to nurse the child, now named Moses, who was raised within the
Egyptian royal family.
At the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian in defense of a slave and
fled to the Sinai desert where he spent the next forty years as a shepherd
(Hopfe 1983). On Mount Horeb, Abraham’s God revealed himself to Moses
as he spoke through a burning bush that was not consumed. Revealing God’s
name as “Yahweh,” he commanded Moses to return to Egypt and demand
the release of Israelites from slavery. After his initial refusal, the Egyptian
pharaoh conceded after the ten miraculous and horrific plagues were inflicted
by God upon Egypt and its people, most especially the plague on the first-
born. While the firstborn sons of every Egyptian household would die, sons
of Israelites would be saved if they marked their door posts with the blood
of lamb killed in sacrifice. In that fated night, the lamb must be cooked and
eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. This is known as the Passover,
an important Jewish festival.
TRIVIA The Israelites were banished from Egypt with Moses leading them across
Did you know that the “Ark of the Red Sea (Yam Suph or “Sea of Reeds” in some accounts). When the
the Covenant” is a sacred relic of
Judaism said to have originated pharaoh changed his mind and began to pursue the fleeing Israelites, Moses
from the time of the Exodus? It parted the Red Sea that allowed them to cross the water and reach the dry
is a coffin-like, ornate, gilded case
that may have been the portable lands of Sinai. Meanwhile, the pursuing Egyptian chariots were drowned
throne of Yahweh during the after the waters receded. This event called Exodus became part of Jewish
time of Moses. It also housed history that manifested Yahweh’s intervention to deliver his chosen people
the stone tablets of the “Ten
Commandments.” Learn more (Hopfe 1983).
about the ark by visiting http:// Another significant event in Jewish history was the giving of the Ten
science.nationalgeographic.com/
science/archaeology/ark-covenant/ Commandments at Mount Sinai. These supreme laws, which are basic to the
and share your insights about its Jewish people, were communicated to the Israelites through Moses during
provenance and historicity. their time in the wilderness. Moses eventually united the different tribes
into one group and consecrated to the worship of the one living god (Brown
1975). Forty years after the Exodus, Moses died in the desert within reach of
the “Promised Land.”

SOCIO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS OF JUDAISM

The Old Testament gives us ideas on socio-political dynamics of Judaism.
Understanding the Jewish concepts on politics and society would help us
understand the historical development of Judaism as one of the world’s
religions and see its relevance in contemporary times.
The Jewish concept of leadership based on the Old Testament directs us
to certain types of leadership, one of which is kingship as the ideal form of
government. This can be deduced from the chronicles of the Kings of Israel
and Judah, as well as in the Book of Deuteronomy, which stated, “Let me put
a king over me like all the nations that are around me”(Deut. 17: 14-15). In
relation to the idea of kingship, the concept of “covenant” between the ruler
and the ruled is equally important as well in Judaism. Just as God the Father

50 Abrahamic Religions
entered into a covenant with His people (such as the covenant between God
and Abraham), the same should also be true for the King and his subjects.
Thus, socio-political dynamics can also be described as following the model
of tribal federation in which various tribes and institutions shared political
power. Although they practice communal living, there were certain people
who hold important positions in society with regard to their roles in Judaism,
such as the rabbi who functions as a teacher and interpreter of the Jewish
law and customs. Thus, it can be deduced that for the Jews, politics, society,
culture and religion are all interconnected, thus Judaism is not only consid-
ered as a religion but as a way of life as well.

MOVIE REVIEW
Watch one of these films: Exodus: Gods and Kings, Ten Commandments, Prince of Egypt, and
Moses. Write a movie review based on your knowledge about the story of Moses. Was the film
biblically accurate? Discuss the movie and share your insights.

SACRED SCRIPTURES
The Jewish people have been called the “people of the Book” in reference to
the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh or Mikra) that has been the authority, guide, and
inspiration of the many forms of Judaism that have evolved throughout the
different periods of time and in various places (Parrinder 1971). Composed
over a period of almost a thousand years, collections within the Bible became
established in its full canonical form by the end of the first century C.E.
(Parrinder 1971).
According to the Jewish tradition, the Hebrew Bible is divided into
three principal sections, namely the Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim. The
foundational text Torah (“Teaching”) is composed of the first “Five Books”
or the Pentateuch traditionally believed to have been authored by Moses
through divine instruction in Sinai. These include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Apart from containing basic laws for Jewish
self-understanding, the Pentateuch also narrates the history, religious statues,
and moral regulations for individuals and society, ceremonial rites and
creation stories by Yahweh, and the origin and growth of mankind (Braswell
1994). Meanwhile, the Nevi’im (“Prophets”) is subdivided into Earlier
Prophets, Later Prophets, and twelve minor prophets. Prophets served as
spokespersons who criticize the hypocritical practices of Jewish rituals. They
were specifically chosen by God to preach his message to the people. Lastly,
the Ketuvim (“Writings”) form the third section of the Tanakh that contains
works on poetry, temple ritual, private prayer, philosophical explorations,
and other canonical works.
In the strictest sense, Torah refers to the “Five Books of Moses.” However,
it can also pertain to the entire Hebrew Bible known as the Old Testament
to non-Jews but Tanakh (or the “Written Torah”) to the Jews. Broadly
speaking, Torah could mean the whole body of Jewish laws and teachings.

Judaism 51
 Another sacred writing of Judaism is the Talmud (or the “Oral Torah”)
which means “study.” All studies and interpretations done by Jewish rabbis or
teachers of the Torah are contained in the Talmud. In short, the Talmud is an
authoritative collection of rabbinic interpretations of the sacred scriptures. It
contains materials of law and moral codes. Around the second century C.E.,
this oral law was compiled and written down as Mishnah or a restatement
of the law by a respected opinion. The next few centuries witnessed the
WEBLINK writing of an additional strand of commentaries in Jerusalem and Babylonia
Choose and read one story in about the Mishnah. Known as Gemara, it includes legends, folklores, and
the Talmud and report it in class.
Visit http://www.chabad.org/ sayings (Brasswell 1994). The Mishnah and Gemara comprise the Talmud
library/article_cdo/aid/293976/ that was completed in the 5th century C.E. Serving as the foundation
jewish/From-the-Midrash.htm. You
may also retell the story through for all Jewish laws codes, the whole Talmud contains 63 tractates that is
role-playing or making a often printed over 6,200 pages long. Apart from being a book of law, the
short video. Talmud is also a fountain of religious thought and inspiration similar to the
Pentateuch (Jurji 1946).
The Pentateuch is the single most important scripture for the Jewish people
that became the source of their inspiration and direction for centuries. It
became the foundation of other essential Jewish writings, such as the Talmud
and Mishnah. With all these codified laws and legal materials, Judaism has
become a religion of the law and the Jews as the chosen people have shown
obedience to God’s covenant throughout their long and tumultuous history
(Hopfe 1983).

BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES

In Judaism, actions are more significant than beliefs. However, while Judaism
has no dogma, there is definitely a place for belief within the religion since
it focuses on the worship of one god, the practice of good deeds, and the
love of learning (Brasswell 1994). For the Jews, there is one everlasting
god who created the universe in its entirety and remains the master of it
(Parrinder 1971).
Human beings were created by God who provided them the capacity to
decide what is right and wrong, and gave them the freedom and responsibility
for their own actions (Losch 2001). Humans have the ability to restrain
their evil intentions because of their propensities for both good and evil
(Parrinder 1971). For Jews, all human beings are created equal. While
God can communicate with humans through revelations, humans can also
commune to him by means of prayers and meditations.
With regard one’s Jewishness, a Jew is someone whose mother is a Jew,
although some sectors recognize the children of Jewish fathers as Jews, too.
While a Jew may not lose one’s technical status as a Jew by converting to
another religion, he or she loses the religiosity emanating from his or her
Jewish identity. A person may also convert to Judaism, but he or she has to
undergo numerous rituals.

52 Abrahamic Religions
ARTICLES OF FAITH
Perhaps the closest approach in having an acceptable creed in Judaism was
proposed by the eminent medieval Jewish philosopher Moshe ben Maimon
(also known as Rambam or Moses Maimonides) during the latter part of
twelfth century C.E as an appendix to his commentary on the Mishnah.
According to Moshe ben Maimon, the minimum requirements of Jewish belief
as listed in his thirteen principles of faith are as follows:

Jewish Principles of Faith

1. God exists.
2. God is one and unique.
3. God is incorporeal.
4. God is eternal.
5. Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other.
6. The words of the prophets are true.
7. Moses’ prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets.
8. The Written Torah and the Oral Torah were given to Moses.
9. There will be no other Torah.
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
11. God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. The dead will be resurrected.

Source: “What Do Jews Believe,” Judaism 101, http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm

These statements of belief were eventually constructed as credo with every

article beginning with “I believe” and then later versified, set to music, and
included in prayer books (Jurji 1946). Though controversial when first formu-
lated and evoked much criticism or even disregarded for many centuries,
these principles are generally accepted nowadays by the Jewish community.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are a set of absolute laws given by God to Moses
at the biblical Mount Sinai that shall govern the life of every Israelite. Most
scholars consider this period as the official beginning of Judaism as an
organized and structured belief system. These laws are twice mentioned in
the Hebrew Bible, particularly, in Exodus and in Deuteronomy.

The 10 Commandments in Exodus 20:2-17

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow
down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity

Judaism 53
 of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but
showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold
him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor
your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle,
nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the
earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed
the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the
LORD your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is
your neighbor’s.”
The 10 Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:6-21
“I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow
down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity
of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but
showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold
him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six
days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your
God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant,
nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger
who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well
as you. And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God
brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD
your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days
may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his
field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Source: “10 Commandments List,” Life Hope & Truth. https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-ten-commandments/10-commandments-list/

54 Abrahamic Religions
 Inscribed on two stone tablets, these commandments present God’s
complete and enduring standard for morality. These include instructions to
venerate only one god, to honor one’s parents, and to observe the Sabbath
as a holy day. Meanwhile, some proscribed acts that are pointed out in
the commandments include idolatry, infidelity, murder, theft, and deceit.
For more than three thousand years, the Ten Commandments have been
embraced by almost two thirds of the entire world population.
Apart from the Ten Commandments that form the theological basis of
other commandments, there are also 613 mitzvot or laws found within the
Torah (as identified by Rambam) that guide the Jewish people in their daily
living. Traditionally, there are 248 positive and 365 negative commandments
within the Torah (Parrinder 1971). These include laws about the family,
personal hygiene, diet, as well as duties and responsibilities to the community.

WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES

The Jewish community utilizes a lunar calendar with twelve months, each
beginning at the new moon of 29 or 30 days. Every festival and Sabbath
commences and terminates at dusk (or sunset) rather than midnight in
adherence to the biblical pattern. The Jewish calendar is followed in obser-
vance of festivities, holidays, and community and family celebrations (Brass-
well 1994). Jewish holidays are special days observed to commemorate key
events in Jewish history and other events that depict the special connections
with the world, such as creation, revelation, and redemption.

Sabbath
The most important day in the Jewish calendar is the Sabbath (or Shabbat)
which commemorates God’s completion of the creation of the universe and
his rest after the six-day toil (Parrinder 1971). This is the fourth law within
the Ten Commandments. It begins a few minutes before sunset on Friday and
runs until an hour after sunset on Saturday or almost 25 hours to be precise.
At Friday sundown, Sabbath candles are lighted and kiddush (“sanctifica-
tion”) is recited over wine or grape juice. Children are then blessed by their
parents. Jews must abstain from work and must study the Torah. Some work
prohibitions include lighting fires, using money, and writing. The Sabbath
ends through the symbolic ritual of havdalah (“division”) done by dousing
wine on candles and smelling sweet spices.

The Days of Awe

Tishri is the seventh month in the ecclesiastical year of the Jewish calendar.
The first ten days of Tishri are called the “Days of Awe” (Yamim Noraim)
wherein the first two days comprise the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and the
tenth day as the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Rosh Hashanah marks
the start of the ten-day period of penitence leading to the Yom Kippur and
is distinguished from other days by blowing a ram’s horn trumpet (shofar)
in the synagogue and eating apples dipped in honey which is symbolic for a
sweet new year. Using the shofar, a total of one hundred notes are sounded

Judaism 55
 each day. All Jews must undergo self-reflection and make amends for all
the sins they have committed. Rosh Hashanah is also a day of judgement
wherein God assesses one’s deeds and decides what lies ahead of him or her
in the following year. These deeds are recorded in the “Book of Life” and
sealed on Yom Kippur. Work is not permitted during the Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur is the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar that
brings the period of repentance to its conclusion. The eve of the day is called
Kol Nidrei (“all vows”) which are the opening words of a prayer. The words
and music of the Kol Nidrei are said to be the most powerful single item in
the Jewish liturgy. A day of fasting and praying for absolution of one’s sins,
it provides every Jew an opportunity for both personal and communal repen-
tance (Parrinder 1971). One must also refrain from eating and drinking, even
water. Additional restrictions include washing and bathing, using perfumes,
wearing leather shoes, and engaging in sexual relations. Symbolizing purity,
it is customary for the Jews to wear white during the holiday. An entire day
must be spent in the synagogue while reciting prayers. Another blowing of
the ram’s horn ends the final prayer service.

Pilgrimage Festivals
During the olden days, the Torah commanded the ancient Israelites to go to
GUIDE QUESTION Jerusalem on three pilgrimage festivals and participate in the worship at the
How do the basic tenets of Judaism Temple. Also called the Shalosh Regalim, these are Pesach (Passover), Shavuot
underpin the importance of actions
for the Jewish people? (Weeks or Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles). These festivals spiritualize
human life and merge nature and history in a divine pattern (Jurji 1946).
Pesach is an eight-day festival that originally marked the beginning of the
barley harvest (Parrinder 1971). Its principal purpose is to commemorate
and recreate the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. A festive meal (seder) is
celebrated wherein the story of Exodus is narrated by the heads of the family
to the children.
Shavuot is a two-day festival that was originally a celebration of the wheat
harvest. Presently, it is now being held to commemorate the revelation of the
Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.
Sukkot is a nine-day festival commemorating the autumn harvest and the
forty years of the Israelites’ stay in the desert wilderness subsisting solely
on the bounty of God. Temporary booths or structures (sukkah) are built in
homes with a roof through which one can see the stars in the sky. This is an
attempt to recreate Israelite life in the desert.

Other Important Days

There are many feasts and festivals celebrated by the Jewish people. The
family assumes the principal responsibility for worship, religious education,
and moral behavior (Braswell 1994). Rituals and ceremonies are done both
at home and in the synagogue.
Other important events in the Jewish calendar include the Hanukkah,
Purim, and the Independence Day of the State of Israel. Hanukkah (“Festival

56 Abrahamic Religions
of Lights” or “Feast of Dedication”) is a celebration to commemorate the
victory of Jewish fighters against the Seleucid Empire in 165 B.C.E. Purim
(“Feast of Esther”) celebrates the deliverance of the Jews during the Persian
Empire, specifically from the vizier Haman who wanted to annihilate all
Persian Jews as recorded in the Book of Esther.
A brief outline of important dates and holy days in the Jewish calendar is
presented below with their approximation in the Gregorian calendar.

Jewish Months and Festivals

Nisan (March or April)
14 – Passover Eve
15-21 Passover
Iyyar (April or May)
5 – Israel’s Independence Day
Sivan (May or June)
6, 7 – Shavuot
Tishri (September or October)
1 – Rosh Hashanah
10 – Yom Kippur
15 – Sukkot
21 – Hashanah Rabbah
22 – Shemini Atzeret
23 – Simchat Torah
Kislev (November or December)
25 – Hanukkah begins up to the second of Tebet (December or January)
Adar (February or March)
14 – Purim

Source: George W. Braswell, Jr., Understanding World Religions, p. 89.

Halakha
Because Judaism is also a comprehensive way of life, Jewish people follow a WEBLINK
Quickly scan the 613 mitzvot at
set of rules and practices that govern their everyday living. Collectively called
http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm
halakha which translates as “the path that one walks,” these are Jewish and have a debate in class between
religious laws derived from the “Written Torah” and “Oral Torah” including the pros and cons of having a large
number of religious laws.
the 613 mitzvot. Jewish laws contain directions on how to revere God and
treat other people and animals. Halakha instructs Jews what to do as they
wake up in the morning, what foods to eat, what clothes to wear, who to
marry, and how to observe Sabbath and holy days. When properly observed,
halakha increases one’s spirituality as even mundane acts become essential to
his or her existence.

Synagogues
Synagogues are Jewish temples of worship, instruction, and community
fellowship that contain separate rooms designed for specific activities, such as

Judaism 57
 praying and studying. In Orthodox Judaism, men and women sit separately
at the synagogues; in Reform Judaism, they sit altogether in temples.
Similar to a Christian church, synagogues have seats facing an elevated
platform with one or two lecterns or chair. The central feature at the platform
(bimah or tebah) and the holiest spot inside a synagogue is the ark where
the Torah scrolls are kept. Reminiscent of the original Ark of the Covenant,
an ark inside a temple is normally placed in a manner that when people face
the ark, they are facing in the direction of Jerusalem. An ornate curtain
(parochet) veils the ark while a lamp or lantern (ner tamid) burns before
it symbolizing the constantly lit six-branched lampstand (menorah) in the
Temple of Jerusalem (Braswell 1994).
While a Jewish layman may lead a prayer service during Sabbath if there
are 10 adult males present (minyan), the religious leader is oftentimes a
trained rabbi. He delivers sermon and interprets the Torah. The rabbi serves
as a pastor, administrator, and counselor.

The Temple
Around 1003 B.C.E., David conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital.
Bringing with him the “Ark of the Covenant,” David intended to build a
temple to become the first and fixed place of worship for the Jews. However,
God told David that it would be one of his sons who will have the privilege
of accomplishing this task.
The Hebrew Bible acknowledged Solomon, David’s son, as the builder of
the First Temple in Jerusalem around 1000 B.C.E. which was also known
as Solomon’s Temple. Within the temple, the most important room was the
“Holy of Holies” where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The ark contained
the tablets of the Ten Commandments and the Pentateuch. The First Temple
became the focus of Jewish worship for four hundred years until Nebuchadne-
zzar II and the Babylonians completely destroyed the structure in 587 B.C.E
during the siege of Jerusalem. Allegedly located in Temple Mount or Mount
Zion, the remains of the First Temple have never been found and the “Ark of
the Covenant” has continually been shrouded in mystery.
TRIVIA In 353 B.C.E., the Jews began to rebuild their temple under the Persian
Did you know that based on Jewish king Darius who ratified their effort. The Second Temple was completed in 349
dietary law (kashrut), ox and sheep
are ritually clean animals while B.C.E. and was substantially altered under Herod around 20 B.C.E. (Douglas
camel and pig are ritually impure? 2007). This Second Temple lasted for about 420 years until the Romans razed
Foods that conform to the kashrut
are called kosher (“fit”) while those Jerusalem in 70 C.E. All but a portion in the western section was completely
that do not are called treif (“torn”). destroyed. Presently, this is the famous “Western Wall” (“Wailing Wall” or
To see the entire list of 613 Kotel) that has been a popular site of prayer and pilgrimage for the Jews
mitzvot, you may visit http://www.
jewfaq.org/613.htm and share your throughout many centuries.
discoveries in class. For Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, a Third Temple will be estab-
lished before the coming of the messiah. Prophesized in the Book of Ezekiel,
it will be known as “Ezekiel’s Temple” that will become a lasting structure
and serve as permanent abode of the God of Israel. The concept of messiah
or mashiach (“anointed one”) in Judaism pertains to a great political human

58 Abrahamic Religions
leader descended from David who shall accomplish prearranged things in the
coming future, such as bringing of Jews to Israel, rebuilding a new temple in
Jerusalem, and establishing Jewish law as the law of the land (Jurji 1946).

SUBDIVISIONS
Being one of the oldest religions in the world, Judaism has undergone various
changes in response to changing times and cultures brought about by key
historical events or philosophical upheavals. While there are certain beliefs
shared by most adherents, differences and diversity in faith also abound
among Jewish denominations and sects. Within Judaism are three present-
day movements that emerged in response to the modern and secular culture
of Europe and America. These are Reform, Orthodox, and Conservative
Judaism. Two other smaller sects, namely Hasidism and Kabbalah, are
mystical approaches to the Jewish religion that emphasize spiritual experi-
ences over rational knowledge.
Orthodox Judaism is the most traditional of modern Judaism that adheres
to the authority of the entire Torah as given to Moses by God at Mount
Sinai. The Torah is the sole authority that must be strictly followed until the
present time. As it considers itself the sole and genuine heir to the Jewish
tradition, it rejects all other Jewish movements as undesirable deviations
from the original Jewish religion.
Reform Judaism (Liberal or Progressive Judaism) is considered the most
liberal expression of Judaism that subjects religious laws and customs to
human judgment. To a certain extent, it developed due to internal changes
in Judaism as well as other factors operating within society. Members of
this denomination sought to adhere to the original teachings of Judaism
while allowing some changes in their traditions. For example, services were
permitted to be conducted in mixed Hebrew and English, no longer conducted
solely in the Hebrew language. Moreover, women were also accorded equality
in terms of sitting together with men in synagogues and allowing them to
become rabbis unlike in other denominations.
Largely developed in the 20th century, Conservative Judaism seeks to
conserve the traditional elements of Judaism while at the same time allowing
for modernization that is less radical than Reform Judaism. The application
of new historical methods of study in the light of contemporary knowledge
but within the limits of Jewish law may be applied to safeguard Jewish tradi-
tions. Gradual change in law and practice is allowed only if such occurrence
is in harmony with Jewish traditions. Because Conservative Judaism falls
halfway between the two other major Jewish denominations, it is sometimes
described as traditional Judaism without fundamentalism.
Hasidism or Hasidic Judaism emerged in Germany during the twelfth
century. It was largely a spiritual movement that gives prime importance to
asceticism and experience as a result of love and humility before God. During
the eighteenth century, a modern Hasidic movement was started in Poland by
Baal Shem Toy (“Master of the Good Name”) as a reaction to the excessive
legalistic nature of Judaism during that time.

Judaism 59
 Lastly, Kabbalah is another mystical form of Judaism that attempts to
penetrate deeper into God’s essence itself. While Kabbalists believe that
God moves in mysterious ways, they also hold that genuine knowledge and
understanding of that inner process is achievable. In the end, the most fulfilling
relationship with God can be accomplished. One important commentary on the
Torah that underpinned Kabbalah is the Zohar (“Splendor” or “Radiance”)
that first appeared in Spain in the thirteenth century.

ACTIVITY
Interview 10 people from your school and ask them several questions below regarding Judaism.
What common misconceptions did you find out? Complete the table and present your
findings in class.

What are some of the What are some of the

Do you personally know
NAME things you associate with things you associate with
anyone who is a Jew?
Judaism? the Jews?
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

60 Abrahamic Religions
 7.

8.

9.

10.

SELECTED ISSUES

Women in Judaism
Women’s role in the Jewish religion is determined by the Tanakh, the “Oral
Torah,” and Jewish customs. Mishnah instructs that women must follow
nearly all the negative commandments except trimming the beard and
viewing a dead body. Women must also follow all positive commandments
not structured by time but are exempted from those that are restricted by
time. The reason here is quite simple, that is, to release women from laws that
they find difficult or impossible to perform given their traditional domestic
roles, such as giving birth, taking care of the family, and accomplishing
household chores. In addition, women have the right to be consulted on
matters concerning marriage. Judaism offers tremendous respect to roles
given to women as wives and mothers. Even Jewishness or the question of
Jewish self-identification is passed down through the mother.
For Orthodox Judaism, there exist different roles for men and women in
their religious lives. For example, it is sufficient for any woman to understand
the practical nature of the Torah, but she is traditionally excused from
furthering her education beyond that knowledge. In addition, she is dissuaded
from studying the Talmud and other complex Jewish writings up until the
twentieth century. However, provision for education for Jewish women has
progressed rapidly in the past century. One interesting phenomenon in
Judaism is the concept of agunot or married women who wish to divorce
their husbands but whose husbands decline to do so. In Orthodox Judaism,
only the husbands are given this privilege.

Judaism 61
 Meanwhile, Conservative Judaism has acted upon several areas that
enable women to actively participate in Jewish rituals thereby minimizing
legal disparity between men and women. For example, women can now read
the Torah in public and be counted as part of a minyan.
Lastly, Reform Judaism affirms that men and women should be equal in
terms of performing their duties within the Jewish community. Prayer books
have been revised in order to avoid words and pronouns that appear male
in character. Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs must be placed side by side
whenever they are mentioned in prayer books. While men and women gener-
ally sit separately in most synagogues, Reform Judaism has allowed women
to sit together with men.
It is also worth mentioning that in Judaism, God is neither male nor
female. The Talmud likewise mentions both positive and negative remarks
about women. The presence of women in the Hebrew Bible is also noticeable.
For example, Miriam, the elder sister of Moses and Aaron, is considered one
of the liberators of the children of Israel. In addition, Deborah, being one of
the judges, is the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. Finally, seven
out of the 55 prophets of the Bible were women, namely, Sarah, Miriam,
Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Numerous feminist leaders
of the twentieth century are also Jewish, including the two American activ-
ists Gloria Marie Steinem and Betty Friedan. Respect to women has always
been part of the Jewish culture.

Jewish Diaspora and Zionist Movement

In the 16th and 17th centuries, there had been calls to persuade the Jews
to return to Palestine. During the late 18th century, the Haskalah (“Jewish
Enlightenment”) movement promoted Jewish assimilation to Western secular
culture (Parrinder 1971). In the early 19th century, the idea of Jewish
returning to Palestine was kept alive by Christian millenarians or believers
of divine intervention that will ultimately bring a new world order. However,
these movements failed in their objectives. In 1881, a state-supported mob
attack or pogrom against the Jews occurred in Ukraine. While a pogrom was
aimed to persecute religious, racial or national minorities, this violent riot
became frequently directed at Jews. From 1881 to 1884, over 200 pogroms
occurred in the Russian Empire. As a result, Russian Jews emigrated to the
US and Western Europe (Perry 1988).
At the end of the nineteenth century, the Hungarian journalist and polit-
ical activist Theodor Herzl founded the Zionist movement that advocated
the return of Jews to Eretz Yisrael or “Land of Israel.” The term zion, also
a Jewish synonym for Jerusalem, came from the name of a mountain where
Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem was located. Originally secular in nature,
supporters of this movement are called Zionists.
The Zionists believed that Jews as the chosen people of God will be reunited
from dispersion or exile back to their rightful homeland. The dispersion of
Jewish communities outside Israel that have continually occurred since ancient

62 Abrahamic Religions
history is called diaspora. Leon Pinsker, another Zionist pioneer and activist,
published his work Auto-Emancipation in 1882 that urged the Jewish people
to strive for independence and appealed for the establishment of a Jewish
colony in Palestine.
Eventually, Zionist activities in the US became influential in garnering
American congressional and presidential support that led to the creation
of the state of Israel in 1948. Since that time of establishment, the Zionist
movement has come to promote the development and protection of Israel.

Holocaust
The term Holocaust is of Greek origin that means “sacrifice by fire.” In
history, Holocaust pertains to the methodical, bureaucratic, and state-
sponsored persecution and execution of around six million Jews undertaken
by the Nazi regime and its collaborators from 1933 to 1945. For the Hitler-led
Nazis, the Germans were racially superior and considered themselves as the
master race as compared to the Jews who were seen as inferior people. Hitler’s
police chief, Heinrich Himmler, also believed in Aryan superiority leading to
the enslavement and extermination of “non-Aryans” and the inferior race
(Perry 1988). He was one of the German officials directly responsible for the
holocaust.
Another high-ranking German official, Reinhard Heydrich, became the
chief planner of the Nazis to wipe out the Jews in Europe (Perry 1988). Other
groups that were considered inferior were the Romani (or gypsies), some
Slavic peoples (such as the Poles and Russians), and even the physically and
mentally handicapped. Nonetheless, the Jews were perceived as the major
threat to the German racial community that had to be exterminated en
masse especially since there were over nine million Jews in Europe by 1933.

Hungarian Jews being selected

by Nazis to be sent to the
gas chamber at Auschwitz
concentration camp.

Judaism 63
 From 1941 up until 1945, Heydrich’s plan called the “Final Solution to the
Jewish Problem” was implemented by the Nazis with the main objective of
annihilating European Jews through genocide or murder of an entire group
of people (Parrinder 1971). It came to be known as holocaust. Jews were
arrested, brought to death camps, became victims of mass shootings, and
placed in gas chambers, while others were beaten, starved, and tortured to
death. Still others became subjects of ruthless medical experiments (Perry
1988). Apart from the six million Jews who lost their lives, around 200,000
Romani and 200,000 disabled patients became victims of Nazi policies. The
Nazis also targeted Jewish children for extermination to create a biologically
pure Aryan society. The killing of Jewish children aimed to prevent the
emergence of a new generation of European Jews. As a result, about one and
a half million children were murdered all across Europe.

Anti-Semitism
GUIDE QUESTIONS The term anti-Semitism pertains to hostility towards and discrimination
How do various Jewish against the Jewish people that was strongly felt in France, Germany, Poland,
denominations adapt to
changing times? and Russia in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The term was
popularized in Germany around 1870s. The most common manifestations
of anti-Semitism were the many violent riots or pogroms undertaken against
the Jews. The planned extermination of the entire Jewish race during the
time of the holocaust was the most extreme form of anti-Semitism. Other
forms of anti-Semitic activities include the persecution and massacre of Jews
throughout history.
Political parties that were anti-Semitic in character were founded in
Germany, France, and Austria. Quite notable was the Nazi Party formed in
1919 that provided political articulation to theories of racism and achieved
popularity through dissemination of anti-Jewish propaganda. Adolf Hitler’s
Mein Kampf (My Struggle) called for the removal of Jews from Germany.
These deplorable activities continued with the Nazi’s rise to power as the
party that called for economic boycotts against the Jews, burned Jewish
books and enacted laws that were anti-Jew. On the night of November 9,
1938, coordinated deadly attacks were carried out by the Nazis that destroyed
synagogues and shop windows of Jewish-owned stores throughout Germany
and Austria. More than a thousand synagogues were burned and over seven
thousand Jewish businesses were destroyed or damaged. The event was known
as Kristallnacht or “Night of Broken Glass,” referring to the shards of broken
glass that littered the streets.

64 Abrahamic Religions
Summary
• The origin of the Jewish people and the beginning of Judaism are recorded in the first five
books of the Hebrew Bible, the Pentateuch.
• Judaism has three notable founding figures or patriarchs, namely, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
These biblical patriarchs are the physical and spiritual forebears of the Jewish people.
• Judaism is anchored upon God’s revelation to Abraham that he is the creator and ruler of
the universe, and that he loves his creatures and demands righteousness from them.
• The Jewish people have been called the “people of the Book” in reference to the Hebrew
Bible (Tanakh or Mikra) that is divided into three principal sections, namely the Torah,
Nevi’im, and Ketuvim.
• Jewish beliefs and doctrines are manifested in the Articles of Faith, in the Ten Commandments,
and in the 613 mitzvot or laws.
• Jewish holidays are special days observed to commemorate key events in Jewish history and
other events that depict the special connections with the world, such as creation, revelation,
and redemption. These include Sabbath, Days of Awe, and pilgrimage festivals.
• Synagogues are Jewish temples of worship, instruction, and community fellowship.
• At present, the three major denominations of Judaism are Reform, Orthodox, and
Conservative Judaism.

Critical Thinking
1. How does Judaism embody the importance of actions over beliefs?
2. How is Jewish history reflected in the observances and holidays of Judaism?
3. How do the various denominations of Judaism differ from one another?
4. What is the greatest lesson that you learned from the Holocaust? How can we prevent
such acts of brutality in world history?

Assessment
A. Write the letter of the correct answer on the blanks provided.

1. The rabbinic interpretation of the a. Anti-Semitism

sacred scriptures
2. Philosopher who formulated the “13 Principles b. Heinrich Himmler
of Faith”
3 Eve of the Day of Atonement c. Sukkot
4. Form of discrimination against Jewish people d. Rambam
5. The police chief of Adolf Hitler during e. Torah
the Holocaust
6. The most important scripture of f. Pentateuch
Jewish people

Judaism 65