FACTIONS-----authentic judaism

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tovtovtov Posted - 22 October 2002 19:01

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1) tell us all which is the "authentic" Judaism and why?

2) tell us all why, in Torah, we have Judaism that somehow evolved thru the ages?

3) tell us why God, in his infinite mercy and judgment, created so many ways of praise to Him?

4) tell us all how we are to choose, of all the variations of Judaism thru the ages, which way to follow ?

5) tell us all why their are two basic Talmuds?

6) tell us all why even those that never heard of Talmud, followed the beliefs of Judaism without an oral law? What book or teaching did they use?

MODERATOR Posted - 22 October 2002 19:14

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1) The Judaism that was practiced for 3,000 years. Orthodox Judaism.

2) Judaism has not evolved at all. Today we have the same Judaism as we did when the torah was given. There are of course different applications of the Torah's formula, but the formula that we follow is the exact same.

3) Your question sounds like G-d "likes" praise. That is not so. G-d has no emotions, no needs, no desires. He in His benevolence, revealed to us the Torah which tells us how we can get eternal happiness. Part of that Torah is the acquisition of the trait of gratitude. Hence we praise G-d in gratitude for all He has given us, beginning with our life.

4) The original version. There is only one.

5) The Mishna is one. There were two locations of Jewish population - Bavel and Eretz Yisroel - and so the discussions about the Mishna took place separately in the two separate areas.

6) They are not following the "beliefs of Judaism" if they do not have an Oral Law. That is like the Christians who claim they follow the Bible without the Talmud. there is no such thing. And all those who do not follow the Talmud make up the rules as they go along (such as the Christians), and that is not Judaism, but rather a self-made religion, regardless of whether you call it Judaism or not.