topic middle-east ★ seed

Judaism

The oldest Abrahamic religion, ~2000 BCE in Canaan. Covenant between God and Abraham's descendants. Torah as foundational text. Monotheism, ethical law, and peoplehood.

#judaism #monotheism #torah #covenant

Sub-topics

Orthodox Judaism concept

Traditional Judaism maintaining halakha (Jewish law) as divinely authored and binding. Includes Modern Orthodox and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) streams.

Hasidic Judaism concept

Founded by Baal Shem Tov in 1740s Ukraine. Mystical, joyful approach to God through prayer, song, and devotion. Organized into dynastic courts (Chabad, Satmar, Breslov, etc.).

Conservative Judaism concept

Middle path between Orthodox and Reform. Maintains halakha as binding but subject to historical evolution. Founded 1880s in Germany/USA by Zacharias Frankel.

Reform Judaism concept

Founded 1810s in Germany. Torah as God-inspired but not literal divine dictation. Halakha is non-binding; emphasis on ethical monotheism and social justice.

Reconstructionist Judaism concept

Founded by Mordecai Kaplan in 1920s USA. Judaism as an evolving civilization rather than a religion. God as process, not person.

Karaite Judaism concept

8th century CE, Mesopotamia. Rejects the Oral Torah (Talmud), relying solely on the written Hebrew Bible. Pre-dates the Orthodox/Reform split by a millennium.