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Ch 12 The Struggle to Preserve Judaism. Introduction The Central Beliefs and Teachings of Judaism Foreign Domination and the Jewish Diaspora Preserving and Passing On the Teachings of Judaism Summary. Introduction. Assyrians Conquered Israel 722 BCE Carried off to Mesopotamia
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Ch 12 The Struggle to Preserve Judaism • Introduction • The Central Beliefs and Teachings of Judaism • Foreign Domination and the Jewish Diaspora • Preserving and Passing On the Teachings of Judaism • Summary
Introduction • Assyrians Conquered Israel • 722 BCE • Carried off to Mesopotamia • Judah conquered by Babylon • 597 BCE Babylon invaded Judah • 586 BCE Nebuchadrezzar burned down Solomon's Temple • Most of the people were taken to Babylon • Beginning of the Jewish Diaspora • Diaspora means "a scattering"
The Central Beliefs and Teachings of Judaism Monotheism • Belief in one God • All-powerful and all-knowing • source of morality (standards of right and wrong) • Solemn duty to honor and obey God • Personal relationship • Speak to God in prayer • Judaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion
The Central Beliefs and Teachings of Judaism Following God's Law • Central to Jewish life • 10 Commandments • tell how to honor God • Set aside a holy day, the Sabbath • Day of rest and prayer • Lay down laws of right and wrong • You shall not steal • You shall not murder • Development of other rules • Rules about how to prepare food • foods to be avoided • Passover • holy day • honor God's rescue of the Hebrews from Egypt
The Central Beliefs and Teachings of Judaism Equality and Social Justice • Leaders not viewed as gods • Kings had to obey God's laws • All people who keep the laws are equal in god's sight • Caring for the less fortunate people in society is a basic value in Judaism
The Central Beliefs and Teachings of Judaism The Importance of Study • Study Torah • Study interpretations of the Torah • First interpretations were passed down orally • Talmud • contains oral tradition along with learned commentaries • Became the basic source of Jewish law • Began writing in the 200's CE
Foreign Domination and the Jewish Diaspora Rule by the Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks • Babylon • Hebrew captives lived in Babylon for 50 years • Prophets encouraged the people to remain faithful to Judaism • Hebrews became known as Jews • Babylonians called their captives "Judeans" • Name shortened to "Jews" • Persia • Conquered Babylon in 539 BCE • Cyrus, the Persian king, released the Jews from captivity • Some Jews returned to Jerusalem and began rebuilding Temple • Other Jews stayed in Babylon • Greece • Tried to force the Jews to worship idols of Greek gods in the temple • 168 BCE Jews rebelled and started a war • War lasted 27 years • 164 BCE Jews drove the Greeks from Jerusalem • reclaimed and repurified the temple • Hanukkah honor's this victory
Foreign Domination and the Jewish Diaspora Rule by the Romans • Conquered in 63 BCE • 88 years as an independent kingdom • 50,000 Jews executed under their rule • Jews allowed to practice their religion • King Herod rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem • took 46 years to complete • designed to be more magnificent that Solomon's Temple • Rebellion • 66 CE Jews rebelled • 70 CE Titus led an army of 60,000 soldiers and destroyed Jerusalem and its temple • Western wall is all that remains • Scattering • Romans seized Jewish land and forbade the Jews from entering Jerusalem • Thousands sent to other parts of the Roman Empire
Preserving and Passing On the Teachings of Judaism • Rabbi Yohanan ben Zaccai • Begged Jews to surrender in order to save Judaism • Faked his death and was smuggled out of Jerusalem in a coffin • Met with Vespasian, a Roman general and asked to start a Jewish school in Yavneh • New Teachers and Practices • Yavneh rabbis decided that any adult male could read from the sacred text • Made the synagogue more important in Jewish life • house of worship • place to study and hold meetings and social gathering • Synagogues were built wherever there were 10 adult male Jews • 1948 the Jewish state of Israel was created
yar·mul·keˈyämə(l)kə/noun 1. a skullcap worn in public by Orthodox Jewish men or during prayer by other Jewish men.
What is the Western Wall? We all know that the Western Wall, the Kotel, is the most significant site in the world for the Jewish people. We know that it is the last remnant of our Temple. We also know that Jews from around the world gather here to pray. People write notes to G-d and place them between the ancient stones of the Wall.
Summary • Jewish Beliefs • Diaspora