Monotheistic Religion Elements Matrix
Judaism
Countries of origin Israel
Historical figures and events:Abraham, said to be the first patriarch of the Israelites, at about 1700 to 1900 BCE. c.13th or 12th century Moses leads the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. c.1010–970 David, king of Judah and Israel. Jerusalem falls to the Romans. 1700-s, Jewish enlightenment in Europe. 1940-1945 The Holocaust. 1948 Israel declared an independent state. 1967, the six day war. 1990 onward: Israeli–Palestinian conflicts and peace initiatives. 2003 Security wall under construction by Israel.
Central beliefs:The central Jewish belief is monotheism. God is formless and ultimate holiness in opposition to the earthly local gods). But the central theme is that there is one Creator God, the “cause of all existent things. The love for God. The sacredness of human life. Suffering and faith
Nature of God:In traditional Judaism, God is often perceived as a loving Father who is nonetheless infinitely majestic, sometimes revealing divine power when the children need chastising.
Texts:Jewish teachings are known as Torah. In its narrowest sense, Torah refers to the Five
Books of Moses. Pentateuch, Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash,
Ritual and practice: A major Jewish spiritual practice has been daily scriptural study. Boys are ritually circumcised when they are eight days old, to honor the seal of God’s commandment to Abraham. Orthodox Jews consider women ritually unclean during their menstrual periods and for seven days afterwards, during which time they are not to have sexual intercourse with their husbands.Only ritually acceptable, or kosher,
meats, are those from warm blooded animals with cloven hoofs which chew their
cuds, such as cows, goats, and sheep. Traditionally, prayers are recited on waking and at bedtime. In addition, three prayer services are chanted daily in a synagogue by men if there is a minyanquorum of ten). It is...
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