Carrubbers
Christian Centre
As an introduction, read Genesis and Exodus.
The God of the Hebrews is Yahweh (I AM that I AM), but it is a Name too holy to say, and is substituted with Adonai (Lord) when the Scriptures are being read. The vowels of Adonai were interspersed into the consonants of Yahweh, resulting in an impossible word in Hebrew, but which gave rise to the English 'Jehovah'. There is only one true God. He is the God of Israel in a special sense since they are His chosen people by a covenant relationship. God is totally beyond our attempts to define Him (which is why idolatry is regarded as a terrible sin) and though infinite is concerned with His children. God is creator of all that is. For more on temple worship, etc., read the Old Testament (we rather hope that you already have - eds).
The twenty-four books of the Jewish Scriptures are identical to the Christian Old Testament. They are divided into three main types, the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings. The Torah is in its narrowest sense the Pentateuch, but in reality has a deeper meaning and functions at the level of religious law, theology and mysticism. It is a system of religious law, ethics and ritual duties. Knowing and observing the Torah may be seen as the supreme ideal of Judaism.
The Talmud is a commentary on Scripture. Although it does not enjoy the same authority as the Hebrew Scriptures, it does have considerable influence. It is the result of Jewish sages during the first seven centuries AD, and is the combination of the Mishnah (a collection of commentaries on Jewish law since the time of Ezra), and the Gemara (a commentary on the Mishnah and the Torah).
Jews have historically looked to the coming of the promised Messiah, who would deliver them from suffering and rejection. Today many Jews have reduced this to a messianic age of peace and justice. Salvation is by a mixture of faith and observance of the law (works). Many different views on the resurrection as physical or spiritual. Orthodox Jews try to reconcile the different perspectives somehow. The righteous receive their reward in Paradise, the wicked their punishment in Gehenna (hell and purgatory). Sinners always have the option of repentance.
The mitzvah or 'commandments' are God's guiding commandments which affect all aspects of human behaviour and refer not only to the commandments within scripture but to charitable deeds in general.
There are many. Among them the Sabbath (Shabat), Passover (Pesach), celebrating the flight from Egypt, and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) are the most important.
Jesus is regarded as a great moral teacher in the rabbinic tradition, but not the Christ (Hebr. 'Messiah'). The disciples were confused in their Messianic outlook and corrupted his message. To worship him is idolatry and this, as we have seen, is a most serious sin. Thus Christians are idolaters to Jews and polytheists to Muslims. Needless to say, the Jews do not accept the New Testament, or its teachings regarding the birth and resurrection of Jesus.
University of South Africa; Science of Religion Study Guide SRA100-5, Chapters 14, 15, 20-22, by Dr G J A Lubba; UNISA, Pretoria 1991; McDowell & Stewart; Concise Guide to Today's Religions; Scripture Press, 1988
