Judaism Flashcards
Bat mitzvah
A rite of passage which marks the coming of maturity for a Jewish girl, so that under Jewish law they are autonomous individuals. A girl becomes bat mitzvah when she is 12 years old.
Covenant
A series of agreements recorded in the Hebrew Bible between God and the people of Israel.
The Covenant lies at the heart of the Jewish religion because
it the living expression of the relationship between God and the people of Israel.
Covenant of circumcision
his refers to the covenant between God and Abraham following the birth of Ishmael where God reaffirms the promise that Abraham will be the ancestor of a great nation and that his descendants will live in the land of Canaan. Abraham and his descendants are required to walk in the presence of God and be blameless in order to receive God’s blessing. Circumcision (brit milah) is to be the sign of this covenant.
Halakhah
Refers to the devotion or attachment to God.
Halakhah The Hebrew term for “walking’” refers to the collective body of Jewish rabbinic law, custom and tradition. The halakhah is the legal component of the Talmud, which is comprised of the rules and laws for living.
Messiah
A term that means the “anointed one” is typically used to refer to the anticipated saviour and liberator of the Jewish people.
Patriarchs
he Patriarchs of Judaism refer to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Passover
(also known as Pesach) Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus and the liberation from slavery. The name is derived from the “passing over” of the holy spirit over the Hebrew households when the tenth plague caused the death of the first born.
Promised Land
Refers to the land of Canaan, which in modern times refers to the State of Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Sinai covenant
This refers to the covenant made between Moses and God on Mount Sinai, where Moses receives the Ten Commandments.
Sinai law
Also known as the Law of Moses refers to the Ten Commandments which were given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.
Abraham’s 1st Encounter with god
God promises Abraham that:
He will become the head of a great nation.
God will provide him with a land of his own, the Promised Land of Canaan. God then instructs him to leave his own territory in southern Mesopotamia.
Abraham’s 2nd Encounter with god
In Hebron, God promises that:
Abraham’s descendents will be as numerous as the stars, in response to Abraham’s plea for a child from his marriage to Sarah, despite their advanced years.
Abraham’s 3rd Encounter with god
Following the birth of Ishmael, Abraham encounters God again where the promise of descendants is reaffirmed. Abraham is obliged to walk in the presence of God and be blameless. This covenant is known as the covenant of circumcision (brit milah).
Abraham’s 1st Encounter with god
God requests the sacrifice of Isaac, the only son of Abraham and Sarah, and Abraham complies with this command. At the last minute the angel of God intervenes and saves Isaac from death. God reaffirms the dual promise of descendants and land in response to Abraham’s fidelity.
Abraham’s 4th Encounter with god
God requests the sacrifice of Isaac, the only son of Abraham and Sarah, and Abraham complies with this command. At the last minute the angel of God intervenes and saves Isaac from death. God reaffirms the dual promise of descendants and land in response to Abraham’s fidelity.
the Covenant with the Patriarchs exrpesses
the intimate relationship between God and the people of Israel that is the cornerstone of Judaism.
How many jews are there
16 Million
Judaism begain
4 thousands years in Israel
The 4 major covenants are
Noah
Abraham
Sinai covenant with Moses following the Exodus.
Covenant with David regarding the Monarchy.
The patriarchs of Judaism are
Abraham and Sarah
Issac and Rebecca
Jacob and Rachel/Leah
Joseph
moses is
not a patriarch but the greatest prophet
Moses’ childhood
He was a Hebrew who grew up in the Egyptian royal court after being adopted by the Pharaoh’s daughter.
The Exodus is
The liberation from slavery, known as the Exodus is a defining and foundational moment in the Jewish tradition and is seen as foundational for the tradition.
Significance of the Exodus
The Hebrews discovered a God who was intimately concerned with their welfare and intervened in their fate by freeing them from oppression.
The decisive factor that differentiates between the different Jewish groupings is
how strictly they apply the halakhah, which is the collective body of Jewish rabbinic law and tradition.
Conservative Judaism
Founded by
Zacharias Frankel in Germany during the 19 the century.
Conservative Jews are still bound to follow the
halakhic laws, even though the Torah is written by divinely inspired human beings.
Consevative Jews believe Halakhah is a product of
the socio-cultural conditions of the time. Hence, it is capable of being reinterpreted in light of changing circumstances.
Orthodox Judaism have
Strict observance of the commandments as they represent the direct will of God.
Orthodox Jews are recognizable by
their distinctive dress which includes long black coats, round black hats, beards and side locks.
Progressive Judaism
Reject concept of divine revelation as a direct dictation of the Tenak by God ie it does not represent the literal word of God.
In progressive Judaism the Torah is
Torah is instructional but not binding in the literal sense
Progressive Judaism
Movement away from
strict halakhic observance.
Progressive Judaism
Movement away from
strict halakhic observance.
God is
One, indivisible, eternal, unique, omnipresent, omnipotent
Principal beliefs
- belief in a single God who is the creator and ruler of the universe
- the concept of a moral law prescribed by God
- The idea of the covenant
Sacred texts and writings
The Hebrew Scriptures
- the hebrew bible
- the Talmud
Core ethical teachings
the commandments of the Torah
The prophetic vision
The book of Proverbs- wisdom, rightousness, purity and generosity of spirit
Human beings are called to imitate
God who rested on the seventh day after creating the world.
Shabbat is significant because:
It reminds the Jewish people of the greatness of God in creating the cosmos.
Reminds the Jewish people of the Covenant between God and the People of Israel which lies at the heart of Judaism (Exodus 31:16).
Shabbat observance is essentially guided by two key commandments:
“Remember the Sabbath day” (Exodus 20:8) which means refraining from all forms of work.
“Keep the Sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:12) which refers to reciting the Kiddush over a cup of wine.
Significance of prohibition from all forms of work -
Acknowledgement that God as the ultimate creator ands reminds the people that creation is a gift from God.
the Shema, principle belief god is one
the Shema, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One”.
God is
one eternal omnipresent omnipotent pure spirit
Moral law prescribed by god
a code of ethics which is intended to guide them in relation to ethical decision making in keeping with their dignity as God’s creation.
The theme of liberation from oppression, as drawn from the events of the Exodus underpins
the moral code provided by God.
What are the 3 sections of the Tenak
Torah, Nevi’im Ketuvim
Torah is the most important part of the Tenak because
it contains the expression of the Covenant between God and the people of Israel
Torah
teaching- 5 books
Nevi’im
prophets - 8 books
Ketuvim
writings- 11 books
The Tulmud or Oral Torah help
interpretation and application of laws to everyday life
God promises that Abraham will become
“the father of a host of nations” (Genesis 17:4).
