History of Judaism, Rituals, and Holidays
History of Judaism, Rituals, and Holidays
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, known as the Patriarchs, are both the physical and spiritual ancestors of Judaism. They founded the religion now known as Judaism, and their descendants are the Jewish People.
Abraham
Abraham was born in the city of Ur in Babylonia in the year 1948 from Creation (circa 1800 BCE). He was the son of Terach, an idol merchant, but from his early childhood, he questioned the belief of his father and sought the truth. He came to believe that the entire universe was the work of a single Creator, and he began to teach this belief to others.
Eventually, God talked to Abraham, and made him an offer...that if Abraham would leave his home and his family, then God would make of him a great nation and bless him. Abraham accepted the offer. And so, Abraham enabled the covenant between God and the Jewish People to be established.
The covenant was basically, a contract, which involved the rights and obligations of the Jewish People to God and vice versa.
Abraham, adopted a nomadic lifestyle, traveling through what is now the land of Israel for many years. God had promised this land to Abraham's descendants.
Abraham was concerned, because he had no children and he was very old. Abraham's beloved wife, Sarah, knew that she was past child-bearing years, so she offered her servant, Hagar, as a wife to Abraham (which was actually a common practice back then). She bore Abraham a son...Ishmael, who according to both Muslim and Jewish tradition, is the ancestor of the Arabs.
When Abraham was 100, God promised Abraham a son by Sarah. Sarah bore Abraham another son, Isaac. Isaac was the ancestor of the Jewish People.
Isaac
Isaac was the subject of one of the tests of Faith that God had given to Abraham: God had commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as an offering.
This test actually shows Abraham's true demonstration of his as well as Isaac's faith in God (because supposedly, Isaac knew that he was going to be sacrificed, and did not resist, and was united with his father in dedication). At the last moment, God sent an angel to stop the sacrifice.
Judaism uses this story as evidence that God does not like human sacrifice.
Isaac later married Rebecca, who bore him two sons: Jacob and Esau.
Jacob (Israel)
Jacob and his brother Esau were at war...