Judaism: The Awakening
Before there were ever Jews in Jerusalem, there was Judaism, now one of the oldest religions in existence. The cultural and spiritual impact of the Bible in the Western World is undisputed: it is a text that went on to provide inspiration for both Christianity and Islam. Even as Judaism meets with controversy in the present era, the Bible still stands as a timeless testimonial to the immutable power of faith.
The origin of Judaism, being ancient, is shrouded in mystery. While the story of God’s covenant with Abraham is chronicled in exquisite detail, there is no way to verify the historical authenticity of the earliest events in the Bible (known to Jews as the Torah). Consequently historians do not have a clear picture of the way in which Judaism first developed, though some suggest that the birth of the religion was influenced by Canaanite mysticism.
After King David conquered Jerusalem and his son Solomon built the Holy Temple, Jerusalem’s identity as the Holy City of Judaism was solidified. Temple rites became the major form of worship, revolving around the laws of purity which governed who might enter the various sections of the Temple. Three times a year, the Jews celebrated holidays in which they would journey by foot to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. These holidays were regarded as particularly joyous occasions.
After the destruction of the Second Temple, Jewish leaders recognized that in the chaos of exile, Jewish law would not survive if it continued to be passed down through oral tradition. Therefore the rabbis compiled written texts recording their legal discourse, which resulted in the formulation of written laws. The first of these texts were the five books of the Mishnah. In later centuries, the rabbis wrote a series of texts based on an analysis of the Mishnah, known today as the Talmud. Today, religious Jews study the Talmud assiduously, in addition to the many other books of law, philosophy and mysticism that abound.
While rabbis are rarely associated today with politics, during the Roman occupation rabbis were some of the most fervent activists. Rabbi Akiva, one of the most respected contributors to the Talmud, was a staunch supporter of the warrior Bar Kokhva. In the catastrophe that followed, Rabbi Akiva was among the many Jews who were forced at the point of a knife to witness the destruction of Bar Kokhva’s army, and thereafter of Jerusalem.
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