The Jews lived in the land of Babylon for more than 2,500 years that followed the Babylonian captivity (see History of the Jews in Iraq). By 1941, the approximately 150,000 Iraqi Jews played active roles in many aspects of Iraqi life, including farming, banking, commerce and the government bureaucracy. After the Ottoman Empire was defeated in the First World War, the League of Nations granted the mandate of Iraq to Britain. After King Ghazi who inherited the throne of Faisal I, died in a 1939 car accident, Britain inst ...

See also:

Farhud, Farhud - Historical background, Farhud - The Golden Square coup, Farhud - June 1-2 1941, Farhud - Aftermath

Read more here: » Farhud: Encyclopedia II - Farhud - Historical background

See also:

Jerusalem Talmud, Jerusalem Talmud - Historical context, Jerusalem Talmud - Comparison to Babylonian Talmud

Read more here: » Jerusalem Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Jerusalem Talmud - Historical context

Torah database - The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project. The very first such database was the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project, which began in 1963 at the Weizmann Institute in Israel, migrated to Bar-Ilan University soon thereafter, and was up and running by 1967. It became available in time-sharing mode from university terminals in 1979, was transferred to CD-ROM in 1990, and version 1.0 was offered for sale to the public in 1992. The current version is number 13 or 13+ (the "plus" version contains an importa ...

See also:

Torah database, Torah database - Digital Text Software Packages, Torah database - The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project, Torah database - DBS Master Library, Torah database - The Torah Bookshelf Halamish, Torah database - Ariel, Torah database - Judaic Bookshelf, Torah database - Mikra'ot Gedolot Haketer, Torah database - Digital Hebrew Texts with Vowels Niqqud, Torah database - Page-Image Software Packages, Torah database - Otzar HaHochma, Torah database - Otzar ha-Shut, Torah database - The Steinzaltz Talmud on CD-ROM, Torah database - Free Torah Libraries Online, Torah database - Mechon Mamre digital freeware, Torah database - Seforim Online public domain images, Torah database - HebrewBooks.org public domain images

Read more here: » Torah database: Encyclopedia II - Torah database - Digital Text Software Packages

Jew - Jews and migrations. Throughout Jewish history, Jews have repeatedly been directly or indirectly expelled from both their original homeland, and the areas in which they have resided. This experience as both immigrants and emigrants (see: Jewish refugees) have shaped Jewish identity and religious practice in many ways. An incomplete list of such migrations includes: The patriarch Abraham was a migrant to the land of Canaan from Ur of the Chaldees. The Children of Israel experienced the ...

See also:

Jew, Jew - Usage note, Jew - Etymology, Jew - Who is a Jew?, Jew - Jewish culture, Jew - Ethnic divisions, Jew - Population, Jew - Significant geographic populations, Jew - State of Israel, Jew - Diaspora outside Israel, Jew - Population changes: Assimilation, Jew - Population changes: Wars against the Jews, Jew - Population changes: Growth, Jew - Jewish languages, Jew - History of the Jews, Jew - Jews and migrations, Jew - Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, Jew - Persian Greek and Roman rule, Jew - Beginning of the Diaspora, Jew - Middle Ages: Europe, Jew - Middle Ages: Islamic Europe and North Africa, Jew - Enlightenment and emancipation, Jew - Zionism and immigration, Jew - The Holocaust, Jew - Israel, Jew - Persecution, Jew - Jewish leadership, Jew - Famous Jews, Jew - Notes

Read more here: » Jew: Encyclopedia II - Jew - History of the Jews

Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. The tenets and history of Judaism are the major part of the foundation of other Abrahamic religions, including Samaritanism, Christianity, and Islam. Over at least the last two thousand years, Judaism has not been monolithic in practice, and has not had any centralized authority or binding dogma. Despite this, Judaism in all its variations has remained tightly bound ...

Including:

Judaism - Introduction
Judaism - Monotheism Judaism - Practical worship and the laws
Judaism - Traditional view of the development of Judaism Judaism - Critical historical view of the development of Judaism Judaism - Religious doctrine and Principles of Faith Judaism - The traditional Jewish bookshelf Judaism - Jewish Law and interpretation
Judaism - What makes a person Jewish? Judaism - Jewish philosophy
Judaism - Jewish denominations
Judaism - Jewish denominations in Israel Judaism - Karaism
Judaism - Jewish prayer and practice
Judaism - Prayers Judaism - Jewish holidays Judaism - Torah readings Judaism - Synagogues and Jewish buildings Judaism - Dietary laws: Kashrut Judaism - Family purity Judaism - Life-cycle events
Judaism - Community leadership
Judaism - Classical priesthood Judaism - Prayer leaders Judaism - Specialized religious roles
Judaism - Jewish religious history
Judaism - Ancient Jewish religious history Judaism - Historical Jewish groupings to 1700 Judaism - Persecutions Judaism - Hasidism Judaism - The Enlightenment and Reform Judaism Judaism - The Holocaust Judaism - The present situation
Judaism - Judaism and other religions
Judaism - Christianity and Judaism Judaism - Islam and Judaism Judaism - Jews and Judaism Judaism - Jewish law and religion Judaism - Comparative

Read more here: » Judaism: Encyclopedia - Judaism

The Ascension of Isaiah is an apocryphal pseudepigraphal book dating from the 2nd century and compiled by an unknown Christian scholar. The text incorporates three distinct sections, each evidently once a separate work that is a single compilation here. Of these, one, the first, appears to have been written by a Jewish author, and the other two by Christians. The first part of the book (chapters 1-5), generally referred to as "The Martyrdom of Isaiah", recounts and expands on the events of 2 Kings chapter 21. Into the middle of this ( ...

Read more here: » Ascension of Isaiah: Encyclopedia - Ascension of Isaiah

Zeraim (זרעים) is the first Order of the Mishnah (and Tosefta and Talmud). Of the six orders of the Mishnah, Zeraim is the shortest. The order Zeraim ("Seeds") deals mainly with the agricultural laws of the land of Israel. It consists of 11 tractates: Berakhot: ("Blessings" ברכות) deals with the rules of blessings and the daily prayer, especially the Shema. 9 chapters. Pe'ah: ("Corner" פאה) deals with the regulations concerning the corners of the field (Lev. xix. 9, ...

Read more here: » Zeraim: Encyclopedia - Zeraim

Aggadah ( Aramaic אגדה: tales, lore; pl. Aggadot ) refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic texts in classical rabbinic literature - particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash. Other terms for this body of teachings are Aggadata (אגדתא) lit.“the” aggada, and the Hebrew Haggadah (הגדה; pl. Haggadot). In general, the aggadot are presented as folklore, historical anecdotes, moral exhortations, and business and medical advice, and often refer to mythical creatures, and incredible hist ...

Including:

Aggadah - As part of the Jewish oral law
Aggadah - Literal-allegorical teachings Aggadah - Interpretation of the Aggadah Aggadah - In the Talmud and Midrash
Aggadah - Development of the Aggadah Aggadah - Exegetic and Homiletic Aggadah Aggadah - Aggadah compilations

Read more here: » Aggadah: Encyclopedia - Aggadah

Jew - Usage note. Some uses of the term "Jew" are tainted by historic anti-Jewish bigotry. The correct adjectival form is "Jewish"; the use of "Jew" as an adjective (as in "Jew lawyer" rather than "Jewish lawyer") is associated with bigotry. The use of "Jew" or "jew" as a verb (as in "to jew someone down": to bargain for a lower price) is generally seen as an extremely offensive expression based on stereotypes. Even when used in a grammatically correct manner as a noun, the term "Jew" can objectify a ...

Including:

Jew - Usage note Jew - Etymology Jew - Who is a Jew? Jew - Jewish culture Jew - Ethnic divisions Jew - Population
Jew - Significant geographic populations Jew - State of Israel Jew - Diaspora outside Israel Jew - Population changes: Assimilation Jew - Population changes: Wars against the Jews Jew - Population changes: Growth
Jew - Jewish languages Jew - History of the Jews
Jew - Jews and migrations Jew - Kingdoms of Israel and Judah Jew - Persian Greek and Roman rule Jew - Beginning of the Diaspora Jew - Middle Ages: Europe Jew - Middle Ages: Islamic Europe and North Africa Jew - Enlightenment and emancipation Jew - Zionism and immigration Jew - The Holocaust Jew - Israel
Jew - Persecution Jew - Jewish leadership Jew - Famous Jews Jew - Notes

Read more here: » Jew: Encyclopedia - Jew

The Star of David (Hebrew Magen David or Mogen Dovid מגן דוד, Arabic Najmat Dawuud نجمة داوود). It is also known as Solomon's Seal, or Seal of Solomon (Ashkenazi Hebrew, Shield of David, Arabic Khatam Sulayman خاتم سليمان) is a generally recognized symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity, although it has been used also in Islam as well as the Eastern Religions. Geometrically it is a hexagram. It i ...

Including:

Star of David - Origin
Star of David - Shape Star of David - Shield form Star of David - Shield with stars
Star of David - Used by Jews Star of David - Used by Arabs and Muslims Star of David - Used by the Nazis Star of David - Other uses
Star of David - Heraldry Star of David - Red Magen David Star of David - Occurrence in Eastern Religions Star of David - Theosophy Star of David - Zion Christian Church Star of David - Latter-day Saints Mormons Star of David - Raelism
Star of David - Notes Star of David - Footnotes

Read more here: » Star of David: Encyclopedia - Star of David

Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. Like the religious laws in many other cultures, Judaism classically drew no distinction in its laws between religious and non-religious life. Hence, Halakha guides not only religious practices and beliefs, but numerous aspects of day-to-day life. Historically, Halakha served many Jewish communities as an enforceable avenue of civil and religious law. In the mo ...

Including:

Halakha - Terminology Halakha - The scope of Halakha Halakha - The laws of the Torah
Halakha - Categories of law Halakha - Sin: violation of Jewish law Halakha - Gentiles and Jewish law
Halakha - The sources and process of Halakha
Halakha - Eras of history important in Jewish law Halakha - The thirteen rules by which Jewish law was derived
Halakha - How Halakha is viewed today
Halakha - Flexibility within the Halakha
Halakha - Codes of Jewish law

Read more here: » Halakha: Encyclopedia - Halakha

The article Judaism and Christianity compares and contrasts two closely related Abrahamic religions that are in some ways parallel to each other and in other ways fundamentally divergent in theology and practice. Whereas the article on the Judeo-Christian tradition emphasizes continuities and convergences between the two religions, this article emphasizes that Judaism and Christianity each have widely diverging views of their respective relationship to the other, and of elements they have in common, such as the Bible and God. Including:

Judaism and Christianity - Neither religion is monolithic Judaism and Christianity - Raison d'être of the religion Judaism and Christianity - The nature of religion: national versus universal Judaism and Christianity - Concepts of God Judaism and Christianity - Understanding of the Bible Judaism and Christianity - Sin and Original Sin Judaism and Christianity - Faith versus good deeds Judaism and Christianity - Love Judaism and Christianity - Abortion Judaism and Christianity - War violence and pacifism Judaism and Christianity - Judgement Judaism and Christianity - Capital punishment Judaism and Christianity - Heaven and Hell Judaism and Christianity - The Messiah
Judaism and Christianity - Catholic views Judaism and Christianity - Eastern Orthodox views Judaism and Christianity - Jewish views
Judaism and Christianity - Evangelism Judaism and Christianity - Miscellaneous Judaism and Christianity - Mutual views
Judaism and Christianity - Common Jewish views of Christianity Judaism and Christianity - Common Christian views of Judaism

Read more here: » Judaism and Christianity: Encyclopedia - Judaism and Christianity

The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. His real name was Elijah (Eliyahu) ben Shlomo Zalman Kremer (or Kramer), but he is commonly referred to in Hebrew as ha'Gaon ha'Chasid mi'Vilna, meaning "the saintly genius from Vilna", or in similar forms (Gaon of Vilna, Gaon mi Vilno, or Vilna Gaon), and as the Gra (a Hebrew acronym of "Gaon Rabbi Eliyahu"). Vilna Gaon - Youth and education. ...

Including:

Vilna Gaon - Youth and education Vilna Gaon - Methods of study Vilna Gaon - Antagonism to Hasidism Vilna Gaon - Other work Vilna Gaon - Ascetism Vilna Gaon - Works Vilna Gaon - Influence

Read more here: » Vilna Gaon: Encyclopedia - Vilna Gaon

ArtScroll is an imprint of translations, books and commentaries from an Orthodox Jewish perspective published by Mesorah Publications, Ltd., a publishing company based in Brooklyn, New York. Its general editors are Rabbis Nosson Scherman and Meir Zlotowitz. ArtScroll - Primary publications. ArtScroll publishes books on a variety of Jewish subjects. The best known is probably an annotated Hebrew-English siddur ("prayerbook") (the best-selling The ArtScroll Siddur), its Torah translation ...

Including:

ArtScroll - Primary publications
ArtScroll - Works in progress
ArtScroll - Popular acceptance
ArtScroll - Schottenstein Edition Talmud
ArtScroll - Editorial policy ArtScroll - Criticism ArtScroll - Bibliography ArtScroll - External link

Read more here: » ArtScroll: Encyclopedia - ArtScroll

As historian E. P. Sanders has observed, of all the religions that existed within the Roman Empire, only two have widespread followings today: Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity, both of which have their origins in Roman-occupied Palestine, both of which claim to be based on the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, and the historical experience of the Jewish people. The story of the cultural and historical background of Jesus is the story of a tempestuous time when these two religions first emerged and diverged. According to the Gospels, Jesus ...

Including:

Cultural and historical background of Jesus - First Temple Era
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Priests and Kings Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Prophets
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - The Second Temple Era
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - The Persian Period Cultural and historical background of Jesus - The Hellenistic Period Cultural and historical background of Jesus - The Hasmonean Period Cultural and historical background of Jesus - The Roman Period Cultural and historical background of Jesus - After Jesus: The Great Revolt and the Destruction of the Temple
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Jesus in this context
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Overview Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Discussion
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Interpretation of sources Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Reference Sources
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Primary sources Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Secondary Sources

Read more here: » Cultural and historical background of Jesus: Encyclopedia - Cultural and historical background of Jesus

A delegation of Iraqi Jews, sent to meet the Regent Abdul Illah arriving at Baghdad airport, was attacked by the mob as they crossed Al Khurr Bridge. Violence quickly spread to the Al Rusafa and Abu Sifyan districts and got worse the next day, when Iraqi policemen joined in on the attacks on the Jewish community. Incidents of rape, torture, and mutilation of bodies were reported. Shops belonging to Jews were burned, and a synagogue was destroyed. In the afternoon of June 2, British forces quelled the violence by imposing the curfew and shot violators on sight. < ...

See also:

Farhud, Farhud - Historical background, Farhud - The Golden Square coup, Farhud - June 1-2 1941, Farhud - Aftermath

Read more here: » Farhud: Encyclopedia II - Farhud - June 1-2 1941

Without the time and freedom given to the production of the Babylonian Talmud, the Jerusalem Talmud exhibits less coherence in its discussions, making it often a difficult work to understand. It is more abstruse in language and it differs from the Babylonian Talmud in language (being written in Western, rather than Eastern Aramaic), style, legal argumentation, and scope. The Jerusalem Talmud naturally has a greater focus on the Land of Israel and the Torah's agricultural laws pertaining to the land because it was written in the Land o ...

See also:

Jerusalem Talmud, Jerusalem Talmud - Historical context, Jerusalem Talmud - Comparison to Babylonian Talmud

Read more here: » Jerusalem Talmud: Encyclopedia II - Jerusalem Talmud - Comparison to Babylonian Talmud

Elisha Ben Abuyah (spelled variously, including Elisha ben Avuya) was a Jewish heretic born in Jerusalem sometime before 70. At one time the Rabbis were proud to recognize him as of their number; but later their opposition to him grew so intense that they even refrained from pronouncing his name, and referred to him in terms used to designate some vile object (davar acher, literally "another thing"). The Jewish Encyclopedia (1901-1906) writes that "It is almost impossible to derive from rabbinical sources a clear ...

Including:

Elisha ben Abuyah - Youth and Activity Elisha ben Abuyah - The Four Who Entered Paradise Elisha ben Abuyah - The Talmudic Explanation Elisha ben Abuyah - Elisha an Epicurean Elisha ben Abuyah - Jacob Gordin play Elisha ben Abuyah - Milton Steinberg's As A Driven Leaf

Read more here: » Elisha ben Abuyah: Encyclopedia - Elisha ben Abuyah

The Mishnah (Hebrew משנה, "repetition") is a major source of rabbinic Judaism's religious texts. It is the first recording of the oral law of the Jewish people, as championed by the Pharisees and is considered the first work of Rabbinic Judaism. The Mishnah was redacted around the year 200 CE by Judah haNasi ("Judah the Prince"). He is usually simply referred to as Rebbi ("Rabbi"). Nearly all of the Mishnah is written in Mishnaic Hebrew, except for a few verses, which are written in Aramaic. Rabbinic commentaries on ...

Including:

Mishnah - Relation between the Hebrew Bible and the Mishnah Mishnah - The writing of the Mishnah Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah Mishnah - The generations of the Mishnah sages Mishnah - Oral traditions and pronunciation Mishnah - Commentaries Mishnah - Historical study

Read more here: » Mishnah: Encyclopedia - Mishnah

Parchment is a material for the pages of a book or codex, made from fine calf skin, sheep skin or goat skin. Cooking parchment paper (see below) is used in baking. Parchment - History. According to the Roman historian Varro, Pliny's Natural History records (xiii.21), it was invented under the patronage of Eumenes of Pergamum, whether Eumenes I (ruled 263–241 BCE) or Eumenes II (ruled 197–160), as a substitute for papyrus, which was temporarily not being exported from Alexandria, its only source.< ...

Including:

Parchment - History Parchment - Cooking parchment

Read more here: » Parchment: Encyclopedia - Parchment