AHSS 2360 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Sheol, Bar And Bat Mitzvah, Sadducees
28 Jun 2018
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Week 8: Judaism
Shabbat
-Weekly, from Friday night to sundown on Saturday
-Work prohibited, including use of electricity, cars, writing, etc.
-Day of rest and remembrance of Creation
-Initial source is Genesis, when God rests from the act of Creation
-Humans are to imitate God
-Even animals are to be given rest
-For many ancients, Shabbat was evidence of Jewish laziness, because who would permit their
servants a day of rest?
-Some Christian groups, including 7th Day Adventists, also keep the traditional Jewish Shabbat
Rosh Hashanah
-Jewish New Year
-Central theme: repentance
-Who will live and who will die
-God as judge and redeemer
-The day is often imagined as a trial
-Shofar as central symbol
Yom Kippur
-One week after Rosh Hashanah
-Day of Atonement
-Dominant theme: repentance
-Fasting
-Communal and individual confession of sin
Sukkot
-Central theme: dependence on God
-Festival of Booths
-Commemorates wandering in the desert
-Theme: human vulnerability and trust in God
-Move from “nature to history”
Passover
-Festival of Freedom: from slavery to the Promised Land
-Festival of Unleavened Bread
-Retelling of the Passover story at the Seder
-The centrality of historical memory in Jewish life
Shavuot
-Festival of “Weeks”
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Weekly, from friday night to sundown on saturday. Work prohibited, including use of electricity, cars, writing, etc. Initial source is genesis, when god rests from the act of creation. Some christian groups, including 7th day adventists, also keep the traditional jewish shabbat. Who will live and who will die. The day is often imagined as a trial. Festival of freedom: from slavery to the promised land. Retelling of the passover story at the seder. The centrality of historical memory in jewish life. Originally, perhaps, an agricultural festival (for the grain harvest) But in judaism, it is remembered as the day that god gave the torah. The book of ruth is read on this holiday. Historically less important, but has increased in social salience and importance. Due to its proximity to christmas, hanukkah has become the gift-giving holiday among jews. This holiday is, significantly, not found in the bible. The only commandment for hanukkah is the lighting of the candles.
