Judaism: The Covenant with Moses

Question 1

What is Exodus?

Answer 1

• The most famous event when God opened the Red Sea to let Israelites cross on dry land but brought back the waters to trap the Egyptian army
• When Jews in captivity in Egypt, working as slaves for the Egyptian pharaoh when Moses was called by God to lead his people out of Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan

Question 2

What is the Mosaic Covenant?

Answer 2

• An agreement between God and the Jews given to Moses

- Gave laws on 2 tablets of stone

Question 3

Why is the Mosaic Covenant important?

Answer 3

• The basis of Judaism
• Moses given 613 mitzvot in the Torah which provide the way of life and which separate them from Gentiles
• Jews have duty to keep the mitzvoth as part of their side of the covenant to make them God’s people
• The Tenakh teaches by keeping it, Jews will fulfil their destiny of bringing the whole world to worship God
• Modern Jews division into Orthodox, Reform, Liberal etc. are based on interpretations of how Jews should obey it

Question 4

What is the role of Moses in the covenant?

Answer 4

• He met the Shekinah on Mount Sinai and received the laws directly from God
• Made the covenant with Moses and delivered it to the Jews to explain it to them so that they took the covenant on themselves

Question 5

What are Jews doing by not killing and not stealing?

Answer 5

-Reject violence

Question 6

What are Jews doing by not committing adultery or desiring other peoples partners?

Answer 6

-Promote marriage and family life

Question 7

Why should Jews apply the 10 commandments?

Answer 7

• They will have a good relationship with their neighbours

- Act against all forms of greed and materialism

Question 8

What are the 10 commandments?

Answer 8

• Special as they are commandments to be kept by all Jews

- Different to all 613 mitzvoth because some are only kept by men, women and children

Question 9

What are the divergent attitudes?

Answer 9

• Recited in the early times but stopped as some Jews believed the 10 commandments were more important than other mitzvot
• 10 commandments are heard in synagogue 3 times a year
• Rabbis will remind Jews all 613 are important, not just the first 10