Section II Judaism Flashcards
Hasidim Background
The Hasidic movement forms a stream within traditional Orthodoxy. It is a revivalist movement that began in Eastern Europe in the 18th Century by the Baal Shem Tov (BeSht).
During the time of the movement, the Jewish community was in a collective state of depression whom faced massacres, programs and annihilation in their home countries. They suffered miserably and many turned to false Messiahs. Hasidim was popular amongst poor and less educated Jew’s who were excluded due to being illiterate. BeSht attended spiritual needs of the poor, uneducated masses, by teachings through simple stories.
Explain the contribution to the development and expression of Judaism of ONE significant person OR school of thought, other than Abraham or Moses, drawn from:
- The Hassidim
- The main idea of Hasidim is to serve G-d with Joy. (Through divine worship)
“The whole world is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:13)
“God desires the heart” (Talmud, Sanhedrin 106b) - these both sum up the BeShT’s main teachings within Hasidim.
Hasidim Contribution to the Development of Judaism
- Significance of the Torah was reduced, emotion over intellect is emphasized.
- Rebbe (Leader of Hasidic groups) He acts as a ladder between man and God, and thus the centre of a Hasidic community, Hasidim expects Rebbes to provide a wide range of services, from blessing a proposed marriage to providing spiritual information & morals. Rebbbe combines the role as a teacher of Judaism and as a charismatic spiritual example.
- Opposes the use of ethical admonishments of punishment, which lacked love and inner spiritual values.
- Hasidim * BeShT - made religion accessible to all.
- Hassisim places greater stress on the joy and enthusiasm of performing mitzvah.
- It is a Charismatic revival to the poor * illiterate.
- BeShT * Hasidim opposes the earlier mystical and ethical ascetic paths of fasting and self-mortification, seeking to serve God by infusing physical activities within new spiritual inspiration.
- Hasidim came to revive the Jews establish themselves financially and lifting their moral and religious observance through its teachings.
- Believed that every detail of life, from getting up in the morning to going to bed at night should be performed in a spirit of joy and worship.
Describe and explain Jewish ethical teachings on bioethics OR environmental ethics OR sexual ethics
Jewish Bioethics is concerned with the morality of the saving, the taking and the giving of life. The Jewish teachings regarding this are grounded in Jewish scripture, both the written (Torah) and oral Torah (Talmud) and all ethical decisions regarding these bioethical issues are based on this Talmudic authority. – everything comes from TEXTS.
The Jewish position on abortion is nuanced, considered necessary under Jewish law and rabbinic teachings in only very limited circumstances, such as threats to the mother’s life or extreme fetal defects. This is because as Jews do not adhere to the belief that life begins at conception, they do not regard the baby as a fully-fledged human with its own rights and privileges until it has been born. One Talmudic authority, the Yevamont 69b, even goes as far to assert that prior to 40 days the fetus is “pure water.” Thus, the baby’s life is considered sub-ordinate to the mother as it is the cause of the mother’s condition, whether directly or indirectly, as stipulated in the Mishnah which maintains “If a woman is having difficulty in giving birth [and her life is in danger], one cuts up the fetus within her womb and extracts it limb by limb, because her life takes precedence over that of the fetus.” “To save a life you can remove it.” In essence, the principles of the sanctity of life ensure adherents acknowledge their responsibility to protect and dignify the life that God the Creator has given, as it was made in “his image and likeness” and therefore holds infinite value. Thus, when bioethical issues such as abortion arise, adherents know they have a responsibility to protect the mother’s life more than the baby’s as the mother is a fully fledged human with its own rights, considered to have more value under Halakhah (Jewish Law).
The Jewish stance on Euthanasia is heavily opposed, as the act of deliberately terminating another individual’s life is a direct violation of the principle of the sanctity of life and the duty to save and prolong life. As the Hebrew Bible asserts in Exodus 20 “Thou shalt not kill” leading Jewish adherents to interpret Euthanasia as morally wrong as it is the deliberate destruction of human life, which is sacred and therefore should be protected and not destroyed as something worthless. This is further supported by Talmudic sources, where the Jerusalem Talmud says “Whoever destroys a single life is regarded as having destroyed the entire world” (6:9) hence elucidating that human life exhibits infinite value as it was created in the image and likeness of God. Thus, this ensures adherents uphold the principles of the sanctity of life in their daily livelihoods by recognizing their responsibility to protect and dignify the life that God the creator has given and acknowledging the infinite value life exhibits, where just because a person is sick and suffering, does not mean their life is any less valuable and that they deserve to die. In essence, Judaism teachings instruct that individuals have a moral duty to prolong life and heal the sick, where adherents should provide proper care and support to a sick person, as aiming to save and prolong this life would be regarded as more respectful rather than assuming someone terminally ill should be given the right to die.
Ultimately, preserving life is of paramount importance in Judaism, to the extent it is of more importance than observing the Sabbath, if non Sabbath observance would mean the saving of life.
Describe ONE significant practice within Judaism drawn from:
– Death and mourning
– Marriage
– Synagogue services
Marriage is a virtually obligatory rite within Judaism, as it is one of the 613 mitzvot which stipulates that all Jews must marry, and encompasses several custom and rites that hold great significance – which can even be adapted to progressive Judaism. While practices may vary, a typical Jewish wedding encompasses a marriage contract (ketubah), a wedding canopy (chuppah), a ring owned by the groom, and the breaking of a glass.
Describe ONE significant practice within Judaism drawn from:
– Death and mourning
– Marriage
– Synagogue services
Marriage is a virtually obligatory rite within Judaism, as it is one of the 613 mitzvot which stipulates that all Jews must marry, and encompasses several custom and rites that hold great significance – which can even be adapted to progressive Judaism. While practices may vary, a typical Jewish wedding encompasses a marriage contract (ketubah), a wedding canopy (chuppah), a ring owned by the groom, and the breaking of a glass.
Demonstrate how this practice expresses the belies of Judaism
The practice of marriage is an innate expression of Jewish core beliefs: such as the belief in the creator God, the importance of honouring the covenant, and the moral law prescribed by God.
Through the ceremony of marriage Jews affirm their belief in the creator of the single God. This is through the seven blessings (Sheva B’rachot) which are a key part of a Jewish wedding ceremony which intended to link the couple to faith in God as Creator of the world, bestower of joy and love, and the ultimate Creator. This is elucidated in the blessings which say “Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, Ruler of the universe, Who has created everything for your glory” and “Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of Human Beings” which further emphasise the Jewish belief of honouring the creator God. In addition, through the process of marriage a new family unit is created with children, and this procreation displays to honour God’s creation of human beings with the creation of more human beings.
The ceremony of marriage is intrinsic to honouring the covenant between God and the Jewish peoples. Jews believe marriage is a contractual bond between husband and wife, a sacred relationship instituted by God. In Jewish marriage, a husband and a wife live in a covenantal relationship with one another and with God. Through this relationship, God’s covenantal promises are fulfilled, as Jewish adherents believe that making a covenant with another human being is part of fulfilling a covenant with God. During the marriage ceremony, the chassan says to his wife, ‘… you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the laws of Moses and Israel.’ The ceremony of marriage acts as a covenant within itself, as it is two people making an agreement with one another. It also involves the ketubah (a contract) which outlines all the duties and responsibilities of the married couple. The ring ceremony is also representative of the covenant, as the very shape is a circle which represents an eternal promise to honour each other with everlasting love and commitment.
The practice of marriage is highly pivotal in honouring the moral law prescribed by God, as marriage is actually one of the 613 mitzvot that all Jews are required to keep as a part of being faithful to the covenant. Men and women are commanded to marry and have children, as it is considered a religious duty and central to Jewish life. In addition, through marriage, children are born, which fulfils the Mitzvot to ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:27) as it is a religious duty for Jews to increase the number of those who will worship God. It is moreover imperative to for Jews to marry other Jews, in order to preserve the Jewish nation, as indicated “ You shall not intermarry with them” (Deuteronomy 7:4). As well as this, Jewish law emphasises that men and women are incomplete beings without a spouse, where the institution of marriage allows them to come together as a single soul. This is reflected in the mitzvot ‘Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.’ (Gen 2:24). Therefore, marriage is important for the physical and emotional unity of husband and wife, where together they become ‘one flesh.’
Analyse the significance of this practice for both the individual and the Jewish community
The practice of Marriage within Judaism is highly significant for both the individual and the entirety of the Jewish community. It is a pivotal feature of Jewish life, as it is essentially one of the 613 mitzvot which stipulates that adherents must marry.
The ritual of marriage is a rite of passage for the individual, where they gain a
new identity,
observe the mitzvot
gain new rights and responsibilities
The act of marriage is highly significant to the individual, where they are able to gain a new identity, observe the mitzvot and receive new rights and responsibilities. Marriage is a divinely sanctioned institution, where in the relationship, an individual is set apart to live with another and with God. As detailed in Genesis 2:24 “a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” This shows the emerging of a new identity, where this rite of passage allows the individual to transition from the single to the married life. Genesis 2:18 states:
‘It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him’, from which Jews understand that marriage and companionship are essential, where the act of marriage completes a person. In addition, marriage is also significant for the individual as they are observing the mitzvot which is imperative in order for the individual to honour the covenant and their relationship with God. As emphasised in Proverbs 18:22 “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives Favor from the Lord.” One of the most significant of these mitzvot is for married people to have children, as stipulated in Genesis 1:27 “Be fruitful and multiply.” The biblical command is said to be fulfilled when the married couple have at least a boy and a girl. As well as this, the institution of marriage brings the married couple with new rights and responsibilities, as outlined in the KETUBAH where they have the responsibility for the other’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Once married, men and women have clear roles within the household, where the home is central to Jewish life. In Orthodox homes, women are expected to dedicate themselves to their family, to know the rules of the kashnut to keep a kosher household, and to prepare the Shabbat meal and the Sabbath. This is indicated in ‘… a wife shall honour her husband exceedingly and shall accept his authority and abide by his wishes in all her activities …’ Maim. Yad, Ishut 15:20. Alternatively, the males are expected to continue their duty to attend Sabbath prayers at the synagogue, to support his wife and protect his family. This is emphasized in Maim. Yad, Ishut 15:19-20 ‘… a man shall honour his wife more than his own self and shall love her as he loves himself, and shall constantly seek to benefit her according to his means.” Therefore, the ritual of marriage is highly pivotal to the individual, as it allows them to gain a new identity as a married person, observe the mitzvot and receive new rights and responsibilities.
It is therefore also of importance for the community where
it strengthens the community through the birth of children
preserves the Jewish nation through the creation of a family unit
a day of celebration for the entirety of the Jewish community as they witness the couple making a spiritual commitment to the faith.
The ceremony of marriage holds immense importance to the Jewish community, as it strengthens the Jewish community, it is a celebration for the community and preserves the faith. The ritual of marriage is highly imperative as through marriage, children are born, which adds adherents to the Jewish community and strengthens the faith. This is significant as due to Judaism not being an evangelistic faith and actively seeking out new members, through birth is primarily the only way the Jewish community can expand and grow. By individuals fulfilling the mitzvot to “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1) they are ultimately preserving the religious and cultural heritage of Judaism, by educating their children in the Torah and Jewish studies
