A Torah lies open on the altar of the Great Synagogue,
Jerusalem, Israel. The word Torah comes from the
Hebrew for 'law'. (Image © Corbis)
Cantor Pinchas Rabinovicz
chanting Birkat Ha-Mazon http://www.613.org/cantor/birkat.ram
Judaism was a prominent faith on the Silk Road especially during the time
of the Mongol rule.
Jews believed in one God; He is unique, incorporeal, and eternal. God created
the universe. God is often referred to as Yahweh.
God knows everything and will consequently reward the good and punish the
bad. The messiah will come and the dead will be resurrected.
Jews direct prayer toward God, and toward God alone. "If God is that
to which one gives oneself unreservedly, to have more than one God is to live
a life of divided loyalties" (Smith 274-275).
The word of the prophets are true, especially Moses because he is the greatest
prophet. The scripture of Judaism is the written Torah (the first five books
of the Bible) and the oral Talmud, which includes the Talmud and other writings.
Jews observe a set of laws known as the Ten Commandments.There is not set dogma or beliefs that one must hold in order to be a Jew.
Judaism believes that even the smallest action, if done correctly, can be seen as a representation of holiness.
Rich, Tracey. Judaism 101. 16 Sept. 2001. Home Page. 30 Oct. 2001
<http://www.jewfaq.org/toc.htm>.
Smith, Huston. The World's Religions. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.
