Let's Talk Judaism

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   couturepopcafeposted 14 years ago

   We've heard so much from, for and against Christianity and Islam.  I'm curious to know if there is anyone out there who has some insight into the mysterious Judaism.  Jews tend to keep to themselves and I have never met a Jewish person who was not self-confident, intelligent, and down to earth.

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      Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      My husband is Jewish by birth. I am Jewish by conversion

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   2. 60

      qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Couture:
      it's just the 1st 5 books of the bible i.e. the pentateuch.
      Moses alledgedly wrote it...who knows?
      To me it's just another silly journey into the fiction of monotheism.
      Qwark        :-)

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         Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         _______________
         The first 5 books isn't all of the Hebrew scripture.The first 5 are the Torah only.
         We have the Prophets and writings. We have the Gospel of the Hebrews
         Revelations, etc
         
         It's called the Tanakh

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         1. 89

            livelongerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            The Gospel of the Hebrews, Revelations, etc are part of the Christian Bible only, not part of the Jewish canon of holy books.
            
            However, beyond the Torah (Pentateuch) there is the rest of the Tanakh (Nevi'im and Ketuvim), the enormous Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, and various Responsa.

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               Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               The Gospel of the Hebrews is a Jewish writings and is not in the Christian Bible.
               
               Revelations is a writing from Jewish Mysticism and is called the Torat ha Sod In the Hebrew tongue

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                  livelongerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Gospel of the Hebrews: I had to look it up - not part of the Christian Bible either, you're right. But it is a book of the Jewish Christians only, not among Jews who do not consider Jesus the Messiah.
                  
                  Revelations: I thought you meant the Christian New Testament book. I don't know about Torat ha Sod but all the online links are all from Jewish Christians, too.

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            qwarkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            ...yep! All a inane journey into the fiction of monotheism.
            Qwark

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      Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      _____________
      There are 3 branches of Judaism.
      Is there anything specific you'd like to know?

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2. 89

   livelongerposted 14 years ago

   I'm Jewish - a relatively recent convert (about a year ago).
   
   There's nothing mysterious about Judaism - the religion is completely open, anyone can attend a Jewish service, and there are plenty of resources available online - it's just that don't most non-Jews don't care to learn much about it.

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      Deborah Sextonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ____________
      I lived in Savyon (Savion) where did you live?

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   2. 82

      K9keystrokesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You are correct livelonger, it is more a way of life rather than anything else. Anyone can be Jewish, just not all are born Jewish (I was born to a Jewish Mother, therefore I am Jewish). I have heard it is tons of hard work and reading to convert, did you find this to be the case for you?

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      1. 89

         livelongerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I converted Reform, and it took about a year. It involved reading a book on Jewish history, taking classes in Judaism, and meeting with a rabbi regularly. I didn't have to learn Hebrew or really any of the liturgical processes.
         
         I've continued to take classes and read; I find the topic fascinating, personally.

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            K9keystrokesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Outstanding. Good for you. Never stop learning! Bot Shalom~

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3. 60

   Paul Wingertposted 14 years ago

   I'm not Jewish (I was brought up Christian and now I'm not religious at all), but I have known Jewish and Muslim people throughout my life and I never dedected any type of judgment or discrimination from any of them. I repect that and they keep to themselves, unlike the Christians I know including few of my relatives. Although Christianity and Islam were spawned from Judism, the Christians (not all but a few out there) are the worst out of the three when it comes to being predudice, passing judment on thers, and pressing their beliefs on others.

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   1. 89

      livelongerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I can't speak for the Muslims and their beliefs, but Jews do not believe that we have a monopoly on the truth, or that Judaism is the only path to righteousness. As long as you're a good person, you're fine with us (no matter what your beliefs or lack of beliefs are), and you don't have to be Jewish to be a good person.
      
      This extends to beliefs about the afterlife. Although there are various interpretations and feelings about it, Jews generally believe that everyone ends up in "olam haba" (the world to come).

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         paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         The Truth is with the Creator-God Allah YHWH; except Him nobody has monopoly on it.
         
         Truth has to be proved

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      IntimatEvolutionposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I couldn't agree more.

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   wavegirl22posted 14 years ago

   I think that this quote from Elie Wiesel sums it all up when he was asked what it meant to be a Jew  ..
   
   "I still believe that to be Jewish today means what it meant yesterday and a thousand years ago. It means for the Jew in me to seek fulfillment both as a Jew and as a human being. For a Jew, Judaism and humanity must go together. To be Jewish today is to recognize that every person is created in the image of God and that our purpose in living is to be a reminder of God."
   
   In Judaism there is the Torah which contains the 5 Books of Moses
   Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
   
   Tanakh is the body of scripture known to non-Jews as the Old Testament and to Jews as the Tanakh or Written Torah
   Torah (the Law)
   Nevi'im (the Prophets),
   Kethuvim (the Writings)
   
   The Chumash comes from the Hebrew word meaning five, and refers to the five books of the Torah. It is here that we find the Torah divided up by the weekly parshiyot, with the haftarah portion inserted after each week's parshah.
   
   In addition to the Torah which is the written law, we have the Talmud which is the oral law and explains what the scriptures mean and how to interpret them and apply the Laws.
   And then there is the Mishna which is the the name for the sixty-three tractates
   
   We also have mystical tradition, known as Kabbalah. The primary written work in the Kabbalistic tradition is the Zohar.

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   1. 89

      livelongerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I've learned a LOT about Jewish holidays via your Hubs, Shari.

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      1. 38

         wavegirl22posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         live -
         you know that always makes me smile  . and like you I am always learning

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