SECTION 1 JUDAISM- TOPIC 2.1.7 MORAL PRINCIPLES AND THE MITZVOT

Question 1

What else did God give moses on mount sinai apart from the 613 mitzvot?

Answer 1

Oral Torah

Question 2

Oral Torah –

Answer 2

the unwritten Torah given to Moses by God
-explanation of the commandments

Question 3

Halakhah

Answer 3

Jewish law from the Written and Oral Torah

Question 4

Keeping the mitzvot and free will

Answer 4

mitzvot are commandments and therefore not optional

• God has created humans with free will, every person is free to choose whether to do good or evil. In particular,
  they are free to choose whether to obey the mitzvot or ignore them.

BUT regardless they will be judged

Question 5

Why are the mitzvot important for understanding
the relationship between humans and the
Almighty?

Answer 5

mitzvot should be understood at a much deeper spiritual level than simply keeping them day by day

By keeping the mitzvot, Jewish people communicate with God. in hebrew mitzvah=connection

mitzvot are God’s way of reaching out to human beings and helping them to live in the correct way.

Question 6

The importance of the mitzvot for relationships
between people?

Answer 6

-Judaism teaches that through understanding the
mitzvot will come better behaviour, and it is the aim of Judaism to help people behave in the best way possible-as mitzvah were given for the purpose to refine people

-teach the need to respect human dignity. Consequently, it is important to understand these mitzvot in order to understand what they
teach.

-some mitzvot (chukim are given for no purpose) but given by God as a test of faith

Question 7

Chukim

Answer 7

mitzvot with no reason given for them

e.g kosher

Question 8

Why are there different views in Judaism about the
importance of the mitzvot?

Answer 8

The Orthodox view
-mitzvot are particularly important
-right and a wrong way of doing everything.

The Liberal/Reform view
-not as important
-do not regard the mitzvot as coming to Moses directly from God
-personal choice