They emerge from Spain. Their music is Maghreb.These were the Jews who fled after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Sephardic/Spanish Jews are orthodox and very unopen to conversion.

Mendelsohn founded the Reform Jewish Movement. Mendelsohn was a philosopher. He was big on logic and reason as it pertained to Judaism. He made several radical changes including bringing in Organs, creating the Bat Mitzvah and he was even open to talking about Jesus as an important Jewish historical figure (Not as Messiah however)

Hellenistic Judaism

one of the first Jewish philosophers. He was a contemporary of Jesus. He used Biblical Theo. mainly from the Septuagint to explain his philosophy.

This was the text translated from Hebrew to Greek for the rapidly growing Hellenistic Jewish population. It was the Bible for the nations.

1080-1141 was reacting to the philosophy of people like Maimonides, he was a poet, a mystic and a postmodern. He wrote a book called “Kozar.” In it, he told the story of the conversion of a king who searched through different faiths (Islam, Christianity, Judaism) and then became a Jew. Halevi advocated for faith/religion apart from reason. His influence helped to shape the Kabbalah.

1040-1105 He was the most important Jewish commentator and commented on the entirety of scriptures and the Mishnah. He was a biblical scholar from France, very brilliant and contributed greatly to the historical theology of Israel.

wrote the book, “The Night.” He was the first to use the term, “Holocaust” it comes from the story of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac. He later determined that the word wasn’t appropriate for the event anymore and the term “Shoah” meaning “destruction, devastation” started being used since about the year 2000.

This started in Eastern Europe around the 19th century by Rabbi Baal Shem Tov. It was a mystical and allegorical movement and was started in response to the legalistic branches of Judaism. It was about joy, stories, dancing in contrast to stoic and academic religion

• There were three high times of prayer for the Jews.

a. The Shakarit or morning/dawn/prayer- Thanks God for resurrection

(Abraham)

b. The Minkhah or afternoon prayer

(Offering prayer - Isaac)

c. The Maarib or evening prayer

(Jacob)

• The affirmation of Judaism and declaration of faith in one God based on Deuteronomy 6:7. Recited morning and evening & when a person dies and on other important events.

• The standing prayer where a number of blessings are recited.

• Usually in Synagoge

• Standing facing Jerusalem

• Standing means service - what the priests used to do

• (Means 600) Jewish prayer shawl, which had 613 strings in it to represent the 613 laws.  It’s based off of the command to make tassels on one’s garments. It shows that God is wrapping you

• 365 = days of the year

• 248 = bones in body

• Symbolic of a constant attitude of prayer

• Specially knotted, Jewish ritual fringes.

• An 8th day of life male ceremony called the covenant of the blood (berith milah). While it was the Israelite male mark in his body designating his  belonging to God, it was not invented by the Israelites but was practiced in other civilizations such as Egypt. It also shows that we need self-control when it comes to sex (this is not Biblical but Jewish tradition)

• At the age of 12, it was the initiation or rites of passage to adulthood. It was their time to personally embrace their spiritual heritage.

• Bar - “son of…”

• Mitzvah - “Good deeds”

• Implies identity not literal… Example: Son of God

• First time allowed to wear Tallit

• It was the contract of the Ketubah, and being religious, no alcohol could be served there. Two glasses of wine were served -one symbolizing joy and the other -sorrow. Even at this festive time, a glass was broken to remember the destruction of the temple. Divorce is highly discouraged amongst Jews.

• Tapestry attached to four poles and forms a Canopy for a Jewish wedding. Material is usually from the prayer shawl of the groom’s father.

• The marriage contract which spells out the duties of the husband and the wife.

• Very ornate!

• While there is no specific belief of exactly what happens after death, modern day Jews believe in the immortality of the soul. Jewish focus in on life even where there is death.

• Must be an element of humor at funeral to affirm life.

• Though it was not that way before, since the time when the Jews came under Roman rule, a person was considered a Jew if his/her mother was a Jew. Many children were born with no fathers around and so since, in any case, mothers pay closer attention to child training, this became the rule.

• State: Yes & no = There is a state but because of the diaspora there are many Jews outside the “State”...

• What is right/proper” This is the eating of what is appropriate. With the kiddush said before every meal, the first distinction of appropriateness was based upon God’s designation of clean and unclean meats. The second consideration was God’s prohibition of eating blood. This means, a rabbi must certify the process and the animal had to be slaughtered with a special technique and in a special place as they draw from Deuteronomy 12:21. Another prohibition related to Kosher is that one cannot eat meat with dairy. This is related to the fact that in the ancient Canaanite cult of fertility, people would cook baby animals in the milk of it’s mother.

Development of anti semitism

(Conversion of Jews)

In the early Christian movement, Jews constituted the first persons and the bulk of those accepting the gospel for the first couple hundred years. Jews were largely being converted to Christianity until the 4th century AD when Christianity in general became antinomian based upon the heresies of Marcion from the 2nd century and later on Chrysostom.  

It was around the 4th century AD that Christians, in an effort to distance themselves from the Jewish people, through such thoughts as Deicide (The Jews killed Jesus who was God), the effect of Marcion (who divided Jews from Christians and particularly the O.T. and N.T., supersessionism (the idea that the church replaced the Jews and dispensationalism (the idea that the God of the O.T. who was associated with the law and justice and that Christ, the God of the N.T. dispensation is about grace and love). When general Christianity rejected the law of God and the Sabbath as merely Jewish, the mass conversions of Jews to Christianity stopped.

In the 2nd century Marcion, a gnostic theologian taught people they they should fast on Sabbath to be different from the Jews who were forbade fasting on Sabbath. He also rejected certain parts of scripture as Jewish. Many early church fathers were anti-Judaism. Around the time of the Crusade Jews were killed and portrayed as being evil and demonic. By the 19th century the Jews became identified as a race for the first time. Then William Meyer coined the idea of semitic people and anti-semitism. This was the start of scientific racism.

• In the 4th century there was rhetoric against Jews

• In the 11th century there was violence against Jews in the form of the Crusades

• In the 19th/20th century scientific racism began to be mounted against Jews.

Christian and Jewish Identity (How it was shaped)

They were shaped in reaction to each other.

Christians embraced love, grace, salvation and the cross to the neglect of the law and the Sabbath in the 4th century AD. Jews embraced the law, the Sabbath, ethics and justice to the neglect of grace, salvation and Christ etc. Christians and Jews parted ways in the 4th century AD.

a gnostic theologian who conceived the Bible as presenting two different Gods. The God of the O.T. is different from Jesus, the God of the N.T. He rejected the God of the O.T. and associated Him with the Jews. He taught people they they should fast on Sabbath to be different from the Jews who forbade fasting on Sabbath. He also rejected certain parts of scripture as Jewish. He was rejected by the early church fathers but his teachings were very influential

He called Jews “pests.” As his fellow countryman Adolf Hitler sought justification to persecute Jews, is influence why some Bibles are printed with the NT, Psalms and Proverbs. Faith became an abstract thing separated from events. He has the most anti semitic words.

4th 11th 19th century developments -

Fourth Century- “you have no rights to live among us as Jews.” Anti-Semitic rhetorics.

11th Century  (Middle Age)- “ You have no right to live among us.” Violence by Crusaders.

20th Century-Nazism- “You have no right to live.” Pseudoscience based racism.

Initially called Holocaust in association with Isaac’s sacrifice. Called Shoah since about the year 2000 referring to destruction, devastation and calamity.

1. It is irrational

2. Systematic, very organized destruction by cold blooded technicians

3. It was not perpetuated by a political enemy

4. The religious element.

Initially called Holocaust in association with Isaac’s sacrifice. Called Shoah since about the year 2000 referring to destruction, devastation and calamity.

1. It is irrational

2. Systematic, very organized destruction by cold blooded technicians

3. It was not perpetuated by a political enemy

4. The religious element.

Theological Anti-Semitism Argument-

1. The rejection of the Jews by God

2. Deicide- The Jews killed God

3. Supersessionism - The church has taken the place of Israel

Many Jews are opposed to many ideologies (political) of the state of Israel. Many people use the theological background to inflict modern antisemitism. in the political arena, Conservatives use theological and Liberals use social issues.

This is the rabbinic canon -the Torah, the Nevim and the Kethubim, which was recognized at the Council of Jamnia.  It is also the canon most commonly found in the Protestant Bible referred to as the “Old Testament.”  (The Catholic Bible contains the Apocrypha as well, which is a set of writings that were written in the Intertestamental period and are included in the LXX.  It contains the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which contains the history of Hanukkah.) It stand for: Torah (5 books of Moses) Nebiim (Joshua & the Prophets) Ketuvim (Writing and Daniel

These were the scribes, also known as “counters” who copied the Scriptures for circulation.  They were called “counters” because they would count all the words in a certain book, or count what was supposed to be in the middle of the page, to insure accuracy of transmission.

means “great reading”a Rabbinic Bible that contained the Hebrew original text, the Targums, and the commentaries of Rabbi Ibn Ezra and Rashi.

Originated in the time of Ezra the Priest to respond to the returned exiles’ inability to read Hebrew, the targums are translations of scripture into Aramaic with commentary added in.  This is, to some degree, the origin of expositional preaching, and it has a good deal in common with it.

After the fall of Jerusalem, he negotiated with the Romans to set up a yeshiva at Yavneh (Jamnia) where eventually the canon was recognized in its current form and Rabbinic Judaism was born.

The Hebrew Rabbi’s (wise-men) who repeats the Mishnah. (They are called Shannaim in Aramaic).

Leader of one the Pharisaic schools. They were more strict and rigid in their thinking, and less accepting of others and their school disappeared.

Leader of the other Pharasaic school that was more flexible and accepting.  He gives 7 hermeneutical rules for exegesis. He was the grandfather of Gamaliel who trained Paul as a Pharisee.

Rabbinic commentaries on the Mishnah, including the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds.

Made in Palestine, this commentary of the Mishnah is less complete and less important than the Babylonian Talmud.

One of the major parts of the Talmud, related to how one should walk. It pertains to laws and the way of life. Writings on how to live in obedience to God.

Most Important - word for word - Rabbinic commentaries on Scripture, following more exegetical lines than the topical information of the Mishnah. It means “to seek, explore”

Judaism - emphasis on Law, Sabbath, justice and ethics

Christianity - emphasis on love, salvation, cross and salvation

Islam - emphasis on the greatness/Transcendence of God and absolutes

This is the New Year festival. It occurs on the first day of the month of Tishri and it often gets rolled into one with Yom Kippur because it comes 10 days before Kippur and it announces the High Holy Days, which are also known as the Days of Awe.  It is also known as and referred to as the Feast of Trumpets--on this day, the shofar are blown.  On this day, it is customary to eat honey and apples, as a wish for a sweet New Year, and round challah, representing the cycle of the year.  Also, it is customary among many groups to gather at a body of water and “cast off sins” into the water.

“Day of Atonement” happens during the fall. It is the most important Jewish festival, many non-religious Jews will come to participate in it. Only festival when you do fast., the great forgiveness, salvation is cosmic, salvation implies a new world.The book of Jonah & Micah is read during this time

Means dedication, Feast of light, Hanuk - to dedicate is to educate. Gospel of John is a source of hanukah. This relates to the Maccabean revolt against Antiochus Epiphany during the 2nd century B.C. A miracle kept lamps burning when all oil was gone so people light candles and eat food fried in oil to remember this event.

This feast commemorates the salvation of the Jews from the hand of Haman, as written in the book of Esther.  It is called “Purim” because of the casting of lots that in the story. It also highlight how God works for His people even amid the odds of chances. On this day, the scroll (Megillah) of Esther is read in a very interactive way, with hissing and booing for Haman, and cheering for Mordecai.  It is customary to wear costumes, which is about the confusion of good and evil throughout the book.  For the same reason, it is advised to get drunk, although obviously not everyone follows this custom.  The day before, the Fast of Esther is celebrated to remember the fast that she and the Jewish people undertook, which is broken by the incredible quantities of food eaten on Purim itself, which remembers the prominent role that banquets play in the story.

Happens during the spring. The Jews set up a Seder (table) for passover to celebrate the meal. An important part of Pesah is the Messianic aspect, there is always a chair called the chair of Elijah that remains empty anticipating the Messiah. The greeting at the end of passover is: Until next year in Jerusalem” This idea points to the Promised Land but also the Garden of Eden.

This comes 7 weeks after Pesach (Passover). Takes us to the festival of the firstfruits. The Original Passover was followed by the giving of the law at Sinai 7x7. Sinai took place 7 weeks after the Passover in Egypt. This is the only festival where no meat is eaten. This has become pentecost for Christians.

Purim. They drink a lot of wine during this (concept of confusion)

Sabbath is welcome before sunset and closed after sunset, two candles for keeping and remembering and two breads to remind of creation and the exodus as well as the manna. the sabbath should elevate the soul. House is nicely prepared, flowers on the table and a special meal. Jews do special meals on Sabbath. They read the first book of Misha, which is followed by third and final meal. The Sabbath has three main biblical references

1. At Creation - Genesis  2:1-3

2. At Sinai Exodus 20:8-11

3. NT - Achad Haam -More than the Jews kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath kept the Jews. Christianity and Judaism parted ways mainly over the Sabbath.

Christians focus on keeping or not keeping the Sabbath, Jews focus on celebrating it

it is and it is not a state. Judaism and Christianity have been shaped in reaction to each other. There was nothing in the doctrine that was problematic for Jews. There wasn't anti semitism before the 4th century.

1. What is important is truth/ my relationship with God. Therefore I need to withdraw from the world. Ie. No ethics only God.

2. What is important is relationship with others. Fellowship is most important (let’s love each other) Truth is less important!

* You cannot have a pure relationship with God without understanding other. You cannot understand others without understanding God!

There is a denial syndrome by some about what happened because of the shock. There are several other kinds of reactions including: ignorance, indifference and distance from the event for reflection. This led many to the theology of the absurd and the idea that God was dead. Some believe we should have no holocaust theology and that God had nothing to do with the event.

This occured at Vatican II and Catholics for the first time said they could learn from the Jews

Eichmann was the architect of the “final solution,” coming up with the means by which the Jews were destroyed.  After Hitler, he is the most responsible.  He was captured in South America and tried in Israel.  A young journalist witnessed it and wrote on “The Banality of Evil.” Eichmann was a very mediocre and unsuspecting man.  This is the only time in the entire history of the State of Israel that capital punishment has been used.

We should take the Christian message to the Jews it started with them, the bible was written by Jews

Crosses are offensive, as well as any art depicting God as it is considered idolatry. Anti-Semitic comments in some pulpits will prove to be barriers to the Jews attending church.

In Hebrew thinking the emphasis is on your ears because what you hear is most important versus Greek thought where the emphasis is on the mind and what you reason

In Hebrew thought, ears do the thinking, not the logic.  It is necessary to hear something, to learn it, more than it is to arrive at something by reason in the abstract reasoning process of Western thought.  Because of this, community is essential to Jewish thought, and it is vital to listen to what others have said before forming one’s own opinion on a given topic.

In Hebrew thought, you have not heard until you have obeyed.  If you have not obeyed, you have not heard.

The bible is a book of events. Thought is in the event.

Need to know that is the Old and New testament

knowing is experiencing

other: He was a French philosopher of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry famous for promoting the other. He speaks of encountering a multiplicity of others as to the extent as equals and worthy of mutual respect.

To understand the This and the That about a person or nation to try to know everything about that people group or individual

Jews did not have a value on the Old Testament because it was all they have it is for us because we have the Old and the New Testament. First time we hear  Old Testament  2 Corinthians 3:6,14. He defines the Old and the New testament . New Testament is a way of reading  the scriptures this is this is the same scriptures just read differently. You can read it according to the letter of the law or not. To the letter is not a part of you it is just reading it is just words on paper, ex. (you can have a smile and hate in your heart of the same person) letter of the law.  

(OT Theologian) Historical the New is following the Old. H.H. Rochy Gems of the Bible The Old relies on the New and the New relies on the old. G. Asel Old and New Testament need eachother.