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Great World Religions: Judaism
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.
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.
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First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
July 5, 2024
About 6 hours of lectures from a professor. I thought it was interesting and learned a lot, but still a long ways to go for me before I feel like I understand it well. There is an accompanying PDF with lecture notes you might find helpful if you are doing some serious study, but I just listened to the lectures. I liked the professor's enthusiasm.
April 26, 2021
Except for short periods of my life when, out of anger and hurt I tried not to listen, I have longed to hear whispers of the divine. At one point I even considered going into the ministry. However, the more I listened to persons who claimed to know the Word of God and the more I listened to my spirit, I knew I could never practice that vocation.
First, the church I attended until my early 20s told me there was only one narrow, legalistic, exclusive path to God. People on another path would burn in hell. Second, the same denomination told me that persons who are gay or lesbian would burn in hell.
Even though I tried hard to believe these pronouncements, every fiber of my spirit could not accept them. I felt certain that God is bigger than the box built by the Church of Christ, the denomination to which my family belonged. In fact, I felt certain that God is bigger than the Christian faith tradition.
When I reflect on the moments when I most strongly heard the whispers of the divine, I heard an inclusive God that no single religion could hold. For example, I recall the overwhelming intensity of the unexpected experience I had at the Western Wall in Jerusalem where I fell to my knees, wept, and prayed for hours.
Furthermore, after trying to deny myself, I could not accept that the God who made me gay could be so cruel to throw me into the eternal fires of hell. The God I heard whispering was inclusive and loving.
Today, though I attend a progressive and inclusive congregation within the United Methodist (Reconciling) tradition., I still know God is bigger than those boxes humanity has created and is more inclusive and loving than many “religious people” claim. So, I still listen for the whispers of the divine and seek to know ways in which people throughout history and across cultures have also tried to listen.
The Great Courses and The Great Courses Plus have a series of courses on the “great” world religions. One of these is about Judaism.
This set includes twelve 30-minutes lectures that first asks if Judaism is “only” a religion before presenting an overview of the Jewish faith tradition and its development over a period of thousands of years. Included are the following lecture titles:
• What is Judaism?
• The Stages of History
• The Jewish Library
• The Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism
• Jewish Worship—Prayer and the Synagogue
• The Calendar—A Communal Lifecycle
• Individual Lifecycles
• God and Man; God and Community
• Philosophers and Mystics
• The Legal Frameworks of Judaism—Halakha
• Common Judaism—or a Plurality of Judaisms?
• Judaism and “Others”
I suspect many people, including myself, would benefit from viewing these lectures multiple times. Professor Gafni does not talk down to his audience and tries hard not to oversimplify a complex subject even though he has only six hours to share his vast knowledge.
Gafni, in fact, wrote in the course guidebook that “a frequently quoted story in rabbinic literature describes how a potential convert to Judaism approached two rabbinic sages of the 1st century B.C.E., requesting to be taught the entire corpus of Jewish teaching while standing on one foot. The first rabbi, Shammai, had little patience for such a frivolous request and responded by striking the enquirer with a rod he happened to be holding. The other sage, Hillel, replied by reciting one line that to his mind, indeed contained the essence of the Torah He then suggested that all the rest is merely commentary but urged the potential convert to go and study it nevertheless.
As we embark on a 12-lecture overview of Judaism, I can only empathize with those two sages and the predicament that confronted them; indeed, I wonder whether I should not have opted for Shammai’s path when approached to produce this course.”
As the viewer might then imagine, most of these lectures are dense with information. Thankfully, The Teaching Company / Great Courses provides a free downloadable 86-page course guide to accompany this series that attempts to explain Judaism as it has been—and is—understood by its adherents. By taking this approach, Gafni makes clear the many changes Judaism has gone through as it interacts with the real world in a given time and place and as it struggles to maintain continuity with its past.
The course lecturer, Isaiah Gafni, is a historian of Judaism. Gafni is also the Sol Rosenbloom Chair of Jewish History at Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he has taught for over 40 years. The Hebrew University has honored Gafni with its Michael Milken Prize for exceptional teaching.
Gafni often serves as a visiting professor at colleges and universities including Yale, Harvard, and Oxford and has written or edited more than fifteen books and over 100 articles about the social, religious, and cultural history of the Jews.
Though this is not a course to listen to casually, I found it thought-provoking, informative, and interesting. Professor Gafni is clearly knowledgeable and dedicated to his profession and desirous to engage his audience mentally and even spiritually.
Even so, it is important to remember Gafni’s first lecture and his sense of dismay about having only six hours to introduce his audience to Judaism. There is much for him to discuss. Thankfully, he has also done a 24-lecture series for The Great Courses about the beginnings of Judaism that I look forward to soon watching.
However, if you are like me and want to know more about the many paths to God, this is a lecture series I can recommend to you for an introduction to Judaism.
First, the church I attended until my early 20s told me there was only one narrow, legalistic, exclusive path to God. People on another path would burn in hell. Second, the same denomination told me that persons who are gay or lesbian would burn in hell.
Even though I tried hard to believe these pronouncements, every fiber of my spirit could not accept them. I felt certain that God is bigger than the box built by the Church of Christ, the denomination to which my family belonged. In fact, I felt certain that God is bigger than the Christian faith tradition.
When I reflect on the moments when I most strongly heard the whispers of the divine, I heard an inclusive God that no single religion could hold. For example, I recall the overwhelming intensity of the unexpected experience I had at the Western Wall in Jerusalem where I fell to my knees, wept, and prayed for hours.
Furthermore, after trying to deny myself, I could not accept that the God who made me gay could be so cruel to throw me into the eternal fires of hell. The God I heard whispering was inclusive and loving.
Today, though I attend a progressive and inclusive congregation within the United Methodist (Reconciling) tradition., I still know God is bigger than those boxes humanity has created and is more inclusive and loving than many “religious people” claim. So, I still listen for the whispers of the divine and seek to know ways in which people throughout history and across cultures have also tried to listen.
The Great Courses and The Great Courses Plus have a series of courses on the “great” world religions. One of these is about Judaism.
This set includes twelve 30-minutes lectures that first asks if Judaism is “only” a religion before presenting an overview of the Jewish faith tradition and its development over a period of thousands of years. Included are the following lecture titles:
• What is Judaism?
• The Stages of History
• The Jewish Library
• The Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism
• Jewish Worship—Prayer and the Synagogue
• The Calendar—A Communal Lifecycle
• Individual Lifecycles
• God and Man; God and Community
• Philosophers and Mystics
• The Legal Frameworks of Judaism—Halakha
• Common Judaism—or a Plurality of Judaisms?
• Judaism and “Others”
I suspect many people, including myself, would benefit from viewing these lectures multiple times. Professor Gafni does not talk down to his audience and tries hard not to oversimplify a complex subject even though he has only six hours to share his vast knowledge.
Gafni, in fact, wrote in the course guidebook that “a frequently quoted story in rabbinic literature describes how a potential convert to Judaism approached two rabbinic sages of the 1st century B.C.E., requesting to be taught the entire corpus of Jewish teaching while standing on one foot. The first rabbi, Shammai, had little patience for such a frivolous request and responded by striking the enquirer with a rod he happened to be holding. The other sage, Hillel, replied by reciting one line that to his mind, indeed contained the essence of the Torah He then suggested that all the rest is merely commentary but urged the potential convert to go and study it nevertheless.
As we embark on a 12-lecture overview of Judaism, I can only empathize with those two sages and the predicament that confronted them; indeed, I wonder whether I should not have opted for Shammai’s path when approached to produce this course.”
As the viewer might then imagine, most of these lectures are dense with information. Thankfully, The Teaching Company / Great Courses provides a free downloadable 86-page course guide to accompany this series that attempts to explain Judaism as it has been—and is—understood by its adherents. By taking this approach, Gafni makes clear the many changes Judaism has gone through as it interacts with the real world in a given time and place and as it struggles to maintain continuity with its past.
The course lecturer, Isaiah Gafni, is a historian of Judaism. Gafni is also the Sol Rosenbloom Chair of Jewish History at Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he has taught for over 40 years. The Hebrew University has honored Gafni with its Michael Milken Prize for exceptional teaching.
Gafni often serves as a visiting professor at colleges and universities including Yale, Harvard, and Oxford and has written or edited more than fifteen books and over 100 articles about the social, religious, and cultural history of the Jews.
Though this is not a course to listen to casually, I found it thought-provoking, informative, and interesting. Professor Gafni is clearly knowledgeable and dedicated to his profession and desirous to engage his audience mentally and even spiritually.
Even so, it is important to remember Gafni’s first lecture and his sense of dismay about having only six hours to introduce his audience to Judaism. There is much for him to discuss. Thankfully, he has also done a 24-lecture series for The Great Courses about the beginnings of Judaism that I look forward to soon watching.
However, if you are like me and want to know more about the many paths to God, this is a lecture series I can recommend to you for an introduction to Judaism.
January 20, 2024
Penis mutilation is the one constant that Jews have retained from their original covenant. Blood sacrifice is no longer required for the Jews and the modern Jewish debate is over whether the Law was given through the chosen or to the chosen people.
The Jews are no longer required to kill disobedient sons, sacrifice animals, or blame lepers for slander, but some version of belief in written or oral interpretation is required for being Jewish by choice or by birth.
Gafni say’s Maimonides is part of the rational tradition of being Jewish. Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplex is full of nonsense such as lepers have it coming because they obviously slandered the Lord and that a red heifer is most pleasing to the lord for sacrificing and circumcision (penis mutalation) makes Jews superior to the Sabaeans who therefore enjoy sex more. Maimonides (“The Commentator” according to Thomas Aquinas) reconciles Aristotle (“The Philosopher”) but he also brings superstitious nonsense based on fables which are anathema to reason.
I prefer the Old Testament to the New Testament. Sure, the OT has a psychotic God who seems to enjoy killing and recommends for women to wear their finest clothes and lay with their rich cousin and play with the man’s feet and get pregnant. What the Old Testament doesn’t have is a God who will eternally damn you into hell fire unless you confess your original sin and accept the vicarious sacrifice of his son through blood magic while pretending that He is love. If only the Jews would bring back animal sacrifices, that would complete the craziness.
The Jews are no longer required to kill disobedient sons, sacrifice animals, or blame lepers for slander, but some version of belief in written or oral interpretation is required for being Jewish by choice or by birth.
Gafni say’s Maimonides is part of the rational tradition of being Jewish. Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplex is full of nonsense such as lepers have it coming because they obviously slandered the Lord and that a red heifer is most pleasing to the lord for sacrificing and circumcision (penis mutalation) makes Jews superior to the Sabaeans who therefore enjoy sex more. Maimonides (“The Commentator” according to Thomas Aquinas) reconciles Aristotle (“The Philosopher”) but he also brings superstitious nonsense based on fables which are anathema to reason.
I prefer the Old Testament to the New Testament. Sure, the OT has a psychotic God who seems to enjoy killing and recommends for women to wear their finest clothes and lay with their rich cousin and play with the man’s feet and get pregnant. What the Old Testament doesn’t have is a God who will eternally damn you into hell fire unless you confess your original sin and accept the vicarious sacrifice of his son through blood magic while pretending that He is love. If only the Jews would bring back animal sacrifices, that would complete the craziness.
November 13, 2024
The subject was truly interesting, but the lecturer was terrible. He sounded like a preacher, stuttering in his vehemence, raising his tone of voice to make his point. Listening to him was a truly annoying experience.
September 29, 2017
As a listener to this set of courses, I felt myself in a somewhat uncomfortable position. Had I been less aware about the history and culture of Judaism [1], I would have found this book to be quite charming and amusing, although perhaps a bit obscure. Had I been Jewish, of whatever kind, I would likely have found it possible to cheer on the author in his attempts to wrestle bravely with the tension between universalist and particularist tendencies within Judaism itself. Unfortunately, the author and I are somewhat at cross purposes. I know enough about the subject this course is about to be critical of the oral Torah, deeply critical of it, and to see the claims of both contemporary reformers as well as defenders of Orthodoxy as deeply wanting. On the other hand, I am not enough of a Jewish insider to feel fully a part of the community that the author speaks about. Perhaps most of the people who listen to this course will not in the uncanny valley as I am, and perhaps they will be either comfortable insiders or curious outsiders and not wary people caught in the middle as I so often seem to be, though.
In terms of its contents, this audiobook spends it six hours of listening time in a somewhat unusual way. At least it was unexpected for me. The professor begins by asking the obvious question: What is Judaism, and in answering that question that Judaism is difficult to pin down because it is more than a religion and also involves a community and a nation and a people. After this the professor looks at the stages of Jewish history and then spends an entire lecture looking at the books of the Jewish library, a subject near and dear to my own book-loving heart. The professor then turns to a discussion of the emergence of rabbinic Judaism after the destruction of the second temple in 70AD, a point where I view Judaism as having made some serious mistakes. After this comes an examination of Jewish worship relating to prayer and the synagogue and then lectures on the calendar which includes not only yearly but also ceremonies that mark the change in stages of life in individual believers. The professor then turns his focus to looking at the relationship between God and man in Judaism, which is quite disrespectful to God often, and looks as well at philosophers and mystics, the author being fond of both. The last three lectures look at the legal framework of Judaism--halakha--before looking at the plurality of Judaism that has always existed but which now threatens to dissolve into schism, as well as the relationship between Judaism and "others" like Muslims and Christians.
In listening to this series of courses I found much that dissatisfied me. The professor, to his credit, did appear to be aware of the existence of Christians who were not antinomian, which was something praiseworthy, although he appears to understate the responsibility of Judaism in the breakup of the early modus vivendi between Jews and Christians. Likewise, the author's citations of the Talmud demonstrated the gulf that exists between someone like me who is seriously interested in the biblical body of law but extremely hostile to the usurpation of the Pharisees and their orthodox successors and in their ungodly human traditions that they view as having the same status as sacred biblical law. Even so, though, it was striking to me at least that the Jewish basis for the so-called Oral Torah enshrined in the Mishnah and its commentaries and commentaries on commentaries bears a striking resemblance to the hadiths of Islam which I also view with intense criticism and also the body of Catholic tradition from the Ante- and Post-Nicene Church Fathers that I also view as invalid. In short, even where this course is irritating, it is at least instructive in placing the point of view of the professor in a context of history that is genuinely informative.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
In terms of its contents, this audiobook spends it six hours of listening time in a somewhat unusual way. At least it was unexpected for me. The professor begins by asking the obvious question: What is Judaism, and in answering that question that Judaism is difficult to pin down because it is more than a religion and also involves a community and a nation and a people. After this the professor looks at the stages of Jewish history and then spends an entire lecture looking at the books of the Jewish library, a subject near and dear to my own book-loving heart. The professor then turns to a discussion of the emergence of rabbinic Judaism after the destruction of the second temple in 70AD, a point where I view Judaism as having made some serious mistakes. After this comes an examination of Jewish worship relating to prayer and the synagogue and then lectures on the calendar which includes not only yearly but also ceremonies that mark the change in stages of life in individual believers. The professor then turns his focus to looking at the relationship between God and man in Judaism, which is quite disrespectful to God often, and looks as well at philosophers and mystics, the author being fond of both. The last three lectures look at the legal framework of Judaism--halakha--before looking at the plurality of Judaism that has always existed but which now threatens to dissolve into schism, as well as the relationship between Judaism and "others" like Muslims and Christians.
In listening to this series of courses I found much that dissatisfied me. The professor, to his credit, did appear to be aware of the existence of Christians who were not antinomian, which was something praiseworthy, although he appears to understate the responsibility of Judaism in the breakup of the early modus vivendi between Jews and Christians. Likewise, the author's citations of the Talmud demonstrated the gulf that exists between someone like me who is seriously interested in the biblical body of law but extremely hostile to the usurpation of the Pharisees and their orthodox successors and in their ungodly human traditions that they view as having the same status as sacred biblical law. Even so, though, it was striking to me at least that the Jewish basis for the so-called Oral Torah enshrined in the Mishnah and its commentaries and commentaries on commentaries bears a striking resemblance to the hadiths of Islam which I also view with intense criticism and also the body of Catholic tradition from the Ante- and Post-Nicene Church Fathers that I also view as invalid. In short, even where this course is irritating, it is at least instructive in placing the point of view of the professor in a context of history that is genuinely informative.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...
January 27, 2016
Audio download of 12-30 minute lectures.
I was going to title this review 'Judaism for Dummies', (I thought I'd never get it by the editors/monitors) but it is the perfect title for me, a dummy when it comes to knowing anything about the history of Judaism. Much like many of the "...for Dummies" books I've read (that does say something about me, eh?) these lectures provided an effective introduction to Judaism from a largely historical perspective. I consider the measure of success to be whether or not it made me hunger to learn more...I'm famished...I'll be starting the highly-reviewed "Beginnings of Judaism" (also by Dr Gafni) shortly after hitting the 'submit' button on this review. Needless to say, Prof Gafni is an effective, clear-speaking and well-organized lecturer with whom I think I'd feel comfortable discussing the many questions about the history of the Hebrew people.
Recommended, especially when it goes on sale and there's a generous coupon (I got this for less than $1/lecture).
I was going to title this review 'Judaism for Dummies', (I thought I'd never get it by the editors/monitors) but it is the perfect title for me, a dummy when it comes to knowing anything about the history of Judaism. Much like many of the "...for Dummies" books I've read (that does say something about me, eh?) these lectures provided an effective introduction to Judaism from a largely historical perspective. I consider the measure of success to be whether or not it made me hunger to learn more...I'm famished...I'll be starting the highly-reviewed "Beginnings of Judaism" (also by Dr Gafni) shortly after hitting the 'submit' button on this review. Needless to say, Prof Gafni is an effective, clear-speaking and well-organized lecturer with whom I think I'd feel comfortable discussing the many questions about the history of the Hebrew people.
Recommended, especially when it goes on sale and there's a generous coupon (I got this for less than $1/lecture).
May 14, 2020
I did not find this a useful introduction to Judaism, which I believe was due to the structure. For comparison, the other Great World Religion audiobooks tended to begin by describing their religion in relation to other main religions. This one did not provide this wider context early. From there, the topics seemed to jump around and it was generally challenging to follow. Perhaps this is because the subject matter does not lend itself well to an audio format. In any case, further reading is required.
EDIT: Upon reading the accompanying text, I think this is a lot clearer and more useful.
EDIT: Upon reading the accompanying text, I think this is a lot clearer and more useful.
April 2, 2020
It wasn't one of my favorites . It seemed like it really dragged on and lost me multiple times. Took alot for me not to quit!!
August 26, 2025
A reduced version of a previously released course which contained much more information. Good but not as good.
February 7, 2015
This was a short (six hour) course of 12 lectures from the Great Courses on Judaism. The lecturer, Isaiah Gafni was very easy to listen to and very knowledgeable. Despite only having six hours to cover the subject of Judaism, Dr. Gafni did an excellent job about teaching me all about Judaism. I learned more about the first five chapters of the Bible, which for the Jewish form the Torah, which Christians know as the first five books of the Old Testament. I learned about Talmud, Jewish law, and the famous writings and interpretations of the Torah by Rashi, a prominent scholar.
He discusses the history of the first two Jewish temples (both destroyed in ancient times) and the change to a decentralized system of Synagogues for Jewish people world wide to pray in.
I also learned about why both Jewish and Christian holidays are not on the same day every year. The Jewish calendar follows a lunar cycle, but had adaptations built in for the solar cycle so that their holidays don't slowly move backwards into the winter time for spring holidays or into the summer time for winter holidays. I learned that the early Christians set Easter to be after Passover, so Easter follows the same pattern. Professor Gafni explained the meaning and symbolism of all of the Jewish holidays, many commemorating Exodus. That tied in well for me with previous Great Courses on The Old Testament and on Ancient Egypt.
I plan on ordering a Great Course on the Dead Sea Scrolls to learn more. if you are interested in religion and want a good introductory course on the Jewish faith, I would recommend Great World Religions: Judaism. It is part of a series which includes Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.
He discusses the history of the first two Jewish temples (both destroyed in ancient times) and the change to a decentralized system of Synagogues for Jewish people world wide to pray in.
I also learned about why both Jewish and Christian holidays are not on the same day every year. The Jewish calendar follows a lunar cycle, but had adaptations built in for the solar cycle so that their holidays don't slowly move backwards into the winter time for spring holidays or into the summer time for winter holidays. I learned that the early Christians set Easter to be after Passover, so Easter follows the same pattern. Professor Gafni explained the meaning and symbolism of all of the Jewish holidays, many commemorating Exodus. That tied in well for me with previous Great Courses on The Old Testament and on Ancient Egypt.
I plan on ordering a Great Course on the Dead Sea Scrolls to learn more. if you are interested in religion and want a good introductory course on the Jewish faith, I would recommend Great World Religions: Judaism. It is part of a series which includes Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.
May 25, 2016
Great World Religions: Judaism offers a clear and often fascinating introduction to the history and character of Judaism. Professor Gafney is engaging and easy to understand. I found his occasional search for a word endearing; it certainly makes him seem very approachable. He’s not in the least intimidating. At the same time, there is no mistaking either his intelligence or his passion for his subject.
Don’t go into this lecture series expecting a deep exploration of Jewish theology. Various tenets of the faith are of course discussed, but not always in the depth I would have liked. Also, Prof. Gafney presupposes at least a passing familiarity with major figures and events of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments (to use the Christian terms.) His discussions of later Jewish rabbis and scholars (with whom a Gentile audience will be less familiar) are a little more explanatory. However, this is very much a survey or introductory course—there’s a limit to how much can be covered in a mere six hours. It left me curious to find out more about some of the topics and people Prof. Gafney covered.
For me, one of the most interesting facets was the whole question of “What is Judaism?” Is it a religion or an ethnicity/nationality? The answer appears to be “both”, with one or the other dominating at different points in history. This makes Judaism unique among the other great world religions, which generally lack the ethnic/national dimension. It also explained things which I’ve observed over the years, which as a non-Jew I have found puzzling.
The course consists of 12 lectures, each a half-hour long. I highly recommend Great World Religions: Judaism to those seeking a better understanding of the nature and history of this ancient faith.
Don’t go into this lecture series expecting a deep exploration of Jewish theology. Various tenets of the faith are of course discussed, but not always in the depth I would have liked. Also, Prof. Gafney presupposes at least a passing familiarity with major figures and events of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments (to use the Christian terms.) His discussions of later Jewish rabbis and scholars (with whom a Gentile audience will be less familiar) are a little more explanatory. However, this is very much a survey or introductory course—there’s a limit to how much can be covered in a mere six hours. It left me curious to find out more about some of the topics and people Prof. Gafney covered.
For me, one of the most interesting facets was the whole question of “What is Judaism?” Is it a religion or an ethnicity/nationality? The answer appears to be “both”, with one or the other dominating at different points in history. This makes Judaism unique among the other great world religions, which generally lack the ethnic/national dimension. It also explained things which I’ve observed over the years, which as a non-Jew I have found puzzling.
The course consists of 12 lectures, each a half-hour long. I highly recommend Great World Religions: Judaism to those seeking a better understanding of the nature and history of this ancient faith.
September 23, 2012
This the final book I read in regard to Great World Religions: I've listened to Islam, Hinduism, God and Mankind, and Christianity. I was especially eager to get to this series after listening to both Christianity and Islam. I suppose I had many preconceptions about what I would hear. I rather expected to hear something about how Christians often interpret the Old Testament differently than Jews do, but there was really no mention of it.
I greatly appreciated hearing the emphasis on the Second Temple and its destruction. The scholar also made a lot of connections to Christianity in drawing connections to Jesus without, of course, calling him the Messiah. I saw a trend in terms of the identification of a homeland (unlike Christianity, but completely similar, in its own way, to Hinduism and Islam).
However, one of the things I didn't like about this series was the assumptions this scholar took with his audience. I'm vaguely familiar with the Bible, but not all that familiar, and I would have appreciated even some short summaries and explanations.
I found the narration to be a bit above fair. Well worth listening to.
I greatly appreciated hearing the emphasis on the Second Temple and its destruction. The scholar also made a lot of connections to Christianity in drawing connections to Jesus without, of course, calling him the Messiah. I saw a trend in terms of the identification of a homeland (unlike Christianity, but completely similar, in its own way, to Hinduism and Islam).
However, one of the things I didn't like about this series was the assumptions this scholar took with his audience. I'm vaguely familiar with the Bible, but not all that familiar, and I would have appreciated even some short summaries and explanations.
I found the narration to be a bit above fair. Well worth listening to.
September 15, 2024
Fascinating topic. Great material presented in a confusing manner. The organization of the topics and lectures made it difficult for me to follow. I am currently relistening in hopes of absorbing more because what I understood, I found helpful.
April 13, 2018
Probably the best of TGC intro to world religions series.
Went far deeper than my college into to religions class and kept my interest all the way through.
Went far deeper than my college into to religions class and kept my interest all the way through.
July 24, 2020
I am biased - I like the great courses plus series more than I should! :p
What I remember about Judaism (and I might mix up material from "The world's religions", as I read it more recently than this course):
* Judaism is a complex religion, in that it's slightly more than a religion, including an ethnic component
* Judaism should have split into multiple religions, and nobody knows exactly why all Jews call their religion the same
* Rabbinic Judaism is a relatively newer phenomenon - the word "rabi" with its current meaning is not present in the bible, and the concept hasn't existed in bible times
* Rabis are a recent (well...2000 year old recent) invention. Their purpose was to continue teaching the bible to newer generations because
* After the Jerusalem temple was destroyed, Jews bascally lost their way to connect to God because
* The temple of Jerusalen was the place thei did animal sacrifice which was apparently a crucial ritual in Judaism
* Prayers in Judaism have no real power and God doesn't really much care about them as much as He does about you sacrificing some animals at the temple of Jerusalem (and nowhere else but there!)
* Judaism has a vast literary tradition, spanning 4000 years. Commentaries on the bible and on how best to settle private and public issues are countless
What I remember about Judaism (and I might mix up material from "The world's religions", as I read it more recently than this course):
* Judaism is a complex religion, in that it's slightly more than a religion, including an ethnic component
* Judaism should have split into multiple religions, and nobody knows exactly why all Jews call their religion the same
* Rabbinic Judaism is a relatively newer phenomenon - the word "rabi" with its current meaning is not present in the bible, and the concept hasn't existed in bible times
* Rabis are a recent (well...2000 year old recent) invention. Their purpose was to continue teaching the bible to newer generations because
* After the Jerusalem temple was destroyed, Jews bascally lost their way to connect to God because
* The temple of Jerusalen was the place thei did animal sacrifice which was apparently a crucial ritual in Judaism
* Prayers in Judaism have no real power and God doesn't really much care about them as much as He does about you sacrificing some animals at the temple of Jerusalem (and nowhere else but there!)
* Judaism has a vast literary tradition, spanning 4000 years. Commentaries on the bible and on how best to settle private and public issues are countless
June 29, 2024
The most fascinating part of this course for me was the de-emphasis on the faith of Judaism and the focus on Judaism as a practice and ethnicity. I have all my life considered Judaism to be the seminal faith from which the three great monotheistic religions sprang. Judaism and Islam and Christianity are all children of Abraham. So, naturally, I think of it first as a great Faith.
While I may have thought myself familiar with Judaism, there was still much to learn. There are so many details of this faith which extends several millenia into history that it is beyond the scope of any one course. The stages of its growth and development, however, are a perspective I had not before considered.
Jews are the most consistently persecuted people in history. Their ability to persevere and endure is admirable and inspiring. While it has spawned diferent sects and divisions (pharisees, saduccees, essense, zealots, zionists, anti-zionists, etc., etc.) it still maintains a core of both beliefs and behaviors which make it recognizable.
As with the Great Course on Christianity, it whets the appetite for more and for a greater depth of details. Any class which makes you want to learn more is a success.
While I may have thought myself familiar with Judaism, there was still much to learn. There are so many details of this faith which extends several millenia into history that it is beyond the scope of any one course. The stages of its growth and development, however, are a perspective I had not before considered.
Jews are the most consistently persecuted people in history. Their ability to persevere and endure is admirable and inspiring. While it has spawned diferent sects and divisions (pharisees, saduccees, essense, zealots, zionists, anti-zionists, etc., etc.) it still maintains a core of both beliefs and behaviors which make it recognizable.
As with the Great Course on Christianity, it whets the appetite for more and for a greater depth of details. Any class which makes you want to learn more is a success.
October 13, 2025
Score: 2/5 (parts worth listening once)
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Themes: Judaism
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There are problems. I just finished listening, and I still don't know how (or if) the lectures were organized. It's understandable that the lecturer would not want to commit themselves to definitive statements about a religion that admits diversity of opinion. But the net effect is that they talk themselves in a bit of a circle, and you're left with something that lacks cohesion.
The main ideas seem to be that Judaism has both a religious and ethnic character, that Judaism is non-exclusive, provided that personal beliefs are compatible with Torah, and that Judaism has changed over time to deal with contemporary problems while reconciling the past. These ideas are worth considering, it's just unclear to me that it should take 6 hours to tell them.
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Themes: Judaism
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There are problems. I just finished listening, and I still don't know how (or if) the lectures were organized. It's understandable that the lecturer would not want to commit themselves to definitive statements about a religion that admits diversity of opinion. But the net effect is that they talk themselves in a bit of a circle, and you're left with something that lacks cohesion.
The main ideas seem to be that Judaism has both a religious and ethnic character, that Judaism is non-exclusive, provided that personal beliefs are compatible with Torah, and that Judaism has changed over time to deal with contemporary problems while reconciling the past. These ideas are worth considering, it's just unclear to me that it should take 6 hours to tell them.
April 23, 2023
This is a general overview of Judaism from 10,000 feet and while the pace seems leisurely the professor covers a lot of ground in the time given. He does a good job but remember that he is glossing over a lot of stuff. His summaries are his opinion and you are trusting that he is right. He is an academic so he is trying to be fair, but he flubs it a couple of times. I suggest it was unintentional and he backtracks a little and covers it later on. Over all it works.
I am only giving this audio course 3 stars because, frankly, I could have given this course with just a little research and a good outline. Nevertheless, I would be glad to listen/read other offerings from this author in the future.
I am only giving this audio course 3 stars because, frankly, I could have given this course with just a little research and a good outline. Nevertheless, I would be glad to listen/read other offerings from this author in the future.
July 11, 2024
This wasn't bad, and the lecturer clearly knew a lot. As a newcomer to parts of the history of Judiasm--the rabbis and the hasidics and all of that--I felt a little overwhelmed. Also, I was a little overwhelmed by all of the names. Maybe it would have been helpful to have the accompanying booklet. And maybe it is just me and my known name-remembering deficits!
Right now, I have Islam and Christianity to go in this series. I am waiting for Islam from the library, but I'm not sure I can get through Christianity. I already know so much because of where I live and where I went to school, and although I'm sure I'd learn (or relearn) things, I don't know if I can do it! It will remind me so much of Christian school.
Right now, I have Islam and Christianity to go in this series. I am waiting for Islam from the library, but I'm not sure I can get through Christianity. I already know so much because of where I live and where I went to school, and although I'm sure I'd learn (or relearn) things, I don't know if I can do it! It will remind me so much of Christian school.
August 27, 2024
Labai aiškiai išdėstyta apie judaizmą kaip vieną iš pagrindinių pasaulio religijų. Tikriausiai beveik kiekvienas iš mūsų intuityviai ir pasąmonėje suvokėme, kad būtent judaizmas yra kažkiek daugiau nei religija. Čia autorius paprastai aprašo, kas yra tas judaizmas ir kas daugiau yra už religija. Judaizmas beveik neatskiriamas nuo žydų tautos, nuo jų istorijos, papročių ir gyvenimo būdo. Iki tiek, kad kai kurie aspektai yra persipinę, kad retkarčiais pasimetama, ar šventės švęstinos kaip Izraelio valstybės ar judaizmo religinės šventės. Tikriausiai turėtų perskaityti žmonės, kurie norėtų vadinti save išsilavinusiais.
January 10, 2020
A wide, if shallow, overview of Judaism. Could be an excellent starting place for someone hoping to learn more. Includes discussion of rabbinic faith as well as reformed and hasidic expressions. Also considers how Judaism has been affected by interactions with the outside world, including Christianity and Islam, and how adaptations have allowed it to continue to flourish
September 3, 2021
Pretty basic but well done. Decided to listen to this in honor of the high holidays coming up, but as a secular Jew who's reasonably knowledgeable about Judaism, I didn't learn all that much. It was also interesting to me how much shorter this series was than similar teaching company courses. It was a good overview for someone who really doesn't know anything, though.
June 15, 2023
A good overview of Judaism in 12 lectures. Growing up Catholic, I was taught that Judaism simply was waiting to be one Catholicism and everything about it was a prelude. This course opened my eyes to the complexity of Judaism and greatly expanded my understanding of it. It also has given me great ideas on what to look in to next.
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June 21, 2019DNF @ lecture #5
Although, I'm fascinated with the history of Judaism, particularly in its biblical context, I struggled with this lecture series. Gafni's presentation was problematic for me. I had a hard time following him, and he didn't hold my interest.
Although, I'm fascinated with the history of Judaism, particularly in its biblical context, I struggled with this lecture series. Gafni's presentation was problematic for me. I had a hard time following him, and he didn't hold my interest.
February 6, 2023
There were many things in this book that I found interesting. Overall, it was worth my time. However, it was a bit philosophy heavy. I wanted a bit of history and philosophy, but I also wanted a look into the daily life of the average practitioner.
November 9, 2023
This book was not what I thought it was going to be. It veered into many topics that weren't explained very well for me. I think Judaism is interesting and being a Christian I appreciate the history and the Bible. I would look for a basic source on Judaism somewhere else.
September 22, 2024
A series of lectures on a wide-ranging number of subjects related to Judaism and the history of the religion and its evolution. Parts were interesting but some were very meandering and I found them difficult to follow.
February 13, 2017
Introduction to Judaism, including its diversity today and throughout its history. Having a better understanding of Judaism is helpful in understanding Christianity better.
December 31, 2017
Well done courses on the topics of Judaism, yes they could be more informative but the time of it would multiply many times.
July 28, 2019
10/10 would recommend to anyone.
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