Similarities Between Hinduism And Judaism
Joshua Bayona
Dr. VonWachenfeldt
Introduction to the Study of World Religions
3/2/16
Final Comparative Essay: Judaism and Hinduism Central to Judaism and Hinduism are two singular rituals, both equally unparalleled by any other religious ritual. These are the Hindu practice of bathing in the Holy Ganges River, and the Jewish Festival of Sukkot. These two rituals are comparable, but also distinguishable on a variety of levels. Although the Festival of Sukkah and the bathing in the Ganges River appear to be similar in their emphasis on protection and impermanence, these rituals have fundamentally different purposes and implications, revealing the thick description of the role of protection and of impermanence in religions. The Hindu ritual …show more content…
This suggests the thick description of the issues of protection and impermanence in many religions. The element of protection is indeed an element inseparable to the Festival of Sukkot, because protection is the story from which the Festival of Sukkot arose in the first place; Jeffrey Rubenstein states “according to dominant rabbinic tradition seven ‘sukkot clouds of glory’ surrounded the Israelites throughout their desert travels following the Exodus. These sukka-clouds shielded them from the blazing sun above...and guarded them from dangers…” (Rubenstein, 387). Protection forms the very basis of the sukkah story, and is the main facet commemorated by observant Jews during the festival. This contrasts irreconcilably to the different application of protection for the Ganges ritual; the very idea of protection, as relevant to the Ganges ritual, was not originally inherent to the Ganges ritual as it is today. The reason is that the Ganges has not always been filthy; Payal Sampat’s article states that the Ganges “…has become… a great open sewer. The transformation began centuries ago…” but “For a long time, the river seemed impervious to damage; its enormous volume of water diluted or decomposed waste very rapidly, and the annual monsoons regularly flushed it out” (Sampat “Long Decline”). Therefore, because the river has not always been polluted, the idea of its providing protection from filth cannot be said to be an element the ritual always espoused, like the Festival of Sukkot does. Furthermore, both these rituals have differences in their implications for practitioners. While they both emphasize impermanence, Judaism emphasizes more that human ownership of things is what is impermanent; Rubenstein writes that the sukkah serves as a reminder that “God ultimately provides all the goods of
Dr. VonWachenfeldt
Introduction to the Study of World Religions
3/2/16
Final Comparative Essay: Judaism and Hinduism Central to Judaism and Hinduism are two singular rituals, both equally unparalleled by any other religious ritual. These are the Hindu practice of bathing in the Holy Ganges River, and the Jewish Festival of Sukkot. These two rituals are comparable, but also distinguishable on a variety of levels. Although the Festival of Sukkah and the bathing in the Ganges River appear to be similar in their emphasis on protection and impermanence, these rituals have fundamentally different purposes and implications, revealing the thick description of the role of protection and of impermanence in religions. The Hindu ritual …show more content…
This suggests the thick description of the issues of protection and impermanence in many religions. The element of protection is indeed an element inseparable to the Festival of Sukkot, because protection is the story from which the Festival of Sukkot arose in the first place; Jeffrey Rubenstein states “according to dominant rabbinic tradition seven ‘sukkot clouds of glory’ surrounded the Israelites throughout their desert travels following the Exodus. These sukka-clouds shielded them from the blazing sun above...and guarded them from dangers…” (Rubenstein, 387). Protection forms the very basis of the sukkah story, and is the main facet commemorated by observant Jews during the festival. This contrasts irreconcilably to the different application of protection for the Ganges ritual; the very idea of protection, as relevant to the Ganges ritual, was not originally inherent to the Ganges ritual as it is today. The reason is that the Ganges has not always been filthy; Payal Sampat’s article states that the Ganges “…has become… a great open sewer. The transformation began centuries ago…” but “For a long time, the river seemed impervious to damage; its enormous volume of water diluted or decomposed waste very rapidly, and the annual monsoons regularly flushed it out” (Sampat “Long Decline”). Therefore, because the river has not always been polluted, the idea of its providing protection from filth cannot be said to be an element the ritual always espoused, like the Festival of Sukkot does. Furthermore, both these rituals have differences in their implications for practitioners. While they both emphasize impermanence, Judaism emphasizes more that human ownership of things is what is impermanent; Rubenstein writes that the sukkah serves as a reminder that “God ultimately provides all the goods of