How A Religious Jew Differs From A Religious Christian

 Nadene Goldfoot                                          

 Today's religious Jew, caught in the middle of prayer in the war, already wearing his tefillin (phylacterics)-2 small black boxes containing small scrolls of parchment upon which are written 4 Biblical passages.  The leather straps, the boxes and the parchment are all made from kosher animals.  The writing must be handwritten by a scribe.  Tefillin is not worn on the Sabbath.  He's managing.    

The word "religious" is the crux of what I'm talking about.  Of course we know that Judaism differs from Christianity in that Christianity is about Jesus and Judaism isn't.

To begin with, Judaism broke away from all people's faiths in the very beginning of time when Abraham devoted himself to One G-d, whereas the world was full of the polytheistic faiths, gods imitating people living in their own space and time. There were temples to all sorts of gods, even in India, and still are.

To enter into the Jewish family, and it did start with a family, the family of Jacob whose name was changed eventually to Israel, a boy baby is circumcized on its 8th day.  When that same boy is 13, he is bar mitzvahed.  A bar mitzvah is the compilation of several years of study of Hebrew reading that may even include writing as well, and the study of their religious history.  It is recognized with a performance on a Saturday (Shabbat) morning with a party that includes a lot of treats.  Girls have now entered into this since females are pushing to be equals in the whole world these days, even as soldiers, and they have what is called at bat mitzvah;  bar meaning male and bat meaning female.  We have become an Endogamous people, marrying people that carry some of our own genes from hundreds of years earlier being from the same genetic line.   Marrying outside the faith is, however, becoming more common, a reflection on the whole change of social attitudes for all.    As a rule, it is not strengthening Judaism. 

We noted when I grew up in Portland,  that our Jewish boys would leave their public school and board a bus to go to their Hebrew school at 3:30pm while the Chinese boys would do the same and go to their Chinese school.  Both were conditioned to learning.  

                                In prayer outside, soldier in Israel

They have practiced ritual acts of wearing tefillin and tzitzit, having a mezuzah near their door and why, what that stands for.  Since ancient days, they pronounce passages from the Torah-specifically from Deuteronomy (5 books of Moses found in Old testament) which are the basis for the observance of the 2 unique Jewish symbols that testify to the eternal Covenant between G-d and Israel. 

Both capsule-sized reminders of the entire Torah which the Jew is bidden to observe.   The mezuzah is placed on the doorpost, and the religious Jew may have one posted on all their doorposts inside as well as outside the house.                                        

  Hear O Israel the Lord is our God the Lord is One.  And you shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might....And these words which I command you this day...bind them as a sign on your hand and as a symbol (frontlets) between your eyes, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.                

According to Maimonides/ Rambam (1135-1204) , born in Cordova, Spain, a great teacher of ours, said that those who look upon the mezuzah as an amulet, a lucky charm for the household, are ignorant.  "Those fools not only fail to fulfill the mitzvah itself, but they have taken a great mitzvah, which involves the Oneness of g-d and the reminder to love Him and worship Him, and treat it as though it were an amulet designed to benefit them personally...."  (Hil.Mezuzah: 5:4)  The Rambam was escaping with his family at age 13 from Spain during the Almohade Persecutions, wandering in North Africa till they reached Palestine in 1165. 

Because of the persecutions that Rambam saw or was in, in the words of Maimonides, who is seen as the most successful synthesizer of medieval Judaism and the Islamic world, “God has entangled us with this people, the nation of Ishmael, who treat us so prejudicially and who legislate our harm and hatred…. No nation has ever arisen more harmful than they, nor has anyone done more to humiliate us, degrade us, and consolidate hatred against us.”  Actually later, Muslim countries treated Jews better than the Western countries did, though placing us as 2nd class citizens or Dhimmis with rules and regulations.  

                           Chassidic rabbi praying in Ukraine

 You can also add that our religious Jews have either suffered because of being Jewish or had ancestors who did and somehow have felt their pain.  Rambam did a great deal of writing throughout his life, establishing our 613 precepts or laws of Judaism.  That's why we know there were more than the first 10 that Moses brought to his awaiting people, that he would keep on writing more.  At least most of the 613 are things we normally do anyway without any prodding.  

The purpose of being a Christian is mainly to be saved when they die .  They expect the saying that they believe in Jesus to be saving them so that they will go to heaven.  They have elevated this son of Joseph, the carpenter in Bethlehem as the son of G-d.  Jews believe that we all, all people are sons of G-d.  

The Jew has no such worries such as placing their sins on another's back.  They know each of them is responsible for themselves and so throughout their life, try their best to accumulate mitzvot, good deeds.  They can be thought of as being weighed on a scale and hope they outweigh their sins.  Whatever g-d plans for as to their after they die is up to G-d.  We Jews have enough to worry about while living and how we behave.  

      Bethlehem, skyline is Judea-Samaria

Today we have many orthodox or religious Jews moving into Judea and Samaria.  Why?  Actually there can be 2 reasons.  

1. Finding a dwelling in Israel proper is difficult; a home such as a westerner knows does not exist except in Judea and Samaria in some sections.  

2.  Israel started in Judah.  This is history with Jacob and the family where he had 12 sons, each one claiming territory through Joshua in Eretz Yisrael.  Jerusalem was built by king David in Judah.  The other 11 tribes were spread out throughout the rest.  When king Solomon-David's son died, Jeroboam stepped forward and was pronounced king-so the land was then divided into a Civil War.  Samaria became their capital.  The land around it was also called Samaria later.  So we have today, Judea and Samaria which are called by Jordan as the West Bank.  

Orthodox Jews should be very much into our Jewish history as well as our holidays created for remembering so many of our near-deaths as well as what G-d decreed.  They've been raised since birth to be participants with the Jewish people.  I find that most are raised in a home with the highest expectations of education.  

Today, with some groups, not enough of that education is spreading out to what our history has been in the past 100 years or so.  When I hear of religious Jews not participating in the IDF, I feel most disappointed.  Our religious historically did a lot of soldiering.  Our numbers call for it.  How can any man feel they can allow another to take the risks they deny themselves?  On the other hand, we don't want to see our smartest young men wasted in war, either, when they are so capable of doing such important things other than fighting.   I wish no one had to go into the service.  There are many orthodox or religious Jews in the IDF today.   

In the USA, we have 3 political parties;  Republicans, Democrats and Independents.   Religious should not be involved according to the  constitution.            

Israel was created for Jews who had been the scapegoat of the world long enough; causing the explosion of Zionism and what prayers 3 times a day were saying;  the return to their own land of Israel.  

In Israel, there are even the Political -Religious parties of conservative Sephardi (Ladino)and Mizrahi(Middle Eastern) and Haredi (consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to halakha (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to modern values and practices. Its members are usually referred to as ultra-Orthodox in English; however, the term "ultra-Orthodox" is considered pejorative by many of its adherents, who prefer terms like strictly Orthodox or Haredi    interests;  After all, the country is created as a Jewish country/haven, just as it was thousands of years ago only updated today to meet modern needs.  Jews have been returning from all over the world and come with their particular language and style of devotion to Judaism.  There's also religious zionism, conservatism, Ashkenazi haredi and haredi non-zionism.

Judaism differs from Christianity in so many ways anyway, like the Sabbath "Shabbat" being from sunset Friday night to Saturday night at the appearance of 3 stars; a special meal on a Friday night in honor of the Sabbath, lighting candles and saying a special prayer before that;  things many of Jews do without feeling they are orthodox;  just Jews; but the more orthodox do eat Kosher food, for sure, meaning only certain meats are allowed, specific qualifications for the food.  

Resource:

Edit: 1/6/23

To Be a Jew, by Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Israel