Judaism Beliefs Flashcards
What is the ‘Jewish Bible called’
the Tenakh
What is the tenakh made up of
- Torah - written law (first 5 books, e.g. Genesis)
- Nebi’im - Prophets e.g. Jeremiah
- Ketuim - Writings e.g. Psalms
What is Talmud
explanation of the Torah by the rabbis
Also called the ‘oral law’
What are the three categories of Jewish belief
- Ultra-Orthodox
- Orthodox Jews
- Reform Jews
What is Ultra-Orthodox
- very strictly follows laws and practices in the Torah
What are Orthodox Jews
-Strictly follows laws and practices in the Torah
What are Reform Jews
- Believes traditional Jewish Laws should be re-interpreted to suit modern life
- Reform Jews tend to follow the spirit of the
law – not the specific laws
What are the 4 beliefs about God
• God has no body (scripture speaks of God’s body just to make him more understandable)
• God is neither male nor female
• Jews refer to G-d using masculine terms
• Jews are forbidden from representing God in a
physical form – it is considered idolatry.
What does Omnipotent mean
God is all powerful
What does Omniscient mean
God is all knowing
What does Omnipresent mean
God is everywhere at
once
What are the characteristics of God
- Creator
- Sustainer
- Judge
- Lawgiver
- The divine presence
God as one means….
- God is a single and whole being
- God is the only one who should be worshipped
- Everything has been created by God
- God is the source of all beliefs
What is the shema
‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord
alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all
your might’
(Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
Why is the Shema important
• Expresses belief in the one God
• Instructs Jews on how they should respond to this
belief in daily life
• It is the word of God
What are the Jewish beliefs on the creation of the world
•Orthodox: God literally made the world in six
days - they reject the Big Bang and evolution
•Reform: God created the world using the Big
Bang and evolution
What are Jewish beliefs on Evil and Free Will
- God created evil but also free will
- Having a choice makes a good act more
significant
What are the Mitzvot
- 613 Jewish Laws
- First 10 are the 10 Commandments
- The first four commandments are between man and God
2. The other six are how to treat others (man and man)
When are Jews Judged
- On death
2. Once a year ( Rosh Hashanah )
What do Jews believe about Heaven
- Most Jews believe in heaven (paradise or Gan Eden). A place
where you are WITH GOD. Whether it is a physical or
spiritual place is unknown.
What do Jews believe about Sheol
- If you don’t enter heaven you go to Sheol where you are
cleansed. No belief in eternal punishment
What are the Orthodox views on the messiah
• In every generation a descendent of King David is born
with the potential to be the Messiah (a person).
• Will bring about world peace
• This is called the Messianic age
• He will be the ultimate teacher of the Torah (law).
• He will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem
What are Reform Jewish beliefs on the messiah
The Messiah will not be a person….
• Instead, there will be a ‘messianic age’
• … a time of global peace and harmony
• Everyone has a duty to work together to
achieve this
Bible teaching on the messianic age
‘Nations shall never again go to war.’
Micah 4:3
What are the 3 moral principles
- Justice: bringing about what is right and fair for a just society.
- Healing the world: charity work - also obeying the mitzvot and prayer
- Kindness to others: the Torah encourages acts of kindness
Bible teachings on kindness to others
You shall love your fellow as yourself
Leviticus 19:34
What is the Sanctity of life
• Life is sacred and holy because it comes from God - God
breathes life into Adam
• As God gives life, only God should end life
• Jews have a duty to preserve life – particularly those of
innocent, vulnerable people
• Jews should not do anything to quicken a person’s natural
death
What is Pikuach nefesh
The Jewish obligation (duty) to save a life even if it
means breaking Jewish laws (e.g. Shabbat)
What is a bible teaching on Pikuach Nefesh
‘He who destroys one soul of a human is considered as if he has destroyed a whole world’. (The Talmud)
What do Jews believe about Shekhinah
Jews believe that G-d can ‘focus his presence’
on earth in certain places. This is the Shekinah (Gods Divine Presence)
What is the tabernacle
- portable structure used while Jews were wandering in the desert
after escaping Egypt but before arriving in the ‘promised land’
What is a Covenant
Solemn promise
What is God’s covenant
• To specially protect and favour the Jews • God gives Abraham the promised land of Canaan (Israel) for the Jews
What is Jews’ covenant
To live a life dedicated
to God
What was Gods covenant with Abraham
- “From now on you must circumcise every baby boy
when he is eight days old….this will show that there is a covenant between you and me’
What is the story of Moses
- Hundreds of years later the Jews are in slavery in Egypt
- Moses (a Hebrew) kills an Egyptian slave driver and flees
- God tells Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery
- Pharaoh releases the Jews… they are free
- Pharaoh refuses to release them – eventually God sends the plagues
- The Israelites wander in the desert for many years on their way to the ‘promised land’ of Canaan – which they eventually reach
- At Mount Sinai God gives Moses the 10 commandments (second
covenant)
what is the the covenant at Sinai
• Given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai
• Moses represents all Jews
• Jews today believe this covenant is STILL BINDING
• It is a major reason Jews believe they are God’s
chosen people… and follow Jewish laws
