Experiential
The experiential aspect of Judaism is a difficult one to explain since it pertains to an individuals experience within the faith. Since I'm not personally Jewish, I'm not that educated on what it's like to personally be a Jew. However, there are some faith experiences that are common among some Jews. One of which, is the knowing of God through one's own heart. This idea is called Kabbalah and was developed during the medieval period of Judaism. Another disheartening truth is that many Jews experience anti-Semitism. Even though this isn't inherent to the religion, it is a common experience that many Jews have been forced to face. Another example of a personal experience within the faith was Jeremiah's calling to be a prophet. Jeremiah was a son of a preacher and God came to him, calling him to speak his word and to be a prophet to the people. This calling was a personal experience within the faith that Jeremiah himself experienced. These are a few examples of the experiential aspect of Judaism; however, there are countless other personal experiences within the faith, since there are so many individuals within it.
Historical/Mythic
The historical aspect of Judaism is split into three major periods: Ancient/Classical, Rabbinical/Medieval, and Modern Judaism. Classical Judaism is defined by two major periods: the First Temple period and the Second Temple period. The First Temple period was from about 900 B.C. to 586 B.C. It was ended when the Babylonians wiped out the Israelites and their temple. The Jews were exiled. The Persians then conquer the Babylonians and the Jews are allowed to come back. Thus, the Second Temple period began which lasted until about 70 A.D. At this time, the Romans came to power and the Jews initiated Jewish War in order to overcome the Roman rule. The Jews were defeated and the Second Temple was destroyed. The Jews were again exiled, or underwent diaspora (dispersion), and were forced to adapt. This adaptation brought along the Rabbinical period of Judaism. Since the Jewish people no longer had a temple nor homeland, Jewish leaders known as Rabbis began to emerge. These Rabbis were teachers of the Jewish faith and the central focus of Judaism shifted from the temple to proper living according to the Torah. Furthermore, synagogues began to emerge as a place of worship since the Jewish people no longer had a temple. During this time, many Jews were also subjected to Christian and Muslim rule. Modern Judaism emerged in the 1700s. Societal changes brought about by the Enlightenment as well as the shift from monarchies to governments ruled by the people gave rise to various forms of Judaism. The first modern form of Judaism was Haisidism, which was centered on personal relationships with God and the Haisidic community instead of study of the Torah and strict practice of its commandments. The leader of Haisidic communities was known as the zaddik, who helped those in the community better their relationship with God. The next form of Judaism is called Zionism. Zionists are committed to re-establishing the Jewish homeland and have faced great anti-Semitism. These new forms of Judaism all fall into four categories ranging from most to least conservative. These four categories are orthodox, conservative, reform, and reconstructionist and all forms of Judaism lie somewhere on this spectrum.
Doctrinal
The major doctrinal aspects of Judaism are found in the Torah. The Jewish beliefs on God have changed somewhat over time. Early Hebrews were considered to be henotheistic, meaning that they only worshipped one God but accepted that other Gods could exists. This belief has since changed and modern Jews believe in only one God. This belief is spelled out in the Shema which states, "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone" (Deuteronomy 6:4). However, a consistent belief of the Jewish people is that God is both transcendent, or incomprehensible, and immanent, or personal and intimate. This paradox is central the Jewish belief of God. Furthermore, the Jewish believe that God's name is so sacred that it cannot be spoken by mere humans and is often written as YHWH. In addition, Jewish theology is laid out in the Written and Oral Torah. The Written Torah or Tanakh consists of three parts: Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. The Torah (first five books of the Bible) are believed to have been revealed to Moses directly by God. It contains 613 specific laws that are central to the central code of Judaism. The Nevi'im consists of historical accounts of ancient Israel and proclamations of the will of God. Finally, the Ketuvim consists of quite diverse religious writing. The Written Torah forms the basis of Jewish theology. The Oral Torah, or Talmud, is an elaboration of the Written Torah in which noteworthy Rabbis continue the ideas of the Written Torah and formulate them into applicable teachings. On a basic level, the Jewish people believe themselves to be the Chosen People of the God known as YHWH. They also believe in the following of the laws found in the Torah. Furthermore, for the most part, Jewish people value right practice (orthopraxy) over right beliefs (orthodoxy).
Ethical
The ethics of Judaism are based in the laws of the Torah, including the Ten Commandments, which are the most prominent laws of the Hebrew Bible. The Jewish people must observe the laws of the Torah in order to live ethically. In addition, daily worship through prayer is central to the ethical aspect of Judaism. this prayer is only mandatory however for males thirteen and older. Prayers are said at least three times daily in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Ritual
The celebration of Jewish holy days make up much of the ritual aspect of Judaism. The major Jewish holy days include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Passover. Rosh Hashanah, or the festival of the new year, lasts two days and consists of festivities and deep religious contemplation. In addition, Rosh Hashanah begins the Days of Awe, which are a ten day period of reflection. The Days of Awe are concluded with Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is the most important Jewish holy day and emphasizes confession of sins and repentance. The day consists of prayer, fasting, and abstention from work. The synagogues also host services throughout the day. The final major Jewish holy day is Passover. Passover lasts eight days and commemorates and celebrates the Exodus of the Jews from captivity in Egypt. The climax of the Passover is the Seder, during which the events of the Exodus are recited (called Haggadah) and a meal of traditional foods is eaten. Another ritual aspect of Judaism is the accessories used during prayer. These accessories include the Yalmulke, or skullcap; the Talit, or prayer shawl; the Tefillin, or box of scriptures; the Mezuzah, or a scroll put on the door of the home; and many others.
Social
The social aspect of Judaism is complex since Jews are both a race as well as group of worshippers. Therefore, the distinction between observant and nonobservant Jews must be made before understanding the Jewish community. Observant Jews are people who actively practice the religion of Judaism, whereas, nonobservant Jews are just culturally Jewish. Furthermore, since the Jewish people believe they are the Chosen People, they have a strong, hereditary group identity. This binds the Jewish community tightly together.
Material
One aspect of the material element of Judaism is the place of worship. The main place of worship is the home. The home is where daily prayer and worship is done. The dinner table in the home is also a very important place, since Judaism focuses on family and every meal is a special occasion to Jews. The other major place of worship, of course, is the synagogue. Synagogues are led by Rabbis and are a center for social worship. The prayer accessories talked about in the ritual section also fall under this section since they are physical objects that help one worship.
True and Holy
There are several aspects of Judaism that are true and holy. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is the Jewish belief in YHWH. This is the same God that Catholics believe in and the God that we know to be true and holy. In addition, the Catholic Old Testament originates from the Hebrew Bible. The foundation of Catholicism is the same as that of Judaism. The Old Testament as a whole as well as figures such as Noah, Abraham Jeremiah, etc. are all true and holy. Another practice of the Jews that is true and holy is how sacred the name of God is to them. Practicing Jews even refrain from saying the name of God. The truth and holiness within this is that the name of God is sacred. Many people throw around the name of God like it's nothing; they say it when they're surprised or disgusted just like it's another idiom. But the name of God should be held sacred. Another true and holy aspect of Judaism is their devotion to daily worship. Many people forget God throughout their day or try to simply fit prayer in around their schedule. The Jewish people on the other hand have a strong devotion to prayer and are obligated to pray three times a day: in the morning, afternoon, and evening. This devotion is true and holy as we should be forming our day around God, instead of fitting God in around our day.