![\"Orthodox-Jewish-Man\"](\"https:\/\/www.thejerusalemgiftshop.com\/israelnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Orthodox-Jewish-Man.jpg\")
<\/a>Orthodox-Jewish-Man<\/p><\/div>
\nThere has been much debate in Israel and within the Jewish community abroad over the Orthodox monopoly of Judaism in the State. Secular Israelis who support this Orthodox domination often joke that \u201cthe synagogue they do not attend is the Orthodox one,\u201d essentially declaring that in their eyes, Orthodoxy is the only legitimate way to practice Judaism, if one were to choose to participate. This belief has led the Reform and Conservative Jewish communities to hold an unrecognized status in Israel, since they are not part of \u201coriginal Judaism,\u201d a belief some hold for the status of Orthodox Judaism. The irony for those who maintain such a stance is that there have always been different denominations within Judaism. Orthodox Judaism itself was born out of the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE and it has evolved and changed over the past 2,000 years. Different ways of practicing Judaism is in fact a deeply entrenched tradition within the Jewish religion. <\/p>\n
During the Second Temple Period there were four main Jewish sects: the Essenes, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Zealots. The Essenes were an ascetic and mystical group who followed strict discipline and remained in isolation (perhaps a precursor to monastic life). They are responsible for composing what are known as the Dead Sea Scrolls and their teachings may have greatly influenced early Christianity. Some even affiliate John the Baptist with this sect. <\/p>\n
The Zealots were more of a nationalist movement than a religious one, but they are still categorized as a religious sect. They believed it was better to die fighting than to exist under Roman rule and even killed other Jews if it helped to further their cause. This sect is today one of the most famous because of its role in the story of Masada. <\/p>\n
The Sadducees were made up of the priestly and aristocratic class. They were religiously conservative, while at the same time socially liberal, adopting many cultural elements from Greek and Roman culture. Religiously, they maintained a very narrow interpretation of the written Torah and did not believe in an oral Torah (upon which Rabbinic literature is based). The Temple and sacrifices were at the center of their worship. <\/p>\n
Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees believed God gave the Jews both the written and oral Torah and that both were equally binding for the Jewish people. Both were also open to interpretation by a Rabbi, a person with enough education to make such decisions. The Pharisees were devoted to the study of the Torah, and they were the only sect to survive the revolt against Roman rule and the destruction of the Temple. The Zealots and the Essenes were killed off during the revolt and the Sadducees lost the Temple, which was at the core of their religious practices. This is why much of Rabbinic and Orthodox Judaism today resembles the Pharisee sect, as the Pharisees were the only group able to answer the question \u201chow does Judaism survive without the Temple?\u201d<\/p>\n
While Judaism and the Jewish people continued thanks to the practices of the Pharisees, is this form of Judaism \u201coriginal Judaism\u201d or was it an interpretation of Judaism provided to survive the circumstances thrust upon the Jewish people in their \u201cmodern world,\u201d a world without the Temple? Is this evolution of Judaism much different than how modern denominations of Judaism have developed in today\u2019s world? I don\u2019t pretend to know the answers but I find them interesting questions worth asking. <\/p>\n
Until the modern era there were few deviations from this form of Judaism, referred to today as Orthodox Judaism. While many of the practices and traditions of different groups of Orthodox Jews varied, the overall structure of how to approach Jewish practice and follow Jewish law was mostly the same. However, there were some breakaway groups throughout the years. In the 9th century a group known as the Karaites (the People of the Scripture) emerged, denying the existence of the oral Torah and breaking away from Rabbinical\/Orthodox Judaism. This group still exists today and they believe in a strict interpretation of the Torah and do not allow for rabbinical analysis. In their view, rabbinic law is the work of sages and rabbis, is not handed down by God like the written Torah, and therefore is as flawed as any other text written by humans. In the 1700s a group known as the Chasidim also emerged. Until this time Rabbinic Judaism emphasized education and the study of the Torah and the Talmud as the way to get closer to God. The Chasidim, on the other hand, highlight personal experience and mysticism as other routes to God. In the 18th century they were considered a very radical group and faced much opposition by traditional Orthodox groups. Today, they are a legitimate part of mainstream Orthodox Judaism and are often one of the first groups mentioned when talking about Orthodox Judaism. <\/p>\n
To be continued in Part II\u2026<\/p>\n
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