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Judaism

The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ("Israel")

Judaism is an ethnic religion. Initially, it was the religion of an extended family, a tribe of peoples known as the Hebrews. Jewish people today continue to think of themselves as a family, a nation of peoples, as well as a religion.

• Abraham (Abram) (c. 19th cent BCE): heard and responded to a call from God to leave the polytheism of his "father’s land." A promise (covenant) made between Abraham and God: "you will be my people and I will be your god" - protection in exchange for a demonstration of unwavering and exclusive faith [see Gen. 12:1-9] Abraham traveled to and settled in the land promised to him by God (the "Promised Land") [see Gen. 17:1-8]

• His son Isaac: with whom the covenant was continued, recognized through the ritual ceremony of circumcision [see Gen 17:9-27] (Abraham's older son, Ishmael, became the father of the Arab people)

• The covenant was continued into the third generation with Isaac’s son Jacob, when he was renamed "Israel" [see Gen. 32:24-29, 35:9-12] which means "to struggle with God and prevail" (it would seem from Jewish history that this people has indeed struggled and prevailed).

• Jacob had twelve sons (the twelve tribes of Israel) and, according to the book of Genesis, due to famine, they left the Promised Land and went down to Egypt where they and their descendants sojourned for over 400 years.

More on the Patriarchs and their significance for Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Moses and the Exodus: a transitional period (key event #1)

• The Hebrews (Israelites) had become slaves in Egypt until Moses, answering a call from God, forced Pharaoh to "let the people go." This entire story is retold every year in Jewish households at the ritual of the Passover Seder meal. The theme of freedom becomes important in the history and mentality of the Jewish people.

• Moses led them to Mount Sinai - where God delivered the Law to the people through Moses (c.f., Cecil B. DeMille’s "The Ten Commandments" or "The Prince of Egypt"). This was not just the 10 Commandments but the essence of the entire Torah in which Jews identify some 613 commandments. [see Ex. 20:1-17]

• After this, they wandered free for forty years (seen as a punishment for those among them who lacked faith) until they finally returned to the "Promised Land" which was then populated by "foreigners" known as "Canaanites" and Philistines (Palestine) who worshipped their own gods.

Question for reflection: For thousands of years Judaism has been based on the Torah, yet this religion traces its heritage back beyond Moses and Torah to Abraham. What do you think this tells us about Judaism? Why might Jews see their religion beginning with Abraham rather than with Moses and Torah?