Talmud is the written version of what is mostly oral history among ancient jews, the Pharisees and before them. jewish Mysticism, the kabbalah, was allegedly what they worshipped and adhered to. They believed that blood held the secrets to immortal life, so they sacrificed and used blood of innocents to 'spell cast' and try to bring forth demons, even angels, and what not to serve them and powers they believed could be wielded. (Long Live) Emperor Titus put an end to their temple, and their blood sacrifice, so they've been underground ever since. As such, they've used subversive methods to continue to worship their demon god, usurp the progressive Way of the Light that was 'the new covenant' and seek to destroy what the New World has become to bring back the 'old ways'. source: I got pretty drunk with a decently ranking mason who would NOT SHUT UP about his fascination with Tree of Life bullshit.