Judaism: The Covenant with Abraham

Question 1

What was the nature of the Abrahamic covenant?

Answer 1

• 1000 years before Moses, The Torah says God called Abraham to leave his family in Iraq and travel to Canaan to worship the one true God
• Abraham had no children
• His wife, Sarah offered him her maid
• Had a child called Ishmael but Sarah found it difficult to accept him
• God told Abraham Sarah would have a child in her own age (Isaac)
• Isaac became the heir to the promises
• Abraham and Isaac that God made his covenant of circumcision

Question 2

Why is circumcision important?

Answer 2

• The Torah
• a bodily sign of Israel’s commitment to God should be that a part of the male anatomy which will create the future generations
• men should not be satisfied with his imperfect condition and serve God with every part of their body
• makes a perfect male without the useless foreskin

Question 3

Why do some modern Jews prefer the Mosaic covenant?

Answer 3

• They do not circumcise their children because the Torah prohibits marking or altering the human body
• The Torah does not allow another person to be harmed

Question 4

What is the Abrahamic covenant?

Answer 4

• The promise that God made to Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation
• Abrahams grandson, Jacob had 12 sons, the children of Israel
• In the Torah, the children of Israel are the heirs to the promises made to Abraham and are the ones who are part of the Mosaic Covenant
• the children of Israel are the Jewish people

Question 5

Why is the Abrahamic covenant important for Orthodox Jews?

Answer 5

-most baby boys are circumcised at 8 days old and entails a special Brit Milah ceremony where the father promises to bring up the boy in the Jewish faith and thanks God for circumcision

Question 6

Why is the Abrahamic covenant important for Reform and Liberal Jews?

Answer 6

• choose not to circumcise their sons because they are concerned about medical issues
• reform rabbis have developed a welcoming ceremony called the Brit Shalom
• celebrate the Brit Chayim ceremony for Jewish baby girls
• claims the child as an heir of the Abrahamic covenant and welcomes the into the Jewish faith
• had a right to live in the area that was the ancient Kingdom of Israel as a place of security for all Jews

Question 7

Why is the Abrahamic covenant important for Ultra-Orthodox Jews?

Answer 7

• the return of the promised land will only come with the coming of the Messiah
• rather than supporting Israel, good Jews should be following all the mitzvoth and praying for the coming of the Messiah