Hinduism vs Judaism

Hinduism versus Judaism comparison chart
	Hinduism	Judaism

Use of statues and pictures	Common	Ancient times: Not allowed as it is considered Idolatry. Today, great artwork is encouraged. Statues of people are fine, but not as religious icons.
Place of worship	Temple (Mandir)	Synagogues and temples, home, Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem
Belief of God	Many gods, but realize that they all come from Atman.	One God (monotheism), often called HaShem—Hebrew for 'The Name', or Adonai— 'The Lord'. God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death.
Clergy	No official clergy. Gurus, Yogis, Rishis, Brahmins, Pundits, priests, priestesses, monks, and nuns.	Ancient times: Hereditary privileged priest class--Kohen and Levi. Present day: Religious functionaries like Rabbis, Cantors, Scribes, Mohels.
Founder	Not credited to a particular founder.	Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses
Literal Meaning	The followers of Vedas are called as Arya, noble person. Arya is not a dynasty, ethnicity or race. Anyone who follows the teachings of Vedas is considered Arya.	Grateful person (named for Judah, who was named "gratitude" by his mother, Leah)
View of the Buddha	Some Hindu sects claim Buddha was an avatar of Vishnu. Others believe he was a holy man.	N/A.
Marriage	Man may marry one woman. However, kings in mythology often married more than one woman.	Ancient times: unlimited polygamy with concubinage. In modern times, monogamy officially since 1310 AD.
Place of origin	Indian Subcontinent	The Levant
Followers	Hindus.	Jews, Jewish people
Original Language(s)	Sanskrit	Hebrew, Aramaic. Over the centuries, Jewish languages have also included Yiddish (among the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe); and Ladino (among the Sephardic Jews of Spain and North Africa).
Life after death	A constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment is reached.	World to come, Reincarnation (some groups); unifying with God, there are different opinions and beliefs
Practices	Meditation, yoga, contemplation, yagna (communal worship), offerings in the temple.	Prayers 3 times daily, with a fourth prayer added on Shabbat and holidays. Shacarit prayer in the morning, Mincha in the afternoon, Arvit at night; Musaf is an extra Shabbat service.
Population	1 Billion.	Around 13-16 Million, debated. Population varies due to conversion (although some types are not recognized by the state of Israel) and "marrying out" (of the faith)
Scriptures	Vedas, Upanishad, Puranas, Gita. Smrti and Sruti are oral scriptures.	Tanakh (Jewish Bible), which includes the Torah
Human Nature	Depends on sects.	You must choose good from bad. You are responsible for your actions, not thoughts.
Means of salvation	Reaching enlightenment by the Path of Knowledge, the Path of devotion, or the Path of Good Deeds.	This is not a concept held in Judaism. Jews do not strive to achieve a status at the time of death.
Goal of religion	To break the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation, and attain salvation.	To celebrate LIFE! To fulfill the Covenant with God. Do good deeds. Help repair the world. Love God with all your heart. Strong social justice ethic.
Geographical distribution and predominance	Mainly in India, Nepal and Mauritius. Has significant population in Fiji, Bhutan, UAE, etc.	Existing in Israel for 1500 years, but the Romans in 70 AD kicked all Jews out. Jews are dispersed all over the world, at one time present in almost every country. Now the majority live in Israel, USA, Canada, Russia, France, England.
Status of Vedas	Vedas are generally regarded as sacred in Hinduism. Post-Vedic texts like the Gita are also revered.	N/A.
Confessing sins	Repentance for unintentional sins are prescribed, but intentional sins have to be repaid through karmic consequences.	Ancient times: there was a sin offering for individuals. Today people individually repair their sins. On Yom Kippur, they confess sins, and ask forgiveness from God. But also they must ask forgiveness directly from any people they may have wronged.
View of other Dharmic religions	They believe that Buddhists, Jains, & Sikhs should reunite with Hinduism (which is the original Dharmic religion).	N/A.
Religious Law	Dharma shastras	Halakhah. Ethics. Commandments. 613 mitzvahs to be followed. Charity. Prayer. Rabbinical rulings with minority opinions. Debate very important part of system. Debate is encouraged in schools. Part of Bible addresses specific laws for everyday life.
Symbols	Om, Swastika, etc.	Star of David, Menorah.
Religion which atheists may still be adherents of	Charvakas and Sankyas are atheistic groups in Hinduism.	Yes. Judaism is both a faith practice and an ethnicity, so people are born and retain their Jewish identity whether or not they practice the religion.
Authority of Pope	N/A.	N/A
Second coming of Jesus	N/A.	Denied. (not part of liturgy)
Holy Days	Diwali, Holi, Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. There are many holy days in Hinduism which differ from region to region.	Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu B'Shvat, Passover, Lag B'Omer, Shavuot. Shabbat (Sabbath). Sabbath most important—one day a week no work, just peace, joy and prayer.
Position of Mary	N/A.	Not applicable, as Jews do not believe that Jesus is their Messiah, and therefore, his Jewish mother plays no role in the Jewish religion other than history.
Prophets	No prophets, but Rishis could be considered equivalent in Vedic times. Avataras of Vedic God are different from human reincarnations, but could be considered equivalent to Christian idea of God in flesh.	Moses, and the subsequent Prophets of Israel as told in the Jewish Bible (Tanakh).
Holy days/Official Holidays	Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc.	Sabbath, Havdalla, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu BiShvat, Purim, Passover, Lag BaOmer, Shavout. Holocaust remembrance.
Belief	Diverse beliefs depending on sects.	Jewish central belief is that there is only one God, and God has a special relationship, a contract, with them that they can fulfill by performing mitzvot.
Goal of Philosophy	Salvation, freedom from the cycle of birth and reincarnation.	To live a proper and Holy Life. To appreciate Life in every way. To do Good Deeds. To live Ethically. To make choice based on Free Will. Universal Education for every Jew; to study, learn. read and write.
Place and Time of origin	Indian Subcontinent, beginning with the Vedic civilization circa 3000 BC	1500 BC, Middle East. Religion formed over several centuries; was codified during the Babylonian exile. Literacy is encouraged to read Bible. Jews replaced animal sacrifice with prayer in Diaspora, after Romans destroyed Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD
Jesus	N/A.	Not mentioned in the Jewish texts. No specific beliefs about this individual.
No. of Gods and Godesses	Ultimatly monotheistic, however it believes in infinate representaitions of their god.	1 God
Day of worship	Orthodox schools prescribe three prayer times a day: at dawn, noon and dusk.	Friday at sunset through Saturday sunset, is the Sabbath, THE most Holy Day (yes, all 52 of them). Taking time off from work, once a week, was invented by Judaism. It is more Holy than any other holiday, and is spent in contemplation and prayer.
Position of Abraham	N/A.	The first patriarch and father of the Jewish religion. His father was an idol-maker but Abraham did not believe in idolatry or polytheism.
Abrahamic Lineage	N/A.	Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are thanked every prayer day. Jacob's 12 sons became the 12 tribes of israel. Of these, 10 were lost during Assyrian Exile.
Use of Statues	Allowed, but not compulsory	Forbidden to use in religion
Birth of Jesus	N/A.	Not mentioned in Jewish texts.
About	Devotion to the various gods & goddesses of Hinduism.	Judaism was created by Abraham 2000 BCE and his descendants, Isaac and Jacob.
Death of Jesus	N/A.	Not mentioned in Jewish texts.
Virtue on which religion is based upon	Follow righteousness.	Justice.
Branches	Shaivism, Shakti, and Vaishnavism	Religious: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Renewel, Reconstruction. Traditions: Sephard, (Spain, Arab countries, Turkey). Ashkenazi: (Europe, Russia). MIzrachi: (Iraq, Persia, India).
God's role in salvation	Beliefs vary by sect. Upanishads (scripture) say God chooses who gets salvation. Salvation is attained via good deeds and righteousness (following the "dharma" and avoiding sin)	Salvation is not a concept in Jewish faith. Each New Year, during Yom Kippur, Jews fast and pray for forgiveness from God, and if accepted, are written into the Book of Life, for the next year.
Identity of Jesus	N/A.	Simply not part of liturgy. Not mentioned one way or the other.
Promised Holy one.	Kalki, the 10'th avatar of Vishnu.	Belief in the Coming of a Messiah.
On Clothing	Differ from region region.	Orthodox men always wear hats; Orthodox women either wear hats or wigs. Orthodox dress is modest.
Names of God	Brahman and many other names in other languages	HaShem, Adonai,
Related Religions	Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism	Christianity,
Status of Muhammad	N/A.	N/A.
On Women	Mainly women are considered equal to men and there are many Goddesses in Hinduism.	Equal to men and non-binary people in Reform/Liberal Judaism.
View of God	Monists believe only Brahman exists, Pantheists believe all things/entities are God, Monotheistic sects consider God as immanent and transcendent and different from others. The Nasadiya Sukta even explores creation-ex-nihilo.	God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death. God is one and the only holiness. God is the creator. He is beyond human understanding, he is omnipotent.
Views on Other Religions	Believe all religions have some truth in them.	All people should obey 7 (Noahide) Commandments, a set of very basic moral laws. Non-Jews should follow their religion, and let Jewish people follow Judaism.
Status of women	Women can become priestesses or nuns. Women are given equal rights as men.	Equal to men in eyes of God and in the Law (Halakha). Woman traditionally have been granted more equal rights than most other world cultures. Today, traditions among the Orthodox and the Reform movements differ greatly.
Principle	To follow dharma, i.e. eternal laws	By accepting the covenant, they choose to follow God's commandments. A unique ethnicity. Early monotheists.
Virtue(s) in which religion is based upon	Follow dharma (righteouness), eternal law.	Justice; strict adherence to God's law. Reading the Holy Books, and following the Commandments.
Time of origin	circa 3000 B.C.E	c 1300 BC
Can atheists partake in this religion's practices?	Yes.	Yes.
Rites	Some Hindus believe in a "thread ceremony" for men.	Mitzvahs. Bar & Bat Mitvahs are the most well known, but, there are others too.
Promised Holy One	Kalki, the 10th Avatar of Vishnu	The Messiah.
Views on the afterlife	A constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment is reached after which moksha is attained.	Jews beleive in a human Soul, and Orthodox believe in A World To Come and a form of Reincarnation. Differing beliefs accepted. Very little discussion on afterlife. Focus is on time on Earth now.
Use of statues, images	Common.	Forbidden
Status of Adam	N/A.	First known use of the Adam/Eve mythology.
imams identified as	N/A.	N/A.
Concept of God	God is in everything and everything is God.	One God
Angels	The concept of angels does not apply in Hinduism. Some mythological stories include rishis, who sometimes serve as the messengers of God.	Angels serve God as messengers. World is full of beings existing that we cannot see or understand. Kabbalah includes mystical studies of this.
sects	Vaishnava, Shaivaya, & Shaktism.	Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Sephardim, Karaite, Samaritan, and so on.
View of Oriental religions	Buddhism and Jainism were considered sister religions by traditional Hindu schools. Buddhists do not consider Buddha an avatar of Vishnu and believe that Hindu priests made that claim to stem the spread of Buddhism, which threatened Hinduism.	Jews accept others can have different religions. Jews must obey the law of the land, if ethical.
Geographical predominance	India, Nepal	Israel, USA, Canada, France, England, Russia, Argentina. Has varied throughout history, Arabia, Persia, Babylonia, Rome, Greece, Ottoman Empire, Eastern Europe, due to various migrations and persecutions.

Use of statues and pictures

Common

Ancient times: Not allowed as it is considered Idolatry. Today, great artwork is encouraged. Statues of people are fine, but not as religious icons.

Place of worship

Temple (Mandir)

Synagogues and temples, home, Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem

Belief of God

Many gods, but realize that they all come from Atman.

One God (monotheism), often called HaShem—Hebrew for 'The Name', or Adonai— 'The Lord'. God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death.

Clergy

No official clergy. Gurus, Yogis, Rishis, Brahmins, Pundits, priests, priestesses, monks, and nuns.

Ancient times: Hereditary privileged priest class--Kohen and Levi. Present day: Religious functionaries like Rabbis, Cantors, Scribes, Mohels.

Founder

Not credited to a particular founder.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses

Literal Meaning

The followers of Vedas are called as Arya, noble person. Arya is not a dynasty, ethnicity or race. Anyone who follows the teachings of Vedas is considered Arya.

Grateful person (named for Judah, who was named "gratitude" by his mother, Leah)

View of the Buddha

Some Hindu sects claim Buddha was an avatar of Vishnu. Others believe he was a holy man.

N/A.

Marriage

Man may marry one woman. However, kings in mythology often married more than one woman.

Ancient times: unlimited polygamy with concubinage. In modern times, monogamy officially since 1310 AD.

Place of origin

Indian Subcontinent

The Levant

Followers

Hindus.

Jews, Jewish people

Original Language(s)

Sanskrit

Hebrew, Aramaic. Over the centuries, Jewish languages have also included Yiddish (among the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe); and Ladino (among the Sephardic Jews of Spain and North Africa).

Life after death

A constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment is reached.

World to come, Reincarnation (some groups); unifying with God, there are different opinions and beliefs

Practices

Meditation, yoga, contemplation, yagna (communal worship), offerings in the temple.

Prayers 3 times daily, with a fourth prayer added on Shabbat and holidays. Shacarit prayer in the morning, Mincha in the afternoon, Arvit at night; Musaf is an extra Shabbat service.

Population

1 Billion.

Around 13-16 Million, debated. Population varies due to conversion (although some types are not recognized by the state of Israel) and "marrying out" (of the faith)

Scriptures

Vedas, Upanishad, Puranas, Gita. Smrti and Sruti are oral scriptures.

Tanakh (Jewish Bible), which includes the Torah

Human Nature

Depends on sects.

You must choose good from bad. You are responsible for your actions, not thoughts.

Means of salvation

Reaching enlightenment by the Path of Knowledge, the Path of devotion, or the Path of Good Deeds.

This is not a concept held in Judaism. Jews do not strive to achieve a status at the time of death.

Goal of religion

To break the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation, and attain salvation.

To celebrate LIFE! To fulfill the Covenant with God. Do good deeds. Help repair the world. Love God with all your heart. Strong social justice ethic.

Geographical distribution and predominance

Mainly in India, Nepal and Mauritius. Has significant population in Fiji, Bhutan, UAE, etc.

Existing in Israel for 1500 years, but the Romans in 70 AD kicked all Jews out. Jews are dispersed all over the world, at one time present in almost every country. Now the majority live in Israel, USA, Canada, Russia, France, England.

Status of Vedas

Vedas are generally regarded as sacred in Hinduism. Post-Vedic texts like the Gita are also revered.

N/A.

Confessing sins

Repentance for unintentional sins are prescribed, but intentional sins have to be repaid through karmic consequences.

Ancient times: there was a sin offering for individuals. Today people individually repair their sins. On Yom Kippur, they confess sins, and ask forgiveness from God. But also they must ask forgiveness directly from any people they may have wronged.

View of other Dharmic religions

They believe that Buddhists, Jains, & Sikhs should reunite with Hinduism (which is the original Dharmic religion).

N/A.

Religious Law

Dharma shastras

Halakhah. Ethics. Commandments. 613 mitzvahs to be followed. Charity. Prayer. Rabbinical rulings with minority opinions. Debate very important part of system. Debate is encouraged in schools. Part of Bible addresses specific laws for everyday life.

Symbols

Om, Swastika, etc.

Star of David, Menorah.

Religion which atheists may still be adherents of

Charvakas and Sankyas are atheistic groups in Hinduism.

Yes. Judaism is both a faith practice and an ethnicity, so people are born and retain their Jewish identity whether or not they practice the religion.

Authority of Pope

N/A.

N/A

Second coming of Jesus

N/A.

Denied. (not part of liturgy)

Holy Days

Diwali, Holi, Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. There are many holy days in Hinduism which differ from region to region.

Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu B'Shvat, Passover, Lag B'Omer, Shavuot. Shabbat (Sabbath). Sabbath most important—one day a week no work, just peace, joy and prayer.

Position of Mary

N/A.

Not applicable, as Jews do not believe that Jesus is their Messiah, and therefore, his Jewish mother plays no role in the Jewish religion other than history.

Prophets

No prophets, but Rishis could be considered equivalent in Vedic times. Avataras of Vedic God are different from human reincarnations, but could be considered equivalent to Christian idea of God in flesh.

Moses, and the subsequent Prophets of Israel as told in the Jewish Bible (Tanakh).

Holy days/Official Holidays

Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc.

Sabbath, Havdalla, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu BiShvat, Purim, Passover, Lag BaOmer, Shavout. Holocaust remembrance.

Belief

Diverse beliefs depending on sects.

Jewish central belief is that there is only one God, and God has a special relationship, a contract, with them that they can fulfill by performing mitzvot.

Goal of Philosophy

Salvation, freedom from the cycle of birth and reincarnation.

To live a proper and Holy Life. To appreciate Life in every way. To do Good Deeds. To live Ethically. To make choice based on Free Will. Universal Education for every Jew; to study, learn. read and write.

Place and Time of origin

Indian Subcontinent, beginning with the Vedic civilization circa 3000 BC

1500 BC, Middle East. Religion formed over several centuries; was codified during the Babylonian exile. Literacy is encouraged to read Bible. Jews replaced animal sacrifice with prayer in Diaspora, after Romans destroyed Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD

Jesus

N/A.

Not mentioned in the Jewish texts. No specific beliefs about this individual.

No. of Gods and Godesses

Ultimatly monotheistic, however it believes in infinate representaitions of their god.

1 God

Day of worship

Orthodox schools prescribe three prayer times a day: at dawn, noon and dusk.

Friday at sunset through Saturday sunset, is the Sabbath, THE most Holy Day (yes, all 52 of them). Taking time off from work, once a week, was invented by Judaism. It is more Holy than any other holiday, and is spent in contemplation and prayer.

Position of Abraham

N/A.

The first patriarch and father of the Jewish religion. His father was an idol-maker but Abraham did not believe in idolatry or polytheism.

Abrahamic Lineage

N/A.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are thanked every prayer day. Jacob's 12 sons became the 12 tribes of israel. Of these, 10 were lost during Assyrian Exile.

Use of Statues

Allowed, but not compulsory

Forbidden to use in religion

Birth of Jesus

N/A.

Not mentioned in Jewish texts.

About

Devotion to the various gods & goddesses of Hinduism.

Judaism was created by Abraham 2000 BCE and his descendants, Isaac and Jacob.

Death of Jesus

N/A.

Not mentioned in Jewish texts.

Virtue on which religion is based upon

Follow righteousness.

Justice.

Branches

Shaivism, Shakti, and Vaishnavism

Religious: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Renewel, Reconstruction. Traditions: Sephard, (Spain, Arab countries, Turkey). Ashkenazi: (Europe, Russia). MIzrachi: (Iraq, Persia, India).

God's role in salvation

Beliefs vary by sect. Upanishads (scripture) say God chooses who gets salvation. Salvation is attained via good deeds and righteousness (following the "dharma" and avoiding sin)

Salvation is not a concept in Jewish faith. Each New Year, during Yom Kippur, Jews fast and pray for forgiveness from God, and if accepted, are written into the Book of Life, for the next year.

Identity of Jesus

N/A.

Simply not part of liturgy. Not mentioned one way or the other.

Promised Holy one.

Kalki, the 10'th avatar of Vishnu.

Belief in the Coming of a Messiah.

On Clothing

Differ from region region.

Orthodox men always wear hats; Orthodox women either wear hats or wigs. Orthodox dress is modest.

Names of God

Brahman and many other names in other languages

HaShem, Adonai,

Related Religions

Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism

Christianity,

Status of Muhammad

N/A.

On Women

Mainly women are considered equal to men and there are many Goddesses in Hinduism.

Equal to men and non-binary people in Reform/Liberal Judaism.

View of God

Monists believe only Brahman exists, Pantheists believe all things/entities are God, Monotheistic sects consider God as immanent and transcendent and different from others. The Nasadiya Sukta even explores creation-ex-nihilo.

God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death. God is one and the only holiness. God is the creator. He is beyond human understanding, he is omnipotent.

Views on Other Religions

Believe all religions have some truth in them.

All people should obey 7 (Noahide) Commandments, a set of very basic moral laws. Non-Jews should follow their religion, and let Jewish people follow Judaism.

Status of women

Women can become priestesses or nuns. Women are given equal rights as men.

Equal to men in eyes of God and in the Law (Halakha). Woman traditionally have been granted more equal rights than most other world cultures. Today, traditions among the Orthodox and the Reform movements differ greatly.

Principle

To follow dharma, i.e. eternal laws

By accepting the covenant, they choose to follow God's commandments. A unique ethnicity. Early monotheists.

Virtue(s) in which religion is based upon

Follow dharma (righteouness), eternal law.

Justice; strict adherence to God's law. Reading the Holy Books, and following the Commandments.

Time of origin

circa 3000 B.C.E

c 1300 BC

Can atheists partake in this religion's practices?

Yes.

Rites

Some Hindus believe in a "thread ceremony" for men.

Mitzvahs. Bar & Bat Mitvahs are the most well known, but, there are others too.

Promised Holy One

Kalki, the 10th Avatar of Vishnu

The Messiah.

Views on the afterlife

A constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment is reached after which moksha is attained.

Jews beleive in a human Soul, and Orthodox believe in A World To Come and a form of Reincarnation. Differing beliefs accepted. Very little discussion on afterlife. Focus is on time on Earth now.

Use of statues, images

Common.

Forbidden

Status of Adam

N/A.

First known use of the Adam/Eve mythology.

imams identified as

N/A.

Concept of God

God is in everything and everything is God.

One God

Angels

The concept of angels does not apply in Hinduism. Some mythological stories include rishis, who sometimes serve as the messengers of God.

Angels serve God as messengers. World is full of beings existing that we cannot see or understand. Kabbalah includes mystical studies of this.

sects

Vaishnava, Shaivaya, & Shaktism.

Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Sephardim, Karaite, Samaritan, and so on.

View of Oriental religions

Buddhism and Jainism were considered sister religions by traditional Hindu schools. Buddhists do not consider Buddha an avatar of Vishnu and believe that Hindu priests made that claim to stem the spread of Buddhism, which threatened Hinduism.

Jews accept others can have different religions. Jews must obey the law of the land, if ethical.

Geographical predominance

India, Nepal

Israel, USA, Canada, France, England, Russia, Argentina. Has varied throughout history, Arabia, Persia, Babylonia, Rome, Greece, Ottoman Empire, Eastern Europe, due to various migrations and persecutions.

Hinduism vs. Judaism

Comparison chart

Further Reading

Related Comparisons

Comments: Hinduism vs Judaism

Anonymous comments (6)