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| Ancient Israelite patriarchs |
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| Contract between God and God's people; land, offspring, and blessing in exchange for marking God's people with male circumcision |
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| Refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in classical rabbinic literature - particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash; in general, a compendium of rabbinic homilies that incorporates folklore, historical anecdotes, moral exhortations, and practical advice in various social spheres |
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| A vessel containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed (along with Aaron's rod and manna); used as a battle standard in ancient Israel and placed in Solomon's temple as the seat of the presence of God. |
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| Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north |
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| In 722 BCE, the northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by this group; many of its inhabitants (mainly the elite) were deported and replaced by foreign settlers, who intermarry with the Israelites remaining in the northern Kingdom, forming a 'mixed' group ('Samaritans') denigrated by Israelites from the southern Kingdom |
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| The process of causing a transgression of a commandment or sin to be forgiven or pardoned |
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| This Empire under Nebuchadnezzar conquered the southern Kingdom of Judah in 597–586 BCE, and exiled the elite classes of this group to Babylonia, where they flourished; the beginning of the Jewish diaspora; a time of creative flourishing of tradition, along with encountering of foreign peoples and influence, interaction and exposure; Israelites forge own vision and understanding of their relationship to God |
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| Important life cycle ritual for boys upon entering puberty as a mark of manhood and signifying the onset of morally responsibility |
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| The land promised to Abraham, conquered by Joshua, and inhabited by Israel |
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| Modern branch of Judaism which forges a middle ground between liberal and orthodox branches; acknowledges that there needs to be some accommodation, but also holds deep commitment to retaining as much as possible the old tradition |
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| Council of Yavneh (a.k.a. Jamniah/Jabneh) |
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| The event where, after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai reconvened the Sanhedrin, and from whence Rabbinical Judaism emerged; Bible is canonized (Tanakh); institution of the ordination of a Rabbi, now the religious authorities to guide the community; establishment of the Jewish calendar; establishes the synagogue as site of worship |
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| The second Monarch of Israel; famous for writing of the Psalms, establishing the nation of Israel, founding the capital of Jerusalem, and sleeping with Bathsheba |
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| The promise that David's kingship will last forever; someone of David's lineage will always be king; a Messiah (anointed one) will come from David's line |
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| With the death of King SOlomon around 925 BCE, the Israelites fell into civil war, and the kingdom split into the northern Kingdom of Israel, whose capital was Samaria, and the southern Kingdom of Judah, whose capital was Jerusalem |
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| Divine transcendence and immanence |
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| Judean 'dual' conception of God where God is both all powerful, because God ultimately transcends nature (not limited to any one aspect), and is present everywhere, there is nowhere that you could go to escape from God |
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| Associated with the "Dead Sea Scrolls" and the Qumran community; debate about which high priest would run the temple (Teacher of Righteousness); hoped to live a pure life in the eyes of God; saw themselves as being the holy nation and a kingdom of priests ('true' Israel); withdrew from Jerusalem when they felt the priests at the temple were not true Jews; believed that the Messiah was coming soon and that his coming would involve a great battle between the children of light (of which they were among) and the children of dark (like those who had established power in the temple) |
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| Exilic and Post-exilic Prophets |
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| A message of hope, there will be a restoration after desolation; God: you have undergone the punishment for sin, after you are finished, I will bring you back and you will once again know peace and prosperity |
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| Key event in the history of Israelites; the deliverance from slavery in Egypt by the God of the Hebrews: saving from bondage, an act of redemption |
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| Handmaiden of Sarah, wife of Abraham; mother of Ishmael, regarded as patriarch of the Ishmaelites, or Arab nations |
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| Collective body of Jewish religious law, including biblical law (the 613 mitzvot) and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions |
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| Eight day festival celebrating the re-dedication of the Temple after the success of the maccabean revolt spurred on by the desecration of it by Antiochus IV Ephiphanes, a miracle that kept the fire going in the temple in order to re-purify or sanctify it even though there was not enough oil; lightin the candlestick (menorah) on eight consecutive days; takes on 'Christmassy' ambience in light of North American holiday evolution in the last 200 years (November-December) |
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| Ultra-orthodox groups of Orthodox Judaism that promote spirituality and joy as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith |
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| The Jewish Enlightenment, a theological and intellectual movement among European Jews in the late 18th century that advocated adopting enlightenment values, pressing for better integration into European society, and increasing education in secular studies, Hebrew language, and Jewish history; marked the beginning of the wider engagement of European Jews with the secular world |
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| Roman client king of Israel who lived from 74 BCE to 5 BCE, known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and other parts of the ancient world, including the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple |
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| Term generally used to describe the genocide of approximately six million European Jews during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored extermination by Nazi Germany; seen by some Jews as the working of evil forces against God's chosen people, by other Jews as God's punishing Jews for sin, and still by others as a mystery beyond all comprehension |
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| Influence of, interaction and conflict with Hellenistic kingdoms (after Alexander, d. 323 BCE) |
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| Antiochus IV Epiphanes imposes Greek culture (forced policy of Hellenization) upon Jewish people, outlaws Jewish practices and desecrates the temple (167 BCE); causes the Maccabean Revolt, 167-64 BCE, headed by high priest of the temple, Judah the Maccabee (“hammer”) |
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| Influence of, interaction and conflict with Romans |
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| High taxation, tension and conflict; leads to Jewish revolt and destruction of the second temple in 70 CE, and Bar Kokbha revolt in 133-135 CE, who claimed to be the coming of a messiah, a leader to lead people out of oppression; leads to widespread devastation, Judea as a state comes to an end, forced into massive exile, continuation of the diaspora, dispersion of Jewish people, not allowed to be in the city of Jerusalem, state of permanent exile, sense of nation or place disbanded, a people without land |
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| Favorite son of Jacob; famous for his colored coat, interpretation of dreams, administration of Egypt |
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| Part of Israelite religious law: the command in every 50th year that the land lie at rest and all property be returned to its owner or to its original descendants |
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| Ancient Israelite leaders during the period of the Israelite confederacy, after the conquest of Canaan by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel around 1050 BCE |
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| Dietary laws which include stipulations regarding clean and unclean animals, the killing of animals, and the preparation of food products |
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| Preeminent 12th cent. Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars of the Middle Ages; author of Mishneh Torah, which today retains canonical authority as a codification of Talmudic law |
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| Maimonides' "Articles of Faith" |
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13 'essential' beliefs:
(1) God exists; there is a God
(2) There is only one God (unity)
(3) God has no bodily form (incorporeality)
(4) God has no beginning and no end (eternality)
(5) obligation of the Jew to worship God alone (exclusive commitment)
(6) God has spoken to humanity through others (revelation, prophecy)
(7) Moses was the greatest of all prophets
(8) divine origin of Torah
(9) eternal and absolute validity of Torah
(10) God’s knowledge of human deeds (11) God’s punishment of evil and rewarding of good
(12) God’s promise to send a Messiah
(13) God’s promise to resurrect the dead |
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| Rabbinic commentary on written Torah |
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| Compiled and edited by Judah I (Judah the Prince), this codification of the Oral Torah is a collection of traditions which seeks to apply Torah to the life of the people |
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| Central figure of the Exodus event; the one to whom the revelation of the Name of God is given; called as a prophet of God, a representative and mouthpiece of God on earth. |
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| German Jewish philosopher to whose ideas the renaissance of European Jews, Haskalah (the Jewish Enlightenment) is indebted; the so-called father of Reform Judaism. |
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| Modern branch of Judaism which rejects accommodation, holds that Torah is absolute and is of divine origin totally, that all of regulations and commandments contained therein must be followed |
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| Persian Return from Exile |
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| Persians (Cyrus the Great) overtake Babylonians and allow the Judeans to return to Jerusalem, under the leadership of Ezra, and rebuild the Temple (538 BCE) and the walls of Jerusalem, under the leadership of Nehemiah |
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| Seven day Passover festival commemorating Israel's escape from enslavement in Egypt; retells the Exodus story; Seder supper: lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread (March-April) |
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| Predominantly a middle-class (non-aristocratic) laypeople (and scholars) who focused on the study of the Torah and applied priestly laws to themselves and all the people; their main goal was to attain and maintain holiness and purity; applied the command of God for Israel to be a holy nation, a nation of priests: many laws revolved around purification rituals especially in terms of food, proper tithing; stayed within the Jewish Community; believed in a resurrection of the dead, angels, divine providence (God controlled everything), in the authority of the whole of the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible (not just the first five books = Pentateuch), and the Oral Torah |
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| A key Judean religious expression emphasized during the exile as an answer to the absence of Temple religiousity; religion becomes a bit more personal, gathering in small groups for worship and a focus on studying of traditions; in later times, it is incumbent upon men to do this three times a day facing Jerusalem |
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| Present a warning to the people of the coming of the judgment of God (via foreign nations) if they did not repent and change their covenant-breaking ways; stress importance of moral and social laws, oppression of the people, lack of social justice is what counts |
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| Officiate of temple sacrifices; on Yom Kippur the 'High' one of these entered the Holy of Holies of the Temple, to make atonement for his house and for the people |
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| Important Israelite religious functionary who narrates theological and sacred history of Israel; godly commentary on the history, interpret the meaning of historical events with respect to the nature of the relationship of God to God's people |
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| One day festival that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people of the ancient Persian Empire from Haman's plot to annihilate them, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther (February-March) |
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| Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai |
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| An important Jewish sage in the era of the Second Temple, and a primary contributor to the core text of Rabbinic Judaism, the Mishnah |
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| Famed 11th cent. French rabbi and author of the first comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh |
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| Along with Creator and Revealer, a key feature of the portrayal of the God of Israel; redemption, a purchasing act, a buying back, which produces a claim of obligation upon one. God pays the price for freedom and has the right to own you and chooses to set you free, obligates you |
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| Cycle of sin, exile, punishment for sin (atonement), cessation of sin, and, finally, restoration; Jews historical experience reflects their moral condition; God uses other nations to mete out justice |
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| Modern branch of liberal Judaism which accommodates modern scientific and secular ways of thinking; holds that Torah contains human elements and 'relative' truth, that many aspects of Judaism are optional and adaptable |
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| Ten-day new year festival which celebrates the origin of all things, the creation of the World, and the beginning of all things being new; focuses on spiritual renewal by spending time in repentance before God and reflecting on one's life; blowing of ram’s horn (Shofar) to mark the onset (in September-October) |
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| Part of Israelite religious law: the command to rest every seventh day and in every seventh year, when even the land would lie at rest, all debts were canceled, and all slaves were set free |
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| Predominately upper and priestly-class running the temples (held social power), focused on the rituals at the temples done by the priests; did not believe in a resurrection of the dead, nor angels; believed that the Pentateuch (first five books of the Law = Torah) were the only authoritative texts (not the prophets and the writings); did not believe in the authority of Oral Torah |
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| 'Mixed' group of people decsending from tribes of northern Israel who intermarry with foreign peoples from Assyrian conquest; worship at their own Temple on Mount Gerazim |
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| The first Monarch of Israel |
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| Religious authorities who becomes the leader of the Judean people in the absence of Temple worship |
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| Hebrew Bible translated into Greek |
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| Two day first-fruits festival which takes place fifty days after the Sabbath of Pesach Jews pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem; an offering, tithe of first harvest given over to God, to recognize God’s ownership over everything and to offer thanksgiving; inclues synagogue service of special readings and the completion of the reading of the whole Bible in a year (May-June) |
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| Ongoing contract, covenant with the descendants of Abraham, a type of marriage contract, an exchange of vows: I will be your God, if you will be my people (committed to me alone, not to worship any other gods); you have to be a holy people, reflect my character: "a holy nation and a kingdom of priests" |
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| The third Monarch of Israel; David's son, credited with the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem; famous for wealth, wisdom, and women |
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| Jews who follows the customs and traditions followed by Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal) before their expulsion in the late fifteenth century |
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| Seven day festival of booths or tabernacles, celebrated five days after Yom Kippur; commemorates the journey in the wilderness under Moses in the Sinai peninsula and the provision of God within the wandering; build in one’s backyard an outdoor covering, have special meals with rituals (readings and food) with family and friends (in September-October) |
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| The earliest known civilization in the world, known as the Cradle of Civilization |
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| House of worship, prayer, study and teaching of the Torah, and gathering place for Jews; the roots of which begin in the exile, with the gathering of ten or more men to study Torah, God’s instructions, for prayer and worship |
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| Mishnah + Gemara, rabbinic (sages and scribal) commentary on Oral Torah; (1) Babylonian (= Bavli), (2) Palestinian (= Yerushalmi) |
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| Torah (law), Nevi’im (prophets), Ketuvim (writings) |
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| Building designed to house the Ark of the Covenant, and to serve as a religious focal point for worship and sacrifices to God of Israel, the first of which was originally constructed by King Solomon in Jerusalem in 960 BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE |
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| The father of modern political Zionism |
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| Theological concepts: afterlife |
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| Development of the idea that the righteous will get to go and be with God in the afterlife; though this is not emphasized, rather the emphasis is on living life now |
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| Theological concepts: human nature |
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| Humans have the ability to do both good and evil, have free will to decide which we will do; we must decide to make moral choices, and we have the responsibility of that choice. Being is made in the divine image: made in the likeness of God; what sets humans apart from animals is that they bear likeness of God… |
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| Theological concepts: linear, teleological history |
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| Belief in a beginning point and an end point of time (linear history); time is teleological and there is a divine purpose |
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| Theological concepts: sin, justice, love and mercy |
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| Emphasis on morality, justice and holiness; strong notion of God as judge, and abhorrence of sin in the name of justice for the sake of the victim; justice is rooted in mercy, inseparable; God has love and act of mercy for the victim |
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| Annual fast day commemorating the destruction of the Temples (under Babylon and Rome), a day of mourning to remember all the loss of the Jews throughout the centuries; one wall remaining of the Temple, the Western wall, the wailing wall; a day of fasting to remember the tragedy of the Jewish people (July-August) |
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| Written and oral, moral and religious Law, instructions, and teachings given by God to Israel at Mt. Sinai; the way Israel's relationship to God is defined; five Books of Moses (Pentateuch) |
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| The Israelite name for God, the tetragrammaton, which connotes a highly existential notion of being-ness, literally " I am that I am, I will be what I will be" |
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| The Day of Atonement, marking the end of Rosh Hashanah, the holiest day of the year; traditionally the one day of the year when the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sacrifice a bull calf for the sins of himself and the other priests; in Orthodox Judaism, studying the Temple ritual on this day represents a positive rabbinically ordained obligation which Jews seeking atonement are required to fulfill; special day of fasting, special synagogue service focusing on repentance; self-examination; getting one’s life in order with God; personal reflection on one’s life with God |
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| Political insurgents dedicated to finding a markedly political and military-minded Messiah |
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| The international political movement that originally supported the reestablishment of a homeland for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel, the historical homeland of the Jews; “secular” messianism, Jews collectively and corporately working together to establish peace and social justice |
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