Jewish Beliefs Flashcards
What is the belief in God as one?
God is a single invisible bring and is the only being who should be worshipped and praised
God is the source of all Jewish morality and beliefs ans values
What is the Shema?
A Jewish prayer expressing the belief in God as one.
Jews should respond to the belief by showing loyalty, love and dedication towards God.
” The Lord alone “
What is the belief God the creator and sustainer?
God created the universe out of nothing and sustains the world so all species can live on it
What is the belief in God as Lawgiver?
In the Torah, God gave 613 mitzvots for Jews to follow. The 10 commandments are the first 10 mitzvots.
What is the belief in God as Judge?
God judges Jews on how well they follow his laws. Good actions bring Jews closer to God, bad actions lead them away from God.
Jews believe they’re judged once a year ( Rosh Hashanah ) and when they die
What is the Shekhinah ( the divine presence )?
The belief that God can focus his presence in a certain place om Earth.
Jews beleive that God has no physical from so Sehkhinah doesn’t mean God is phyically presence.
What is the belief on Free will and Evil?
Jews believe God must be omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.
The belief God must have created everything means God has created evil.
God have people free will so people can choose to do good, this is why evil exists
What are beliefs about Free will and the Mitzvot?
The mitzvot guides Jews on how to use free will correctly - pleasing God
Follwing the mitzvot makes it impossible to disobey God.
What are beliefs about creation?
The first book in the Torah ( Genesis ) tells how God took 6 days to create the universe and everything in it.
God rested on the 7th day and made it holy. Jews celebrate this day at Shabbat
What are Jews beleifs on heaven?
Most Jews believe in heaven ( Gan Eden or Paradise ).
You’ll be with God in heaven whethere its a state of conciousmess o an actualy phyical or spirtiual place
What are Jews beleifs on Sheol?
A place of waiting where souls are cleansed
A place that IS NOT
When do Jews believe judgement will happen?
Some believe everyone will be judged on the day of judgement ( Rosh Hashanah )
Some believe that Judgement happens upon death
What are Jews beliefs about ressurection?
Many Jews REJECT the idea of ressurection
“ many of those that sleep in the dust of earth will awake “
What is the belief about Abraham and the Promised Land?
Abraham lived in Ur and travelled to Canaan after he was promised this land by God.
This is a place where Abraham and his decenants could make a great nation
What is the beleif about the Covenant Abraham?
God’s solemen promise was to Abraham and Jews
What is God’s covenant in the Covenant with Abraham?
- Protect and fabout the Jewish people
- Give Abraham the promised land and make him a father of all nations
What is the Jews’ covenant in the Covenant with Abraham?
- To live a life dedicated to God
- Circumcison to seal the covenant
What is the Escape from Egypt?
400 years after Abraham, Jews were slaves in Egypt.
God chose Moses to lead their escape
God sent plagues to Egypt and the Pharaoh released the Jews.
What is the Covenant at Sinai?
After the escape, at Mt Sinai God gave 10 commandments to form the basis of the covenant between God and Jews
What were the terms at The Covenant at Sinai?
- God would protect Jews, providing they obyed his laws
- Moses represents all Jews
Jews today believe the covenant is still binding
What is the belief in the Sanctity of Life?
Belief that life is holy and precious as it
comes from God
Only God has the right to take life away
What is Pikuach Nefesh?
A principle allowing most Jewish laws to be broken in order to save a life
For example Shabbat law can be set aside in order to save a life
Because of this many Jews donate blood
What is the Messiah?
The future leader of the Jews, to bring peace to the whole world
What are Orthodox beliefs on the Messiah?
In every generation a descendant of living is born with the potential to be the Messiah
The Messiah will bring about world peace and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
What are Reform beliefs in the Messiah?
The Messiah won’t be a person.
Instead they’ll be a Messanic Age - a time of global peace and harmony.
Everyone has a duty to work together to achieve this
What are 3 Key Moral Principles?
- Justice : bring about what’s right and fair or makimg up for a wrong
- Healing the World : e.g. voulteering for a charity / obeying the mitzvot
- Kindness : many laws in the Torah are about kindness
What has the Tabernacle got to do with the Shekhinah?
It was believed to house the Shekhinah
Tabernacle is a portable structure Jews used while in the desert after escaping Egypt before arriving at the promised land.
How were Jews guided when in the desert?
They were led by a Pillar of Fire or a Cloud
How do Jews believe the Shekinhah is brought to a place today?
By doing the 3 moral principles
Name a Jewish Charity
World Jewish Reflief ( WJR )
What is the Talmud?
The explanation of the Torah by the rabbis “ oral law “
What is the Torah?
The written law
What is the Tenakh?
The Jewish Bible
What are the Orthodox and Reform beleifs about God as Creator
Orthodox : God litterely made the world in 6 days
Reform : God created the wold using the Big Bang and evolution
What is a quote from the Shema?
” The Lord alone “
What is a quote about God the creato?
” I form light and create darkness “
What is a quote about Reform Jews about the Messiah?
” Nations will never go to war again “
What is a quote about God’s covenant with Abraham
” I give this land to you and your offspring forever “
What is a quote from 3 moral principles
” You shall love your fellow as yourself “
