Judaism is the religion that stems from the Hebrew Bible (corresponding to the Christian Old Testament, with some minor book order differences). The core of Jewish belief is that there is only one God, Creator of the world. God bestows upon man free will and gives mankind a set of moral and religious codes that are contained in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, written through the Prophet Moses.
Judaism views mankind’s purpose in this world as making the right choices in accordance with God’s law, which brings both man and the world around him closer to his Creator. For Jews, the Torah contains 613 different precepts, many of which are suspended until the Biblical promise of a third Temple in Jerusalem is fulfilled.
For non-Jews, or Bnei Noach (Children of Noah as they are known in Rabbinic sources), there are 7 basic precepts (the Noahide laws) that constitute a moral code for all mankind: don’t practice idolatry, blaspheme the Biblical God, murder, practice sexual vice, rob, or eat the flesh of a living animal, and an injunction to set up courts of justice to ensure a just and ordered society.
It is a common but mistaken idea that in order to practice Judaism one must be born Jewish. Judaism is less about ethnicity and more about a commitment to living by God’s laws as laid down in the Torah. There are Jews of many disparate ethnic backgrounds, but they are all united under the Torah. Anyone interested in conversion or in learning more about the Noahide laws should contact their local Orthodox Rabbi for advice.
One of the most basic and important observances in Judaism is the observance of the biblical Sabbath, which begins from sundown Friday night and lasts until sundown Saturday night. This is in honor of God’s creating the world and also His gift of freedom to the Jews upon taking them out from their slavery in Egypt.
No work is done on the Sabbath. All foods that will be eaten during the day’s meals are made the day before and kept warm throughout the day. Jews gather in the Synagogue for prayers on Friday night, Saturday morning, and again late Saturday afternoon. The Sabbath meals are marked with festive food and singing and it is common for the man of the house to give a lesson in the weekly Torah portion (it is completed annually).
Another observance of Judaism is the dietary code laid down in the Torah, mostly in the book of Leviticus. In brief, Jews only eat those animals that have split hooves and chew their cud (cows, deer, lamb, and the like). The Torah gives us a list of birds that are kosher, which includes many commonly-eaten birds like chicken and duck. Kosher fish have both fins and scales; this excludes all shellfish and smooth-skinned fish like shark and catfish. In addition, there is the prohibition of mixing meat and dairy products in the same meal. The dietary code is not necessarily based on health concerns. Rather, Jews may eat whatever is defined as clean or pure in the Torah.
Formal prayer is another basic observance in Judaism. Jews pray three times a day facing Jerusalem, following a fixed liturgy. It is best to say these prayers in the presence of a quorum of ten adult Jewish males, but if this is not possible, it is permissible to say the prayers alone. These formal prayers are not meant to be the sum of Jewish prayer, but rather to be a communal expression of praise to God. Jews are encouraged to say personal prayers to God whenever and wherever their heart moves them.
An ideal in Judaism for every individual Jew is to set aside time in the morning and evening for the study of the Bible, its commentaries, or other devotional literature. Study is seen as intrinsic to the successful transmission of Judaism and the message of the Hebrew Bible from generation to generation.
In addition, Jews are commanded by the Torah to seek justice for the underprivileged of the world, as well as to behave justly in personal dealings. Lying and cheating, monetarily or otherwise, is forbidden.
Jewish sexual morality does not allow relations outside of marriage, and prohibits all sexual acts that are biblically deemed as an abomination. In order to help assure the chastity of the community, Jews are only allowed to touch their spouses. This practice can lead to some uncomfortable situations for religious Jews in this society, in which shaking hands and hugging between the sexes is ubiquitous.
These observances form much of the core practice of Judaism, but only scratch the surface of what daily observance is like. Jewish practice is meant to lead the individual Jew to a higher degree of holiness and closeness to God.
Torah observance must also be combined with a sense of humility on part of the individual practitioner; a lack of humility can negate any growth gleaned from living the Torah lifestyle. For guidance in learning about Jewish beliefs and practices, it is best to contact a competent rabbinic advisor.
