[WikiGem] Judaism

Judaism is a monotheistic religion that developed among the ancient Hebrews out of the Ancient Near Eastern polytheistic religions. It is characterized by a transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets. It comprises theology, law, and cultural traditions.

History

Judaism develops out of Ancient Near Eastern polytheism, moving from polytheism to monolatry, emphasizing the worship of the god Yahweh, as part of the Ancient Near Eastern pantheon, over other gods in the pantheon. Judaism undergoes drastic changes in Theology and practice after 586 BCE, when the Neo-Babylonians take over Judah, destroy the first Temple in Jerusalem, and exile the Israelites to Babylonia.

In Babylonia, Jewish practitioners interact with Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion at the time. During this time of exile, many of the already-developed Jewish stories and texts are edited and revised in light of the fall of Judah and the start of the Diaspora in order to explain the events through a new perspective on the past. This is done by compiling and editing (redacting) the stories, which become the Torah and Deuteronomistic History (Genesis to II Kings, excluding Ruth), in a way that shows the cycle of sin and repentance of the people.

This cycle of sin and repentance Theologically explained the reasons for the destruction of the Temple and the Diaspora. This begins a clear shift, particularly shown in the Prophets, away from the Temple and Sacrificial practices, especially after the destruction of the Temple renders these practices impossible.

It also begins a shift within Judaism from a God that is limited to a place, and might have been thought to be inferior to the god(s) of the conquerors, as was usual for the time, to a God that uses the conquerors to punish the people. This allows the people to continue their belief and practice, rather than the usual assimilation into the conqueror's religion, and furthers the development of monotheism and an all-powerful universal God within Judaism.

In 539-538 BCE, when Cyrus became King of Babylonia, after the Persian Empire in 559 BCE, he declares a position of religious toleration, and so allows Jews to return to Israel and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, what becomes the Second Temple, ushering in the Second Temple period of Judaism. Later, Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah interpret these events as a fulfilment of prophecy, particularly of Jeremiah, when God has forgiven the people and allowed them to return. Ezra 1:4, however, suggests that some Jews stayed behind in Babylonia.

[ADD: Two waves of return and reform under Ezra and Nehemiah, development of priestly accounts, Hellenistic rule under Alexander the great, Seleucid Empire rule, Maccabean revolt and Hasmonean rule, Roman intervention, Roman rule under Hasmonean dynasty, Roman rule under Herod the Great.]

By the time of the first century CE, Judaism of the masses becomes widely diverse, and, in addition, four distinct sects of Judaism appear: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Zealots, and the Essenes. The Saducees are the Temples Priests. They hold only the Torah as sacred. The Pharisees are the teachers of the masses, and they hold the Torah, the Prophets, and much of the Writings as sacred. The Zealots are those who desire to overtake Israel as a sovereign state by fighting back against the Romans. Lastly, the Essenes are a sect cut off from society. They also hold the Torah, Prophets, and Writings as sacred, and they opposed the Sadducees.

[ADD: Interaction with Christianity, periods of Roman oppression, interaction with Gnosticism, development of Mishnah and the two separate Talmuds, Maimonides, Baruch Spinoza, Baal Shem Tov and Hassidic Movement, Reconstructionism, Reform and Conservative movements, etc.]