Jewish Beliefs

Question 1

What does God of one mean?

Answer 1

The belief that god is:

• single, whole, indivisble being
• God is the only one that should be praised and worshipped
• everything has been sustained and created by one god
• God is the source of all jewish morality, beliefs and values

It influences how jews see the world

Question 2

What is shema?

Answer 2

A jewish prayer that is formed in the passages in Deuteronomy and Numbers. It starts with ‘the Lord is our God, the Lord alone […] love the Lord your God with all your heart’

Question 3

What is the jewish bible called?

Answer 3

Tenakah, the five first sections (five books of moses) is called the Torah. Genisis tells how god created the world and universe in six days.

Question 4

How did God create the world and universe in six days?

Answer 4

God took four days to make the universe fit to support life
God took two days to create all living creatures
God then reseted and made the seventh day holy. This is when jews celebrate Shabbat and reminded of God’s imporatance

Question 5

What do jews believe about creationism?

Answer 5

Orthodox jews belive that Genisis happened 6000 years ago
Reform jews might believe in the big bang and take Genisis less literally

Jews believe that God also sustains the universe and provides all the resources needed for life in earth to survive.

Question 6

What does omnipotent mean?

Answer 6

All powerful

Question 7

What does omniscient mean?

Answer 7

All knowing

Question 8

What does omnipresent mean?

Answer 8

Everywhere at all times

Question 9

Why did God give humans free will?

Answer 9

So they have the choice to do good, making the act of doing good more significant. This means evil has to exist if people are able to choose. Jews exersice free will to improve the balance of resources, so they give to the less fortunate to fulfil God’s plan for his creation.

Question 10

What evidence supports jews’ belief in one God

Answer 10

‘I am the Lord and there is none else […] I the Lord do all these things’

Question 11

What is the mitzvot?

Answer 11

613 laws in the Torah that jews have to follow. The first ten form the ten commandments and they form the foundation for the other mitzvot.

Question 12

When does God judge people?

Answer 12

During the festival of Rosh Hanshanah

Judged after death

Question 13

What is the Shekhinah?

Answer 13

The presence of God on earth. The Tabernacle was the house of divine presence of God, a portable house of God essentially.

‘I behold my lord seated on a high and lofty throne’

Question 14

How did God show himself on jews’ journey to Canaan?

Answer 14

In a pillar of fire (at night) or a cloud (daytime)

Question 15

Why are jews not that concerned about life after death?

Answer 15

They believe the present is more imporant and they want to be leading a life pleasing to God.

Question 16

What do jews believe about Heaven and Sheol?

Answer 16

Many believe that they would go to heaven or paradise (Gan Eden) after they die. There is no clear teaching about it, but it is considered a place where people are with God.
Some belive that people who do not go to heaven go to Sheol to get their soul cleansed. They do not believe in a place of eternal punishment.

Question 17

What do jews believe about judgement and resurrection?

Answer 17

Some jews believe they will be judged as soon as they die. This is supported by ‘And the lifebreath returns to God’

Others believe that God will judge you on the day of judgement. This is supported by ‘Many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake’

Question 18

What are the Origins of the Messaih?

Answer 18

It refered to the kings of Israel
Now it refers to a future leader of the jews and they are expected to be the future leader of Israel - a descendent of King David

Question 19

What is the nature of the Messiah?

Answer 19

Jews believe that he will be expected to lead the jews during the messianic age, a time of future global peace and harmony, when everyone would want to become closer to God.

Orthodox jews believe that there is a descendent of King David in every generation who has the potential to become the Messiah. This person will be directed by God to become the Messiah.

Question 20

What do reform jews believe about the messiah?

Answer 20

They believe it will not be a singluar person but a time when everyone will work together rather than the leadership of one person. They still believe in the messianic age.

Question 21

When and where was Abraham born?

Answer 21

Probably born in the City of Ur

Borin in the 18-19th century BCE

Question 22

What did Abraham believe?

Answer 22

That there was one god (monothestic religion) and worshiping idols was wrong.

Question 23

What did God say to Abram?

Answer 23

‘I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you…’

Question 24

What is the promised land?

Answer 24

Land where jews can freely live.

‘I give all the land that you see to you and your offspring forever’

Question 25

What was the covenant (agreement between God and a person) with Abraham?

Answer 25

To make Abraham the father of many nations. Circumsision made sure the covenant was sealled.

Question 26

What are the 10 commandments?

Answer 26

2 tablets of stone that had laws on them.

Question 27

When were the 10 commandments given?

Answer 27

After the jews escaped from slavery in Egypt

Question 28

Why were the 10 commandments important?

Answer 28

They gave guidance on how to have a good relationship with God and eachother.

They formed the covenant at Sinai. This covenant between God and the jews were agreed at mount Sinai under the following terms:

• God would protect the jews from harm be their God
• Jews would have to obey his laws (all the laws in the Torah)

This is why they believe they are the chosen people of God.

Question 29

What is justice in Jewdaism?

Answer 29

It refers to bringing about what is right and fair, according to the law, or making up for a wrong that has been committed
It is a sacred juty for jews
Torah gives guidance on how to treat the poor and vunrable
Jews believe that the Torah teaches people about justice and mercy

Question 30

Why is healing the world an important concept in Jewdaism.

Answer 30

It involves taking actions to help God’s work in sustaining the world
Jews could heal the world by supporting a charity, helping those living in poverty
Some jews believe it includes obeying the mitzvot and becoming closer to God.

Question 31

Why is kindness to others important in Jewdaism?

Answer 31

Many of the laws in the Torah give guidance to Jews on how to be kind to others
The torah teaches that they should love eachother as they love themselves

‘Love your fellow as yourself’ and ‘you shall love him as yourself’

Question 32

What is the Sanctity of life?

Answer 32

It means that jews shall not do anything to quicken a person’s natural death. This means murder is wrong.
Some people think that people suffering should be left to die so they dont suffer, like a sick patient if they are in great pain.
‘He who destroys one soul of a human being […] he should destroy a whole world’

Question 33

What is pikuach nefesh?

Answer 33

The belief that Jews should save a persons life even if they break jewish laws. It emphisises how important a human life is to jews, it puts human life above jewish law.

For example: They arent allowed to do any work on Shabbat. A person in the profession in the medical field are allowed to break that law if they are going to save a person’s life.

Question 34

Why is free will important in Jewdaism?

Answer 34

Good actions lead to a life of fulfilment. They bring jews closer to God and ensure they are judged favourably by him.
Bad actions will not bring people closer to God.

In Genisis 3, Adam and Eve use their free will to disobey God. As a result, they are banished from Eden. The moral of the story is that using your free will against God can have serious consequenes.

Question 35

Why is mitzvot important to Jewdaism?

Answer 35

It gives guidance to Jews on how to use their free will correctly.
Mitzvot can be divided into 2 catergories: between man and God, between man and man.

Question 36

What is the Mitzvot between man and God about?

Answer 36

Tell jews how they can improve their relationship with God

Cover areas such as worship, sacrifice, and the observance of festivals

Question 37

What is the Mitzvot between man and man about?

Answer 37

They tell jews how to imporve their relationship with other people
Torah teaches jews should allow love towards other people
It covers areas such as the treatment of workers and how to settle disputes
They help jews to live as members of their faith and community in a way that pleases God

Question 38

What are the three moral principles?

Answer 38

Kindness to others

I forgot the rest