Origins (HSC SSCE Studies of Religion): Revision Notes
Origins
Introduction to Judaism
Judaism is a small religious tradition in terms of numbers, but its influence on world history has been profound. The religion has shaped two other major world faiths—Christianity and Islam. The Hebrew Bible forms the Old Testament of the Christian Bible and is referenced extensively in the Islamic Qur'an. The foundational belief in one God (monotheism) was passed down to both Christianity and Islam, while Jewish ethics have influenced the legal systems of modern Western societies.
The Jewish people themselves have played a significant role throughout history. A major milestone occurred in 1948 with the creation of the modern State of Israel. Since then, Jewish communities from around the world—including Ethiopia, Russia, Argentina and Australia—have resettled in their ancestral homeland. Today, approximately half of all Jewish people worldwide live in Israel.
The Magen David (Star of David) serves as the widely recognised symbol of Judaism. The origins of this six-pointed star are uncertain, though it may be very ancient. The symbol appears prominently on the flag of Israel.
Abraham and the covenant
Abraham: the first Hebrew
The Jewish narrative begins with Abraham, recognised as the first Hebrew. According to the biblical account, God commanded Abraham with these words: "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation" (Genesis 12:1–2). This divine command marks the beginning of the Jewish people's story.
Around 1750 BCE, Abram (whose name God later changed to Abraham) left his home in Ur, located in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). He first travelled to Haran in what is now southern Turkey, where God revealed the promises of the Covenant. At the age of 75, Abraham took his extended family, including his wife Sarai (later renamed Sarah), and settled in Canaan.
Key terms:
- Hebrew: The tribes that eventually became the Jewish people, also known as the Children of Israel or Israelites
- Covenant (Brit in Hebrew): A sacred promise or agreement between God and human beings. Unlike a simple contract, it establishes an ongoing relationship between the parties involved
The Hebrew understanding of time and space
The Hebrews held distinctive beliefs that set them apart from neighbouring civilizations. Many religious systems in Babylonia and Mesopotamia viewed time as cyclical—endlessly repeating in patterns. The Hebrews, however, understood time as linear, moving forward with purpose and direction.
This concept of linear time was considered sacred. Notably, the first time the word "holy" appears in the Torah is in connection with time itself. Alongside sacred time, the Hebrews also developed the idea of sacred space—specifically, the land promised by God. The acquisition of this land would unfold through God's guidance over time, demonstrating how these concepts of time and space were central to ancient Israelite religion.
The Hebrews distinguished themselves through their faith in one God and their confidence that the Covenant would be fulfilled. The Hebrew Bible serves as the record demonstrating how this covenant promise was realized.
The covenant promises
God's covenant with Abraham contained three essential promises:
- Land: A territory for Abraham's descendants to call home
- Descendants: Abraham would become the father of a great nation with many descendants
- Blessing: Abraham's people would hold special status and would be a blessing to other peoples
These promises are recorded in Genesis 12:1–3 and form the foundation of the Jewish people's relationship with God.
Abraham's life and character
Abraham arrived in Canaan as a wealthy man with servants and resources. The Canaanites recognised him as a tribal chief. He participated in several military conflicts, including a rescue mission to save his nephew Lot from the city of Sodom.
The biblical narrative presents Abraham as embodying characteristics that Jewish people should emulate:
- Faithfulness to God: He trusted God's promises even when they seemed impossible
- Willingness to question: He argued with God when he perceived injustice in the world
- Compassion and hospitality: He showed kindness to strangers and care for others
Despite his advanced age, God promised Abraham would father many descendants. His first son, Ishmael, was born to Hagar (his wife's maidservant) when Abraham was 86 years old. His wife Sarah, previously unable to conceive, gave birth to Isaac when Abraham reached 100 years of age.
After Ishmael's expulsion from the household, God tested Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac. In a dramatic demonstration of faith, Abraham prepared to obey. Just as he raised the knife, God intervened and instructed him to sacrifice an animal instead.
This story became foundational to Judaism, establishing two crucial principles:
- The God of the Jewish people abhors human sacrifice
- Yet He requires faithfulness and obedience to His commands
The covenant ceremony and its signs
The ancient covenant ritual
Genesis 15:9–21 describes the formal covenant ceremony between God and Abraham. Following ancient Near Eastern customs, Abraham took several animals—a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtle-dove and a young pigeon. He divided the larger animals in half and separated the pieces (leaving the birds whole).
In this ritual, a torch representing God's presence passed between the halves of the animals, sealing the agreement. This type of ceremony was similar to practices found among the Hittites, a neighbouring group, suggesting cultural connections in the ancient Near East.
Circumcision: the permanent sign
The most enduring sign of the Covenant is circumcision (brit milah). When Abraham was 90 years old, he circumcised himself and committed that all Jewish boys would be circumcised at eight days old. This physical mark serves as a permanent sign of the people's commitment to the Covenant (Genesis 17). The practice continues to this day as one of Judaism's most significant rituals.
The prediction of Egyptian slavery
Connected with the covenant promises was a troubling prediction. God revealed to Abraham that his descendants would experience slavery in a foreign land:
"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance" (Genesis 15:13–14).
This prophecy would be fulfilled when Jacob's descendants migrated to Egypt and were eventually enslaved there.
The Patriarchs and the Twelve Tribes
The three Patriarchs
The Covenant relationship with God extended through three generations of family leaders, known as the Patriarchs:
- Abraham (also called Abram): The founding father who received the original covenant promises
- Isaac: Abraham's son through Sarah, the child of promise
- Jacob (also named Israel): Isaac's son, whose name change to "Israel" gave the people their national identity
God promised these patriarchs land and protection for their descendants, the great family known as B'nei Yisrael (the Children of Israel). In return, the people would honour and respect Him. This reciprocal relationship formed the basis of Jewish identity.
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
Jacob had twelve sons, who became the ancestors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Each tribe developed its own character and made special contributions to the emerging nation:
- Reuben
- Simeon
- Levi (designated as priests, serving in the Temple and preparing offerings to God)
- Judah
- Issachar
- Zebulun
- Dan
- Naphtali
- Gad
- Asher
- Joseph (whose descendants divided into two tribes: Ephraim and Manasseh)
- Benjamin
When the people eventually returned to the land of Israel after 40 years of wilderness wandering, each tribe received a designated territory, except for the Levites who served as priests throughout the nation.
Migration to Egypt
During a severe famine in the land of Israel, Jacob and his family migrated to Egypt seeking food and survival. Initially welcomed, the Children of Israel eventually became enslaved in Egypt. However, a special connection remained between them, God, and the promised land.
As recorded in Exodus 2:24–25: "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob."
The development of monotheism
Names for God
The Patriarchs referred to God by various names, reflecting different aspects of the divine character:
- YHWH (the Tetragrammaton): Four Hebrew letters representing one of God's most important names. Considered too sacred to pronounce, it is read as "Adonai" (meaning "Lord")
- El: A Hebrew word meaning "God," also used by other Middle Eastern cultures including the Canaanites
- El Elyon: "God Most High" (Genesis 14:18)
- El Shaddai: "God Almighty" (Genesis 17:1)
- El Olam: "Everlasting God" (Genesis 21:33)
- El Roi: "God of seeing" (Genesis 16:13)
- El Bethel: "God of Bethel" (Genesis 31:13; 35:37)
Some Jewish people today avoid writing "God" in full (using "G-d" instead) or use terms like "Elokim," "Adonai" (My Lord), or "HaShem" (The Name) out of reverence and respect. This practice stems from the third of the Ten Commandments: not to take God's name in vain.
From henotheism to monotheism
The Jewish understanding of God developed over approximately 4,000 years. Early biblical texts often describe God as "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6) or "the God of my father" (Genesis 31:5), suggesting a deity connected to a specific family or clan.
This concept evolved from what scholars call henotheism (the worship of one god as supreme among many gods) into pure monotheism (the belief in only one God). Today, this monotheistic understanding is shared by Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Some archaeologists hypothesize that Abraham may have arrived from Mesopotamia worshipping a particular deity who later merged with El, the sky-god of the Canaanites. According to this theory, after settling in Canaan, the Israelite God gradually developed into a supreme and universal form, influenced by local religious ideas.
The Torah stories of the Patriarchs share similarities with narratives from other ancient cultures in the region. However, the biblical version creates a powerful, unified national epic that helped Abraham's descendants develop their distinctive identity as a people.
Moses, the Exodus and the Torah
Moses' early life
The story of Moses begins in Egypt, where the Children of Israel had been enslaved. According to the biblical narrative, a new Pharaoh became concerned about the growing Hebrew population and issued a cruel decree: the people should be enslaved, and all newborn Hebrew boys should be killed.
Moses' mother hid her baby son in a small basket made of rushes and sealed with tar. She placed it in the river, where it floated downstream to Pharaoh's palace. The Pharaoh's daughter discovered the baby and, moved with compassion, took him into the royal household.
Growing up in the Egyptian court provided Moses with crucial advantages:
- Literacy and education (unusual for slaves)
- Leadership skills
- Management and organizational abilities
- Understanding of Egyptian culture and politics
These skills would prove essential for his future role leading the Hebrew people.
The burning bush encounter
As an adult, Moses witnessed an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew slave. In a moment of impulsive anger, he killed the taskmaster. Fearing Pharaoh's revenge, Moses fled into the desert where he encountered Midianite tribespeople and eventually married.
One day, while guarding sheep, Moses was led away from his flock to encounter a remarkable sight: a bush that burned with flames but was not consumed. From the flames, he heard a voice identifying itself as "the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6).
God declared He had witnessed the suffering of His people in Egypt and intended to deliver them from slavery. He commissioned Moses to return to Egypt and lead the people to freedom—to "a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8).
The ten plagues and the Exodus
Moses returned to the Egyptian court, but despite demonstrations of divine power, the Pharaoh refused to release the Hebrew slaves. God then sent ten devastating plagues upon Egypt:
The final plague—the death of all firstborn Egyptian sons—finally convinced Pharaoh to let the people leave. However, he soon changed his mind and pursued them with his army. In a miraculous event, God enabled Moses to part the Red Sea, allowing the Hebrew people to cross safely. When the Egyptian army attempted to follow, the waters returned and drowned all the soldiers.
This dramatic liberation became known as the Exodus (literally meaning "departure"). It represents a pivotal moment in Jewish history—the transformation from an enslaved people to a free nation.
Receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai
During their journey to the Promised Land, Moses brought the people to the foot of the mountain of God, identified as Mount Sinai. Here, Moses received the Torah—the divine law that would govern Jewish life. The Torah includes the famous Ten Commandments (or Decalogue), but extends far beyond them to cover:
- Ethical and moral principles
- Dietary laws (kashrut)
- Ritual procedures
- Religious principles
- Social legislation
These laws represent the obligations the Jewish people must fulfill for the Covenant to remain valid. The Torah is a comprehensive code touching every aspect of life.
Forty years in the wilderness
The Exodus was not merely a physical journey but a spiritual pilgrimage and an opportunity to forge a national identity. Moses led the Jewish people for 40 years through the desert wilderness. This period allowed the generation born in slavery to pass away and a new generation, born in freedom, to enter the Promised Land.
When they finally reached the land promised by God, Israel ceased being a wandering clan and became an established nation with defined territory and identity.
The significance of Pesach (Passover)
The Pesach or Passover festival commemorates the Exodus from Egypt. The Seder, a ritual meal accompanied by narrative and re-enactment of the Exodus story, is one of the most significant observances in the Jewish calendar. It celebrates the themes of liberation, freedom and redemption—central values in Jewish identity.
Exam guidance
When answering questions about the origins of Judaism, examiners look for:
Analysis questions require you to:
- Explain the significance of the Covenant in establishing Jewish identity
- Demonstrate understanding of how the Patriarchs shaped the development of monotheism
- Show connections between the Exodus narrative and ongoing Jewish practice (e.g., Passover)
Evaluation questions require you to:
- Assess the historical reliability of biblical accounts versus archaeological evidence
- Discuss the influence of neighbouring cultures on early Hebrew religion
- Evaluate how origin stories continue to shape contemporary Jewish identity
Assessment tips:
- Use specific examples from biblical texts (e.g., Genesis 12:1–3 for the Covenant promises)
- Reference key figures accurately (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses)
- Explain technical terms clearly (Covenant, monotheism, Exodus)
- Connect origins to ongoing practices (circumcision, Passover)
- Consider both traditional religious understanding and scholarly perspectives
Remember!
Key points to remember:
- Abraham left Mesopotamia around 1750 BCE and received God's covenant promises of land, descendants, and blessing
- The Covenant established a sacred relationship between God and the Jewish people, marked by circumcision
- The three Patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel)—received and renewed the covenant across three generations
- Jacob's twelve sons became ancestors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel
- Moses led the people out of Egyptian slavery in the Exodus (the defining liberation event)
- At Mount Sinai, Moses received the Torah, including the Ten Commandments, establishing the law of the Covenant
- The Pesach (Passover) festival celebrates the Exodus and the ideal of freedom
Key terms:
- Covenant (Brit): Sacred agreement between God and the Jewish people
- YHWH: The unpronounceable name of God, read as "Adonai" (Lord)
- Monotheism: Belief in one God
- Exodus: The departure from Egyptian slavery to the Promised Land
- Torah: The divine law received by Moses at Mount Sinai
- Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the founding fathers of Judaism
Critical concept:
The origins of Judaism center on the Covenant relationship—a sacred promise linking God, a people (descendants of Abraham), and a land (Israel). This three-fold relationship, established with the Patriarchs and renewed through Moses and the Torah, forms the foundation of Jewish identity and practice.