Judaism as a religion

Judaism as a religion arose "before the beginning of the ages," and it is he who is considered the first monotheistic religion that recognized the existence of a single God. Judaism in fact is not only a belief, but also the history of the Jewish people and its main law. After all, sacred books contain information about absolutely all social processes, civil and religious laws.

A Brief History of the Creation of Beliefs

The emergence of Judaism is attributed to the time when God turned directly to Abraham and told him to leave the house and settle in Canaan. It is here that the history of Judaism begins, and the name of the grandson of Abraham, Jacob, is associated with the beginning of an entirely new spiritual life.

Further history is directly connected with Egypt and the removal of Jews from slavery, which Moses committed. The first documentary era is called the Time of the First Temple, when King David created the Temple of Jerusalem. It was here that the first centralization of all beliefs began.

Basic postulates

  Judaism as a religion is considered very closely related to Christianity, since the Bible is a sacred book not only for Christians, but also for Jews, because the Old Testament contains the history of the Jewish people.

Nevertheless, there are some very significant differences between these two world beliefs. Judaism as a religion implies a very close connection between God and people. The Jewish people are called to bear the sacred word to all believers and unbelievers. For example, Jews sincerely believe that a person who honors the laws of the Jews, but is not an adherent of Judaism, is venerable and will certainly fall into the kingdom of God after death.

The Jewish people from the point of view of religion is nothing more than an instrument of the Lord, capable of informing the rest of the truth about piety. Perhaps, that is why Jews at all times were considered "the chosen God."

Sacred books of Judaism

  In fact, the foundation of Judaic beliefs is Tanakh. This name denotes the totality of books, which in Christianity it is considered to be the Old Testament. It is here that the history of the development of Judaism as a religion is collected. It is believed that the first five books were written by Moses under God's inspiration on Mount Sinai, where, by the way, he received the basic commandments. In addition, the same book contains more than 600 commandments, which the Jews follow in their daily lives. For example, here are collected laws on the traditions of the Sabbath, which is considered a sacred day of the week, when nothing can be created or destroyed. Here, too, are the rules concerning nutrition. Interestingly enough, Jews are not allowed to mix meat dishes and milk, they also can not be stored near or cooked in the same dish.

And if Tanakh is of great importance not only for Judaism, but also for adherents of the Christian faith, the Talmud is important only for Jews. It is this book that is considered the most important educational tool for the people. At one time the rulers of many states believed that if the Talmud were banned, then Jews would be much more willing to convert to Christianity. Nevertheless, the massive burning of books did not force the Jews to change their philosophy.

Kabala

Judaism as a religion is divided into several currents, among which secularism is singled out. This term is commonly called the most diverse mystical teachings of the Jews. The most valuable book here is called Zohar and is written in ancient Aramaic. They say that there are comments on the Pentateuch of Moses. From the standpoint of cabalists, the Bible is not just a description of history and laws, but is a symbolic encrypted language. Those who succeed in deciphering secret messages will be able to understand the essence of the divine, reveal secrets and comprehend the greatest wisdom of the world.