Judaism notes for RELG 402 - World's Living Religions - Dr. Rollinson's courses and resources

The Name and Nature of God
Religious Jews take the Ten Commandments very seriously, and do not pronounce or write the name of God in case they should do so irreverenlty and break the Commandment "Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exodus 20:7)
So, in written texts one often sees G-d instead of "God", or the Hebrew "Adonai" (Lord), or "Ha Shem" (The Name).
The Hebrew Name of God is unpronounceable, and consists of four letters (corresponding to the English letters YHVH) called the Tetragrammaton and related to the verb "to be".

Jews believe that there is only one God. It is very difficult to describe God, because everyday language is always about ordinary things but God is not ordinary. God is 'holy' meaning special, separate and different.
Judaism teaches that

Good and Evil
Judaism teaches that God is good and will always protect and care for people. The goodness of God is shown by the creation of the world, by the giving of the Ten Commandments and on the occasions when God saved the Israelites from their enemies or from disasters.
The story of humanity's battle with good and evil is told in the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent tempted Eve to go against God's wishes.
God created everything, so God must also have created evil. If God is omnipotent, then evil will be under God's control. If God is all-loving then it is reasonable to believe that God created evil for a purpose. When God created human-beings he gave them free will so that they could choose whether to obey him or not. If free will is to mean anything, then humans have to live in a world which allows them to make moral choices between good and evil. This is why God created evil.
People will be punished for the sins they commit, but not for the sins of other people. This was made clear in the writings of the Prophet Ezekiel. Jews should apologize to God and to other people for their behaviour. Every year they do so in preparation for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Jews suffered attacks from the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Greeks and the Romans. Throughout the 19th century Jews living in Russia were often the victims of pogroms (persecutions). Throughout history Jews have experienced anti-semitism.
It is important to struggle against evil. This is done by obeying God completely. Even when persecution is at its worst - as it was during the Shoah (Holocaust) in Hitler's Germany in the 20th century, when millions of Jews were killed - Jews should remain obedient to God. Some Jews say that 'God died in Auschwitz' or that 'God was not in Auschwitz' but for others the tragedy of the Shoah has strengthened their faith and they believe that 'God was in Auschwitz' still caring for his people. Jews have been persecuted throughout history and have always tried to hold fast to their belief in God.

The Tanakh, the Torah, and the Shema
The Jewish scriptures are written in Hebrew, and the canon was closed soon after the rise of Christianity. The Jewish scriptures are called the Tanakh - short for Torah-Naviim-Khetuvim (the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings), corresponding to the Christian Old Testament.
The Torah comprises the first five Books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, Deuteronomy), also known as the Five Books of Moses because tradition holds that they were written by Moses. They trace the history of humanity from Creation to the time when the Israelites entered the Promised Land, and contain God's Laws for how the Israelites were to live in that Land. The Ten Commandments are found at Exodus 20:1-17.

The Shema - the central statement of Jewish belief, which is also used as a prayer, is found at Deuteronomy 6:4, and a fuller variation at Deuteronomy 6:4-9

The scriptures record how God entered into Covenants with His people. A Covenant is like a treaty, but in the case of God one of the parties to the treaty is infinitely greater than the other, and God initiates the covenant. Examples of such covenants are God's relationships with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses (on behalf o the Israelites), and David. God told the people how He expected them to live, and promised to bless them. Time and again the human side of the covenant was broken, but God continued to love and provide for the people and so the covenant relationship continues.

Death and the Afterlife
Jews do not have any clear teaching about the relationship between the body and soul. It is not considered to be important. Judaism teaches that God breathed the soul into Adam's body. Some of the rabbis teach that the soul leaves the body while a person is asleep and visits heaven for refreshment.
At the time that the Jewish scriptures were written, the people believed that when people died they went to a place called Sheol, described as a dark shadowy place where people stayed for eternity. Many Jews believed that Adam and Eve would have lived forever in the Garden of Eden but, because they disobeyed God, they became mortal.
Probably the first mention of the idea of a life after death comes in the book of Daniel: " Many of those who sleep in the dusty earth will awaken: these for everlasting life and these for shame, for everlasting abhorrence." (Daniel 12:2)
Teachings about heaven and hell developed later. One view is that good people will enter Gan Eden (paradise) and wicked people will go to Gehenna (or Gehinnom) after the last judgment. Gehenna is different from Sheol. Sheol is a place of waiting while Gehenna is hell.
Judgement will take place after the coming of the Mashiach (Messiah). Although many Jews believe that they will be punished or rewarded after death for the way in which they have lived their lives, there is no clear teaching about heaven.
Jews believe that the importance of life is the way in which it is lived on earth. Whatever happens after death is in God's hands and should be left to God to arrange.

As they are dying, Jews try to say the Shema (the prayer and declaration of faith) showing their belief in one God:

When someone dies Jews say Kaddish - a prayer of praise to God
Burial must take place as soon as possible - within 24 hours. The body is washed and dressed in a simple white shroud. Men are wrapped in their tallit (prayer shawl). The fringes are cut off the tallit to show that he is now free of the religious laws. The body is put in a plain wooden coffin which is sealed. From the time of death until burial, the body is never left alone. The mourners make a tear in their garments - the act of keriah - to show their grief.
No flowers are given at a Jewish funeral and the service is short. Orthodox Jews do not usually allow cremation.
After the burial a blessing is said over the family: "May God comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."
The family return home to "Sit Shiva" (meaning 'seven') a seven-day period of mourning. For the next seven days a candle is kept burning and the mirrors in the house are covered. The mourners stay at home; they do not shave or cut their hair. Kaddish is said three times a day.
Shiva is broken only by the Sabbath or a Jewish festival. The thirty days after burial are called Sheloshim, when the mourners do not go out for pleasure and continue to mourn.
For the next eleven months Kaddish is said every day. From then on, the dead person is remembered each year on the anniversary of his death, by the lighting of a candle and by reciting Kaddish.
Just before the first anniversary of the death a tombstone is placed at the grave. When people visit a Jewish grave they place a small stone on the gravestone as a sign of respect and remembrance.

Dr. Rollinson

Station 19, ENMU
Portales, NM 88130

Last Updated : June 10, 2023

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