Jewish beliefs Flashcards
1
Q
What are two Jewish beliefs about life after death?
A
- Tenakh does not contain much info about afterlife
- Jews are not too concerned with life after death, they think it is more important to focuss on the present
2
Q
Three Jewish beliefs about Heaven and Sheol
A
- Many Jews believe if they follow the faith correctly = heaven/paradise
- Some believe those who do not go to heaven go to Sheol (a waiting place where souls are cleansed)
- Some believe souls that do not go to heaven cease to exist after a period of time
3
Q
Three Jewish beliefs about judgement and resurrection?
A
- Some Jews believe that they will be judged by God as soon as they die
- Others believe God will judge on the Day of Judgement, after the coming of the Messiah
- Some Jews believe in physical or spirit resurrection, but many do not
4
Q
Explain the Jewish belief that God is one
A
- Single whole, indivisible being
- Everything is created and sustained by one God
- Only being who should be worshipped
- Source of all morality, beliefs, values
5
Q
What is the Shema?
A
An important Jewish prayer that is formed from passages in Deuteronomy and Numbers
6
Q
What does the Shema teach Jews?
A
- We should love and be dedicated to God
- There is one God - single, whole, indivisible, eternal
7
Q
Explain the Jewish belief in the Shekhinah
A
- God focuses his presence in a certain place
- Jews believed that God’s presence (Shekhinah) was focused in the Temple but was destroyed in 70 AD
- Talmud teaches that Shekhinah is brought into a place by doing good things like study, praying and fulfilling the mitzvot
- Connection of God is readily perceivable
8
Q
Explain the Jewish beliefs about God as creator and sustainer
A
- Created the universe with the ability to support life
- Sustains life on earth and provides all the resources needed for life on earth
- God created everything, including evil which is a necessary consequence of free will
- Made the seventh day holy
9
Q
What do different denominations of Judaism believe about creation?
A
- Orthodox believe the events in Genesis literally happened 600 years ago
- Other Jews believe God is the creator but accept the universe is much older and the evolution of life
10
Q
What do Jews believe that God creating the world teaches us about his nature?
A
- Omnipotent
- Omniscient
- Omnipresent
That God is
11
Q
What do Jews believe about free will and evil?
A
- Existence of free will explains why world’s resources are distributed unevenly
- Existence of evil considered to be a consequence of good will
- Jews who exercise good will are helping to fulfill God’s plan for his creation
- “I am the Lord and there is none else, I form light and darkness”
12
Q
What do Jews believe about God as Lawgiver?
A
- Gave the Jews 613 mitzvot (laws)
- He expects people to follow to help them love/love each other/teach them how to behave
- First ten mitzvot are the Ten Commandments which form the foundation for all other mitzvot
13
Q
What do Jews believe about God as Judge?
A
- Judges people on how well they follow the laws he gave
- Judgements are considered to be merciful (fair)
- Judged during Rosh Hashanah and after death
14
Q
What the the origins of the Messiah?
A
- The word ‘Messiah’ refers to the kings of Israel
- First king of Israel was Saul (11th century BCE)
- Saul anointed with oil by Samuel to how he was chosen by God to rule over the Jews
- Word ‘Messiah’ used to refer to a future leader of the Jews
- New leader expected to be a future King of Israel, descendant of King David
15
Q
What do Orthodox Jews believe about the Messiah?
A
- Will be a descendant of King David
- Will bring world peace and unite humanity
- Will rule over humanity with justice and kindness
- Will gather Jews back to Israel and rebuild Temple
16
Q
What do Reform Jews believe about the Messiah/Messianic age?
A
- It is a metaphor, not a literal person
- Believe in a future Messianic age, achieved through people working together to achieve peace
17
Q
What contrasting beliefs do Christians hold about the Messiah?
A
- Believe Jesus was the Messiah because his death led to humanity’s salvation
- Established Kingdom of God
18
Q
Why do Jews disagree with Christian beliefs about the Messiah?
A
- Believe he did not fulfil expectations Jews have for the Messiah
- Did not observe Torah strictly enough and establish the Messianic age
19
Q
How does the 10 Commandments influence Jews today?
A
- Foundation of Jewish law helps Jews to have a good relationship and with others
- Reason why Jews believe they are God’s chosen people
20
Q
Summarise the story of Abraham
A
- Abraham born in the city of Ur (19th or 20th century BCE)
- At the time many people worshipped idols of many different gods
- Abraham convinced only one God who created everything, and that worshipping idols was wrong
- Tried to convince people of Ur to stop worshipping idols to little success
- Abraham and his family left Ur for Canaan
- Before Canaan, they settled at Haran in Northern Mesopotamia
- Many years later, God told Abraham to continue journey to Canaan, promising to make a great nation through him
- God told Abraham “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you”
- Once Abraham and Sarah reached Canaan, God told Abraham, “I give all the land that you see to you and your offspring forever” - known as the Promised Land
21
Q
What is a covenant?
A
An agreement between God and a person (made on behalf of rest of the Jews)
22
Q
What did God promise?
A
To make Abraham a father of many nations
23
Q
What was required of Abraham?
A
Follow God’s teachings
24
Q
How was the covenant sealed?
A
By Abraham being circumcised and agreeing to circumcise all males in his household
25
How did God keep his side of the covenant?
Giving Abraham a child
26
What are the key moral principles of Judaism?
- Justice
- Healing the world
- Kindness to others
27
What is justice and what do Jews to show it?
- Bringing about what is right and what is fair/making up for wrongs that have been committed
- A sacred duty
- Never ignore suffering of others and that they have a duty to what is right and wrong in the world
- Give 10% of income to charity
28
What do Jews believe about healing the world and how do they do it?
- Being involved in God's work to sustain the world
- Believe that God requires humanity to complete the work of creating a world that is whole
- Believe that people should try to repair all that is broken about society by social justice
29
What do Jews believe about kindness to others and how do they show it?
- Positive caring actions that should be shown to all living things
- Shown by visiting the sick, comforting people in mourning, providing appropriate burial for the dead, throwing a wedding
- Done with body as well as money, for the rich as well as the poor, and for the dead as well as the living
30
What do Jews believe about free will?
- God has given them the free will to make their own choices
- Does not mean people can do whatever they want without consequences
31
What is a mitzvah and how many are there in the Torah?
Jewish rule or commandment, 613
32
Why are the mitzvot important to Jews?
Give guidance to Jews on how to use their free will
33
What is meant by mitzvot between man and God?
- Tell Jews how to improve their relationship with God
- Cover worship, sacrifice and the importance of festivals
- Most important are first four of the Ten Commandments
- 1st - Jews to worship no other Gods, 4th - remember God every Shabbat
34
What is meant by mitzvot between man and man?
- Tell Jews how to improve relationship with other people
- Torah teaches Jews to show love towards other people so that they can show their love for God
- Cover treatment of workers and how to settle disputes
- Help Jews to live as members of their faith and community in a way that pleases God
35
Summarise the life of Moses in six bullet points
- Jews were enslaved in Egypt
- God chose Moses to lead their escape so they could finally return Canaan
- God sent plagues to Egypt and Pharoah finally agrees to allow the slaves to go
- Jews wandered in the desert for many years
- At Mount Sinai, Moses went up and was given the Ten Commandments which Moses carried down to the Jews
- Two tablets of stone
36
What are the Ten Commandments?
Form foundation of Jewish law
37
What are the Ten Commandments important in Judaism?
- Basis of covenant
- God agreed to protect the Jews/be their God and in return the Jews would have to obey his laws
38
What do Jews believe about the Sanctity of Life?
- Life is holy and should be protected because God 'breathed life into Adam'
- Only God has the right to take life away
- Life was created by God
- Preserving life is a duty and should not quicken a person's death
39
The Sanctity of Life means that Jews do not agree with...
- Active euthanasia
- Murder
40
Quote relating to the Sanctity of Life?
"He who destroys one soul of a human being, the scripture considers him as if he should destroy a whole world"
41
What is pikuach nefesh?
The obligation to save a life
42
What does pickuach nefesh mean Jews can do?
Break Jewish law
43
Examples of pikuach nefesh in action?
- Working on Shabbat to save a life
- Putting out a fire
