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The beliefs and practices shared by most Jews were gathered together gradually over a long period of time, from the earlier days recorded in the Bible, the Talmud, and the Midrash through the dispersing years of the Diaspora after the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans to the founding of the state of Israel. The recitation of prayers and blessings is an integral part of Judaism. Jewish prayers of thanksgiving are said at meals; at the witnessing of a falling star, of a rainbow, or the budding of the first blossom of spring. Jewish prayers include blessings for Sabbath and Yamim Tovim, candle lightings on Jewish Holidays, for putting on the Tefillin, for putting on the Tzitzit, and for putting on a Tallit. There are also Jewish prayers and blessings before attaching a Mezuzah, for ritual washing of hands before eating bread, before eating bread made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt, and before drinking kosher wine made from grapes. The most important of all Jewish prayers is the Shema because it speaks to the people themselves about what they have to do. Part of the Shema includes: "Hear, O Israel, the Eternal is our G-d, the Eternal is One. Blessed be G-d’s Name and glorious kingdom forever and ever"..."You shall love the Lord your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I [G-d] teach you this day, shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder before your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates".
The Jewish patriarch Abraham
made a covenant with the G-d of the Israelites in return for the promise of a
good life for the Jewish people if they followed the commandments and the
teachings G-d revealed to them.
Besides study, faith and continual prayer to G-d (whose commandments they adhere to strictly), lead Jews to salvation. A story from the Talmud illustrates a compassionate aspect of Judaic beliefs and principles of faith. When a non-Jew asked Rabbi Hillel to teach him the Torah while standing on one foot he said, "What is hateful to you, don't do to your neighbor. The rest is commentary. Now, go and study." A less compassionate aspect of Judaism can be seen in the words of a Hebrew Bible passage from Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 13:6-9..."If anyone secretly entices you, even if its your brother, your father's son or your mother's son, or your daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your most intimate friend - saying 'Let us go worship other gods', whom neither you nor your ancestors have known, any of the gods of the peoples that are around you, whether near you or far way from you, from one end of the earth to the other, you must not yield to or heed any such persons. Show them no pity or compassion and do not shield them. But you shall surely kill them; your own hand shall be first against them to execute them, and afterwards the hand of all the people."
The most widely-accepted
list of Jewish beliefs is Rambam's thirteen principles of faith. They are G-d exists, G-d is one and unique,
G-d is incorporeal, G-d is eternal, Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone, The
words of the prophets are true, Moses was the greatest prophet, and his
prophecies are true, The Torah was given to Moses, There will be no other Torah,
G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men, G-d will reward the good and punish the
wicked, The Messiah will come, and The dead will be resurrected.
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