TOPIC 3:JUDAISM BELIEFS Flashcards
Meaning of God as one (4 bits)
God is a single,whole, indivisble being
God is only being that should be praised and worshipped
God is the sourcee of all jewish morality beliefs and values
Everything in the universe has been created by God and is sutained by this God
The shema (deuteronomy 6:4-5)
‘Hear, O isreal! The lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might
Why do isreals write G-d instead of God
Because you may disprecting God and erasing / disrepecting his name
What is the tenakh
Jewish bible
What is the torah
The first section of the tenakh- first five books
How did god create the world in judaism (7 days)
Four days to make thr universe fit to support life
2 days to create all living creatures
And on 7th day he rested (known as shabbat now)
What is shabbat
When god rested on the 7th day he made it holy. Jews now celebrate thi sday to remind themselves of Gods importance and role of a creator.
When is shabbat celebrated
Sunset on friday to sunset on saturday
Beliefs from denominations on creation
Ultra orthodox and orthodox believe that genesis actually happened
However reform jews interpret genesis creation story less literally but still think god as creator but accept universs is much older and life has evolved over many years
God as sustainer
Jews believe god sustains the universe. By providing all the resources needed for life on earth to survive
Jews believe god is (omni…)
Omnipotent-all powerful
Omniscient-all knowing
Omnipresent-everywhere at all times
Evil and free will
God gave free will as he wanrs people to choose to do good. Making the acts of good more signifcant
However in orde to exericise free will must be a choice between good and bad
Meaning evil has to exist
What are the mitzvot
613 laws in the torah what teach people how they should behave forming the basis of halakah the code of conduct for jewish life
Ten commandments (judaisim)
The first ten mitzvot- given to moses- very important as they form foundation of all other mitzvot
Jewish beliefs about God as judge
Believe god judges them in how well they follow laws based on their actions behaviour and beliefs. Thesejudgements are considered to be fair and tempred by loving and mericful nature.
When does God judge jews
Rosh hashanah(new year)- when god judges people for their actions over the past year and decides what the coming year will bring
Judged afte death, when god determines how they will spend the afterlife
What is the shekinah (the divine presence)
The presence of God on earth
What is the tabernacle
In early judaism this house the divine presence of god. It was a portable temple in a tent what the jews carried with them through the desert
What happened to the taberncale after
After canaan conquered. The taberncale replaced by solomons temple. This was the centre of jewish worshop at the time. With several prophets experincing the presence of God
Isiah 6:1-2 and meaning
” i beheld my lord seated on a high and lofty throne” - referencing Gods presence in the temple
Heaven in judaism (Gan eden)
Many belive if they follow their faith correctly they will go to heaven or paridise(Gan eden)
What is gan eden like
No clear teaching about it and how it is like. But considered a place where people are with God but not known if it’s a state of consciousness or a physical or spirtual place.
Sheol
Some jews believe that people who don’t enter heaven go to sheol. A place of waiting where souls are cleansed. But don’t believ in a place of eternal punishment
Beliefs on resurection
Some believe they will resurected physically or spiritually, but many don’t
Which Quote supports the belief ofnjudgement as soon as they die(Ecc…)
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Quote supporting judgement on day of judgement ( when messiah comes)
Daniel 12:2
Many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake some to eternal life others fo reproaches to everlasting abhorrence
Origins of the messiah
‘Messiah’ orignally used in tenakh to refer to kings of isreal.
The first king of isreal was saul and just before he was king prophet samuel annointed him with oil to show he was chosen by God ro rule.
The word messiah means the annointed one
Today the messiah is used to refer a future leader of the jews, and this leader expected to be a descendent of sauls successor- king david
Orthodox jews belief on messiah
Believe that there is a descendent of king david in every generation who has the potential to become the messiah.
Reform jews belief on messiah
They reject idea of a messiah but believe in a future messianic age and believe this will be achievd by everyone working together to create world peace
Story of abraham + promised land
Abraham born in ur- people worhsipped statues of many Gods
Abaraham was convinced only one God who created everything.
He tryed to convice ur to stop worshipping idols but had little sucess
Abraham and wife sarah left ur to canaan But before that they settled in haran in mesopotamia
Many years later God told abraham to continue journey to canaan and promised a great nation
When they reached canaan God told him he gave him the promised land
What quote states Gods promise to abraham
Genesis 12:1-2
Genesis 13:15 2nd promise to abraham
’ i give all the land that you see to you and your offspring forever.
What’s a covenant
An agreeement bewteen God and an indivudal person on behalf of others
What did god promise abraham in the covenant
To make abraham father of many nations
What was required of abraham in the covenant
To agree to ‘walk in my Gods ways and be blameless (genesis 17:1)
How was abrahams covenant sealed (2 ways)
Through the actions of circumcision
Abrahm accepetd by being circumised and all the males in his Hosuehold
2 ways in how God keep his side of the covenant with abraham
Made abraham father of many nations
God made sarah to concieve despite she was very old. She gave birth to son isaac, Whos’s birth was a gift and marked the start of the covenant
Escape from egypt story (moses)
400 years after covenant with abraham jews were ensalved in egypt. God chose moses to lead escape. He asked moses to ask pharoah to release jews. He refused so God sent 10 plagues eventually the pharoah agreed. For a number of years the jews wandered in the desert near sinai.
What were ten commandments
- You shall have no other god besides me
- You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image
- You shall not swear falsely by the name of the Lord
- Keep the sabbath day holy
- Honour your father and your mother
6 you shall not murder - You shall not commit adulutery
- You shall not steal
- You shall not bear false witness against yout neighbour
- You shall not covet(jealous)
Signifcance of 10 commandments
Form foundation of jewish law and gives jews important guidanxe on how to have good relationship with god.
Terms agreed by moses and god in the Covenant at mount sinai
God would protect jews from harm and be their God
Also jews would obey Gods laws
This is why jews believe they are chosen poeple of god
Sanctity of life
Life is holy and prescious as it comes from God meaning God should only end and begin life and that all life should be preserved and protected
What is the talmud
A jewish book where rabbis give detailed explanations of 613 mitzvot
Pikuach nefesh explained
Allows jews to break a law in order to save lifes what are in pain/danger. Enabling them to drive to a hospital on shabbt. And also to resuce a child in the sea or putting out a fire
Three moral principled
Justice
Healing the world
Kidness to others
Justice
Brining about what is right and fair according to the law or making up for a wromg that has been commited
Pursing justice is a very sacred duty. For example in micah 6:8 prophet micah states god requires people to justice and love goodness
Also the laws in the roah give guidanxe to jews on how to treat the poor and vunerable and to help achieve justice
Healing the world
An important concept involving taking actions to help God’s work in sustaining the world
Many jews help to heal the world by contributing to social jusrice or by protecting the enviroment maybe volunteer for charity like world jewish relief.
Also jews believe in obeying the mitzvot and becoming closer to God to obey healing the world
Kindness to others
Jews aim to show kindness by showing positive caring actions towards all living things. Also the torah fives guoidsnce to jews on how to be kind to others.example in levicitus 19
Quote for kindness to others (levcitus 19:18)
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as your self”.
Talmud quote on sanctity of life
He who saves one life saves the whole world
Reason 1 for being a good jew for reading bible
It contains all 613 jewish laws which give guidance on how to live life
Reason 2 for being a good jew for reading bible
It contains the torah saying how the world was made and whos responsible for everything around them
Reason 3 for being a good jew for reading bible
Its the word of god and directly from god so you are disrespecting god and disregarding his own word and describes the origins of the religion and humans and the world
Final reason for being a good jew for reading bible
As the book says we should behave as god would want us and he would like us to read to learn more and be less ignorant and strive to be more like god
