Judaism Beliefs Flashcards
What is the torah
Written law (first 5 books e.g. genesis)
What is the Nebi’im
Prophets teachings and lives of the prophets, through whom God spoke
What is the ketium
Writings which contain poetry and stories
What does it mean if someone is an orthodox Jew
They strictly follow laws and practices in the torah
What does it mean if someone is a Reform Jew
They believe Jewish laws and practices should be re-interpretated to suit modern life
What is monotheism
The belief that there is only one God
What is a covenant
A solemn promise. God made a covenant with Abraham
What are israelites
Abraham’s followers who accepted his belief about there being one God
What are the Jews
What Abrahams descendents are know as
What is the promised land
Land promised to Abraham and his followers by God
What is Caanan
The name of the land promised to Abraham and his followers
Who do the first 4 commandments refer to
God and man
Who do the last 6 commandments refer to
Man and man
First 4 of the 10 commandments
1.worship no other God
2.do not worship idols
3.do not use God’s name in the wrong way
4.keep the sabbath day holy
Last 6 of the ten commandments
5.honour thy father and mother
6.do not kill
7.do not commit adultery
8.do not steal
9.do not lie
10.do not cheat
What are the mitzvot
The commandments given to the Jews by God
What is a mitzvah
A single commandment
How many mitzvots are there
613
Where were the Jews given the mitzvot
Mount Sinai- Moses had a covenant with God.
What did God and Moses promise at the Sinai covenant
God re-stated his promise that the Jews were his chosen people and Moses promised on behalf of all Jewish people to obey God’s commandments
What are the first 10 of the 613 commandments called
The ten commandments-the most important ones
What was the ark
The place which housed the stone tablets which the commandments were on on the Jews way to the promised land
How were the Jews led to the promise land
There was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night hovering above them which led them to caanan
What did the Jews do with the ark on the way to the promise land whenver they camped
It was placed in a different room, a sacred tent, called the tabernacle where they worshipped God
What is a messiah
Leader of the Jewish people, expected to live on earth. Promised by God repeatedly in the Tenakh.
Why do Jews not believe that Jesus was the Messiah
He didn’t see the Jewish laws as important and he wasn’t a great warrior
Difference in Judaism and Christianity
Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah whereas Jews believe the Messiah is yet to come
Orthodox Jewish beliefs on the messiah
-every generation a descendent of King Daivd is born who was the potential to be the messiah
-He will bring about world peace and rule over all humans with kindness and justice
-he will be the ultimate teacher of the Torah (law)
-he will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
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
What will the time period called when there is a messiah
Messianic age
What are the three moral principles
-justice
-healing the world
-kindness to others
What is the meaning of the moral principle justice
Bringing about what is right and fair or making up for a wrong doing
What is the meaning of the moral principle healing the world
Being involved in God’s work to sustain the world
What is the meaning of the moral principle kindness to others
Positive, caring actions that should be shown to all living things
How can the moral principle justice be put into practise
Living their daily lives correctly and following the torah
How can the moral principle healing the world be put into practice
Doing charity work
How can the moral principle kindness to others be put into practice
Encouraging acts of kindness
What is shabat
The Jewish holy day
When is it shabat
Sunset on friday to sunset on saturday
Why is shabat important
It is a day to rest, enjoy family life and worship God it is also a celebration of creation
What is the sanctity of life
The belief that life is sacred and precious as it comes from God
How does the sanctity of life influence Jews
They are against murder, abortion, capital punishment and war.
Two ways Jews can show their belief in the sanctity of life
-Donating blood
-Agreeing for their organs to be donated once they die
What is the Talmud
Jewish book in which rabbis give detailed explanations of the 613 laws.
What is Pikuach Nefesh
It allows Jewish laws to be broken in order to save life. For example driving someone to hospital on shabbat
What is the shema
Jewish prayer which affirms belief in one God
What does God as one mean
-God is single
-God is whole
-God is indivisible
-God is infinite
-God is eternal
-God is beyond the understanding of human
Shema prayer
“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 all your might
Orthodox Jewish beliefs on creation
They believe that God literally made the world in six days-they reject the big bang and evolution
Reform Jews beliefs on creation stories
They believe that they are symbolic and that God created the world through using the big bang and evolution
When do Jews beleive they are judged
- Once a year at Rosh Hashanah
- When they die
What do orthodox Jews believe following the Mitzvot do
Makes it impossible to disobey God
What does God as Shekhinah mean
God can ‘focus his presence’ in certain places (e.g. the synagogue)
How in the bible is shekhinah shown
Forming a pillar of clouds at day and pillar of fire at night to lead the israelites to canaan
