Judaism Vs Christianity

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Pages: 6

Judaism and Christianity are two of the oldest religions in the world. When first examined, they seem very different, there are different cultures, traditions, and beliefs. In the Middle Ages, it is through Christian duty and charity that motivates them to further Western medicine and establish hospitals. In Judaism, the Torah gives the Jews commandments, which includes how they care for the sick and their role in medicine. By comparing the two religion’s view on health, it can be seen that both early Christian and Jewish acts of charity, and motivation for care for the sick, are quite similar.
Christianity is the most predominant religion in the world, and it influenced most of the Western world. Christianity was established by Jesus of Nazareth,
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In Judaism, it is imperative for Jews to keep the body and soul in good health. Similar to Christianity, God inflicts one with a disease, and man must heal it. When it comes to care, physicians are seen as vehicles for God’s will and healing. As stated in the Talmud, it is Jewish ethical duty to heal the sick, also known as mitzvah. Illness is seen as benevolent, it can be the reason that one attempts to become healthier, or to gain perspective. Death is also viewed positively, to make room for the next generation to have a role. Like Christianity, it is necessary to visit the sick. The mitzvah to help care for the sick is performed when a healing prayer is said, and when the needs of the sick is taken care of. They also practice therapy, to which being in the presence of another person, and kind words, can help a patient recover. Hebrew medicine begins with self care and the prevention of disease and injury, and the health of the community as a whole. The Talmud commandments have a large component on hygiene, including washing, being sanitary, etc. (Feldman, p.15-27). The duty to keep the community healthy, and prevent the disease is a main focus for Hebrew medicine. As stated, Jewish individuals in the healthcare system are required to heal, they are also required to prevent illness and disease from occuring …show more content…
However, I thought the branching of the religions was where they completely separated. By researching this topic and learning about the two religions’ reasoning behind their care for the sick, I realized that, while different cultures and differing beliefs, they are complementary. Beginning with the Bible and the Torah, the two holy scriptures state that it is the ethical duty of the faithful to be charitable, which included the care for the sick. Both religions require visitation, basic care and chores for the sick or their families, and it is man’s duty to heal. Furthermore, they have similarities between the etiology of disease. While the idea of the four humors, and balances and imbalances, seem ridiculous now, Christians in the Middle Ages did realize that there was a reason behind disease. With the development of Western medicine, Jews realize this, as well. Yet, both early Christians and Jews believe that disease is brought by God, as some sort of punishment, and that all healing is done through Him. The problem with these comparisons is that the Jewish culture has evolved over time, with different sections following the traditions absolutely, and those that follow them closely. This problem can be addressed by looking at the different cultures within the Jewish religion and finding the similarities and