why has judaism lasted 4000 years?

Answer 1

One word:Cholent. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholent)

Seriously though? Well, a believing Jew would probably tell you that it endures because it is true, and because G-d keeps his promises.

Interestingly enough, we find this concept demonstrated visually in Hebrew.

The word in Hebrew for "truth" is "emes", spelled aleph-mem-sav, like this: אםת

Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, sav is the last, and mem comes right in the middle. Note that the aleph and sav each of two legs, and the mem has a long flat base.

The Hebrew word for "falsehood" is sheker, spelled shin-qof-reish: שקר

In stark contrast to the letters in emes, shin, qof, and reish all come from one end of the alphabet. Qof and reish both rest on a single leg, and the shin kind of comes to a point. Emes is firmly anchored in the Hebrew alphabet, and you can see by the very shape of its letters that that it stands firm. That is because a word in Hebrew isn't simply an arbitrary label, it is the thing itself. Emes stands because the truth stands - it endures. Sheker lacks that same balance, and the firm support of emes, because falsehood is ephemeral - it can't last forever.

Is this proof of the validity of Torah? Of course not. But these brilliant little sparks (and there are so many of them) always make me think. If it's not divine, whoever came up with this stuff had a LOT of time on his hands.

In the end, my favorite words on the subject were written by none other than Mark Twain. Not sure they'll answer your question - but they may add to it:

"If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one per cent. of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star-dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers.

He has made a marvellous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.

The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?"

Answer 2

The study of societies focuses heavily on the study of religions because it is one of, if not the single, most powerful factors which shapes societal viewpoints and attitudes. A religion endures for so long because a group of people unquestioningly accepts its precepts and dictates and inculcates it's citizens from babyhood with its practices and beliefs. The effect is to blind the mind to other possibilities which may be just as worthy, if not more, of consideration and inclusion into the life of the individual and the among the people of the.society. In simpler terms, religion is a form of brainwashing. It causes to people to deny other possibilities and to ignore truths which are more than evident. Additionally, it has the effect of causing people to conform to a set of standards which the community holds "sacred." Nothing is more powerful, not even patriotism. As such, it becomes self-perpetuating.

Enough said?

Answer 3

The presence of Judaism means that there have always been and always will be Jewish mothers.

The life mission of a Jewish mother is to find a nice Jewish boy or girl to marry her daughter or son.

The new wife eventually becomes a Jewish mother, and on, and on.

Answer 4

Why has religion lasted 4000 years? Don't you think that people would outgrow mythology?

Answer 5

that's just what they say. The recorded history doesn't go back that far.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

They've been very lucky.