Judaism, A Journey With God

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Judaism

A Journey with God

Jennifer Leavy

Western International University

Humanities 127

Ed Sinclair

Judaism

A Journey with God

For centuries the Jewish faith has been a beacon of hope in a world of madness. Judaism is the longest standing religion known to man. From the creation of the world to present day times, God has been the center of it all. In the Garden of Eden was where man first communed and walked with God, and man has been on a journey to continue that walk yet today.

It is said that none are closer to the heart of God than his own people, the Jewish, the seeds of Abraham. The Torah is filled with stories of people who walked with and in the favor of God. From Enoch, whom the Bible says walked with God, to David who had the heart after God, there are many examples of those who lived out their personal journey with the Lord. The Torah and the Bible explains that God created man as a companion, someone to commune with.

"The Jewish view of God is not static or frozen in any time or place. It is constantly growing, changing, expanding. For even though God is constant, people are forever growing and developing. So each person, in each generation, must discover, understand, describe, and relate to God in his or her own way, out of his or her own life experiences." (Dosick, 1995, 9)

My first experience with Jewish beliefs came not in a Jewish context, but in a Christian setting. The Christian church taught the Old Testament as part of its beliefs and I was acutely aware that the foundation of everything was with the Jewish people. Anything beyond those basic teachings I was less than knowledgeable. To me, Easter was Passover, and Hanukah was Jewish Christmas, but as I grew older my eyes were opened to an understanding that Judaism was not just a different faith but an entirely different way of life to what I was accustomed. At first, the desire to understand the faith was part of my desire to draw closer to my own faith, yet the more I learned, the more I desired to understand God and his relationship with man. The Bible or the Torah was no longer just stories told in Sunday school, but an opportunity to understand the intricate tapestry that has been woven over time.

A look into Jewish history and culture is like stepping back in time. It is a chance to breathe life into the stories and draw closer to God. In today's society it is not always easy to see people as they may have been thousands of years ago, yet there are a sect of Jewish people who have strived to retain the beliefs and traditions of their faith, the Orthodox Jewish.

I was blessed to have had the opportunity to have met one of these individuals, Rabbi Avremel Blesofsky. To pick Rabbi Blesofsky out of a crowd would not be difficult. He dresses in the traditional modest attire of the orthodox with his dark slacks, white shirt, gartel which is like a belt of sorts that acts as a separation of the top and bottom half of the body, and a kippot which is the head covering or skull cap. His pleasant demeanor and big smile are hidden behind the full bushy beard that is tradition for married men of the orthodox Jewish faith.

On the morning of June 16, 2006, I interviewed Rabbi Blesofsky about his faith and Judaism. The insight that came from our conversation was very helpful in understanding Jewish faith and beliefs. We covered many aspects from holidays and feasts, to the Torah.

Ideas about what Judaism is, vary from contemporary Jewish to Orthodox Judaism. When I asked Rabbi Blesofsky about these contrasts he explained that Orthodox Judaism is true Judaism. Their faith, customs and traditions have not changed from what the Torah has commanded. The laws were handed down from God to Moses. The laws have not changed, the Torah has not changed, and God has not changed. What was ordained by God is not meant as a do not do list, but an enhancement to their lives. For example, from the time of the start of a woman's cycle there is to be no relations between the couple for two weeks. Not because the woman is unclean, but because this time of her month is a death and purification process. The unfertilized egg has died and the body is starting the life process over again. This period if time acts as a strengthening of the marriage. The husband and wife have a chance to communicate and bond in other ways than just the physical. Where most people see this time as a restriction, this time is meant as an emotional time of building. It is God's way of strengthening the marriage. (Rabbi Blesofsky, June 16, 2006)

The Jewish faith does not follow the secular calendar (or solar calendar) that is commonly used today. The Jewish calendar is a soli-lunar calendar, which means that is based on the revolution of the moon around the earth. The days are not counted out in hours. The new day begins at sundown and ends at sundown the next day. This follows the pattern set in Genesis. (Dosick, 1995, 120)

Another aspect of Judaism is the keeping of the feasts and holidays. These are not like American holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Easter. Each holiday has a specific spiritual significance. Jewish holidays always occur on the same date on the Jewish calendar not the secular calendar, so Passover or Hanukah will not occur on the same date on the secular calendar like Christmas or New Years.

There are twelve Hebrew months in the Jewish calendar; Tishri, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, Adar, Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. The first day of each month is called Rosh Chodesh, which translated literally as "head of the month". Rosh Chodesh is the first day of the new moon. On the Sabbath before Rosh Chodesh a special prayer called Bircat HaChodesh, or the Blessing of the New Monthis said. (Dosick, 1995, 122)

Jewish holidays have significant importance to the Jewish faith. Each holiday represents an act of remembrance of God in the Jewish life. One of he most important is the observance of the Sabbath, or Shabbat, the day of rest. This starts at sundown Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. This is a time of spiritual rejuvenation where the people can emulate God who rested on the seventh day, and follow the commandment to keep the Sabbath.

In addition to the Sabbath there are five major holidays. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, celebrated on the first and second of Tishri, usually occurs in September or early October. Where the American New Year is often celebrated with loud parties and lots of drinking, Jewish