Judaism

Today was the first day for our Judaism class. The course is taught by an American-educated Jew who emigrated in 1978. To start the class, he asked two questions: 1) What is Judaism and 2) When did Judaism start. You might want to take a second and try to answer those.

The answers to the questions weren't anything dramatic. I said the answer to 2 was with Adam. I wasn't right. Basically he said the answer to those aren't so clear. He continued in an academic manner to explain certain details to prove the case he believes to be true. It was intriguing, to say the least.

Judaism itself had no defnite moment, and any typical Jew would describe the beginning of Judasim with the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). His view, however, is that Judaism began with the Babylonian captivity in 586 BC. The reason is really quite simple. there is a difference between the Israelite religion and Judaism. So while Abraham, Moses and Isaiah are all apart of history, they are not apart of Judaism. The religious ideology of the time was monoloters (a mix between monotheists and idoloters). Gods were territorial, and so even though the house of Israel worshipped only one God, with their deportation they casually began to worship the other gods. This was the case with northern tribes taken captive by Assyria as well as some (but not all) of the 2 kingdoms taken captive by Babylon. The start of Judaism began with the group that believed in a God nothwithstanding their physical location. And so those that returned to Jerusalem were really the pilgrims of the Jews.

In reality, the professor has a point. The northern tribes didn't understand the reality of nature of God. They became assimilated to their culture without heeding that which was most important - the laws and ordinances effectuated through those with Preisthood authority. Significant church history is lacking from Abraham's time. Confusingly, Abraham opened a new dispensation despite the church already existing in his area. Melchezidek, along with other holy men, are evidence of church structure, but the details are more than lacking. Also what seems to be unclear is how much Priesthood authority existed with the Jews that returned after Babylonian captivity. It seems that the covenant persisted even if complete Priesthood authority did not. For that reason Moses, Elijah and other prophets had to return and bestow that priesthood upon Christ at the Mount of Transfiguration. I think the Levitical Priesthood continued to exist solely because it is a lineage priesthood just as much it is of worthiness. The familial structure of the priesthood is probably partly why Judiasm is such a family cultured religion, and also why it has been able to continue for so long.

Anyway, coming back from that aside, modern Judaism has its originations in the return from Babylonian captivity and its Israelite history is just a part of their past - much like it is for us. That helped me understand why it was so difficult for so many Jews to accept Jesus as the Christ. I think those Jews who were more interested in the covenants Abraham made with God, i.e. Their Israelite tradition, would be more likely to accept Christ as the Redeemer. For those who saw their Israelite heritage as more of a past, it wasn't ever really a question that a Christ would ever come. They were more rooted in tradition rather than change. And as often typically stated, they were looking for a political savior rather than a spiritual savior.

So really, as Latter-Day Saints I don't think we will ever fully comprehend or appreciate the Jewish religion because we always seek to classify Judaism in religious terms. For modern Jews, especially Zionists, it is more a question of culture, territory, and family as much as it is religion. The reason that they are willing to fight for an Israeli nation is because they are more focused on the territorial blessings promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Just like the other peoples of the middle east, religion is territorial. The crowning difference is the Jews have been stubborn enough to not adopt any religion from a conquering power, inside influence, or mother nation. God was a pretty good socioligist when he orchestrated the succession of events from the fall of Adam and Eve to the Atonement.

I'm sure I still don't understand Judaism sufficiently to try to make sense of it all, but then again Judaism isn't even so clear to the Jews. Hope that was as entertaining and intriguing for you as it was for me.

love y'all