Judaism & Jewish Beliefs

Question 1

What do Jews believe about God?

Answer 1

God is:
-Creator
-One
-Lawgiver
-Judge

Question 2

Explain God as Creator.
What is this belief? Why do they believe this? Effect on Jewish peoples’ actions

Answer 2

What?
God created the universe out of nothing, this is also known as creation ex-nihilo.

Why?
The opening lines of the Torah states that ex-nihilo means “creation out of nothing”.

Effect
Jews do not question whether creation is good or bad because they believe God is omni-scient (all knowing) and created the world perfectly, all planned out.

Question 3

Explain God as One:
What is this belief? Why do Jews believe this? Effect on Jews

Answer 3

What?
Jews believe in only one God, they are monotheists.

Why?
This belief is evident as in synagogues (Jewish place of worhsip) do not contain any statues as they believe this breaks one of the Ten Commandments, “do not worship false idols.” God alone should be only worshipped
Also because in the Shema (the prayer outlining Jewish beliefs) states that there is only one God. “the Lord is One and Only.”

Effect
Because of this they say the Shema prayer every day