Christianity’s Older Brother: more Different than he Seems

Did you know that Jews, Israelites, and Hebrews belong to the same group of people? Many people are not aware of how fascinating the Jewish religion is. A portion of society also confuses the Jewish religion with the Christian faith. This sort of confusion is understandable given that the religions share the Torah, or the Old Testament for Christians. While Christianity and Judaism originated in the same region, Judaism has a unique origin and boasts extraordinary traditions.

Judaism started almost four thousand years ago in the Middle East with a couple named Abraham and Sarah, according to chabad.

org. God chose this pair to relocate to a new land that would later become the Land of Israel. If they dedicated themselves to Him, their lineage would multiply beyond count. Their offspring would learn the ways of the Jewish faith to honor God. Consequently, the couple obeyed God. Later in history, their descendants moved to Egypt where they were enslaved by the Pharaoh. After four hundred and thirty years of slavery, Moses emerged to liberate them. With God’s aid, Moses inflicted twelve plagues upon Egypt, which led to their eventual freedom. They escaped and made their way to the promised land. This escape is commemorated through the event called Passover, celebrated by both Jews and Christians. Hence, the early history of Judaism was established.

Besides learning from their holy book, the Torah, there are many Jewish traditions. People who follow the Jewish religion adhere to the laws of Kosher. Kosher, a Hebrew word, roughly translates to “fit.” These rules dictate dietary habits for Jews. Only certain animals are allowed to be consumed. The most common off-limits animals include pork and shellfish. Their religion also significantly influences their everyday lives. Jewish men and boys post their bar mitzvah wear Tefillin, a pair of black leather boxes holding Hebrew parchment scrolls worn on the arm and forehead. The Tefillin comprises three main parts: the box, the strap, and the scrolls. These boxes remind Jewish men that their commitment to God should reflect in their words, actions, and thoughts. In conclusion, out of the many Jewish traditions, these two were the most intriguing to me.

Primarily, there’s one fundamental difference between Christianity and Judaism: Jews do not consider Jesus to be the Messiah. As a result, they do not celebrate holidays marking Jesus’s birth, death, or resurrection. Rather, they have different holidays. One such celebration is the eight-day festival of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is commemorated to honor the defeat of the harsh Syrians and the restoration of the temple. It lasts for eight days coinciding with the span of time that a small portion of oil found in the temple miraculously lasted. While that is the core difference between Judaism and Christianity, it incites many more.

To sum it all up, Judaism is a captivating religion with origins in the Middle East and characterized by a plethora of compelling traditions. Its origins and traditions heavily influence the everyday life of its followers, both in their dietary practices and schedules. Based on these facts, hopefully, you now understand a little bit more about Judaism.

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