Experiential
This element is probably the hardest to understand because it tells about how one lives out their religion and how it is to live in this belief. The Shema is one of the most important elements in the Jewish faith which states "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone!" This summarizes the principle belief of the Jewish people. The Jewish people really use oral study of the Torah to reflect inwardly to find hidden truths that God has revealed to them. Kabbalah is another important experiential element which is Jewish mysticism. It teaches that God can best be known through the heart, meaning looking within to learn more about God and self.
Mythic and Historical
Judaism is a religion filled with a rich history. There are many important historical events that make up the faith so we can choose to look towards practices that come with historical background and meaning. Throughout the history of the faith there has been a great desire for Israel which in turn governs some behaviors and traditions of the Jewish people. The Haggadah is an ancient recitation that summarizes the events in Exodus during Passover. The Babylonian Exile and the Diaspora were two very trying times were the Jewish people were exiled and had to start anew. Texts like the Nevi'im and Ketuvim help provide a written history and tradition for the Jews. The Nevi'im is the Prophets and is believed to be the actual word of the prophets as revealed by God. The Ketuvim is a combination of Psalms, History, and Wisdom books which are all vital to providing stories, legends, and facts about the history of Judaism
Doctrinal
The Covenant with Abraham really represents the basis of Jewish fundamentals. When God chose Abraham he also established that the Israelite's were the chosen people and that Abraham would have "descendants as numerous as the stars". The Shema, found in Deuteronomy 6:4 is the central prayer of Judaism and makes the faith a monotheistic religion. The Tanakh is broken into the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. Accompanying these written works are the Mishnah which is an original commentary on the scriptures and the Talmud which are oral commentaries on the scriptures. There are two versions the Babylonian and Jerusalem and technically these are part of an unending process. Also the Midrash is an imaginative addition to the scriptures while still remaining faithful to them.
Jewish philosopher Maimonides created the Jewish 13 Principles of Belief:
1. The belief in God's existence.
2. The belief in His unity.
3. The belief in His in corporeality.
4. The belief in His timelessness.
5. The belief that He is approachable through prayer.
6. The belief in in prophecy.
7. The belief in the superiority of Moses to all other prophets.
8. The belief in the revelation of the Law, and that the Law as contained in the Pentateuch is that revealed by Moses.
9. The belief in the immutability of the Law.
10. The belief in Divine providence.
11. The belief in Divine justice.
12. The belief in the coming of the Messiah.
13. The belief in the resurrection and human immortality.
Ethical
This element deals with morals and how Judaism views rights or wrongs. It also focuses on what is technically the right way for them to live their lives. The 10 Commandments, which were given to Moses by God, summarize many of the moral beliefs of the Jewish people. There are also some 613 different laws for Jewish people found in the Torah. The Jewish people really stress orthopraxy over orthodoxy which means proper or right practice over proper or right belief. Judaism has many laws that need to be followed that practicing them is vital to the religion. They also value daily worship through prayer; it is essential to the faith.
Ritual
Rituals are the practices of the faith that are forms of worship. The most common for the Jewish faith are daily prayer and Sabbath services. The Sabbath takes place on Friday's sunset until Saturday' sunset once a week and requires a special meal as well as different forms of prayer and worship. This is a very holy time and must be observed with the utmost respect. During Passover, the high point of this holiday is called Seder, which includes the Haggadah, along with meals that represent the events that took place in Exodus. Yom Kippur, however, is the most holy day in the Jewish faith. It is also known as the Day of Atonement. This calls for abstaining from food, drink and work, while also require the importance of repentance. It occurs 10 days after Rosh Hashanah and between these two holidays Jews are supposed to clear their slates and make amends for wrong doings before starting off the new year. Other rituals include reciting the Shema at the beginning of prayer, bar and bat mitzvahs for the coming of age, and Rosh Hashanah, or celebrating God's creation of the world.
Social
Jewish communities are tightly bound together because they have a tribal community sort of heritage from ancient times. These tribal communities are very tightly bound together. The majority of these communities are led by Jewish scholars, known as Rabbis, with the exception of Hasidic Jews. Hasidism follows a zaddik, which is a person who supposedly has an especially close relationship with God. The Jewish population is very small, so group identity is very important to them and the Jewish faith prides itself in being able to uphold a strong influence in the world, as well as being able to stay passionate and faithful to their religion. The study of the Torah is a very oral thing, as well as other Jewish scriptures, and many Jews use this as an opportunity to be social and to become more educated about their faith.
Material
Material items are tangible symbols that hold larger meanings. Some that are common and important to the Jewish faith are:
Yarmulke: skullcap that is used as a symbol of reverence during prayer
Menorah: candle holder that represents the old temples of Israel
Mezuzah: small container that holds the Shema
Tanakh: the Bible
Shofar: a horn that is blown to notify people that the fast is over or prayer related times
Matzo: unleavened bread that the ancient Jews used to eat
Circumcision: the Covenant between God and Abraham
Synagogue: places of worship
Prayer Shawls: privacy for prayer
Catholic Approach: Seeking the "True and Holy"
What is true and holy in Judaism that we can apply to Catholicism? Well, there are actually many parts of Judaism that can be found in the Catholic faith. Daily prayer, monotheism, the 10 Commandments, and a shared Old Testament are among the many. We share a common historical root, the God of Abraham and Moses. Catholics also observe a Sabbath, even though it is shorter and at a different time. We could learn a lot of things from Judaism like better observing our own Sabbath and becoming better at daily prayer. The Shema and a number of the 13 beliefs can also be believed in the Catholic faith. We can look to true and holy laws and elements like that to better learn about and observe our own faith.
What is true and holy in Judaism that we can apply to Catholicism? Well, there are actually many parts of Judaism that can be found in the Catholic faith. Daily prayer, monotheism, the 10 Commandments, and a shared Old Testament are among the many. We share a common historical root, the God of Abraham and Moses. Catholics also observe a Sabbath, even though it is shorter and at a different time. We could learn a lot of things from Judaism like better observing our own Sabbath and becoming better at daily prayer. The Shema and a number of the 13 beliefs can also be believed in the Catholic faith. We can look to true and holy laws and elements like that to better learn about and observe our own faith.