Judaism
From IBWiki
A religion of the Levant, centered at Jerusalem. One of the oldest continually practiced religions in the world.
See Judaism for more information on Judaism *here*, mostly applicable to Ill Bethisad also.
The history of Judaism in Ill Bethisad diverges greatly from its history *here*:
- the TALMUD. Due to the larger, stronger, and more vocal Jewish population in Judea, which was strong enough to launch multiple rebellions against foreign occupying powers, the Judean Talmud (here: "Jerusalem/Palestinian Talmud") never completely lost to its Babylonian counterpart its authority as a dominant force in Jewish law. Since the beginning, therefore, there has been a balance of power between communities following the Judean tradition and those following the Babylonian tradition.
Yemenite rabbi
- the COMMUNITIES. Judaism *there* displays a wider range of healthy ancestral traditions, partially due to the survival of the Judean legal schools and partially due to the Sefaradic exodus to North America. *Here*, the Sefaradim swamped the indigenous communities of the Mediterranean, Sefaradizing them and replacing their original traditions with Iberian ones.
- Judean-Tradition Communities: Judea, North Africa, Ashkenaz (Central and Eastern Europe), Aram Soba (Syria), Italy, Romaniote (Greece, the Balkans, Turkey), Atmaranos (Xliponia)
- Babylonian-Tradition Communities: Bavel (Mesopotamia), Teiman (Yemen), the Rest of the Middle East, Persia, India, Sefarad (Iberia; today Mueva Sefarad and Parts of Morocco)
- Independant Communities: Ethiopia
- PHILOSOPHY. Rationalist philosophy in the tradition of Sa‘adya Ga’on and Maimonides is much stronger *there*. Zohar-based Kabbala mysticism was mostly pushed off the general Jewish world stage when the Sefaradim moved to North America. However, Kabbala didn't completely take over Sefarad either - it exists in a balance with Maimonidean rationalism and Sufi-style mysticism. Due to the scarcity of Kabbala in the wider Jewish world, Hasidism never developed in Eastern Ashkenaz. A similar populist reform movement stressing emotional involvement with religion and challenging the social structure happened, but didn't include a belief in "tzaddikim"/rebbes as saint-like intermediaries.
- LAW. Due to the more diverse nature of Judaism, the writing of authoritative law codes never became as popular *there*. The most popular of those that do exist is Darkhey Moshe by Rabbi Moshe Isserliss, of Ashkenaz. In accordance with his wishes, though, it remains mostly a reference work for multiple opinions and not an authority in and of itself.
- NO HOLOCAUST. Lots more Jews in Europe today *there* than *here*. However, Antisemitism is also more accepted in public discourse, though discrimination against Jews is no worse in most areas than any other sort of ethnic or religious discrimination.
[PB, added to by SB & RK]
