Roots and Branches: Judaism and Christianity

Before we begin, a word regarding the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.  Violence against political opponents is antithetical to the values and principles upon which America is built.

Before the political spin machines do their predictable things with this, let’s grieve the ways our political culture has become increasingly toxic, demonizing candidates and their supporters and amping up the rhetoric to cast every issue as an existential threat to our nation.  It’s not hard to see how this kind of rhetoric can create an environment where a misguided individual might believe it is their moral and patriotic duty to take extreme measures.  Instead of saving America with it, they destroy what it’s supposed to be.

When something bad happens, try to do something good.  Let’s do our part to lower the divisiveness.  May we strive to find common ground.  By fostering understanding and respect, we take a positive step forward in healing the fabric of our nation.  And that is part of our aim in this new sermon series on world religions.

How studying other religions benefits us. 

We’re blessed to live in one of the most diverse cities in the nation.  If we take Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must learn to understand and appreciate our neighbors’ perspectives.

In this series, we will look at Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Native Religions.  By exploring their beliefs and practices, we’ll explore common misperceptions, where there’s common ground with Christians, and where we diverge.  We’ll also keep an eye on how aspects of these traditions can help us become better Christians.

We can only scratch the surface of what people have been reflecting on for thousands of years.  The hope is to gain a basic understanding and whet your appetite to learn more.  As with our religion, people approach their religion in various personal ways, so we’ll only get to the basics.

Judaism

We start with our closest faith relative—Judaism.  Of course, our tradition is a direct descendant.  We share the Old Testament, worship the same God, and are committed to growing spirituality and social justice.  Jesus was a Jew, and Christianity started as a sub-sect of Judaism.

The oversimplification most Christians have is that Judaism is just like Christianity, except they don’t believe Jesus was the Messiah or divine or have Easter or Christmas, but it’s okay they have Chanukah and get presents, too.  They worship on Saturday, wearing little hats, and aren’t supposed to eat pork.  But otherwise, it’s pretty similar.

The Shema is the heart of Judaism’s faith.

A central feature of Judaism is the Shema, a three-part prayer to be recited in the morning and evening, preferably in Hebrew.

The first section quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-9.  “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one.”  It continues with instructions to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and strength.  Sound familiar?  Jesus identified this as the first and greatest commandment.

Within the Shema, we find the essentials of faith: a monotheistic religion passed down from generation to generation that believes that God’s commandments are good and that following them results in God’s blessings or punishments.

I love the intentionality of saying the prayer every day, of bracketing each day by remembering God’s sovereignty no matter what happens.

The Bible

We share the Old Testament, which they call the Tanakh.  The first five books are called the Torah and are regarded as paramount.  They contain the foundational laws, teachings, and narratives that form the covenantal relationship between God and the Jewish people.

The central story that shapes Jewish identity is the Exodus, the story of God’s liberation of Israel from slavery to Egypt.  Children are taught that this isn’t something that happened to “them” long ago but happened to them.  It’s their story, too. God delivered us.  We can learn from this, too!

Synagogue Torah scrolls are huge and meticulously hand-copied, not printed.  They are in Hebrew which reads right to left and back to front.  Portions of the Torah are read publicly weekly in synagogue services during Shabbat (Sabbath) and on other holy days.  The Torah reading cycle covers the entire text over the course of a year.

Talmud and Mishna

In addition to the scriptures, there are two other important texts—the Talmud and Mishna.  As the Israelites moved from semi-nomadic to agrarian and became more metropolitan, the question was how to apply the Torah to the new circumstances.  These are collections of writings from rabbis that provide discussions, debates, and interpretations by rabbis, offering insights into Jewish law, theology, ethics, and daily life.  These texts are pivotal for guiding religious practice, moral conduct, and the interpretation of Jewish traditions across generations.

There’s an old joke about wherever there are two rabbis, there are up to ten opinions.  In Judaism, there isn’t a central authority, a pope, or a body that says this is the one, right, and true way to practice faith.  Rabbis have had vastly different views on every subject.  They set a good model for us about how to hold contradictions and paradoxes and see various perspectives without the pressure of thinking you have to have the singular, accurate interpretation.

Obedience to the Law

Obedience to the 600+ laws in the Torah is central.  A misperception is that Jews have to do all that stuff to go to heaven or earn God’s acceptance.  God’s acceptance is given and many don’t believe in heaven.  God has covenanted to be their God for eternity.  Obedience is more of a response of gratitude.

A friend explained that she kept the kosher or dietary laws not because God’s love of her hung on her obedience but because it made her faith part of daily life.  She said I’m not buying impulsively when I go to the store.  I have to make intentional choices.  The same is true in food prep. Keeping kosher is a spiritual practice and helps me feel connected.

Judaism’s Branches

Like Christianity, which has Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox expressions, Judaism’s three branches are Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform.  The orthodox group is the most conservative, strictly adhering to the law.  Conservatives are a little less strict.  Reformed synagogues are more about finding ways to apply the spirit and essence of the law, focusing on the ethical implications more than the ritualistic instructions.

You can see the differences between the three movements regarding how they treat commandments, such as keeping the Sabbath.  The Orthodox strictly adhere to all the conventions that prohibit work.  Because you’re not supposed to light a fire, the current application means you shouldn’t drive a combustion engine on the sabbath or turn on a light switch.  So, if you are ever invited to an orthodox home on the Sabbath, please keep the light on when you’re finished in the bathroom.

The Conservative branch is strict, but not as strict, as it may permit certain uses of electricity and engage in activities like driving to synagogue or cooking under specific conditions.

The Reform movement views Shabbat as a time for spiritual reflection and communal worship rather than strict adherence to ritual laws.  Reform Jews may attend synagogue services, engage in family meals, and participate in community activities, but with less emphasis on traditional ritual practices like refraining from work.

Mystical Tradition

There is a mystical tradition within Judaism that crosses all the branches.  Jewish mysticism, known as Kabbalah, explores the experiential aspects of Judaism, focusing on understanding God, through esoteric interpretations of scripture, symbolic imagery, and spiritual practices like meditation and prayer.

Holy Days

Judaism has lots of holy days.  There is the sabbath–which lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.  Chanukah is celebrated, but it’s not as important as Christmas to us.  Yom Kippur, or The Day of Atonement, is the year’s holiest day.  Yom Kippur underscores reconciliation, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal, encouraging Jews to strive for personal growth and righteousness in the coming year.  Forgiveness is not just something God receives; you ask for forgiveness from anyone you may have wronged.  Seder meals at Passover times are meaningful because of the ritual foods eaten to remember the exodus.  I believe Protestant Christianity ought to learn to have more festival gatherings.  Catholics are doing just fine on that.

Afterlife.

Jewish views on the afterlife vary among different traditions.  Generally, Judaism focuses more on the importance of life in this world rather than detailed descriptions of the afterlife.  Some envision a spiritual realm where the righteous are rewarded with closeness to God and eternal life.  But the emphasis is on how you live on through your legacy and the good you did.

Still waiting for a Messiah

No Jesus as Messiah.  Asked a rabbi.  With all of the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus, virgin birth, suffering servant, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, why don’t Jews accept Jesus as Messiah?  The rabbi said, “When the Messiah comes, he will bring peace.  The lion will lie down with the lamb.  That didn’t happen.  You say he will come again and do it next time around.  We’ll wait before proclaiming him Messiah.  But so far?  No.  And this business of the trinity, God as three-in-one?  Nah.  Just one.  The scripture says, ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one.’  Not three in one.  We consider Jesus a wise human prophet, not God.”

Antisemitism

This tension of Jews not accepting Jesus as the Messiah, while non-Jews do accept him as the Jewish messiah, has always led to tragedy.  Instead of listening to Paul’s language in Romans about Gentiles being grafted onto the Tree of life, they have inaccurately blamed “the Jews” for Jesus’ death.

And so, we have antisemitism, and we know the horrors of where that leads.  Recently, antisemitic incidents have been on the rise here in Long Beach.  From hate speech online to physical attacks on Jewish individuals and vandalism of synagogues, these acts of bigotry demand our attention and action. We cannot turn a blind eye to the hatred that threatens our neighbors and fellow children of God.

Today’s sermon has aimed to demystify Judaism, to deepen our understanding and appreciation of our Jewish brothers and sisters. By learning about and standing with our Jewish community members, we embody the teachings of love, justice, and solidarity that lie at the heart of our faith.

Let us commit ourselves to educating others, challenging prejudice wherever we encounter it, and fostering a community where all people, regardless of faith or background, are welcomed and valued. Together, let us take a stand against religious intolerance and work towards a world where every person can live free from fear and discrimination.