Judaism as a religion arose even “before the beginning of the centuries,” and it is precisely him who is considered the first monotheistic religion, which recognized the existence of a single God. Judaism is in fact not only a belief, but also the history of the Jewish people and its basic law. After all, the holy books contain information about absolutely all social processes, civil and religious laws.
A Brief History of Beliefs
The emergence of Judaism is attributed to the time when God turned directly to Abraham and ordered him to leave the house and settle in Canaan. This is where the history of Judaism begins, and the name of Abraham's grandson, Jacob, is associated with the beginning of a completely new spiritual life.
Further history is directly related to Egypt and the removal of the Jews from the slavery that Moses committed. The first documentary era is called the Time of the First Temple, when King David created the Temple of Jerusalem. It was here that the first centralization of all beliefs began.
Basic postulates
Judaism as a religion is considered to be very closely associated with Christianity, since the Bible is a holy book not only for Christians, but also for Jews, because the Old Testament contains the history of the Jewish people.
However, there are some very significant differences between the two world beliefs. Judaism as a religion implies a very close relationship between God and people. The Jewish people are called to carry the sacred word to all believers and unbelievers. For example, Jews sincerely believe that a person who honors the laws of the Jews, but is not a supporter of Judaism, is respectable and will certainly fall into the kingdom of God after death.
The Jewish people from the point of view of religion is nothing more than an instrument of the Lord, able to convey to others the truth about piety. Perhaps that is why Jews have always been considered "chosen by God."
The Holy Books of Judaism
In fact, the basis of Jewish beliefs is Tanah. This name denotes a collection of books that are considered to be the Old Testament in Christianity. It is here that the history of the development of Judaism as a religion is collected. It is believed that the first five books were written by Moses under God's inspiration on Mount Sinai, where, by the way, he received the basic commandments. In addition, the same book sets out more than 600 commandments that guide Jews in their daily lives. For example, laws on the traditions of the Sabbath are collected here, which is considered the holy day of the week when you can’t create or destroy anything. Here are collected and the rules regarding nutrition. Interestingly enough, Jews are forbidden to mix meat dishes and milk, such products also cannot be stored nearby or cooked in the same dishes.
And if the Tanakh is of great importance not only for Judaism, but also for adherents of the Christian faith, then the Talmud is important only for Jews. This book is considered the most important educational tool for the people. At one time, the rulers of many states believed that if the Talmud was prohibited, then Jews would be much more willing to convert to Christianity. However, the massive burning of books did not force the Jews to change their philosophy.
Bondage
Judaism as a religion is divided into several currents, among which are bondage. This term is called the most diverse mystical teachings of the Jews. The most valuable book here is called the Zohar and is written in the ancient Aramaic language. They say that there are collected comments on the Pentateuch of Moses. From the point of view of Kabbalists, the Bible is not just a description of history and laws, but a kind of symbolic encrypted language. Those who can decipher the secret messages will be able to understand the essence of the divine, uncover secrets and comprehend the greatest wisdom of the world.