REL 1300 19 Introduction to World Religions Spring 2012 Final Exam Study Guide Key Terms For each of the key terms provided be able to provide the meaning context and importance for the traditions with which they are associated At the very least you should be able to identify these terms in matching and fill in the blank questions Key Concepts Questions These are more specific concepts and questions to think about in preparing for the exam These questions may appear in short answer true or false or multiple choice formats I Judaism A Key Terms Tanak The entire Hebrew bible consisting of Torah or law Nebi I or prophets and Ketuvim or sacred writings and named as an acronym of these three terms Documentary Hypothesis The theory 1894 that the Pentateuch first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible was not written by one person Moses but compiled over a long period of time from multiple sources These sources include J Source Yahwist Oldest source 10th century during the reign of Solomon Emphasis on traditions important to Judah southern Fullest of sources E Source Elohist Has emphasis on traditions important in the northern part of Israel Style somber indicative of national crisis P Source Priestly Final editor of the already existing sources Emphasis on religious observance and ritual Concerned with the reinstitution of national order High literary style poetic elevated language ordered D Source Deuteronomic A time of religious revolution and renewed adherence to the covenant A series of sermons from Moses to the new generation of Israel east of the Jordan River before his death Deuteronomic theology obedience brings divine blessing disobedience brings a divine curse Covenant A formalized agreement governed by binding conditions Principally refers to any of a number of solemn agreements made between God and the children of Israel in the Hebrew Bible Abrahamic Covenant God calls on Abraham and promise him 3 things Land descendants and blessing The sign of this covenant agreement is circumcision Maccabean Revolt A revolt that broke out in 166 BCE by a group of moderately traditionalist Jews that called themselves the Maccabeans They were fighting back against Hellenistic Judaism and were fighting to take Jerusalem back from the Seleucids who transformed Jerusalem s temple in a cult place of Zeus Pharisee The most popular sect of Judaism during the first century It represented the middle class Some were skilled workers and many were professional scribes Synagogue The local place of assembly for congregational worship which became central to the tradition after the destruction of the Jewish temple Midrash Commentary on biblical written scripture Mishnah The Hebrew summary of the oral law inherited from Pharosaism and ascribed to Moses arranged by topic edited by Rabbi Judah ha Nasi before 220 CE it has authority paralleling that of the written Torah Talmud Commentaries on the Mishnah Torah Division of the Hebrew Bible that discusses law It is written and includes the first 5 books for the Hebrew Bible the Pentateuch Exodus The Exodus was the migration of Hebrews from Egypt under the leadership of Moses understood in later Hebrew thought as marking the birth of the Israelite nation Kabbalah The medieval Jewish mystical tradition that attempts to gain access to the divine and to affect the future course of events and so participate in the divine plan for the universe Sabbath The seventh day of the week observed by Jews since ancient times as a day of rest from ordinary activity Sundown Friday to Sundown Saturday Day of rest no work Day for song prayer and quiet contemplation Sign of the Covenant Sabbath meal singing psalms hymns and special Sabbath songs Kosher Term for food that is ritually acceptable indicating that all rabbinic regulations regarding animal slaughter and the like have been observed in its preparation Yom Kippur Day of Atonement ten days after Rosh Hashanah solemn day of contemplation fasting moral inventory and examination of one s conduct Zionism Modern movement to found a modern nation in the ancient holy land of Israel They desire to revive Hebrew as a unifier of national identity B Key Concepts Questions 1 Creation accounts in Genesis 1 vs Genesis 2 How do they differ and how is this related to the Documentary Hypothesis Proof for the documentary hypothesis can be argued because of the some of the literary and stylistic differences in the some of the stories of the Hebrew bible This is the case in the two creation accounts In the first creation account P God is transcendent distant and removed Majestic and powerful In the second J he is anthropomorphic and immanent Therefore in the first P God creates with speech and in the second J he creates by personal interaction 2 21 23 Additionally male and female created at same time in first vs male created first and females second 2 Maccabean Revolt Understand causes significance and relationship to Hanukkah A revolt that broke out in 166 BCE by a group of moderately traditionalist Jews that called themselves the Maccabean They were fighting back against Hellenistic Judaism and were fighting to take Jerusalem back from the Seleucids who transformed Jerusalem s temple in a cult place of Zeus The rededication of the temple brought the divided Jewish community together and is commemorated in the minor Jewish holiday Hanukah Hanukah means rededication 3 Pharisaism and the origins of the Rabbinic movement How did the Pharisees lay the foundation for the Rabbinic movement In 70 CE the second temple was destroyed so all temple forms of Jewish practice disappeared and it was up to the Pharisees to carry on the tradition The Pharisees tried to establish principles and procedures for scriptural interpretation which were eventually developed in the rabbinic perioid They also assigned priorities to the various commandments and focused on the intention with which they were observed as a way of making the law humane and livable 4 What is the Talmud and why is it significance for Jewish tradition It is the 2nd basic literature of Rabbinic Judaism the first being the Mishnah both are books of oral law There is one Mishnah and it is about the length of the a desk dictionary Commenting on the Mishnah are two different Talmuds each closer to the size of a mulit volume encyclopedia Each Talmud consists of the Hebrew Mishnah of Rabbi Judah together with one of the two bodies of commentary know n as the gemarah The Talmuds are important for the
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