Beliefs and teachings Flashcards
(50 cards)
The nature of the almighty
What are the 3 divisions of the TeNaKh?
- Torah
- Nevi’im
- Ketuvium
The nature of the almighty
What are the main Tenakh teachings about God?
- God is One - monotheism
- God is the creator
- God the law giver
- God the judge
The nature of the almighty
What is the significance of the Shema?
basic teaching of the Torah - begins with ‘Hear O Isreal, the Lord our God, the Lord is one’
The nature of the almighty
How is the importance of God’s oneness shown in Judaism?
- Jewish people have a mezuzah holding the Shema on their gates and doorframes
- Men bind a tefflin to their forehead and arm when they pray every morning
- Judaism teaches the unity of creation
The nature of the almighty
How is the belief of God the creator shown?
- first words of the Torah are ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth’
- first out of 13 princibles set out by Maimonides - medieval rabbi
- God’s creation is so good, Jews care for the enviroment
The nature of the almighty
How is God the law giver shown?
- God gave some laws to Noah, Abraham but Moses received all 613 commands (mitzvot)
- the mitzvot form the halakhah - basic of how Jews live their lives today
The nature of the almighty
How is God the judge shown?
- the halkhah is the divine law of Judaism - any divine law requires a divine judge
- means the good will rewarded and the evil punished
The nature of the almighty
Why is the belief of God the judge important?
- people know there will be rewards for those who keep’s God laws
- the good will rewarded and the evil punished
- world is protected from the chaos that would come if there was no way of amking sure that people keep God’s laws
The nature of the almighty
What are some SOWA’s on the the nature of the almighty?
One - Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4
Creator - I believe with perfect faith that God is the creator - 13 principles of faith
Law Giver - Isiah 33, ‘the lord is our Law-Giver’
Judge - Psalm 9 says that God will judge the world in righteousness
Shekhinah
Why is a difficult to describe the word shekhinah?
deliberate
way of describing the Almighty’s presence in the world - attempting to use finite words to describe the infinite source cannot be accurate
Shekhinah
What does Shekhinah mean?
‘the glory of God’
Shekhinah
How does the Torah speak of Shekhinah?
- God’s presence going with Moses to guide him through the wilderness to the promise land
- the Shekhinah as cloud and smoke on Mount Sinai when God gave the commandments
- as fire, this in the burnin bush when the spirit o God appears to Moses
Shekhinah
What are the different understandings of Shekhinah for Jews today?
- some Reform Jews base themselves on the teachings of Maimonides - described the Shekhinah as a light created to be a link between God and the world
- others believe that the Shekhinah simply means God - interchangeable words
- others see at as one of the various ways God is related to the world
Shekhinah
Why is the Shekhinah important for Judaism?
- shows how close God is to humanity
- the Shekhinah being at the Temple, Mount Zion and Jerusalem is what makes them places so special
- believers might come across the Shekhinah at any time
Shekhinah
What are some SOWA’s on Shekhinah?
Exodus 13:21-22: The Shekhinah led the Israelites through the desert as a pillar of cloud and fire Exodus
Messiah
What does Messiah mean?
‘annointed one’
Messiah
What is the purpose of the Messiah?
- rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
- unite all the people of the world
- bring the messianic age when all will live at peace, all nations
- make everyone aware of the presence of God
Messiah
What is the nature of the Messiah?
- human, not a divine being
- a descendant of King David
- a man of great piety
Messiah
What is the Messianic age?
Olam Ha-Ba:
* Nevi’im syas that during this time there’ll be peace among all nations
* All Jewish people will return to Isreal
* The temple will be rebuilt
* The whole world will accept God and Judaism
Messiah
What are the different understandings of the Messiah
- Some Orthodox Rabbis taught that the Messiah will not come until all Jews observe the Mitzvot fully
- Many reform Jews no longer believe in an individual messiah - believe that it is up to individual Jews who will make the world perfect
- Most Orthodox rabbis follow the teach of Maimonides that no one knows except God
Messiah
Why is the belief of the coming of the Messiah important for Jews?
- one of the 13 princibles of faith
- pray for the return of those who were forced to leave at the exile, reward to the righteous
Messiah
What are some SOWA’s on the Messiah?
Isaiah 11:1-2 - Messiah as a descendant of Jesse (King David’s father)
Jeremiah 23:5-6 - Messiah as a righteous, divine king
The covenant at Sinai
Who, where and when made The covenant at Sinai?
Jewish people and God
Mount Sinai
After Moses led the Jewish people out of captivity and were left wondering for 40 years in the Sinai wilderness
The covenant at Sinai
What was the The covenant at Sinai?
Mosaic Covenant
* agreement between God and Jews
* was written on 2 tablets of stone kept in the Ark of the Covenant stored in the temple
* stated that if the Jewish people kept the 613 laws given to Moses, they would be God’s special people