Tevanism: The Newest Jewish Sect with the Oldest Traditions

Tevanic Judaism, also known as Judeo-Paganism, is a pre-Rabbinic Jewish sect that represents a diverse and evolving spiritual movement. It seeks to integrate ancient Jewish teachings, beliefs, and rituals with contemporary social values. Unlike mainstream Judaism, Tevanic Judaism is not bound by a single doctrinal or theological approach, allowing for a broad spectrum of beliefs, including strict monotheism, panentheism, henotheism, and even atheism. The movement is grounded in Jewish principles, Torah, and values, yet its flexibility allows for a personalized approach to spirituality that resonates with modern sensibilities. We do not believe in the Oral Torah nor in the Talmud, rather believe that the Torah has all the basis for their religion we need. We also retain elements of pre-Monotheistic beliefs in our practice which are not mentioned in the Torah, and believe that a person has free will to approach the divine however they feel is best (as long as it follows Torah, obviously). Tevanic Judaism’s traditions can be traced to the First Temple period in ancient Israel (957 BCE – 586 BCE), when the Israelites practiced a more fluid and polytheistic belief system. This period saw the worship of multiple deities, with Elohim often depicted as a plural form of the divine. While the later reforms of the Second Temple period (516 BCE – 70 CE) emphasized monotheism, Tevanic Judaism reconnects with the pre-monotheistic traditions of the First Temple, reinterpreting them in ways that reflect the modern Jewish experience. Origins and Historical Context of Tevanic Judaism To understand our sect fully, we must first examine its historical roots in ancient Israel. Early Israelite religion was polytheistic, with reverence for a variety of gods and goddesses. Elohim, the plural form of God found in the Hebrew Bible, was not seen as a single deity but as a title that could refer to multiple divine beings. Ancient Israelites worshiped Adonai alongside other deities such as Asherah, the goddess of fertility, Baal, the god of storms, and Yam, the god of the sea. Over time, as the monarchy consolidated and religious reforms took place, a monotheistic understanding of Elohim began to take hold. King Josiah's reform (late 7th century BCE) and later prophetic traditions, particularly those of Isaiah and Jeremiah, helped to establish the belief in one all-powerful deity. However, elements of the earlier, more pluralistic understanding of the divine remained embedded in the culture and textual traditions of the Jewish people. Tevanism retains the different theistic views of the Jewish nation which were lost with other sects, and retains traditions that are commanded in the Torah or even inherited prior to the writing of the Torah! We have 3 main denominations within our sect: Toranim, Emunim, and Inelohim Toranim- The majority of Tevanites are Toranim: Strictly following all Torah commandments to a T with personal interpretation being emphasized, and seeing it as a divine text. They also follow the Sefer ha'Shani Elohim, the unique Tevanite liturgical text which entails how to live a Jewish life based off the Torah (but it rarely specifically mentions the Torah being divine, usually just emphasizing using it as ones foundation). Emunim- They interpret the Torah and other sacred texts as historical records of the Jewish people, not as divine commandments or as a divine text. Does this make them less Jewish? No, not at all. Do they still practice Judaism? Yes, they do. Emunim still do what a typical Tevanite of the majority Toranim sect does: Pour libations, pray to the Partzufim, and visit temples. To believe in Elohim, we do not have to believe the Torah is divine as many believe it does not apply to Jewish life today, and should be seen as a record, not a divine revelation. They still follow the Sefer ha Shani Elohim as a guide to live a Jewish life, like any Tevanite does. Inelochim- No belief in a deity. The focus is on human experience, ethics, and the natural world rather than divine intervention. They may still offer incense, pour libations, and pray but not necessarily to a God, but to life. We do not distinguish in how much you observe as they do in Rabbinic Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Secular). We all have our own personal journey and reverance to the divine and distinguishing them is making a type of hierachy where those who observe everything more expressively are seen as better and those who practice in their unique form are seen as inferior. Most Tevanites believe strictly in the Torah and follow with everything said in the Torah, including incense burning, annointing oil (reserved for the Kohanim), sacrifices, prostration, and a bunch of other stuff not found in Rabbinic Judaism. Our sect has its own traditions, own procedures for conversion, marriage, and death, own celebrations, and unique prayers to us (although these are rare, you wont find a Tevanite siddur because we pray using psalms, shanilohim verses, and torah verses. We have no temple built, but as of now, Ima Teva herself is our temple. We pray in nature, using nature as prayer, and giving prayer to nature. Our belief is unique, and it differs among each Tevanite but the foundation, which people may pick apart is such: There is One God, the God of the nation of Israel (monotheism), who manifests themselves through nature (animism) and exists through all that is known, being the universe itself (pantheism) through divine faces known as Partzufim (plural monism), without denying the existence of other deities (henotheism). At first glance most people think we are quite laid back when it comes to religion just because of how flexible our beliefs are. We accept LGBTQIA, we emphasize personal revelation, and we are syncretic?? AVODAH ZARAH!! But no, we are quite religious and Judaism is engrained into every single thing we do. We may not pray using siddurim, or have rabbis to explain Torah to us, but we have an unbreakable faith.