Jewish Beliefs And Teachings Flashcards
What is diaspora?
Literally meaning scattered. All the Jews having fled across the word due to persecution
What’s the mezuzah?
Small rectangular object nailed to the doorpost containing a roll of scripture called the shemah
What does the Shemah emphasise
The belief in one god (monotheism)
A quote from the shemah?
“Hear o Israel the lord our god, the lord is one”
How is the tanakh split up?
First 5 is the Torah
Next 19 is nevi’im
Last 11 are the Ketuvim
What is the Torah
Contains 10 commandments
Most sacred part of the tanakh
Laws
Written by Moses
(Genesis, exodus, Deuteronomy)
What is the books of nevi’im?
Books of the prophets
(Joshua, Jeremiah, judges)
Contains moral and ethical guides
What’s the ketuvim about?
Sacred writings
Wisdom
(Psalms, proverbs, job)
Used in worship and personal prayer
Quote for god is omnipotent
“Lord is the greatness and the glory and the majesty”
Quote for omnibenevolence
“But you lord are a compassionate, gracious god”
Quote for omniscience
“You have searched for me lord and know me”
Quote for omnipresence
“Do i not fill this world”
Quote for gos is eternal
“From everlasting to everlasting, you are god”
Orthodox beliefs about “god as the creator”
- take the creation story literally
- neglect any sort of scientific views about the beginning
- follow all 613 to the T
Reform beliefs about “god as the creator”
- takes genesis story symbolically
- big bang started the universe but god was behind it
- story is important but it didn’t happen exactly like that. Not factual.
Orthodox AND reform joint beliefs about “god as the creator”
- god created the world deliberately
- out of love and a reflection of gods plan
- god is behind the creation of the universe somehow regardless of science or him actually doing it
Orthodox beliefs about “god as judge and lawgiver”
- follow everything exactly how it says in the Torah
- miztvot should not be questioned
- ## sabbath is taken very strictly
Reform beliefs about “god as judge and lawgiver”
- not all the laws are relevant to todays society
- they decide what they should keep and what they shouldn’t follow
- mitzvot applied more to the time that it was written of moses and not to the modern world
Orthodox AND reform joint beliefs about “god as judge and lawgiver”
- calls these laws mitzvot
- given to Moses by god on mount Sinai
- most important ones are the 10 commandments
- god is omniscient
- important tor follow them
What is the shekinah?
Divine presence of god (omnipresence)
Examples of the shekinah
- Moses and the burning bush
- pillar of cloud and fire
- Moses receiving the 10 commandments
Quotes from all three shekinah
“Bring my people, the Israelites out of Egypt” - burning bush
“Guide them on their way” - pillar of cloud and fire
“Keep sacred my decrees and laws” - mount Sinai
What are the three ways the shekinah can be present through
Prayer
Worship
Study
How is the shekinah present through study? + quote
- study of the tanakh
- encourages to connect with god through hard work
- personal and can take place anywhere
“If 2 sit together and the words between them are of the Torah then the shekinah is in their midst”
How is the shekinah present through worship? + quote
- god instructed them to build the tabernacle (portable temple)
- maintains connection with god
- can be personal but can also be a community thing
- temples, synagogues
“They shall make a sanctuary so that i may dwell among them”
How is the shekinah present in prayer?
- Jews can pray alone or as a part of a minyan
- when they pray as a community they believe god is present
- certain prayers such as the Kaddish prayer can only be said with a minyan in the presence of god
- spiritual connection
Why is the shekinah and important belief?
• Represents God’s presence in the world.
• Shows that God is close and involved in human life.
• Linked to important events (e.g. burning bush, the Tabernacle, the Temple).
• Supports belief in God’s immanence (God being near and active).
• Used to explain miracles and divine experiences.
• Gives spiritual meaning to places of worship and study.
• Encourages Jews to live moral, holy lives.
• Connects to belief in the covenant – God dwelling with His people.
• Helps Jews feel God’s love and guidance daily.
What is the problem of evil?
The problem of evil is the challenge of how a good, all-powerful, and all-knowing God can allow evil and suffering to exist.
What is the inconstant triad?
What problems might the problem of evil cause
Causes people to lose faith in god or it might cause them to doubt and question their devotion to god since his omnibenevolence and omnipotence is questioned when evil and suffering exist
What is the story of job (problem of evil)
• Job is a good, faithful man who loves and worships God.
• Satan challenges God, saying Job is only faithful because his life is easy.
• God allows Satan to test Job by taking away his wealth, children, and health.
• Job suffers terribly but does not curse God.
• His friends tell him he must have sinned, but Job insists he is innocent.
• Job questions God, asking why he is suffering.
• God responds by reminding Job of His power and wisdom, showing humans can’t understand everything.
• Job remains faithful, even without clear answers.
• God rewards Job’s faith, restoring his health, wealth, and family double what he had before.
What might Jewish people think in relation to the problem of evil
Even through suffering god will always be merciful and he wont neglect them
It’s just to test their faith which is part of a greater plan
What do reform Jews believe about the problem of evil?
- metaphorical
- suffering is simply just a part of life
- humans don’t understand the way of god
- god has not neglected us
- suffering and evil is character building and helps us to become better people
Orthodox beliefs about the problem of evil
- they take the story off job literally
- suffering is a test made by god
- satan causes our suffering
What are both orthodox and reform beliefs about the problem of evil
- not their place to question gods actions
- gods purpose, it’s beyond our understanding
- god is always merciful to those who endure the suffering
- we should accept the life that god has given us and make the best of it
What is a response to the story of job
God let job suffer even though he was a good man
Not a helpful story because it just shows that’s god made him suffer by taking away everything he loved even though he was the perfect follower
What is a covenant?
Two way promise/agreement
What are religious covenants
Permanent and irrevocable
What were the three important covenants made by god?
Abrahams, Noah’s, and Moses’
What was Abraham’s covenant
Promised him descendants
Blessings and redemption
Land
In return, abe and his descendants have to uphold their faith and be circumcised.
“I will make your name great”
What was Noah’s covenant
Promised to never destroy the world with a flood ever again
What was Moses’ covenant
On mount Sinai
Giving of the law
Priesthood and sacrifices
Ten Commandments
“Land flowing with milk and honey”
“You will have a great nation”
Why is the covenant between abe and god important?
Establishes the foundation of their identity as gods chosen people
Why is the covenant between god and Moses important?
Represents the moment when god revealed the Torah to the Israelites and it established that they are gods chosen people which laid the foundation of Jewish law, ethics and worship
What did Maimonides say about the messiah?
That he will come with his 13 principles of faith
Who is Maimonides?
Wrote important books on Jewish law and philosophy
What do Jewish people believe about the messiah (both re and orth)
- Jesus isn’t the messiah
- descendant of king David, not divine being
- messiah is human
- means anointed one
- messianic age will come
- will solve world problems
- rebuilds the temple in Jerusalem
“The lord our righteous leader”
Orthodox beliefs about the messiah
- will bring about the gathering of the exiles (diaspora) and return to the promised land
- messianic age is very literal
- they believe that the messiah will truly come
“He will gather the exiles of Israel”
Reform beliefs about the messiah
- incentive for them to work harder
- they see the messianic age as a goal rather than waiting
- worl towards it themselves
“With their breath on his lips he will judge the needy”
What is the promised land?
Refers to the land of Canaan (in Israel) which god had promised to abe and his descendants
Orthodox beliefs about the promised land
- modern day Israel is the promised land but it can only be given to them by god so they fight with the Palestine’s over it
- promised land will bring the diaspora back together
- “land flowing with milk and honey”
- “to your offspring i give this land” god to Abe
Reform beliefs about the promised land
- they view the promised land metaphorically and spiritually rather than a literal geographical place
- see it as a symbol of hope and freedom
- “nation shall not lift sword against nation”, emphasises ethical and moral principles
What is Zionism?
The movement to reunite all the Jews that have been scattered and return them to the promised land
(Ultra orthodox reject the idea of Zionism because its human made homeland not gods)
What do ultra orthodox Jews thing about Zionism
Ultra orthodox reject the idea of Zionism because its human made homeland not gods
“The land of Israel is not only important to the Jewish but also for the Arab palestines”
