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| Who are the patriarchs and matriarchs of the people of Israel? What are their stories and contributions to the Hebrew tradition? |
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Definition
The patriarchs through whom Jews trace their lineage are Abraham, his second son Isaac, Isaac’s second son Jacob, and Jacob’s 12 sons.
The first patriarch and matriarch were Abram and his wife Sarai. The lived in tents around Mesopotamian centers of culture and commerce with their extended family. They lived a semi-nomadic life. Abram was living in Ur when he first encountered the Lord. Terah (Abram’s father) decided to take Abram, Sarai and Lot (Abram’s nephew) to Canaan. They got as far as Haran, where they decided to settle instead. The Lord appeared to Abram and told him to leave his father’s house and set out for a place that would be specified later. Abram (75) left with Sarai, Lot and all their slaves and people. When they arrived in Canaan, the Lord said that this land would be for Abram’s descendants. He continued moving south until he entered Egypt to escape famine. The Lord told Abram that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. His wife, Sarai, was barren, so he conceived a son named Ishmael with her maidservant, Hajar. When Abram was 99, the Lord promised Sarai would have a son who would be named Isaac. At this time he gave them the names Abraham and Sarah. The Lord also declared that all the male descendants should be circumcised when they are 8 days old. Isaac was born as the Lord promised and he was welcomed as the person through whom the Lord would bind a relationship with the Hebrew people.
One day the Lord told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering. Isaac helped to prepare the fire and became confused as there was no lamb to be offered Abraham said that the Lord would provide the offering. Abraham was at the point of slaying Isaac when an angel commanded him to stop. When Abraham looked up he saw a ram caught in a thicket and sacrificed the animal instead. Isaac and his wife Rebekah were the second patriarch and matriarch. They had twins Esau and Jacob.
Rebekah favored Jacob and helped him to obtain the family inheritance despite being the second son. She then urged Jacob to flee to Haran to escape his brother’s wrath. On his way he had a vision in which the Lord granted to his descendants the land upon which Jacob was laying.
• Jacob was the third patriarch. He had two wives Leah and Rachel and their maidservants Zilpah and Bilhah. They were the third group of matriarchs. Together they had 12 sons and one daughter Dinah who were the fourth set of patriarchs and matriarchs. Jacob was blessed with the Israel, which means struggle. The 12 sons formed the 12 tribes of Israel. This is where the Israelites came from.
Moses is also considered one of the Hebrew patriarchs and through him the Israelite tradition was shaped in detail. He is the Hebrew prophet of Exodus. The divine name YHVH was revealed to Moses on the mountain. The Lord instructed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to escape their servitude under the pharaoh’s rule. On Mount Sinai, Moses encountered the Lord again and received the commandments (mitzvoth) that were to guide the behavior of the Israelites. Thus Moses became a law-giver for the Hebrew people. He reorganized the ethical and ritual life of the Israelites based on the new laws. He battled those who would not give up idol worship. Moses appointed elders of the 12 tribes to serve as judges to help clarify the law. |
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| Who was the first patriarch and matriarch? What are their stories and contributions to the Hebrew tradition? |
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Definition
Abram and Sarai
The lived in tents around Mesopotamian centers of culture and commerce with their extended family. They lived a semi-nomadic life. Abram was living in Ur when he first encountered the Lord. Terah (Abram’s father) decided to take Abram, Sarai and Lot (Abram’s nephew) to Canaan. They got as far as Haran, where they decided to settle instead. The Lord appeared to Abram and told him to leave his father’s house and set out for a place that would be specified later. Abram (75) left with Sarai, Lot and all their slaves and people. When they arrived in Canaan, the Lord said that this land would be for Abram’s descendants. He continued moving south until he entered Egypt to escape famine. The Lord told Abram that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. His wife, Sarai, was barren, so he conceived a son named Ishmael with her maidservant, Hajar. When Abram was 99, the Lord promised Sarai would have a son who would be named Isaac. At this time he gave them the names Abraham and Sarah. The Lord also declared that all the male descendants should be circumcised when they are 8 days old. |
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| Who was the second patriarch and matriarch? What are their stories and contributions to the Hebrew tradition? |
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Issac and Rebekah
Isaac was born as the Lord promised and he was welcomed as the person through whom the Lord would bind a relationship with the Hebrew people. One day the Lord told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering. Isaac helped to prepare the fire and became confused as there was no lamb to be offered Abraham said that the Lord would provide the offering. Abraham was at the point of slaying Isaac when an angel commanded him to stop. When Abraham looked up he saw a ram caught in a thicket and sacrificed the animal instead. |
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| Who were the third set of patriarchs and matriarchs? What are their stories and contributions to the Hebrew tradition? |
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Definition
Rebekah favored Jacob and helped him to obtain the family inheritance despite being the second son. She then urged Jacob to flee to Haran to escape his brother’s wrath. On his way he had a vision in which the Lord granted to his descendants the land upon which Jacob was laying.
Jacob was the third patriarch. Jacob was blessed with the Israel, which means struggle. He had two wives Leah and Rachel and their maidservants Zilpah and Bilhah. They were the third group of matriarchs. |
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| Who were the last patriarchs and matriarchs? What are their stories and contributions to the Hebrew tradition? |
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| The 12 sons formed the 12 tribes of Israel. This is where the Israelites came from. Together they had 12 sons and one daughter Dinah who were the fourth set of patriarchs and matriarch. |
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| Moses is also considered one of the Hebrew patriarchs and through him the Israelite tradition was shaped in detail. He is the Hebrew prophet of Exodus. The divine name YHVH was revealed to Moses on the mountain. The Lord instructed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to escape their servitude under the pharaoh’s rule. On Mount Sinai, Moses encountered the Lord again and received the commandments (mitzvoth) that were to guide the behavior of the Israelites. Thus Moses became a law-giver for the Hebrew people. He reorganized the ethical and ritual life of the Israelites based on the new laws. He battled those who would not give up idol worship. Moses appointed elders of the 12 tribes to serve as judges to help clarify the law. |
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| Who are the three types of leaders in ancient Israelite tradition? What were their functions? |
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Definition
judges, kings, and prophets; They helped to ensure that Israelite life was carried on according to Mosaic law. The judges and kings governed while the prophets warned the people when politics or social life deviated from the law.
Moses appointed the elders of the 12 tribes of Israel to serve as judges and help clarify the law. They served both a political-military and religious role. Joshua was appointed as Moses’s successor. He led the Israelites into Canaan and divided the territory among the 12 tribes. In this society the judges began to administer Mosaic law. This function was eventually passed to a Supreme Court known as the Sanhedrin. This body operated for over 5 centuries as the legal governing body.
A prophet named Samuel anointed Saul as the first Israelite king. Historians think of him as a powerful judge rather than a monarch. He gained territory beyond his control and set the stage for unification under monarch rule. His successor, David, came from the tribe of Judah. After some difficulty David became the first Israelite monarch. David gained control of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. He wrote many of the psalms in the bible. He transferred the Ark to Jerusalem, making it the political and religious center of the united Israelite kingdom. His son, Solomon, became king and built the first temple to the Lord. The north and south remained united and prosperous through his rein. He contributed many proverbs to the bible. His son Behoboam was unable to keep the tribes united. David’s line continued to rule in Judah.
Era of prophesy (1250-587). It is believed the Lord stopped communicating with people after this time. The prophets received the Lord’s message through dreams, visions, or ecstatic states. The scriptures mention 55 prophetic figures, 7 of which were women. Their stores mostly contain warnings about disasters to come. |
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| What were the functions of the judges in ancient Israelite tradition? |
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| help clarify the law; They served both a political-military and religious role. In Joshua's society judges began to administer Mosaic law. This function was eventually passed to a Supreme Court known as the Sanhedrin. This body operated for over 5 centuries as the legal governing body. |
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| What were the functions of the kings in ancient Israelite tradition? |
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| A prophet named Samuel anointed Saul as the first Israelite king. Historians think of him as a powerful judge rather than a monarch. He gained territory beyond his control and set the stage for unification under monarch rule. His successor, David, came from the tribe of Judah. After some difficulty David became the first Israelite monarch. David gained control of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. He wrote many of the psalms in the bible. He transferred the Ark to Jerusalem, making it the political and religious center of the united Israelite kingdom. His son, Solomon, became king and built the first temple to the Lord. The north and south remained united and prosperous through his rein. He contributed many proverbs to the bible. His son Behoboam was unable to keep the tribes united. David’s line continued to rule in Judah. |
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| What were the functions of the prophets in ancient Israelite tradition? |
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| Prophets warned the people when politics or social life deviated from the law. Era of prophesy (1250-587). It is believed the Lord stopped communicating with people after this time. The prophets received the Lord’s message through dreams, visions, or ecstatic states. The scriptures mention 55 prophetic figures, 7 of which were women. Their stores mostly contain warnings about disasters to come. |
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| 3. List the three temples that were built in Jerusalem. Give the dates and circumstances of their construction and the discontinuance of use. |
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Definition
King David had the idea of building the first temple. His inspirations were carried out by his son Solomon around 1000 BC. It was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC. The temple was covered in gold.
Cyrus the Great defeated the Babylonians and gave the Jews permission to rebuild the temple in 538 BC. The temple was finally rebuilt in the 500s under Zerubbabel. The Samaritans were not allowed to help rebuild the temple because they had been intermarrying for generations. It is said the altar was made from the rock on which Abram bound his son for sacrifice. His temple stood for about 500 years.
The Jews obtained independent rule under the Maccabees. Herod the Great took a wife from the line of M and then seized power. He instilled a heavy tax on the people. With the funds he reconstructed Zs temple to be larger and more magnificent. This is called the Second temple because worship wasn’t interrupted during construction. Herod’s affiliation with Roman rulers and Greek culture made the Jews uneasy. During this Hellenistic Era several factions of Jews emerged. The Sadducees were a group of conservative Jews in Palestine. They generally cooperated with the Roman officials, but tensions between them grew. Outbreaks of Jewish activism by a group known as the Zealots culminated in the Roman destruction of the temple.
• A group known as the Essenes didn’t agree with the grandeur of Herod’s temple, so they did not worship there. After Herod’s temple was destroyed the Jews were forced to leave. A new center emerged at Jabneh. Synagogues became the focal point of communal worship. |
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| King David had the idea of building the first temple. His inspirations were carried out by his son Solomon around 1000 BC. It was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC. The temple was covered in gold. |
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| Cyrus the Great defeated the Babylonians and gave the Jews permission to rebuild the temple in 538 BC. The temple was finally rebuilt in the 500s under Zerubbabel. The Samaritans were not allowed to help rebuild the temple because they had been intermarrying for generations. It is said the altar was made from the rock on which Abram bound his son for sacrifice. This temple stood for about 500 years. |
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| The Jews obtained independent rule under the Maccabees. Herod the Great took a wife from the line of M and then seized power. He instilled a heavy tax on the people. With the funds he reconstructed Zs temple to be larger and more magnificent (20BC). This is called the Second temple because worship wasn’t interrupted during construction. Herod’s affiliation with Roman rulers and Greek culture made the Jews uneasy. During this Hellenistic Era several factions of Jews emerged. The Sadducees were a group of conservative Jews in Palestine. They generally cooperated with the Roman officials, but tensions between them grew. Outbreaks of Jewish activism by a group known as the Zealots culminated in the Roman destruction of the temple (70CE). |
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| Why was the use of the temple discontinued? |
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| A group known as the Essenes didn’t agree with the grandeur of Herod’s temple, so they did not worship there. After Herod’s temple was destroyed the Jews were forced to leave. A new center emerged at Jabneh. Synagogues became the focal point of communal worship. |
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| Name some historical and cultural facts about the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. How do their histories differ? What is common to their histories? |
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King David was able to unite the territories of Israel and Judah. They remained united until his grandson Rehoboam came to power and was unable to keep the 12 territories united. Those of David’s lineage continued to rule over Judah.
Israel had its own rulers for 2 centuries. The Assyrians conquered Israel in 722. They deported large numbers of Hebrews and integrated the remaining with diverse people. The Samaritans claim to be descended from this group.
The Babylonians conquered Judah in 587 and destroyed Solomon’s temple. The elite of the tribe were exiled to Babylon. Cyrus defeated the Babylonians 60 years later and allowed the Jews to rebuild the temple. Many of the exiled Jews were led back to Judah. |
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| What is the relationship between Pharisees of the Hellenistic era and the later rabbinical tradition in Judaism? |
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| The majority of the educated Jews in Palestine were Pharisees. They focused on Torah study, unlike the Sadducees who performed the temple rites. When the temple was destroyed the Pharisees religious perspective was able to survive and it was carried forward by a group of religious specialists called rabbis. In place of the temple, synagogues became the focal point of communal worship. Learned layman presided instead of priests. The Pharisee scholars were the called teachers or rabbis. Hillel and Shammai were the last of the five-pairs of Jewish teachers. Hillel was more lenient in matters of ritual observance. In most cases his views prevailed. Therefore Hillel can be considered the founder of rabbinical tradition of Judaism today. One of his students, Johanan ben Zakkai, founded a rabbinical school in Jabneh. He also created substitutes for temple practice in conjunction with a new calendar. He replaced sacrifice with prayer and integrated the oral Torah into scriptural studies. |
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| What was the plight of Jews during the Middle Ages in Europe? How did they respond? |
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| The Middle Ages (1066-1485) the Jews came face to face with 2 other monotheistic religions that rivaled their own. When the Black Death arose it seemed to incite Christians to violence against the Jews. In the late 12th century the relationship between the 2 seriously worsened. Christian mobs attacked due to religious prejudice. During this time Jews were massacred all over Europe due to the atmosphere of desperation and mistrust caused by the plague. The Jewish population was forced to move from one country to another many times. Many Jews converted to escape death and exile. Conversos were Jews who converted to Christianity. Many conversos were still forced to convert or be exiled due to the suspicion that they had not truly converted. |
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| Name the three major Jewish mystics, and outline their views on life. |
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Isaac Luria: had idea that each individual has a specific role to play in the restoration and redemption of oneself, society and the cosmos. Taught that some portions of the material world could not stand the shock of the light used in the creation process, shattered, and became trapped. People must repair the pieces by releasing the trapped light and gathering it together. This will heal illness evil and chaos. Jews perform mitzvoth to speed up the restoration process. When restoration is complete the messiah will enter the world.
Shabbetai Tzevi: claimed to be messiah. He traveled and gathered disciples from other regions. He attracted attention because he could perform supernatural feats. When he returned to his hometown the crowds at the synagogue received him as a messiah. He was put into prison by a Muslim sultan and converted to Islam. Some of his followers converted to Islam and a small sect remains to this day. Most abandoned him.
Ba’al Shem Tov: He focused on life in the present based on joyfulness, humility, and enthusiasm. He emphasized prayer over Torah study. He said it frees sparks of divine light within a person, brightening thoughts, and purifying those who love God. Encouraged people to rely on their own spirituality. |
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| What was Issac Luia's view on life? |
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| Isaac Luria: had idea that each individual has a specific role to play in the restoration and redemption of oneself, society and the cosmos. Taught that some portions of the material world could not stand the shock of the light used in the creation process, shattered, and became trapped. People must repair the pieces by releasing the trapped light and gathering it together. This will heal illness evil and chaos. Jews perform mitzvoth to speed up the restoration process. When restoration is complete the messiah will enter the world. |
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| What was Shabbetai Tzevi's view on life? |
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| claimed to be messiah. He traveled and gathered disciples from other regions. He attracted attention because he could perform supernatural feats. When he returned to his hometown the crowds at the synagogue received him as a messiah. He was put into prison by a Muslim sultan and converted to Islam. Some of his followers converted to Islam and a small sect remains to this day. Most abandoned him. |
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| What was Ba’al Shem Tov's view on life? |
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| He focused on life in the present based on joyfulness, humility, and enthusiasm. He emphasized prayer over Torah study. He said it frees sparks of divine light within a person, brightening thoughts, and purifying those who love God. Encouraged people to rely on their own spirituality. |
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| 8. Name and define the various key texts of Judaism. What is the difference between halachah and aggadah? |
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The Tanakh is the sacred scripture of the Jewish tradition. It is an acronym for the 3 collections of early texts: the Torah (5 books of Moses), the Nevi’im (the Prophets), and the Ketuvim (the writings).
Torah means guidance with the connotation of divine instruction. It is the core of the Tanakh. It is said the Torah is the law given to Moses. The law was transmitted in two streams- written and oral. It has 5 sections called books. Genesis-the story or creation, accounts of patriarchs. Exodus-story of Moses. Leviticus-story of Israelites leaving the desert. Numbers-legal materials and rituals. Deuteronomy-material on covenant between Lord and Israel.
Nevi’im:22 books each from a different prophet 12th-6th BC. Contain material of former and later ps
Ketuvim- not divinely inspired. Grounded in human knowledge and experience.
Rabbis produced 2 monumental commentaries on the Tanakh known as the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmud. Mishnah and Gemara’ formed the Babylonian Talmud. Today Talmud refers mainly to the BT.
Mishnah early layer contained in both Talmuds. It is a collection of discussions about Jewish law by rabbis called tannaim (teacher). It is the written form of the Israelite oral tradition. It includes both h(Jewish legal material and a (Jewish stories)
Gemara’-legal and ethical commentaries on the Mishnah. Rabbis known as amoraim (explainers) wrote interpretations, opinions, and judgments.
Midrash-a body of Jewish literature aimed to discover non-literal meanings. It is a story about a story in scripture. Makes material in Tanakh more applicable to a person’s life. |
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| is the sacred scripture of the Jewish tradition. It is an acronym for the 3 collections of early texts: the Torah (5 books of Moses), the Nevi’im (the Prophets), and the Ketuvim (the writings). |
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| Torah means guidance with the connotation of divine instruction. It is the core of the Tanakh. It is said the Torah is the law given to Moses. The law was transmitted in two streams- written and oral. It has 5 sections called books. Genesis-the story or creation, accounts of patriarchs. Exodus-story of Moses. Leviticus-story of Israelites leaving the desert. Numbers-legal materials and rituals. Deuteronomy-material on covenant between Lord and Israel. |
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| (the prophets) 22 books each from a different prophet 12th-6th BC. Contain material of former and later ps |
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| (the writings) not divinely inspired. Grounded in human knowledge and experience. |
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| Rabbis' commentaries on the Tanakh; formed by the Mishnah and Gemara’; Today Talmud refers mainly to the Babylonian Talmud. |
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| early layer contained in both Talmuds. It is a collection of discussions about Jewish law by rabbis called tannaim (teacher). It is the written form of the Israelite oral tradition. It includes both h(Jewish legal material and a (Jewish stories) |
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| legal and ethical commentaries on the Mishnah. Rabbis known as amoraim (explainers) wrote interpretations, opinions, and judgments. |
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| a body of Jewish literature aimed to discover non-literal meanings. It is a story about a story in scripture. Makes material in Tanakh more applicable to a person’s life. |
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| Name the major components of Jewish ritual life. |
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| Jewish rites include individual prayers, family gatherings, communal services, holiday celebrations, and participation in life cycle rites. Sabbath day, pilgrim festivals, and the Days of Awe |
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