The Early Hebrews and Judaism

Origins of Judaism

Sometime between 2000 and 1500 BC, a new people appeared in Southwest Asia. They were the Hebrews, ancestors of the Israelites and Jews. Much of what is known about their early history comes from the work of archaeologists and from accounts written by Hebrew scribes. These accounts describe their early history and the laws of Judaism, their religion. In time these accounts became the Hebrew Bible.

Beginnings in Canaan & Egypt​

​The Bible traces the Hebrews back to a man named Abraham. One day, the Bible says, God told Abraham to leave his home in Mesopotamia. He was to take his family on a long journey to the west. God promised to lead Abraham to a new land and make his descendants into a mighty nation.

Multiple Choice

Who is considered the FIRST major leader of Judaism?

• Abraham

• Isaac

• Jacob

• Joseph

​Abraham left Mesopotamia and settled in Canaan on the Mediterranean Sea. Some of his descendants, the Israelites, lived in Canaan for many years. Later, however, some Hebrews moved to Egypt, perhaps because of famine in Canaan.

The Israelites lived well in Egypt, and their population grew. This growth worried Egypt’s ruler, the pharaoh. He feared that the Israelites might soon become too powerful. To stop this from happening, the pharaoh made the Israelites slaves.

​The Exodus

​According to the Hebrew Bible, a leader named Moses appeared among the Israelites in Egypt. In the 1200s BC, God told Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses went to the pharaoh and demanded that he free the Israelites. The pharaoh refused. Soon afterward a series of terrible plagues, or disasters, struck Egypt.

The plagues frightened the pharaoh so much that he agreed to free the Israelites. Overjoyed with the news of their release, Moses led his people out of Egypt in a journey called the Exodus. To the Israelites, the release from slavery proved that God was protecting and watching over them.

​According to the Bible, God spoke the following words to Moses. It was then placed on stone tablets.

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Multiple Choice

According to the Torah, what were the two tablets of stone that God gave to Moses?

• the Exodus
• the Sabbath
• the Ten Commandments
• the Torah

Multiple Choice

Moses received the Ten Commandments after the Hebrews left Egypt. What was their journey from Egypt called?

• the Exodus
• the plague
• the Sabbath
• the prophet

​Belief in one God

​Most importantly, Jews believe in one God. The belief in one and only one God is called monotheism. Many people believe that Judaism was the world’s first monotheistic religion.

In the ancient world where most people worshiped many gods, the Jews’ worship of only one God set them apart. This worship shaped Jewish society. The Jews believe they have a special responsibility to improve the world.

Multiple Choice

belief in only one god

• polytheism

• monotheism

• multiple-theism

• theism

​The Torah

​The ancient Jews recorded most of their laws in five books. Together, these books are called the Torah. The Torah is the most sacred text of Judaism. In addition to laws, it includes a history of the Jewish people until the death of Moses. Jews believe the contents of the Torah were revealed to Moses by God.

Multiple Choice

These two men are reading the most sacred Jewish text, called the

• Bible
• Qu'ran
• Torah
• Vedas

​Traditions & Holy Days

​One Jewish tradition is celebrated by Hanukkah, which falls in December. It honors a historical event. The ancient Jews wanted to celebrate a victory that had convinced their rulers to let them keep their religion. According to legend, though, the Jews did not have enough lamp oil to celebrate at the temple. Miraculously, the oil they had—enough for only one day—burned for eight full days.

​More important to Jews than Hanukkah, Passover is celebrated in March or April. During Passover, Jews honor the Exodus, the journey of the Israelites out of slavery.

​According to Jewish tradition, the Israelites left Egypt so quickly that bakers did not have time to let their bread rise. Therefore, during Passover, Jews eat only matzo, a flat, unrisen bread. They also celebrate the holiday with ceremonies.

​The two most sacred of all Jewish holidays are the High Holy Days. They take place in September or October. The first two days of celebration, Rosh Hashanah, celebrate the start of a new year in the Jewish calendar.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT part of a traditional Rosh HaShannah celebration?

• Eating apples and honey

• Eating pomegranates

• Hearing the shofar

• Fasting

Multiple Choice

Which holiday is known as the Jewish New Year?

• Shavuot

• Purim

• Sukkot

• Rosh Hashanah