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time, the slaughter of hundreds of animals to be placed in the sacrificial fire was an important and holy element of religious practice. In the beliefs of some of the people, obedience to ancient rituals of animal sacrifice and the prescribed application of animal blood were essential to righteousness and worship.
The Wisdom Tradition
In the years when early Judaism was struggling to prevail in Israel, the religious systems of other world cultures were also undergoing transformations. In India, the ancient religions were being greatly influenced by the light of the teachings of both the Buddha and his contemporary, Lord Mahavira of the Jain tradition. In China, the wisdom of both Lao Tzu and Confucius were being spread. These great sages taught many similar themes, such as questioning the role of rituals in the inner journey, turning inward to seek the divine, and seeking social justice.
In Judaism, there was also a surge of spirituality as a new wave of prophets declared their messages across the land of Palestine. A renewed body of literature was emerging which came to be known as Hochmah (Hebrew for Wisdom) literature. In these writings many spiritual truths were expounded.
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