Judaism, the world's oldest monotheistic religion, has many things in common with other religions. The Ten Commandments, the belief in one God, the observances of rituals, and the varying levels of adherence among its followers tie Judaism to other religions such as Islam and Christianity.
             Judaism has its roots with the patriarch Abraham with whom God formed a Covenant and to whom God had directly spoken. This covenant was enacted about 2,000 years before the birth of Christ became the standard for the zero date on the calendar. Another five hundred years or so saw the enslavement of Abraham's descendants in Egypt. With the leadership of Moses, these descendants were released by Pharaoh, escaped slavery, and were led back to the land of Canaan. Moses also delivered the famous Ten Commandments to his people that are still widely observed by major religions and provide a code for the daily living. Led by a sign from God, the burning bush, Moses accepted the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. This God who made a covenant (a legal agreement of commitment) with Abraham and Moses has some names in the tradition of Judaism. He was known as Yhwh to Moses, but is also referred to as Adonai in prayer and sometimes Elohim or Hashem.
             The Jewish Bible is divided into three parts. The Torah is the first five books and contains the story of Moses and his direct revelations from God. The name, in fact, usually means the scroll that contains the Five Books of Moses. The Prophets is the second part of the Bible and serves to confirm and reinforce the books of Moses. In Judaism, followers believe that certain people were ordained by God to remind people of the need for faithfulness and their gratefulness to God. The third part of the Hebrew Bible focuses on the application of Jewish principles for correct living. It is called the Writings and is filled with direct instruction on the right path.
             When it comes to living exact...