6.3 Key Tenets of Judaism

Question 1

What is the Documentary Hypothesis?

Answer 1

• a theory that says the first five books of the Bible (torah) were written by different authors and later combined

Question 2

What is the “J” source? (1000-900 BCE)`

Answer 2

• the earliest source
• writes about the establishment of the Israelite kingdom
• God referred to as “Yahweh” (name is very sacred)
• Yahweh interacts directly with humans & they have a close relationship

Question 3

What is the “E” source? (9th century BCE)

Answer 3

• 2nd source
• composed in the northern kingdom of Israel
• very fragmented story
• God sends prophets to interact with people instead of himself

Question 4

What is the “D” source? (800 - early 600s BCE)?

Answer 4

• 3rd source
• narrative emphasizes entire worship of Yahweh
• appears in Deuteronomy

Question 5

What is the “P” source (586 BCE)

Answer 5

• the last source
• hihglights rituals and laws

Question 6

What is the Crisis?

Answer 6

Jerusalem is destroyed (babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple)
“it is a watershed, it is when Ancient Israel ends and Judaism begins”

Question 7

How is the Covenant described in Genesis 15 and 17?

Answer 7

• in these chapters, God makes a covenant with Abraham
• Abraham and his descendants will inherit Canaan (promised to be a great nation)
• the males must be cricumicised and they must worship God

Question 8

What are the 10 commandments?

Answer 8

God makes a contract with the tribes of Israel through Moses (10 commandments)
10 Commandments:
requirements: what you have to do
ethical concerns: what you SHOULD do and think

Question 9

What are the tenets?

Answer 9

The Law
- the ten commandments

The (message of the) prophets that God sends