7.1 The Almighty Flashcards
What do Jews believe?
Only one God (monotheists)
special covenant relationship with God (Abraham & Moses)
Who are Jews?
Any person whose mother was a Jew
Any person who has gone through the formal process of conversion to Judaism
What are the different groups in Judaism?
Orthodox
Conservative
Reform
Liberal
Secular
What are the religious texts in Judaism?
The Tenakh, The Talmud
Jews derive their beliefs about God from these religious texts
What is the Tetragrammaton?
YHVH - The Hebrew name for God
‘Yahweh’ in English, ‘The Lord’ (Adonai)
Jews believe that the name of God is so holy, so what aren’t they allowed to do?
Never be written, erased or defaced
Names for God
El
Elohim
El shaddai
Hashem
Hashem Tzevaot
Hakadosh Baruch Hu
El
A powerful and mighty God
Elohim
Plural of El, suggesting that God is a complex being who cannot be simplified
El Shaddai
God Almighty
Hashem
The name
Hashem Tzevaot
Lord of Hosts
Hakadosh Barach Hu
‘Tho holy one blessed be he’
What are the different sections in the Tenakh
T orah - law
E
N evi’im - prophets
A
K etuvim - the writings
H
How strict/closely do Secular Jews follow the Tenakh?
Atheist (don’t follow)
How strict/closely do Reform/Liberal Jews follow the Tenakh?
Progressive
How strict/closely do conservative Jews follow the Tenakh?
In the middle?
How strict/closely do Orthodox Jews follow the Tenakh?
Follow the Torah in a traditional sense
How strict/closely do Ultra-Orthodox Jews follow the Tenakh?
Very strict
How often do they recite the Shema?
Twice everyday, reinforces the importance of God as one
One
impossible to divide God into parts, or describe him by physical attributes. God is the only being to whom Jews should offer praise and prayer. The Shema: ‘Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is the one and only’ Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Creator
As only one God, everything in the universe is created by God. Many Orthodox Jews interpret the creation story more literally, while Reform and Liberal Jews see it as a metaphor
‘And Hashem for ed the man of dust from the ground’ Genesis 2:7
Lawgiver, Judge
The Torah is a gift from God to Moses - guidance so that Jews can live good lives. They believe they are children of God; father-like to them. When Moses accepted the Law, he and the Jewish people entered into a covenant to keep it, God judges how well they keep the laws
‘Hashem is our Judge, Hashem is our Lawgiver, Hashem is our King; He will save us’ Isaiah 33:22
Talmud
The ‘Oral Torah’
Torah
Five Books of Moses (Genesis), Shemot (Exodus), Vayikra (Leviticus), Bamidbar (Numbers), Devarim (Deuteronomy)
Shema
The main Jewish declaration of faith
Why is The Almighty important for Jews today?
The names help bring Jews closer to him
Jews worship a single God
Reciting the Shema twice a day reinforces the importance of God as One
Understanding the God as a Creator, Lawgiver, Judge helps Jews to act ‘in the image of God’ with justice and mercy
