Who are the Jews and What is Judaism?

Who are the Jews?

Who are the Jews? The term “Jew” – Yehudi in Hebrew – can mean various things depending upon the context and the time period the term is used.

Originally a Jew would have been a member of the Tribe of Judah. Later the term Jew was used to refer to anyone residing in the Kingdom of Judah which would include members from not only the tribe of Judah but also of the tribes of Levi, Benjamin, and the other tribes. This is why we see Mordecai referred to as both a member of the tribe of Benjamin and a Jew.

Now in Shushan the capital there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordokhay, the son of Ya᾽ir, the son of Shim῾i, the son of Qish, a Binyaminite; (Esther 2:5 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

After the Children of Israel were exiled by the Romans from the Land of Israel the term “Jew” began to refer to anyone who descended from Jacob or those who converted to Judaism. This is the modern-day usage of the term “Jew.”

Judah was born to Leah and Jacob and in the verse announcing Judah’s birth we see the meaning of his name.

And she conceived again, and bore a son and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Yehuda, and she left off bearing. (Genesis 29:35 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

[8] The name Yehuda (יהודה) means “she (Leah) praises יהוה [the Eternal One].”

יְהוּדָה = + ה + הוד + יהו

יהו – abbreviated form of יהוה

הוד – praise, worship

ה – feminine suffix

The term Yahadut (יהדות) means “you praise יהוה [the Eternal One].” This is the Hebrew word for what is commonly known as Judaism.

יהו – abbreviated form of יהוה

הוד – praise, worship

ת – second-person suffix

The term Yehudi (יהודי) means “I praise יהוה [the Eternal One].”

יהו – abbreviated form of יהוה

הוד – praise, worship

י – first-person suffix

So, why was Mordecai called a Jew and a member of the tribe of Benjamin? He was called a Jew because he praised the Eternal One.

We even see in I Chronicles that the daughter of Pharaoh is called a Jew.

And his wife Yehudiyya bore Yered the father of Gedor, and Ḥever the father of Sokho, and Yequti᾽el the father of Zanoaĥ. And these are the sons of Bitya the daughter of Par῾o whom Mered took. (I Chronicles 4:18 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

In the simplest meaning, a “Jew” – a Yehudi – is anyone who praises the Eternal One. This is why the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – can be rightfully called Jews. Since the matriarchs – Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah – also praised the Eternal One they can also be called Jews.

According to Rabbinic Judaism a child is born a Jew if he or she is born to a mother who was a Jew at the time of his or her birth.

We can see in Ezra that children born to “foreign women” were not considered Jews and according to Torah – they never were considered Jews.

And Shekhanya the son of Yeĥi᾽el, one of the sons of ῾Elam, answered and said to ῾Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken alien women of the peoples of the land: yet now there is hope in Yisra᾽el concerning this thing. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all such women, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the Tora. (Ezra 10:2-3 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

We also learn that intermarriage is forbidden in Torah.

…neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give to his son, nor shalt thou take his daughter to thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be inflamed against you, and he will destroy thee speedily.  (Deuteronomy 7:3-4 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

This is reiterated in the Talmud.

Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: As the verse states with regard to the same issue: “Your daughter you shall not give to his son…for he will turn away your son from following Me” (Deuteronomy 7:3–4). Since the verse is concerned that after one’s daughter marries a gentile, the father will lead his children away from the service of God, this indicates that your son, i.e., your grandson, from a Jewish woman is called “your son” by the Torah, but your son from a gentile woman is not called your son, but her son. (Kiddushin 68b:3)

According to Rambam, the idea that Jewishness is matrilineal was held from the time of Abraham.

And the son of a Yisra᾽elite woman, whose father was a Miżrian man, went out among the children of Yisra᾽el: and this son of the Yisra᾽elite woman and a man of Yisra᾽el strove together in the camp; … (Leviticus 24:10 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

This is further elucidated in the Talmud.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: The lineage of the offspring is sullied, and if the child is a girl she is restricted in whom she may marry. The Gemara asks: To whom is she prohibited from marrying? If we say it is to the congregation of Israel, but didn’t Rabbi Yehoshua himself say that the lineage of the offspring is unflawed and he or she may marry into the congregation of Israel? Rather, the offspring is prohibited to marry into the priesthood, as all of the amora’im who render the offspring fit to enter the congregation of Israel agree that the offspring has flawed lineage and is forbidden to marry into the priesthood. (Yevamot 45a:7)

For the person who is not born of a Jewish mother, there is an open invitation to accept the Eternal One as their God and become a Jew.

According to Rabbinic Judaism in order for one to convert there must be a period of study under a sponsoring rabbi (or someone appointed by the rabbi). After a period of time the person will go before a beit din – a court of rabbis – who will determine if the person is going to be accepted for conversion. If the person is male, he must be circumcised. The person must state that he or she gives up any other faith systems and will follow Torah and all the mitzvot as defined by the rabbis. Finally, the person must go and immerse in a mikvah (ritual bath) before the beit din (rabbinic court).

A Jew is someone who believes that the Eternal One is the One and only God, declares his or her intention to follow Tanakh, and declare that Israel is his or her people and formally joins the Nation. There is always an open invitation for those who wish to leave the non-Tanakh based faith systems of the world to become a Jew.

Israel entered the covenant [with God] with three acts: circumcision, immersion, and offering a sacrifice. Circumcision took place in Egypt, [before the Paschal sacrifice, of which Exodus 12:48] says: “No uncircumcised person shall partake of it.” Moses our teacher circumcised [the people]. For with the exception of the tribe of Levi, the entire [people] neglected the covenant of circumcision in Egypt. Regarding this, [Deuteronomy 33:9 praises the Levites,] saying: “They upheld Your covenant.”

Immersion was performed in the desert before the Giving of the Torah, as [Exodus 19:10] states: “Sanctify them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their garments.” Sacrifices [were also offered then], as [ibid. 24:5] states: “And he sent out the youth of the children of Israel and they brought burnt offerings.” They offered them as agents of the entire Jewish people.

Similarly, for [all] future generations, when a gentile desires to enter into the covenant, take shelter under the wings of the Divine presence, and accept the yoke of the Torah, he must undergo circumcision, immersion, and the offering of a sacrifice. A woman [who converts] must undergo immersion and bring a sacrifice, as [Numbers 15:15] states: “As it is for you, so shall it be for the convert.” Just as you [entered the covenant] with circumcision, immersion, and the offering of a sacrifice; so, too, for future generations, a convert must undergo circumcision, immersion, and must bring a sacrifice.

What is the sacrifice that a convert [is required to bring]? A burnt offering of an animal or two turtle-doves or two fledging doves. Both of [the doves] must be brought as burnt offerings. In the present age, when there are no sacrifices, [a convert] must undergo circumcision and immersion. When the Temple is rebuilt, he must bring a sacrifice. (MT Sefer Kedushah Issurei Biah 13:1-5)

This is the same ruling as that of the Talmudic Rabbis.

Just as Israel were initiated into the covenant by three precepts, so proselytes are initiated by circumcision, immersion and a sacrifice. [The omission of] the first two debars him [from becoming a proselyte], but [the omission of] the third does not debar him. R. Eliezer [b. Jacob] said: The omission of the sacrifice is also a bar. This was the ruling of R. Eliezer b. Jacob: A proselyte who becomes a convert is required to set aside a fourth part [of a dinar] for his sacrifice of birds; but R. Simeon says that he is not required to do so.  (Gerim 2:5)

It is important to understand the “Jews” are NOT a race. Jews are extremely diverse and come from just about every geographic and racial group.

“Though many modern Jews may trace their genetics to a particular ancient Jewish community, and some common genetic features are still detectable among diverse Jewish populations, centuries of dispersion among other racial and ethic (sic) groups have broadened the Jewish gene pool to an extent that it’s impossible to identify a common set of genetic markers that biologically distinguish Jews from others. Even as far back as biblical times, Jews have possessed, and passed on, genetic markers that came from outside the community. 

Moreover, Jews have no shared physical characteristics. This is readily apparent from even a cursory survey of the modern Jewish community. … Since biblical times, non-Jews have elected to join the Jewish community and they and their descendants have generally been viewed as no different from born Jews.” (My Jewish Learning)

Jews are a cultural, religious, and national group of people. We are Am Yisrael.

What is Judaism?

What is Judaism? Judaism (Yahadut in Hebrew) in its simplest definition is the embodiment of the religion, culture, and legal structure of the Children of Israel.

Rabbinic Judaism – Yahadut Rabanit – grew out of Pharisaic Judaism and has been considered the mainstream form of Judaism since the codification of the Babylonian Talmud. With the redaction of the “Oral Torah” and the Babylonian Talmud becoming the authoritative interpretation of the Tanakh, Rabbinic Judaism became the dominant form of Judaism in the Diaspora. Rabbinic Judaism encouraged the practice of Judaism when the sacrifices and other practices in the Land of Israel were no longer possible.

When the Romans were attempting to breach the walls of Jerusalem, Yohanan ben Zaccai abandoned Jerusalem even though the Temple still stood. He foresaw the fall of Jerusalem and had himself smuggled out of the city in a coffin in order to speak to the Romans. The main request given by Rabbi Zakkai was for Vespasian to give him the city of Yavneh where the Torah could continue to be preserved and taught.

Vespasian then said to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: I will be going to Rome to accept my new position, and I will send someone else in my place to continue besieging the city and waging war against it. But before I leave, ask something of me that I can give you. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to him: Give me Yavne and its Sages and do not destroy it, and spare the dynasty of Rabban Gamliel and do not kill them as if they were rebels, and lastly give me doctors to heal Rabbi Tzadok. Rav Yosef read the following verse about him, and some say that it was Rabbi Akiva who applied the verse to Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: “I am the Lord…Who turns wise men backward and makes their knowledge foolish” (Isaiah 44:25), as he should have said to him to leave the Jews alone this time., (Gittin 56b:5)

There can be no historical proof of this tale but the narrative in the Talmud shows the shift in the religious and political life of the Jews following the destruction of the Second Temple. The narrative about the founding of Yavneh in fact represents the birth of Rabbinic Judaism. A way that focused on Torah and Jewish law rather than Temple worship (Salzberg).

Rabbinic Judaism is based upon the belief that the Prophet Moses received from God not only the Written Torah but also an Oral Torah. This Oral Torah was given as additional oral explanations of the revelation at Mount Sinai. According to Rabbinic Judaism, tradition has the binding force of law. The revelation to the Prophet Moses consisted of both the Written Torah and the Oral Torah along with the implied exposition by the sages of Israel.

And Rabbi Levi bar Ḥama said that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: God said to Moses, “Ascend to me on the mountain and be there, and I will give you the stone tablets and the Torah and the mitzva that I have written that you may teach them” (Exodus 24:12), meaning that God revealed to Moses not only the Written Torah, but all of Torah, as it would be transmitted through the generations.

The “tablets” are the ten commandments that were written on the tablets of the Covenant,

The “Torah” is the five books of Moses.

The “mitzva” is the Mishna, which includes explanations for the mitzvot and how they are to be performed.

“That I have written” refers to the Prophets and Writings, written with divine inspiration.

“That you may teach them” refers to the Talmud, which explains the Mishna.

These explanations are the foundation for the rulings of practical halakha. This verse teaches that all aspects of Torah were given to Moses from Sinai. (Berachot 5a:3)

The validity of the Oral Torah was challenged by the Sadducees. Josephus records that the Sadducees held that the only obligatory observances are those in the Written Torah. After the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, the Sadducees disappeared and the body of tradition continued to grow. New rites were introduced as replacement for rituals that had been performed in the Temple (Megilah 31b).

[Rabbinic Judaism recognizes the Oral Torah as divine authority and follows the Rabbinic procedures used to interpret the Tanakh.

 “Rabbinic Judaism, in its classical writings produced from the first through the seventh century of the Common Era, sets forth a theological system that is orderly and reliable. Responding to the generative dialectics of monotheism, Rabbinic Judaism systematically reveals the justice of the one and only God of all creation. Appealing to the truths of Scripture, the Rabbinic sages constructed a coherent theology, cogent structure, and logical system to reveal the justice of God. These writings identify what Judaism knows as the logos of God—the theology fully manifest in the Torah.” (Neusner)

What does it mean to be “chosen”?

What does it mean to the “chosen”? Jews are the “Chosen People” of God. But what does that really mean?

For thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God has chosen thee to be a special people to himself, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, or choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples: but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn to your fathers, has the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Par῾o king of Miżrayim. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

“The covenant between God and the freed Israelite slaves at Mount Sinai is central to the idea of being chosen. The covenant concretized Jewish chosenness by establishing that the Israelites would abide by the Torah in return for special divine protection.” (My Jewish Learning)

There is even a Rabbinic teaching that the Jewish people were the last nation that God offered the Torah to – after offering it to every other nation.

And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, took the Torah around to every nation and those who speak every language, such as the Edomites in Seir and the Ishmaelites in Paran, but they did not accept it, until He came to the Jewish people and they accepted it. If the other nations all rejected the Torah, how can they excuse themselves by claiming that it was never offered to them? (Avodah Zarah 2b)

Being the “Chosen People” absolutely does NOT mean that Jews believe we are superior in any way to non-Jews.

There is a teaching in Judaism that we are taught we all descend from Adam and Eve so no man can say to another “my heritage is superior to your heritage”.

The Mishna cites another reason Adam the first man was created alone: And this was done due to the importance of maintaining peace among people, so that one person will not say to another: My father, i.e., progenitor, is greater than your father. And it was also so that the heretics who believe in multiple gods will not say: There are many authorities in Heaven, and each created a different person. (Sanhedrin 37a:14)

Beware the fake Jews

Let’s answer some critics, shall we?

“So those of us that understand what YHVH did thru Y’shua, and in such believe upon the tanakh and turn back to Torah obedience alone, would be considered Jews by Jews?

I ask bc I have not received such consideration by those I have spoken to. The moment one mentions the name Y’shua, they automatically associate them as a Christian and reject any word that proceeds out of their mouth. Choosing to follow rabbinic teachings and traditions rather than the tanakh and Torah alone, as YHVH commanded.”

*****

The simple answer is that anyone who follows Jesus is NOT considered a Jew. They are considered a Christian (even if that isn’t what they call themselves). Jesus has no place within Judaism at all. If a Jew has become and idolator by following Christianity and then fully repents and fully returns to Judaism, yes, they will be received back into the community.

There are Jews who only follow Tanakh (Karaites) but they still have their own form of an oral law. I have my own issues with rabbinic writings so I’m not going to heartily defend them but I also don’t reject them out-of-hand. Every religious practice – even so-called “sola scriptura” Christians have some form or oral law or oral teachings.

_____

 “I agree, anyone that believes in christian created “Jesus” has nothing to do with anything of God. However, my question was not about “Jesus”. My question was about that which was actually written of, as it was written, the Hebrew man that came from Mary. For he stands in direct opposition of Christian’s “Jesus”. He was sent to make way for redemption of all Israel, both houses, so the two sticks of Ezekiel can be raised up and joined together. He was not sent to establish Christianity, as Rome (daniel’s beast) distorted the writings and created their “Jesus” to be about. For the very writings themselves warn of coming Christianity and their “Jesus” (666).

Yet when you talk to a Jewish person and explain this, pointing back to the tanakh and Torah obedience alone, I find most meet such with defense of the Jewish traditions rather than even saying “if you hold to the tanakh and Torah, you must be a jew”. Which granted isn’t the case, as that word was given to all Israel, as the continued word was as well. Tho I don’t understand why is there such a rejection of belief in tanakh and Torah; if the one believing such is not a jew? And why such defense of traditions that clearly breaks deuteronomy 4:2? Should not all Israel, jew and gentile (house of Israel, lost and scattered among the nations, ie gentiles) seek to believe upon Torah in truth alone? Not breaking deuteronomy 4:2 and not rejecting one another as two brothers vying for the father’s affection?”

*****

If you believe in Jesus (Yeshua or whatever) then you must believe in the “New Testament”. Right? Well, the “New Testament” is the complete opposite of Torah. It is blasphemous and anti-Torah to its core.

I don’t care if you believe in him as a standard church teaches. The fact is, he is NOT the messiah according to Judaism. He was NOT sent to bring redemption. You sound like a “Messianic” or “Hebrew Roots” or something of that kind. I don’t know for sure but what you are saying is still CHRISTIANITY.

If you believe in the stories of the Christians texts then Jesus has absolutely failed at keeping Torah. In fact, there are places where he taught AGAINST Torah.

Torah was given exclusively to the Jews. There has always been a procedure for determining who is and who is not a Jew. Righteous Non-Jews are welcome to follow the laws given to them and become a part of the Jewish community but that does NOT make them Jews.

A belief in foreign (triune) gods or a false messiah places one outside of Torah and outside of Judaism. When the true Messiah does arrive, the lost tribes will return and be reunited with the other tribes who managed to survive and thrive as Jews.

I find it funny that Christians such as yourself try to bring up Deuteronomy 4:2.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

I find it funny because this is exactly what Christianity has done when it comes to their “new testament”. It is obvious when Christians try to use this passage that they have no clue as to what the Oral Law even is in Judaism. It is NOT “new laws” but rather explanations and practical examples of how to follow the laws given by God. If it weren’t for the Oral Law, how for example, would you follow the law “…then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the Lord has given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates to thy heart’s desire.”? (Deuteronomy 12:21 – The Koren Jerusalem Bible)

Torah is the basis for everything in the Jewish community. As I’ve stated, every religion has an “oral law” which expounds upon and explains various parts of their texts. This has just been codified more in Judaism than any other religion.

If you or anyone else in the Christian world want to declare Jesus the messiah then you are necessarily placed in the predicament of using rabbinic “tradition” to try and prove he is the messiah!

Rabbinic tradition is lambasted and demonized by many – unless it is useful to those very same people. If you are involved in (or have familiarity with) people in “Messianic” or “Hebrew Roots” type groups, then you/they are following Rabbinic tradition. If you study and really delve into the “New Testament” you will also find Rabbinic tradition throughout the text!

I have a feeling that you are trying so hard to be accepted by the Jewish community yet you don’t want to really listen to the truth from that same community.

I’m open to answering questions but you must also be open to hearing the answers (even if you disagree).

When I said: “In the simplest meaning, a “Jew” – a Yehudi – is anyone who praises the Eternal One. …” I was speaking about the very basic understanding of who is a Jew. I then went on to clarify this statement.

“A Jew is someone who believes that the Eternal One is the One and only God, declares his or her intention to follow Tanakh, and declare that Israel is his or her people. There is always an open invitation for those who wish to leave the non-Tanakh based faith systems of the world to become a Jew.”

Please do not think that just because you or someone you know says they believe in God and follows the Torah that they are in fact Jews.

The whole topic of “who is a Jew” is vast and can be quite complicated. At its simplest, a Jew is one who is born to a Jewish mother or converts to Judaism under rabbinic auspices.

If the person says they follow God and Torah yet still believes in Jesus as a messiah or as part of a triune godhead, that person is NOT a Jew – even if they would meet the requirements of a Jew according to Jewish law.

Don’t allow people who are “Messianics” or “Hebrew Roots” or anything of the kind fool you into believing they are Jews or Noahides. They are neither.

If they wish to be Jews or Noahides they would need to declare their separation from the idolatry of Christianity and go through a formal process of joining the Jewish community.

=====================================

RESOURCES:

Freemand, Tzvi and Shurping, Yehuda “Why is Jewishness matrilineal?” [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/601092/jewish/Why-Is-Jewishness-Matrilineal.htm]

My Jewish Learning “Are Jews a Race?” [https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/are-jews-a-race/]

My Jewish Learning “Are Jews the Chosen People?” [https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/are-the-jewish-people-chosen/]

Neusner, Jacob “Rabbinic Judaism: The Theological System.” [https://brill.com/view/title/8187]

Salzberg, Alieza “Judaism after the Temple: Coping with destruction and building for the future.” [https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/judaism-after-the-temple/]