¡Descarga Judaism: A Celestial and Ethno-Political Religion y más Resúmenes en PDF de Religión solo en Docsity!
There are currently about 18,500,000 Jews, of the of which about 4 million live in the State of Israel, 6 in the USA; about 12,000 in Spain. The Masonic obedience BB now has about 600,000 members. In our days several Jewish groups try to return to the realization of the archaic ethno- political religion. In the face of a state and society dominated by secularism, they aspire to the " rejudaization " of Israel through the imposition of a socio-political system based on Halacha, the "Jewish holy law”. The ethno-political condition of the Jews and the awareness of being a "chosen people" of Yahweh can lead to racism, although they have been much more subject to it than agents of it throughout their history. This religion has certain celestial features that are worth mentioning:
1. Yahweh, celestial divinity: Almost everything that exists is a reflection of
his glory
2. Male Divinity: There are no female deities. As a result of their monotheism,
the masculinity of Yahweh is absolute. The adjectives "Hebrew, Jew" are said mainly of people, "Hebraic, Judaic" of things, "Israeli" of people and things. After the constitution of the State of Israel in 1948, Hebrews or Jews are called "Israelis" if they have the identity card that certifies them as citizens of the State of Israel. Despite the synonymy of Hebraism/Judaism at least in its use.The use of "Hebrew, Hebraism" prevails. In addition, "Jewish" can and does sound loaded with negative connotations.
3. God Father: Besides being conceived as a male, Yahweh is "Father". But he
emphasizes the remoteness and transcendence of the divine; ordinarily his justice prevails over his mercy.
4. Transcendent with the "tremendum" as a characterizer of Jewish
religious sentiment: Those who received the visit/appearance of Yahweh
are convinced of meeting someone of transcendent nature and power. There is a respectful fear before the majesty of Yahweh. They do not use God's name in vain.
5. Anthropomorphic. The Mosaic prohibition of making images of Yahweh
proves that it lacks a human figure. Yahweh more than body is spirit To understand Judaism it is important to take into account the ethnic-political implications:
1. Religious pragmatism. From the covenant between Yahweh and his
people flows a series of reciprocal rights and obligations. In all the sacred books, pragmatism stands out, which implies the absolute conviction that, if they remain faithful to Yahweh, success will crown their political-military work, while their infidelity will bring misfortune and punishment.
2. Tendency to conservation-prosperity of the ethnic-political
community: The civil and the religious are waters from the same fountain,
which mix with each other.
3. Theocratic character of the Israeli State: Marked by the seal of theocracy
in a combination of the religious and the civil in any area of their existence, as well as by the predominance or "command" of "the divine, sacred". In our days, the State of Israel offers the paradox of being a "theocratic atheist" or, perhaps better, "agnostic" state insofar as agnostics are the majority of its
5. Revealed religion: Proper to celestial and ethno-political religions is the
ignorance of their founder. Their origins are lost in the prehistoric nebula of every people. Israel is an exception to this law, since its origin is known.Properly its founder is Yahweh himself, although he uses mediators, which makes Judaism a revealed religion, but it is not a "revelation" as a result of a shamanic type of experience, nor a profound religious experience, but it is the experiential knowledge of a very special relationship with Yahweh
6. The "messianic" hope: The Jewish people are certainly marked by the hope
of something or someone, of a Messiah. The Jewish people did not accept an already existing religion, but people and religion were formed at the same time. The hope of "the land that I will show you, and I will make of you a great nation" makes its presence felt. And what about the prayers? Prayer is the first manifestation of the religious sense. For Jews, it has three basic moments: ▪ In the morning, which remembers and celebrates the coming out of the night, of the darkness ▪ The blessings of the afternoon, called the "18 blessings prayer", to show gratitude to God for forgiving and freeing the Jewish people. ▪ In the evening, to enter into the rest and peace of God. In the celebration of the Sabbath, the reading of a passage from the Torah and another from the prophets is added to these blessings. Ordinarily are prayed in the synagogue, but can be prayed anywhere as long as there is a group of at least 10 men over 13 years old. But they are always community or village prayers, not private. As in all religions, in today's Judaism there are festivals of community and individual character, of overflowing joy and of austerity or penance. The main feasts have roots almost as deep as the people and their religion. Some of them are: ▪ Community Celebrations: These are the ones that affect all Jews:
1. "Yamin Tovim" or joyful festivals
a) The Shabbat or Saturday": from the evening of Friday to the evening
of Saturday. After its celebration in the synagogue, the holiday continues in the family environment. Entering the house, the father blesses his children and wife and then has a festive dinner. Saturday ends with the Havdalah = "separation". On the table the family put a glass of wine and a candle, respective symbols of God's help during the week and of the hope of a happy and luminous week to come.
b) Pesach = "Passover" or "passage of the Lord", a memorial of the
departure from Egypt.
c) Shavuot or "Pentecost", 50 days after the Passover. In the three days
before Shavuot, the biblical texts are studied. The synagogues are decorated with all kinds of flowers.
d) Sukkot or Feast of Tabernacles, memorial of the journey of the desert
for 40 years. In the courtyard or on the terrace of the house erects a tent, a symbol of Israel's precariousness and at the same time its consistency and permanence through the centuries.
1.1 "Yamin Noraim" or Austere Days
a) Rosh Ha-shaná = New Year", two days long, anniversary of the creation
of the world. With profound examination of conscience, the 10 days of repentance and conversion or return to Yahweh begin.
b) The Yom Kippur, which celebrates purification, God's mercy,
reconciliation with God and with one's neighbor (the Jews) 10 days after the Jewish New Year (falls in autumn). Absolute fasting day.
