1.4 : The Covenant at Sinai (The Mosaic Covenant)

Question 1

What is a covenant?

Answer 1

An agreement between two parties, which benefits both.

Question 2

What was the Mosaic Covenant?

Answer 2

• An agreement between God and the Jewish people.
• It was written on two tablets of stone and kept in the Ark of the covenant, the tabernacle, and later the Temple.
• Stated that if people kept to the Mitzvot (613 laws) that God gave Moses on Sinai, they would be God’s special people.

Question 3

Who are Gentiles?

Answer 3

Non-Jews

Question 4

Why is the Mosaic Covenant important for Jews today?

Answer 4

• The 613 Mitzvot given by God on Mount Sinai are important because they give Jewish people a way of life as they form the halakhah (the divine law of Judaism), and the laws separate Jews from Gentiles.
• It means that Jewish people have a duty to obey the Mitzvot as their side of the covenant to make them God’s people.
• The Tenakh teaches that by keeping to the Mosaic Covenant, Jews will fulfil their destiny of bringing the whole world to worship God.
• The laws given to Moses are so important to Modern Jews as the divisions between Reform, Orthodox, Ultra-Orthodox etc. , are all based on interpretations of how Jews should obey the Mosaic Covenant.

Question 5

What was the Decalogue?

Answer 5

The Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai as part of the Mosaic Covenant.

Question 6

What are the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20?

Answer 6

1. You shall have no other Gods before me.
2. Do not make idols.
3. Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy
5. Honour your father and your mother
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal
9. Do not bear false testimony
10. Do not covet other people’s possessions.**

Question 7

Why is the Decalogue important to Jews?

Answer 7

• Jews are reminded of the first commandment “you shall have no other Gods before me”, when they touch the mezuzah, and three times a day in the prayers.
• The second commandment “do not make idols” means that Jews ban any form of statue in the synagogues and in the home, and argue about what art is permitted in Judaism, showing how seriously the commandment is taken.
• The third commandment “do not misuse the name of the Lord your God” means that Jews do not use God’s name in any form of swearing, and say ‘The Almighty’ or ‘Hashem’, rather than saying the word God.
• The fourth commandment “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” means that Orthodox Jews do not work on Shabbat, which begins Friday sunset, and ends Saturday sunset.
• The fifth commandment “honour your father and your mother” helps Jews in their family lives and helps parents in their task of bringing up their children to be good Jews.
• The last five commandments are important in making moral decisions as they give clear moral guidance, e.g do not kill, do not steal, do not be jealous of others etc.

Question 8

What does Isaiah 49:6 say?

Answer 8

“I will make you a light for Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the Earth”

Question 9

What does Deuteronomy record about Moses?

Answer 9

It records him entering into a covenant with God, making God the God of Israel and Israel God’s people.

Question 10

What is the nature and history of the Covenant at Sinai?

Answer 10

• Moses led the Jewish people out of captivity in Egypt (the Exodus)
• He spent 40 years wandering the Sinai wilderness preparing for the people to enter the Promised Land
• It was during his time he recieved the Mosaic Covenant.

Question 11

Why is Moses important to Jews?

Answer 11

• He recieved the covenant on Mount Sinai when God promised to be the God of the Jewish people if they agreed to keep to the 613 Mitzvot found in the covenant.
• He lead Jewish people out of captivity in Israel, known as the Exodus, and spent 40 years wandering the wilderness of Sinai for the Jewish people to enter and possess the Promsied Land.

Question 12

Why might some Jews argue that the Mosaic covenant is not relevant in Jewish life today?

Answer 12

• Reform Jews believe that the 613 Mitzvot are not God’s words since the Torah was written by humans, and inspired by God.
• They feel that it is moral commands of the law which must be followed rather than the details of the halakhah such as keeping kosher,which are irrelevant and do not fit in with modern life.
• They think that the attitude towards women in the Mitzvot is sexist and should be rejected; women should be treated completely equally.
• They think the Shabbat rules in the Mitzvot are irrelevant to modern life and that Shabbat can be kept special without rejecting life in the modern world.