Myself
1. What it means to talk about the individual as a personality – uniqueness as a person
2. Relationship of individuals to family & community and the importance of family and community to the people of faith.
3. How does religion respond to the question of ‘who am I'?
4. SoulWord referring to that part of the human which is shared with the sacred or no soul? Meaning of this and relationship to an eschatology.
Although Judaism stresses the very important roles of the family and the community, the relationship with G-d is both collective and personal.
In early Judaism the human personality was considered as a whole without a distinction between body and soul. However, by the Middle Ages, the soul was seen as the principle of life which could survive the death of the body.
In the Jewish Scriptures the 'Day of Jehovah' was a future battle that would decide the fate of the Jewish people. It was seen as a future day of victory but the prophets IsaiahOne of the three major prophetic books of the Bible, JeremiahOne of the three major prophets of the Bible, HoseaOne of the 12 minor prophets of the Bible , AmosOne of the 12 minor prophets of the Bible, MicahOne of the 12 minor prophets of the Bible and ZephaniahOne of the twelve minor prophets of the Bible, suggested that it would bring destruction.
Later, these prophecies also included ideas of future prosperity with eschatologicalReferring to end time speculations hopes.
The Book of Daniel holds the hope that the kingdom of the world will be given to the saints of the Most High, the Jewish people. The archangel Michael will appear after the death of the beast which represents the GreekLingu Franca of the ancient near east kingdoms of the Middle East.
There is no appearance of a messiahIn Jewish and Christian theology a saviour figure based on Davidic concepts in the Book of Daniel. This idea of a deliverer king is in the Song of Solomon. The desire for a messiah who would break the Roman rule and establish the empire of the Jews led to the rebellion of 66-70CE that brought about the destruction of Jerusalem. It does not appear that this Messiah figure was connected with the final judgementAssessment of thoughts and actions. and the raising of the dead.
But I know that my Vindicator lives;
In the end He will testify on earth- (JobA major book of the Bible examining the problem of innocent suffering 19:25)
The mother was especially admirable and worthy of honourable memory. Although she saw her seven sons perish within a single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the Lord. She encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors. Filled with a noble spirit, she reinforced her woman's reasoning with a man's courage, and said to them, "I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of humankind and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws." (2 MaccabeesJewish freedom fighters during the inter-testamental period 7:20-23)
Websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/
http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm
http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/index.htm
http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/
Bibliography
Cohn-Sherbok, D., 1999. Judaism: A Short Introduction. Oxford: Oneworld.
Cohn-Sherbok, D., 2003. Judaism: History, Belief and Practice. London: Routledge.
Gaster, T.H., n.d. Festivals of the Jewish Year. s.l.: Morrow Quill
Greenberg, B., 1990. How to run a traditional Jewish household. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Greenberg, B., 1992. On Women and Judaism: A View from Tradition. s.l.: JPS.
Harris, L., n.d. Holy Days, the World of a Hasidic Family. s.l.: Collier Books.
Koltun, E., (ed.), 1989. The Jewish Woman. New York: Schocken, New York.
Kraemer, D., (ed.), 1989. The Jewish Family. Oxford: OUP.
Mayled, J., 2007. ‘Judaism’. In Tyler, S. & Reid, G., AS Religious Studies. London: Pearson.
Mayled, J., 2007. ‘Judaism’. In Tyler, S. & Reid, G., A2 Religious Studies. London: Pearson.
Pilkington, C. M., 1995. Teach Yourself Judaism. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Schauss, H., n.d. Jewish Festivals: History and Observance. s.l.: Schocken.
Unterman, A., 1996. The Jews: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. s.l.: Sussex Academic Press.
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