A Short Note on Judaism

Having its origins in the Judea descendants, Judaism was created in the year 2000 BC, by Avraam, Isaac and Jacob and it has more than 18 million supporters. Judaism adopts the faith in a unique God, who is the Creator of the universe and who leads the chosen people, the Jewish, through the prophets with whom He talks. His word is discovered in the Jewish Bible (or the Old Testament), written entirely in Jewish - except some chapters or verses, which are in Aramaic, a semitic language which is similar to Jewish - and which is the book with the most translations and the most readers in the world. The Bible is divided in: Torah (the five books of Moses), Neviim (The Prophets) and Ketuvim (The writings, The Psalms). In raby literature is often met the term Torah in order to design the whole Bible.

Torah also contains a number of 613 orders, including the 10, which are explained in the Talmud. The Judaists think that man's condition can be improved, the wording of Torah must be listened to and obeyed, and finally Messiah will bring mankind to paradise. Judaism prometes the idea of community among all the Jewish, who belong to a sinagogue or a temple, and the importance of family life. Religious ceremonies take place both at home and at the sinagogue. Judaism is divided in three great groups, which are differentiated through the way they interprete those parts of Torah which treat personal activities, community activities, international and religious activities:

1. Orthodoxe Community, which considers Torah coming directly from God, that is why it is compulsory;

2.Reformate Movement, a simplified and rationalised form of Judaism, which adopts firstly the ethic contents of Torah;

3.Conservative judaists, who respect many of the rituals from Torah, but who also admit changes because of modern life. The fourth group, reconstruction judaists, reject the concept of chosen people of god, but they keep rituals as a part of judaist cultural heritage.

Sinagogues (meaning in Jewish meeting houses) are for 20 centuries places where Jewish pray and study. Any place may serve this purpose, under the condition to be oriented towards Jerusalem, not to be covered by other building and to have a certain number of ritualic objects. The holy case is the essential part, which contains Torah's manuscripts. In front of the holy case there is an eternal light which symbolizes that what is written in the Torah is the light for human beings. On Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays or on holidays mornings one of these manuscripts are taken out and a recommended text is read.

Raby means wise and nowadays he is the spiritual guide of his community, preaching, taking part to different ceremonies at the sinagogue or in the family. A raby can and must get married. Shabbat is in judaism the blessed day sacred by God who gave it to Israel people, as a sign of the agreement concluded with him. Israel's children received the solemn order to interrupt any work during Shabbat, as this is even more sacred than God's House.