Great World Religions: Judaism

By: The Great Courses, Isaiah M. Gafni

Narrated by: Isaiah M. Gafni

What is the essence of Judaism? Is it the Ten Commandments, given by God to Israel at Mount Sinai? Or is it the totality of teachings in the Hebrew Bible? Or is it symbolized by something outside the Bible? Find out with this illuminating 12-lecture investigation of the fundamental concepts, beliefs, issues, and themes in the ever-changing, 4,000-year-old saga of Judaism, one of the world's most ancient and influential faiths. Throughout the lectures, you'll study Judaism from within - as it was understood by its adherents in the past and by those who practice or identify with Judaism today. This series covers the critical stages of Jewish history; the centrality of such books as the Torah, Talmud, Midrash, and Mishna; the manner in which the Jewish calendar and Jewish law, or Halakha, define daily life; and much more. It also illustrates how Judaism reinvented itself by embracing the rabbinical tradition after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. and considers the thinking of such philosophers as Philo of Alexandria and Moses Maimonides.

Here are just a few of many fascinating facts and insights you'll glean from learning with these lectures. Among many Jews today the Hebrew Bible is known by the Hebrew acronym TaNaKH, which is composed of the first Hebrew letters in each of the three component parts of the Bible. Judaism's calendar is arguably the most important unifying factor in what is otherwise a frequently fragmented religious community (the key to the calendar is that it is both lunar and solar). Judaism has no dogma or creed in the Christian sense.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2003 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2003 The Great Courses

Interesting subject, poor delivery

I found the vehemence,the stuttering of the lecturer, utterly distracting. A great pity, because I am truly interested in the subject.

A good if limited introduction

While I learned much of interest about Judaism, especially historical elements and Jewish practices, I felt the lectures were too light on the core beliefs and philosophical underpinnings of this impressive, resilient religion and its people. But this is billed as an introduction, so you can’t have everything in 12 30-minute lectures. The professor is an excellent presenter and his deep enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject matter shines through.

Great lectures

The lectures are great, although the themes are a bit repetitive at the expense of depth. Very informative overall.

Narrator / Author not a good story teller

So although the story and history is always good to learn and respect, the delivery of this text left alot to be desired.

I have listened to several books / lectures from Great Courses and this narration was by far the worst.

Love the series and this will not deter me from continuing on my theological quest for knowledge of world religions, but I will avoid this person by all costs in the future.

Understand the origins of the Bible

Very interesting course on the history of Judaism.. I learned many new
Ew and important things.

The Oldest Religion of the Book Explained

This course opened my eyes on the belief system of Judaism. The professor is probably the most qualified in this course than all the other Great World Religions courses, because it seems that he is a devout practitioner.

Very good

This was an incredible lecture serious by someone who really knows what he’s talking about. The breadth and depth of this course was perfect for someone without any background in Judaism.

Slow start but worth the stay

The beginning is droll but stick it out. It gets much more interesting towards the middle.

THE AUTHORITATIVE TEACHING ON JUDAISM

This course covers Judaism from the very beginning through history up until today. The course covers the Jewish Bible, the prayer book, and all other major Jewish analyses and important literature. The most important Jewish leaderships and changes as a result of the 2nd temple destruction by the Romans in 70 CE are covered in depth. The relationship between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and the importance of common sacred space, namely Jerusalem, as well as other commonalities are addressed in depth. So much more is learned from this course that there isn't time or space to before specific.

Judaism 101: A Brief Yet Insightful Introduction

A solid, short introduction that provides an overall understanding of Judaism. It covers diverse topics, offering a broad view of the religion’s core aspects. However, it left me wanting a bit more depth on certain subjects. If you’re looking for just a quick overview, this is a good choice.