An Introduction to An Introduction to JudaismJudaism

byby

Rabbi Yeshaya BalogRabbi Yeshaya Balog

Judaism: Life of Judaism: Life of ObligationObligation

1) Learning1) Learning

2) Life2) Life

3) Food3) Food

4) Dress4) Dress

5) Business5) Business

6) Family and 6) Family and sexualitysexuality

7) Spirituality7) Spirituality

8) Calendar8) Calendar

1) The Obligation of Torah 1) The Obligation of Torah StudyStudy

The Jews study the life The Jews study the life of the nation, in order of the nation, in order to live it.to live it.

The Jews live the life of The Jews live the life of the nation, in order to the nation, in order to learn it. learn it.

Life and learning are Life and learning are one.one.

Judaism is a Judaism is a community of learning.community of learning.

What Do We Learn?What Do We Learn?

Mitzvot: 248 Positive Mitzvot: 248 Positive Commandments, 365 ProhibitionsCommandments, 365 Prohibitions

2 parts of the Torah: 2 parts of the Torah: Written: PentateuchWritten: Pentateuch Oral (written down 200-700 CE): Mishna, Oral (written down 200-700 CE): Mishna,

TalmudTalmud Trinty: Nation, Land and Teachings Trinty: Nation, Land and Teachings

2) The Most Important 2) The Most Important Principle: LifePrinciple: Life

The Torah is the The Torah is the teaching of life teaching of life

„„Never again“: will Never again“: will the Jewish nation the Jewish nation be victimbe victim

3) Food

Kosher Kosher animalsanimals

SlaughterSlaughterKosherKosher fish: fish: fins and scalesfins and scales

No eating of bloodNo eating of bloodNo mixing milk and meatNo mixing milk and meat

4) Dress4) Dress

KippaKippa

TzitzitTzitzit

If married: hair If married: hair covering covering

ModestModest

5) Business5) Business

Always with Always with honestyhonesty

Helping poor Helping poor people (Tzedaka)people (Tzedaka)

Give money for Give money for just causesjust causes

6) Marriage and 6) Marriage and SexualitySexuality

No physical contact No physical contact before marriagebefore marriage

In marriage: no In marriage: no marital relations marital relations during menstruationduring menstruation

Marrital intimacy: Marrital intimacy: for children and for children and lovelove

Divorce is allowedDivorce is allowed

7) Spirituality7) Spirituality

Prayer: anywhere, Prayer: anywhere, inin

minjan 10 Jewish minjan 10 Jewish adult menadult men

Blessings:Blessings:alwaysalways

8) Calendar8) Calendar

Shabbat: every Shabbat: every week one day of week one day of festival festival

Friday evening: Friday evening: Creation of the Creation of the universeuniverse

Friday Evening: CreationFriday Evening: Creation

„ „Thus the heaven and earth were Thus the heaven and earth were finished, and all array. By the seventh finished, and all array. By the seventh day God completed His work which he day God completed His work which he had done, and He abstained on the had done, and He abstained on the seventh day from all His work which He seventh day from all His work which He had done. God blessed the seventh had done. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because on it He day and sanctified it because on it He abstained from all His work which God abstained from all His work which God created to make.“ (Genesis 2, 1-3)created to make.“ (Genesis 2, 1-3)

Shabbat - RevelationShabbat - Revelation „„Remember the Sabbath day to Remember the Sabbath day to

sanctify it. Six days shall you sanctify it. Six days shall you work and accomplish all your work and accomplish all your work; but the seventh day is work; but the seventh day is Sabbath to HASHEM your God; Sabbath to HASHEM your God; you shall not do any work – you shall not do any work – you, your son, your daughter, you, your son, your daughter, your slave. Your maidservant, your slave. Your maidservant, your animal; and your convert your animal; and your convert within your gates - for in six within your gates - for in six days HASHEM made the days HASHEM made the heavens and the earth, the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, sea and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, HASHEM day. Therefore, HASHEM blessed the Sabbath day and blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.“ (Exodus 20, 8-sanctified it.“ (Exodus 20, 8-11).11).

Shabbat Afternoon: Shabbat Afternoon: SalvationSalvation

„ „May the May the compassionate compassionate One let us inherit One let us inherit that day that that day that shall be all shall be all Sabbath and rest Sabbath and rest for life for life everlasting“ everlasting“ (from Grace After (from Grace After Meals)Meals)

FestivalsFestivals

AgriculturalAgricultural HistoricalHistorical SpiritualSpiritual

The Three Agricultural The Three Agricultural FestivalsFestivals

Pessach Pessach (Passover):(Passover): CreationCreation

Shavuot (Pentecost): Shavuot (Pentecost): RevelationRevelation

Sukkot (Tabernacles): SalvationSukkot (Tabernacles): Salvation

Four Historic FestivalsFour Historic Festivals

Independence Day (1948)Independence Day (1948)

Purim (4. c. BCE)Purim (4. c. BCE) Chanukka (2. c. BCE)Chanukka (2. c. BCE)

9. Beav (70 CE)9. Beav (70 CE)

The Spiritual Festivals:The Spiritual Festivals:Rosh Hashana – New YearRosh Hashana – New Year

Day of History Day of History Kingdom of GodKingdom of God The veil between The veil between

Creation and Creation and Nature is torn off Nature is torn off

Yom Kippur – Day of Yom Kippur – Day of AtonementAtonement

„ „Man stood alone ..., Man stood alone ..., with nothing to lean with nothing to lean on, without nation or on, without nation or mankind ..., on the mankind ..., on the day of atonement in day of atonement in the gaping silence the gaping silence and had to find his and had to find his way to God, to his way to God, to his God ...“ (Isaac God ...“ (Isaac Breuer The Breuer The New New KuzariKuzari))