Judaism and Monotheism

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of the annual pilgrimage known as hajj?

Walking around the Kaaba in Mecca (correct)

Studying the Quran in Jerusalem

Visiting the city of Medina

Praying in a mosque

Which of the following statements accurately describes the Hadith?

It is a collection of historical events in Islam.

It is the foundational prayer book of Islam.

It contains sayings and actions of Muhammad. (correct)

It ranks above the Quran in authority.

What does the term 'halal' refer to in Islamic dietary laws?

Food that has been blessed by an Imam

Food that is permissible to eat (correct)

Food that is forbidden to eat

Food that is exclusively available in mosques

What is the function of the mihrab in a mosque?

To indicate the direction of Mecca Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best captures the meaning of 'jihad' in its broader sense?

A personal struggle to embody Islamic principles and faith Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Rosh Hashanah in Judaism?

It marks the Jewish New Year. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes Zionism?

A movement to establish a Jewish homeland. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Christ' signify in Christianity?

The anointed one, equivalent to Messiah. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the Protestant Reformation?

Criticizing the authority of the Catholic Church. Signup and view all the answers

Which branch of Islam emphasizes leadership qualifications and consensus?

Sunni Islam. Signup and view all the answers

What do the Five Pillars of Islam include?

Witnessing, prayers, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage. Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of The Great Schism?

The permanent division between Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. Signup and view all the answers

Who is regarded as the final Prophet in Islam?

Muhammad. Signup and view all the answers

What does monotheism refer to?

Belief in one God Signup and view all the answers

Who is considered the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?

Abraham Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the Western Wall?

It's the last remnant of the second temple. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Exile' primarily signify in Judaism?

Distance from God and home Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a core responsibility taken on during a Bar/Bat Mitzvah?

Acceptance of religious obligations Signup and view all the answers

What does Tikkun Olam mean?

Repair the world Signup and view all the answers

What is the Tanakh?

The written Torah consisting of three parts Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Messiah' refer to in Jewish belief?

A future leader who will restore Israel Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Monotheism

Belief in only one God
Distinct from polytheism, which involves the belief in multiple gods

Judaism

The one true divinity is referred to as Hashem, Adonai, or Elohim
Key figures in Judaism include:
- Abraham - the patriarch and father of Judaism
- Moses - led the Exodus of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt
The central problem of Judaism is exile:
- This involves both distance from God and distance from home
The solution to the core problem of exile is the return:
- This refers to the return of the Israelites to the Promised Land
Key texts and concepts in Judaism:
- The Torah - a sacred text containing the story of the Israelites, also called the five books of Moses
- The Talmud - an authoritative collection of Torah interpretation
- The Western Wall - sole remnant of the second temple in Jerusalem; a sacred pilgrimage site for Jews
- Tikkun Olam - "repair the world," a central concept in Judaism that emphasizes the responsibility to create a better world.
- The Messiah - a figure who will come at the end of times, restore the Jews to the Promised Land, rebuild the Temple, and usher in a peaceful and just world
Key holidays in Judaism:
- Passover - commemorates the Exodus story
- Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year
- Yom Kippur - Jewish Day of Atonement
- Hanukkah - Jewish festival of lights, which lasts eight days
Key practices in Judaism:
- Kosher - adhering to Jewish dietary laws
- Shabbat - a day of spiritual renewal and rest, beginning at sunset on Friday and closing at nightfall on Saturday
- Bar/Bat Mitzvah - the ritual celebration marking the coming of age of a Jewish child, at which time the person takes on the religious responsibilities of an adult

Christianity

Key concepts in Christianity:
- God - considered to be a Trinity, involving the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- Christ - the Greek term for 'Messiah,' meaning 'the anointed one'
- Atonement - the reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ
- Sin - state of separation from God and an act of wrongdoing; said by Christians to be wiped away by the death of Jesus
- Salvation - liberation from sin, the Christian religious goal
Key figures in Christianity:
- Jesus - central figure in Christianity, believed to be the Messiah who was crucified and resurrected
- Paul - letter writer and early Christian missionary
- Constantine - Roman Emperor who embraced Christianity and helped transform it into a world religion
Key texts and concepts in Christianity:
- Nicene Creed - a statement of beliefs upheld by most Christians, first established in the year 325
Key branches of Christianity:
- Roman Catholicism - The largest Christian denomination
- Protestantism - A religious movement of the 16th century that criticized the authority of the Catholic Church, resulting in the creation of Protestant Christianity
- Eastern Orthodoxy - A large part of Christianity that separated from the Catholic Church in the Great Schism.

Islam

Islam is the second largest religion.
People who practice Islam are called Muslims
The central belief in Islam is in the one God, Allah.
Key Islamic practices include:
- The Five Pillars: Shahada (declaration of faith); five daily prayers; almsgiving; fasting during Ramadan; Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)
- Eid - a Muslim festival celebrated at the end of Ramadan
- Jihad - 'struggle,' external struggle against enemies of Islam and internal struggle to submit fully and completely to the divine
- Wudu - ritual washing before prayer
Key figures in Islam:
- Muhammad - the final Prophet of Islam, who received the Quran from the angel Gabriel
Key texts in Islam:
- Quran - sacred text of Islam
- Hadith - Islamic scripture, second in authority only to the Quran, consisting of the exemplary sayings and actions of Muhammad and his companions
Key branches of Islam:
- Sunni Islam - the larger of the two branches of Islam (approx. 90%), which emphasizes consensus and qualifications when choosing leaders
- Shia Islam - minority branch of Islam, now dominant in Iran
Key concepts in Islam:
- Submission - the solution to the problem of pride, offered through Islam
Key places in Islam:
- Mecca - Saudi Arabian city, the sacred center of the Muslim world, and the home of the Kaaba shrine around which the annual hajj revolves
- Kaaba - the cubic House of God in Mecca toward which observant Muslims pray every day and around which pilgrims walk during the hajj. Typically covered in an ornate black cloth, it includes a sacred black stone said to have fallen from heaven.
- Mosque - place of community prayer that includes a niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca, toward which that prayer is directed
Key Islamic traditions:
- Sufism - a mystical tradition focused on direct experience of the love of God

Zionism

A movement to create a Jewish homeland in the holy land
Led to the establishment of the nation-state of Israel in Palestine following World War II

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Description

Explore the fundamentals of Judaism, a monotheistic faith centered on the belief in one God, referred to in various names such as Hashem and Adonai. Discover key figures, core problems such as exile, and significant texts like the Torah and Talmud that shape Jewish belief and practice.