Religion: Paper 2, Units 7-8 Flashcards

1
Q

(Judaism) what is the nature of God?

A

The almighty is

  • one, ‘Hashem is the one and only’ The Shema
  • creator ‘Hashem formed a man of dust from the ground’ Genesis
  • lawgiver and judge ‘Hashem is our judge. Hashem is our lawgiver’ Isaiah

He has many names.

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2
Q

(Judaism) what are the three groups of Judaism?

A

Orthodox: Torah is literal word of God, believe in tradition. Hassidic is extreme orthodox.
Liberal/Reform/Progressive: Torah is inspired word of God, should be interpreted in modern context.
Secular: not religious, Jewish due to cultural or ethnic heritage

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3
Q

(Judaism) What is the Shekhinah?

A

The divine presence of god within the created world

Felt through study or tenakh and Talmud, and in prayer and worship

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4
Q

(Judaism) What are beliefs on the study of the Tenakh and Talmud (the oral law)

A

To study is an act of worship. Talmud evolved from Rabbis discussing Torah

Jews can study in a Jewish school called a yeshiva. At some Orthodox Yeshiva schools, Torah study is primary focus, some Hassidic Jews even reject secular study entirely

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5
Q

(Judaism) what’s a Minyan

A

Group of 10 adults over age of 13, men only in orthodox tradition

When praying as a minyan, God is present. Kaddish (praise) and Barachu (call to prayer) prayers can I not be said without a minyan

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6
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Messianic age?

A

The time when the messiah will rule

Many Jews feel responsible to actively bring about and prepare the world for this age

Orthodox: messianic age is when messiah is ruling world.
Reform and liberal: focus is on the age itself, not the messiah

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7
Q

(Judaism) who’s the messiah

A

Anointed one, marker for greatness. Will become King of Israel in the End of Days (messianic age)

‘He will administer justice and righteousness’ Jeremiah 23:5-6

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8
Q

(Judaism) what’s a covenant?

A

An everlasting agreement between God and man

‘Brit olam’ means everlasting covenant

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9
Q

(Judaism) outline Moses’ covenant

A

Moses ran away from home after discovering he’s a Jew. God spoke to him at the burning bush, sent 10 plagues on Egypt. Pharaoh let Moses and Hebrews out of Egypt. Moses crossed Red Sea whilst being chased by pharaoh. Went to mount Sinai.

Here new covenant given: Jews are chosen people, Ten Commandments given. Don’t follow and you’ll be punished.
Moses then given rest of Torah and Oral Torah, later written as the Talmud. Jews believe every Jewish soul was present at Sinai and agreed to terms of covenant.

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10
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Jewish festival of Shavuot?

A

Yearly festival where the gift of the Torah is celebrated and it commemorates the day God gave the Torah to those at Sinai

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11
Q

(Judaism) State four of the Ten Commandments

A
  • ‘you shall not have God’s before me’
  • ‘you shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain’
  • ‘keep holy the LORD’S Day’
  • ‘honor your father and mother’
  • ‘you shall not kill’
  • ‘you shall not commit adultery’
  • ‘you shall not steal’
  • ‘you shall not bear false witness against your neighbour’
  • ‘you shall not covet your neighbours wife’
  • ‘you shall not covet your neighbours goods’
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12
Q

(Judaism) Outline the Abrahamic covenant

A

Abraham is important because he’s one of the three Patriarchs of Judaism

God promised Abraham land and many descendants, Abraham circumcised himself to seal the covenant. He underwent ten tests, and he and his wife were blessed with a child called Isaac, who’s son Jacob fathered 12 sons who established the 12 tribes of Israel

Parts of this covenant are yet to be fulfilled today. The land of Israel is the promised land, but isn’t currently under Jewish control.

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13
Q

(Judaism) What is Pikuach Nefesh

A

The belief that life is god given, so most Jewish laws can be broken to save a life

Talmud says all people are descended from a single person, so to take a life is like destroying the world

‘So God created man in his image’ Genesis 1:27

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14
Q

(Judaism) What are Orthodox and reform/liberal views on abortion and organ donation

A

Orthodox: abortion should only happen to save a mother’s life, organ donation is okay if it doesn’t endanger the donor/donor already dead

Reform/Liberal: abortion allows wider circumstances to be considered eg social and medical issues. Organ donation usually permitted in most circumstances

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15
Q

(Judaism) What’s a Mitzvot? What’s a Mitzvah?

A

Commandments that guide action, the 613 laws in the Torah.

A Mitzvah is a good deed

‘I present before you today a blessing and a curse’ Deuteronomy

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16
Q

(Judaism) what’s the Halakhah? What are some divergent beliefs on it?

A

The list of Mitzvot that guide Jewish life. Teaches Jews how to perform or fulfil the Mitzvot

The Mitzvot form part of the covenant between Jewish people and God, there’s a punishment for not following them.

Orthodox: Halakhah given orally on Sinai and written In Torah
Reform: Halakhah evolves through the generations and Mitzvot may have been influenced by culture

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17
Q

(Judaism) What do Jews believe about life after death?

A

General agreement that death is not the end
Some Jews believe in a heaven. Resurrection and reincarnation are traditional Jewish beliefs. Most Jews do not believe in eternal punishment

Orthodox believe the righteous will be resurrected and live in a restored Israel in the Messianic Age

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18
Q

(Judaism) What’s Olam Ha-Ba, what’s Gan Eden, what’s Gehinnom

A

Olam Ha-Ba is ‘The World To Come’, a spiritual afterlife following the physical death
Gan Eden is heaven
Gehinnom is a place for purification of the soul

‘The Spirit returns to God who gave it’ Ecclesiastes 12:7

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19
Q

(Judaism) Outline the two main synagogue services?

A

Shabbat: services take place Friday evening and Saturday morning, reform and liberal focus on these services over daily prayer. The Amidah and Aleinu are expressed.

Daily prayers: if minyan present can say Kaddish, Kedisha (third section of all Amidah recitations) or other prayers linked to Torah. Jews expected to pray three times a day. Orthodox synagogues pray in Hebrew, Reform synagogues use local language

20
Q

(Judaism) what’s the Siddur?

A

The book of daily prayers Jews follow

21
Q

(Judaism) What is the Torah?

A

The most important and holy hook for Jewish people. Contains the law or Moses and forms part of the Tenakh
Torah kept in the Ark in the synagogue

Used and read four times a week in Orthodox synagogues, once a week in Reform Synagogues.

‘If [a man] has acquired words of the Torah, he has attained afterlife’ Perkei Avot 2:8

22
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Tenakh

A

The Hebrew Bible. Shows how Jewish people lived and tried to keep on the right path. Orthodox believe its literal word of God. Reform think it’s inspired

23
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Talmud?

A

The oral tradition.
Made of the Mishnah (core text) and Gemara (Rabbinical analysis). Contains teachings of thousands of people around rabbis, is the source of Jewish legal teaching and decision

Orthodox Tradition say it’s the oral Torah, given to Moses at Sinai and written down 1000 years later
Reform Jews believe its human created, reflecting wisdom of many generations of Jews

24
Q

(Judaism) What is Kashrut, what is Kosher and what is treifah?

A

Kashrut = Jewish food laws: Orthodox Jews uphold them, reform Jews may not.

Refrain from eating pork, meat must be slaughtered in correct way, meat and dairy must not be mixed, must not eat seafood etc

Kosher = food allowed
Treifah = food not allowed 

Kashrut are an opportunity to bring kedusha (holiness) into every day life

25
Q

(Judaism) When do Jews pray throughout the day?

A

Pray three times a day as instructed by God ‘evening, morning, and noon, I supplicate and moan; and He has heard my voice’ Psalm 55:17

Shema often said at night, Modeh ani prayer recited upon waking up to thank God for gifts of life

26
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Shema

A

The most important prayer in Judaism, declares fundamental belief in one God. Recited twice a day in morning and evening services.

‘Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is the One and Only’ Deuteronomy 6:4

27
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Amidah?

A

HaTefillah or ‘the prayer’, known as ‘standing prayer’. Core part of every Jewish service, features three parts that are central to relationship to God: praise, requests and thanks

28
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Tallit, whats the Tefillin, what’s the Mezuzah

A
Tallit = prayer shawl, reminder of the mitzvah in the Torah
Tefillin = Black boxes with leather straps, connects heart and mind to God 
Mezuzah = container attached to door posts in Jewish homes, containing Shema. Reminder of God’s presence
29
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Kaddish

A

Prayer of praise. Used after Rabbi’s teaching or longer version called the Mourner’s Kaddish at a funeral

30
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Barkhu

A

The call to prayer at the start of a synagogue service by the prayer leader

31
Q

(Judaism) What’s the ritual following birth?

A

‘[the mother] may not touch anything sacred’ Leviticus 12:4

Mother cannot enter or touch anything sacred for 7+33 days if birthed boy, double for girl
Mother attends Mikvah (ritual bath of purification) when shes stopped bleeding

32
Q

(Judaism) Describe Brit Milah

A

‘Abraham circumcised his son Isaac at the age of eight days as God had commanded him’ Genesis

Circumcision is universally observed Mitzvot. Performed by religiously trained person known as a mohel.

Orthodox Jews still observe the tradition that the first born male serves the Temple, giving money to a Kohein priest instead of service.

33
Q

(Judaism) What are Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies?

A

Bar Mitzvah - boys age 13. Can lead synagogue service after this, must speak enough Hebrew to read from Torah

Bat Mitzvah - Girls age 12 (13 for liberal)
Will be taught to cook challah (bread for shabbat) and other important preparations in home
Reform allow girls to read from Torah too

34
Q

(Judaism) What do Orthodox and Reform Jews often do when they lose a loved one?

A

Orthodox Jews often tear their clothes when they lose a loved one, as Jacob did in Genesis. Reform Jews may wear a torn black ribbon

35
Q

(Judaism) What are the five periods of Avelut (mourning)

A

1 Aninut - from death to burial, usually 24 hours
2 Shiva - first seven days after burial, stay at home praying, no work done
3 Sheloshim - first 30 days including Shiva to complete mourning, Normal life but no parties
4 Yud-bet chodesh - additional year of mourning for loss of a parent
5 Yahrzeit - anniversary of date of death, yarhzeit candle is lit

36
Q

(Judaism) Describe Jewish funerals

A

Jews usually buried, ideally within 24 hours of death. Candles lit, body never left alone. Body wrapped in linen shroud, men wrapped in a tallit, plain coffins used.
Funeral takes place entirely at cemetery, as synagogue is a place for living. Hands washed once leave ceremony.

37
Q

(Judaism) What is Shabbat

A

One of the Ten Commandments

Friday evening to Saturday evening. Celebrated in home on Friday with a special a meal, celebrated in synagogue Friday evening or Saturday morning

‘On the seventh day He rested and was refreshed’ Exodus 31:17

No work takes place during Shabbat. Food needs careful preparation in advance.

38
Q

(Judaism) What’s the festival of Rosh Hashanah?

A

First day of the Jewish year. Remembers creation story. Orthodox celebrate over two days, Reform over one.
Jews attend synagogue following morning and the shofar (ram’s horn) is blown 100 times

39
Q

(Judaism) What is the festival of Yom Kippur?

A

Day of atonement. Holiest day of year. Jews seek forgiveness from others for any wrong they’ve done them, then ask God for forgiveness. Many fast for 25 hours.

40
Q

(Judaism) Describe the first pilgrim festival; Pesach

A

Pilgrim festivals originally time to visit the Temple. Reminds Jews of Passover, and God’s love for Jews.

All Chametz (food containing wheat, leaven or ‘risen’ food) is removed from house
Lasts 8 days orthodox, 7 reform. Seder meal is symbolic and follows set order . At the end, Jews wish they will celebrate the meal together in Jerusalem next year
41
Q

(Judaism) Describe the second pilgrim festival, Shavuot

A

Celebrates giving of Law on Mount Sinai and the weathers harvest. Marks the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot.
Jews often eat dairy food and decorate synagogue with greenery

42
Q

(Judaism) Describe the third pilgrim festival, Sukkot

A

Happens four days after Yom Kippur. Marks end of summer and start of autumn fruit harvest. Also called the Feast of the Tabernacles. Celebrated for eight days. Jews offer hospitality to others

43
Q

(Judaism) Give three features of Orthodox synagogue design

A
Seating on three sides facing the bimah
Ark on fourth side
Men and women sit separately 
Women cover heads
No music
Men lead services
Face Jerusalem
44
Q

(Judaism) What is the Ark?

A

Area to store Torah scrolls, door or curtain opened when scrolls in use
Reminder of the holy of holies in the temple, which kept scrolls safe

45
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Ner Tamil

A

Eternal light above the ark. Light burns at all times, symbolises gods eternal nature. Requirement in Exodus

46
Q

(Judaism) What’s the Menorah

A

Seven branched candlestick, used in the Temple as the eternal light, requirement in Exodus