SECTION 1 JUDAISM- TOPIC 2.1.1 THE NATURE OF THE ALMIGHTY Flashcards
What are the Jewish scriptures are known as?
Tenakh
What are the three divisions of the Tenakh?
Torah (the law book/books of Moses) TE
Nevi’im (the books of the prophets) NA
Ketuvim (the books of the writings) KH
Nature of the Almighty?
4
Judge
Lawgiver
Creator
One
God is one
clear teaching of the Jewish scriptures that the most important characteristic of God is his oneness.
Judaism teaches strict monotheism
SOWAA FOR GOD IS ONE
Torah
“there is no other besides me”
the shema begins with the words
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one”
The importance of belief in God’s oneness
-Jewish people have a container holding the shema on their gates and doorframes of each room in the house other than bathrooms and toilets called the MEZUZAH
should kiss their fingers and touch them to the mezuzah
expressing their love and respect for God and his commandments and reminding themselves of his oneness
-Jewish men bind tefillin (leather boxes containing the shema) to their foreheads and arms when they pray every morning.
-Judaism teaches the unity of creation and the need for people to try to bring unity to society.
God the creator
As well as the Torah beginning by referring to God the creator,
the concept of God the Creator is first of the Thirteen Principles of Faith set out by Maimonides,
The Torah teaches that because God is the creator everything belongs to him: the universe and everything in it comes from God and therefore depends on God. However, the key teaching of the Torah is that God’s creation is good. Genesis 1 states after each day of creation, ‘and God saw that it was good’
SOWAA FOR GOD THE CREATOR
very first words of the Torah:
“God created the heaven and the earth”
Genesis 1 states after each day of creation
“God saw all he had made and indeed it was very good”
The importance of belief in God as Creator
-Creation is a gift from God and Jews must therefore look after the earth in the way in which God intended.
-Since God created the universe and all the things in it, life has a meaning and purpose given to it by God.
-God’s creation is good and so should be respected, which is why Jewish people care for the environment.
God the law-giver
The Torah teaches that as well as being the Creator and the One, God is the great law-giver.
Torah teaches that God gave laws to help people look after the earth in the way he wanted.
The laws of the Torah are part of the covenant with Moses, which is the basis of Judaism.
The fact that God is a law-giver means that he cares about his creation and so cares about humans, which gives Jews security and helps them in their relationship with creation.
The importance of belief in God as law-giver
Torah teaches that God gave laws to help people look after the earth in the way he wanted.
The laws of the Torah are part of the covenant with Moses, which is the basis of Judaism.
The fact that God is a law-giver means that he cares about his creation and so cares about humans, which gives Jews security and helps them in their relationship with creation.
SOWAA FOR GOD THE LAW GIVER
Some of these laws were given to Noah as part of God’s covenant with Noah
others were given to Abraham as part of God’s covenant
God then gave all 613 commands (mitzvot)
of the Jewish law to Moses for him to give to the people.
laws given so if they follow, “you will live long in the land”
SOWAA FOR GOD THE LAW GIVER
Some of these laws were given to Noah as part of God’s covenant with Noah
others were given to Abraham as part of God’s covenant
God then gave all 613 commands (mitzvot)
of the Jewish law to Moses for him to give to the people.
laws given so if they follow, “you will live long in the land”
God the judge
This is the divine law of Judaism, and any divine law requires a divine judge.
Tenakh seems to connect this time of justice and judgement with the coming of the Messianic Age
SOWAA FOR GOD THE JUDGE
“but with righteousness he will judge”
“For the Lord is our judge”
13 PRINCIPLES
‘I believe with perfect faith that God rewards those who
keep His commandments, and punishes those who
transgress Him.’
