Founding Story (Junior Cert Religious Education): Revision Notes
Founding Story
Introduction to Judaism
Judaism is recognised as the world's oldest monotheistic religion, meaning its followers believe in and worship only one God. This faith began approximately 4,000 years ago and is considered the foundation for both Christianity and Islam, earning it the title of their "parent religion."
The story of Judaism's origins takes place in an ancient land called Canaan (modern-day Israel), which has been known by various names throughout history including the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Israel. During this early period, the people were called Hebrews and lived a nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place with their livestock to find water, trade opportunities, and fresh pasture.
What made the Hebrews unique was their belief in one God called Yahweh, while the surrounding cultures practised polytheism (worshipping many different gods and idols). This distinction between monotheism and polytheism became a defining characteristic that set Judaism apart from all other religions of the ancient world.
Abraham - The founding father
The founding story of Judaism centres on a man originally named Abram, who is considered the religion's founding father. Around 2000 BCE, Abram lived in a city called Ur in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). Archaeological evidence shows that people in Ur at this time worshipped multiple gods through idols and statues at temples and shrines.
Abram experienced a profound realisation that these idol gods were meaningless and began seeking something greater. This spiritual awakening marks the beginning of Judaism's founding story.
Abram was married to Sarai, and despite being elderly, they had no children. Their story would become central to understanding how Judaism developed as a faith.
The covenant with God
The most crucial element of Judaism's founding story is the Covenant - a special agreement between Abram and God. This covenant represents far more than a simple promise; it established the fundamental relationship between God and the Jewish people.
The Covenant: The Foundation of Judaism
The Covenant was not just a promise but a transformative agreement that established the entire foundation of Jewish faith. During a revelation (a special message from God), Abram received God's promise that he and Sarai would have children and that their descendants would become a great nation. In return, Abram and Sarai agreed to leave everything behind, follow God faithfully, and spread the message of monotheism.
God's promise included giving them their own land to live in (Canaan) and continued divine support through ongoing revelations. As recorded in Genesis: "I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing."
To symbolise this new relationship, both Abram and Sarai received new names. Abram became Abraham (meaning "father of many"), and Sarai became Sarah (meaning "princess"). These name changes represented their acceptance of God's call and their new roles as ancestors of the Jewish people.
When Abraham was 75 years old, he and Sarah began their journey to Canaan as God had requested. This journey marked the end of the first part of Judaism's founding story, with Abraham now recognised as a patriarch (founding father) of the Jewish religion.
The descendants of Abraham and Sarah
The second part of the founding story focuses on how God's promises began to unfold through Abraham and Sarah's family. Since Sarah was elderly and had not been able to have children, she suggested that Abraham have a child with her servant, Hagar. This resulted in the birth of Ishmael.
However, Sarah later gave birth to her own son, Isaac, whose name means "he laughs" - representing Sarah's joy at becoming a mother. Sadly, jealousy arose between Sarah and Hagar, leading to Hagar and Ishmael being sent away. While they didn't continue to play a major role in Judaism's story, they became important figures in the founding of Islam.
The Ultimate Test of Faith: Abraham and Isaac
God tested Abraham's faith and commitment to the Covenant in various ways, with the ultimate test being when God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham's willingness to obey, even in this extreme situation, demonstrated his complete trust in God. At the last moment, an angel intervened, and Abraham sacrificed a ram instead, showing that Abraham's love for God was greater than his love for his own son.
Continuation of the covenant
After Abraham and Sarah died, the covenant continued through their son Isaac, who married Rebekah. Their son Jacob later had his name changed to Israel by God. Jacob/Israel had twelve sons, who became known as the twelve tribes of Israel.
This expansion of the family represented the fulfilment of God's promise that Abraham's descendants would become a great nation.
Moses and the Israelites
Abraham's family continued to grow over many generations. The descendants, now called Israelites (after Jacob's new name), eventually travelled to Egypt to escape famine in Canaan. Initially welcomed, they later faced persecution when a new pharaoh came to power who viewed them as a threat.
The Israelites were enslaved and forced to build cities for the Egyptians. The pharaoh even ordered that all newborn Israelite boys be killed to control their population.
One Israelite family saved their baby son by placing him in a basket among the reeds of the river Nile. The pharaoh's daughter discovered the baby and raised him in the royal household, naming him Moses. Ironically, Moses' mother was given the job of caring for him during his childhood.
The burning bush
As an adult, Moses witnessed the cruel treatment of his people and once killed an Egyptian soldier who was beating an Israelite. Fearing punishment, Moses fled to live in the desert of Midian.
The Burning Bush: God's Call to Moses
During his time alone in the desert, Moses encountered God at Mount Sinai through a burning bush that was not consumed by flames. This miraculous sight caught Moses' attention, and God spoke to him from the bush, saying: "Now I am sending you to the king of Egypt so that you can lead my people out of his country."
Although Moses was reluctant at first, questioning his own abilities, he accepted this divine calling and returned to Egypt to demand that the pharaoh release the Israelites.
The exodus from Egypt
When the pharaoh refused to free the Israelites, God sent ten plagues to punish the Egyptians. The final plague was the most severe - the angel of death would kill every firstborn son in Egypt.
Moses instructed the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and paint its blood on their doorposts so that the angel of death would "pass over" their houses. This event is called the Passover and remains one of the most important festivals in Judaism today.
Passover: A Living Memorial
The Passover event became so significant that Jewish families still commemorate this story through the Seder Meal, which includes symbolic foods that remind them of their ancestors' experience. This demonstrates how the founding stories of Judaism continue to be actively remembered and celebrated thousands of years later.
After this final plague, the pharaoh finally told Moses: "Get out, you and your Israelites! Leave my country; go and worship the Lord, as you asked."
The departure of the Israelites from Egypt is known as the Exodus. During their escape, Moses parted the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross safely while the pursuing Egyptian army was swept away by the returning waters.
The ten commandments and mount Sinai
The Israelites' journey led them to Mount Sinai, where Moses spent time alone with God. Here, God renewed the Covenant with the Israelites by giving Moses the Ten Commandments - a moral code that would guide Jewish people in determining right from wrong.
These commandments were written on stone tablets and placed in the Ark of the Covenant for protection. The Ten Commandments formed a new covenant between God and the Israelites, establishing the foundation for Jewish law and ethics.
The giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai represents a pivotal moment in Judaism's development. These laws provided a concrete framework for living according to God's will and established principles that would influence not only Judaism but also Christianity and Islam.
Eventually, the Israelites reached the Promised Land and settled there, though they faced many challenges defending their new home.
Sources of information
Our knowledge of Judaism's founding story comes from various sources, including the Dead Sea Scrolls - ancient religious documents discovered in caves near the Dead Sea between 1946 and 1947.
Historical Evidence: The Dead Sea Scrolls
These scrolls contain manuscripts of many books from the Jewish Scriptures and provide valuable insight into Jewish life and beliefs during ancient times. The discovery of these ancient texts has helped historians and scholars better understand the development and preservation of Jewish religious traditions over thousands of years.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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Judaism began around 2000 BCE with Abraham's covenant with God, making it the world's oldest monotheistic religion
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The Covenant was a special agreement where God promised Abraham descendants and land in exchange for faith and obedience
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Key figures include Abraham and Sarah (the founding parents), Isaac, Jacob/Israel, and Moses (who led the Exodus)
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The Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai established the foundation of Jewish law and identity
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These founding stories continue to be celebrated through Jewish festivals like Passover and form the basis of Jewish faith and practice today