Notes for Religious Studies 369:
Introduction to Judaism
Israel's Sacred History
Judaism and History
Importance of history to biblical religion--as testing ground for obedience to God, covenant and commandments.
Biblical Visions of Redemption
Eschatology: Belief that history has a direction, ultimate redemption.
Navi vs. "prophet"
Biblical prophets interested in the present.
Their statements about the future were in the form or:
threats--if the people did wrong and disobeyed God
or:
promises of consolation--after disasters, exile
Biblical prophets interested in the present.
After biblical period, these were viewed as predictions of the future. Evolved into eschatological scenario:
Catastrophe (to purge sins) would give way to ideal, redeemed world; vengeance on the wicked nations.
Some specific themes of Jewish eschatology:
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Preceded by catastrophic war of "Gog and Magog" (Ezekiel 38-39)
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Messianism: Restoration of anointed king from the house of David
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Ingathering of the exiles
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Rebuilding of Jerusalem, Temple, restoration of priesthood
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Repentance of sinners
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Universal acknowledgement of God by all peoples
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Elijah as herald of the redemption (Malachi 4:4)
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Resurrection of the dead
Biblical Prophecy and the
Messianic Idea:
1. General Themes:
| Source | Belief |
| Threats of approaching catastrophe if Israel fails to obey God | Catastrophic future: Punishment of sinners. |
| Consolation: Obedience to God will lead to rewards, perfect world. | Utopian World |
| Revenge on Israel's Enemies. | Defeat of evil nations of the world. |
2. Specific Themes:
| Announcement by Elijah | (Stated in Malachi 3:23 [4:5]) |
| "War of Gog and Magog" | (Described in Ezekiel 38-9). |
| Resurrection of the Dead | Why then? |
Jerusalem:
In biblical tradition, exclusive place for worship, focus of pilgrimage
King David and the Ideal of Monarchy
Ambivalent attitude toward government in Bible:
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implied rejection of direct dependence on God
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extolling of David as ideal leader and his reign as a golden age
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David himself is described as a noble but very flawed person
Apocalypse
Unlike prophetic preaching that national redemption is dependent on the behaviour of the people, Apocalypse described pre-ordained scenarios in which a succession of evil empires will eventually give way to the "kingdom of God."
The genre usually took the form of a secret (="apocalyptic") revelation to the hero, often a minor figure from the Bible.
Use of graphic imagery to describe the empires and their cataclysmic downfall.
Rationalistic Eschatologies
Rationalists downplayed the nationalistic and supernatural elements in the visions of future redemption. They preferred to speak of an age of universal enlightenment, with the Messiah as a platonic "philosopher-king."
Redemption according to the Kabbalah
Exile related to the separation of the Shekhinah from the Sefirot. Correlation between human and divine redemptions.
Ambivalent attitude of Hasidism toward eschatology.
Modern Attitudes
Great variety of approaches to eschatology in modern Judaism
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Response to demoralization caused by failed messianic movements
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Problems posed to Emancipation aspirations by nationalistic elements
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Tendency to focus on universal ideals
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Ambiguous relationship between political Zionism and traditional messianism
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Rabbi Kook and religious Zionism
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Gush Emunim and Israeli politics
Religious partners to left-wing and Labour Zionism: Happoel Hamizrachi; from Brit Shalom to Netivot Shalom.
Controversies surrounding the place of religion in the secular state:
- The "status quo"
- Religious legislation
- The "Who is a Jew?" controversies
- religious parameters of the Israel Defense Force
- Gush Emunim: messianic nationalism; the settler movement.
- Religion as an instrument of ethnic and social protest: The rise of Sepharadic ultra-orthodoxy (the Shas party and its constituency).
- Forms and venues of religious scholarship in Israel.
- Distinctive aspects of religious life in Israel.
Some features of Jewish Eschatology
The word "Messiah"
| Anointed--A person whose | hair
has been smeared with oil.
|
Part of the standard
ritual for appointing a | king.
 |
| The term is used to designate a Jewish
ruler from the family of King David who will | return in the future
|
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