jewish beliefs - questions Flashcards
What are examples of Shekinah from the Torah?
The Pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire from the Exodus showing how God protects and nurtures his people/ The burning bush when Moses spoke to God showing how Jews have a personal relationship with God as he guides them
Why is Shekinah important today?
Divine presence of God is important for Jews because they mean they have a personal relationship with God/ Many feel that when the candles are lit for Shabbat the presence of God (Shekinah) is welcomed into the home
Why is Abraham important?
Apart from being the father and ‘founder’, he was also chosen by God to establish the Abrahamic covenants of blessing and redemption/ descendants and promise land
What are Orthodox views about the afterlife?
The Hebrew for cemetery translates as the ‘house of life’./ References to Sheol in the Torah have been interpreted by some to refer to a physical place of the afterlife/ Some argue that the resurrection of the dead will occur during the Messianic Age/ God is seen as a Judge of life on Earth.
What are Reform Jewish views about the afterlife?
Many believe that what is important is living a good life now in preparation for the world to come./ There is no point discussing it as the ways of God are not for humans to understand/ No specific teaching in the Torah about the afterlife/ The present life on Earth is considered as important- thus the importance of Pikuach Nefesh.
