RE Exam content Covenant & Mitzvot Flashcards
What did Abram’s name become and why?
Abram–>Abraham (father of many nations
What is the promised land?
The land of Canaan which God promised to Abraham and his decendants
What is a covenant?
A solemn promise or agreement made between two people/groups- a covenant requires commitments from both sides
Who is Abraham regarded as?
The ‘Father of many nations’ and known as the founder of Judaism
What promises did God make to Abraham?
-Multiplying Abraham’s family and blessing all the families on the Earth
-Giving Abraham the promised land
-He will protect Abraham and be his greatest reward
What was required of Abraham?
-For him to leave his country
-To walk with God, trust him and love him
-To sacrifice his only son
Bible verses from the Covenant between God and Abraham
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you”-Genesis
“I give you all the land that you see to you and your offspring forever”
What do Jews believe about Abraham?
They believe that they are Abraham’s promised descendants –offspring,descendants, promised to all of them
What was the seal of the covenant
circumcision
What was the seal of the covenant (Abraham)?
Abraham proved his acceptance of the covenant by being circumcised himself and by circumcising all of the males in his household
Details on circumcision
“You shall be circumcised through the flesh of your foreskin. This shall be the mark of the covenant between me and you.” (instructed in Genesis 17:12)
Jewish boys are still circumcised today when they are 8 days old as a continuing sign of this covenant
The covenant binds and unties the Jewish people it is a physical mark of the covenant
How is the covenant important for Jews today on Shabbat specifically?
-4th commandment is about observing Shabbat, a day of rest devoted to God-Slaves don’t get a day off, so they should really thank God for this
How does the covenant add importance to Jewish life and identity?
Jews believe that they are Abraham’s descendants, and that they were promised the promised land & must keep the covenant
How does the Jewish law link to the importance of the convent for Jews?
The beginning of the Jewish law comes into being with those commandments and the others that we then find in later parts of the Torah
What are the differing views of the covenant between Orthodox and Reform Jews
For Shabbat, the 4th commandment says “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” - Many orthodox Jews will make preparations so that they do not use or at least switch on electrical equipment during Shabbat
