Hasidim vs. Prophets

Though both try to follow G-d exactly as he teaches, Hasidim and prophets have a lot of differences. Despite these differences, they can still be considered prophets for the way they try to be examples of the true follower of G-d. They stick very closely to the law of G-d and follow every single one. They are exactly like prophets since they don’t go around preaching and trying to convert people. They are more like personal, internal prophets then social ones.

            The things that make them internal prophets are their distrust of power, intolerance, and their agreement with the prophet Isaiah. Both prophets and Hasidim distrust political powers. This is shown by how strongly they opposed a Jewish state without having G-d physically there to build it. Their intolerance is shown when Daniel’s father excommunicates Robert because his father is advocating for a Jewish state in Palestine. They agree with the prophet Isaiah because they both are distressed when people looked to weapons instead of G-d, like again with the state in Palestine.

            They have certain differences from prophets too, like isolation, the gift of being guided, and influence. The Hasidic aren’t really isolated except maybe from people that aren’t Hasidic. They have huge communities where they stick together. They don’t have the gift of being guided like the prophets since they don’t stand in the presence of G-d. Another difference is the influence. The Hasidic don’t preach like the prophets did so they don’t have that kind of an influence.

            The Hasidic can be called modern day prophets but there are a lot of major differences. The similarities are enough to call them prophets though. Both groups have a distrust of power, intolerance, and agreement on certain matters. The major differences include isolation, the gift of being guided, and influence. I feel like they would make good social prophets if they tried though.

Blog Post 22

1)      Zoroastrianism began flourish in Iran during the Persian Empire in the fifth and fourth centuries BC.

2)       Zoroastrianism spread after Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great and it spread through that empire.

3)      When Zarathustra was thirty an angel called Good Thought came to him and brought him as a disembodied soul to Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord. Zarathustra recognized him as the one true god.

4)      The oldest sacred text is the Avesta. The oldest texts in it are the Gathas, his seventeen hymns.

5)      His characteristics and actions were eternal, universal goodness, controller of the cosmos, and the destiny of human beings.

6)      Ethical dualism is the belief in universal forces of good and evil.

7)      Lie is an evil, cosmic force that opposes Ahura Mazda.

8)      They must choose between truth and Lie, between the beneficent spirit and the hostile spirit.

9)      His understanding of human destiny was that after death they were judged. The good go to paradise while the bad go to hell. He also believes in full bodily resurrection of everyone for judgment by fire and molten metal.

10)   The general ethical demands are caring for livestock and fields, always tell the truth, do what is right, and avoid evil people.

11)  The Parsis are Zoroastrians that now live in India.

12)  The Iliad and the Odyssey are commonly regarded as having been the Bible of the Greeks.

13)  It means that the gods had human attributes, none of them are all-knowing or all-powerful, and all have their own specific talents, functions, and limitations.

14)  Aeschylus’s main contribution was that he was mainly concerned with the ideal of divine justice. For example he portrayed Zeus as ruling with order and justice.

15)  An oracle is a mortal that the gods communicate their desires and intentions through. An oracle was a sanctuary favored by a particular god, who communicated in some manner to those who visited the site. The most famous one was the oracle at Delphi where people sought the wisdom of the god Apollo. She was consulted on issues ranging from private matters to far-reaching public concerns.

16)  The three basic aspects are that individuals had to choose to become initiates and went through a ritual, initiates experienced a personal encounter with the deity, and initiates gained spiritual renewal through participation in the religion and hope for a better afterlife.

17)  The Eleusinian mystery honored Demeter and her daughter Persephone.

18)  Dionysus is associated with fertility, vegetation, and the vine. He is often depicted with vines and grapes.

19)  The goal is have the soul escape the body and fully realize its divine, Dionysian nature.

20)  Plato’s theory of knowledge is that we know things in this life partly because we have experienced them in previous lives.

21)  Platonic dualism is the belief that wisdom lies in identifying oneself with the truth of the Forms, rather than with the changing and imperfect material world.

22)   Jesus seemed to have much in common because both were called Savior, and the intimacy of the worshipers’ relationship with Asclepius bore a strong resemblance to the relationship with Christ celebrated by Christians.

23)  Numina were supernatural powers each in charge of a specific function and were thought to inhabit Roman homes, towns, the countryside, fields, streams, trees, doorways, altars, and shrines.

24)  The most powerful Roman deity was Jupiter.

25)  The six planets are Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn.

26)  It was essential to ensure the peace of the gods.

27)  The main rivals were Mithraism and the cult of Isis.

28)  The Egyptian myth of Isis and Osiris is that Osiris was killed and hacked into pieces by his evil brother, Isis searched far and wide, finally finding Osiris’s body parts. She mummified him, which brought him back to life and he became god of the underworld.

29)  Augustus encouraged worship of his genius or guardian spirit which was thought to guard the welfare of the entire state.

30)  Christian and Roman rulers clashed over emperor worship because Christians didn’t want to worship the ruler since it would go against their belief in one God. The Romans didn’t like this because it looked like the Christians did not support the state. 

Judaism

1.      The three functions of a synagogue are to be a place where Jews can meet, a place where Jews can learn and teach the Torah and other sacred texts, and a place where they can pray.

2.      When you enter a synagogue, on the eastern wall is the ark where the Torah scrolls are kept which is often covered by a parokhet and the Ten Commandments of the eternal light is above it.

3.      A rabbi is a man who leads and guides the Jewish community he serves. A man becomes a rabbi through rabbinical ordination by passing a test of knowledge of the Torah and Talmud. Most will study in a yeshiva, a Jewish institute of higher learning. He is different from other clergymen because he doesn’t wear anything special, doesn’t have the same restrictions like abstinence, and focuses on making people better by pointing out their good aspects. A rabbi’s role is answer questions, counsel, and inspire.

4.      The Sabbath is a day of joy and a gift from G-d. It is a day of rest and spiritual enrichment and occurs every seventh day.

5.      The Torah is the Old Testament, the entire Jewish bible, and is the body of their laws and teachings. The Talmud is the “Oral Torah” and which states what the scriptures mean and how to interpret them and apply the Laws.

6.      Orthodox Jews follow Jewish law laid down the Torah and Talmud and that G-d gave the entire Torah to Moses. Reform Jews focus more on moral law and monotheism. Conservative Jews believe that G-d wrote the Torah but that there was also a human component therefore it must adapt. Zionist Jews believe that anti-Semitism can be overcome through assimilation and calls for Jews to return to Palestine which is now Israel.

7.      Hebrew is the official language of Israel and it spoken by some five million people there.

8.      Yiddish is the language of Ashkenazic Jews in shtetl found in eastern and central Europe and mean “Jewish”.

9.      Mazal Tov means congratulations. Shalom means hello, peace, or goodbye.

10.  Brit Milah (Bris) is the ceremony of circumcision where a boy enter the Covenant on his eighth day of life. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is when a boy or girl reaches 13 years old and a day and is legally mature and assumes full responsibility for observing the commandments and for all his/her deeds. A Jewish wedding is done under a chupah (wedding canopy) which symbolizes the home the couple will make together. Afterward they sign a ketubah which is a legal lien on the husband's property which is given to his wife. Then they do Bedeken where the husband lifts the veil of his to-be-wife to see if she is the right person. Then the man arrives at the chupah first and the woman is escorted there by shoshvinim. Then the bride circles around the groom either three or seven times. Then there is a blessing over wine and Birchat Erusin (the betrothal benediction). Then the rings are presented, and the formula of kiddushin pronounced. Then the Sheva Berachot (seven wedding benedictions) which are about the joys of marriage. Then ceremony ends with the groom, or both the bride and groom, breaking a glass which has been wrapped in a cloth to prevent the fragments from hurting anyone.

11.  Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish new year and occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. It is one of their holiest days. Yom Kippur is the day set aside to atone for the sins of the previous year and occurs on the tenth day of Tishri. Hanukah is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. It is not very important and the main tradition is the lighting of nine candles. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan and is related to the Exodus from Egypt in the Bible.

12.  I knew about Passover and that the Torah was basically the Old Testament.

13.  The most surprising thing to me is that Jews don’t really care about Hanukah which I thought was related to our Christmas which would make it a big deal.

14.  One aspect I guess is a little related is going to church on Sunday.

15.  One tradition that is different is the Bat Mitzvah since the only thing I have is a sweet 16.