Judaism is a monotheistic religious belief of the Jewish people which goes a long way back and originated when God made a covenant with Abraham, Moses and other Hebrew prophets. As times have changed, the Jewish people have gone through adaptability when it comes to their religion and culture. However, their beliefs remain the same. What is Judaism about and how did it start?
Brief History Of Judaism And Jews
Judaism started about 4,000 years ago when God established a powerful covenant with the early Israelites through the Hebrew prophets, such as Moses and Abraham. They believed that they had an intimate connection with God, as they were the chosen people.
There is a strong divine presence. More than just religion, Judaism is a complex belief in which Jews live their lives. It has influenced their theology, laws, and even their culture and way of living.
Although Christianity has a lot of resemblance with Judaism, the latter only acknowledges teachings of the old books. They believe that the one true Messiah will come from the line of King David, and has yet to come. With this in mind, they believe that Jesus is not an incarnation of the Messiah, but rather a prophet.
The Star Of David
Symbolisms in Judaism, as well as the Jewish community, are often perceived differently, primarily by other religious sects. The Star of David, a hexagram which is a famous symbol for Judaism, is often interpreted differently by other religions.
According to Jewish belief, this symbol is actually a representation of God being with us always. The endpoints of the hexagram represent God shielding us in all directions:
- North
- South
- East
- West
- Up
- Down
Think of it as the cross of Christianity, while on the other hand, Judaism has the Star of David as their official symbol and profession of faith towards God. It has not been the official symbol of Judaism until 200 years ago when it appeared on the covers of the Torah, the first five books of the Tanakh. Tanakh is the sacred scripture of Judaism which contains all the laws and teachings of the religion. Its Christian counterpart would be the Bible.
Now, the Star of David represents the whole Jewish community and is associated with their identity. It appears not only in their scriptures but even on their national flag as well.
Women and Modern Day Judaism
Judaism, just like any other religion, has been criticized given the traditional and conservative views they have, especially on women. As times changed and women empowerment has become more prevalent, the challenge on Judaism has grown stronger.
However, it should be noted that Judaism considers women as separate but of equal status with men. In fact, they do not view God as being masculine alone, but with no gender at all.
Although in traditional Judaism, women often take the primary role of being a wife and a mother, the changing times allow them to adapt and let women exercise their rights, such as owning properties.
With this in mind, it is indeed possible that with the progressive times, certain restrictions may be eased or lifted while still upholding the teachings of Judaism.