Jewish beliefs and teachings

Question 1

The Nature of God

Answer 1

• omniscient
• omnipresent
• omnipresent
• God is one (montheism)

Question 2

God as one

Answer 2

• G-d is a single, whole, invisible being
• G-d is the only being that should be worshipped
• Everything in the universe has been created and sustained by G-d
• G-d is the source of all Jewish morality, beliefs and values
• This belief is expressed in the Shema

Question 3

God as the creator and sustainer
+ (Orthodox vs reform)

Answer 3

• God took 4 days to make the universe fit to support life
• God took 2 days to create all living creatures
• God then rested and made the 7th day holy → this is when Jews celebrate Shabbat
• Orthodox Jewish belief: the events of Genesis happened approx. 6000 years ago, they reject scientific discoveries that contradict this
• Reform Jewish belief: God is the creator of everything, however the world is much older and life has evolved over the years
• G-d allowed humans to have free will because : It makes the choice of doing good more significant HOWEVER in order to have free will, there must be a choice between good and evil → hence the existence of evil

Question 4

God as a lawgiver and judge

Answer 4

• There are 613 Mitzvot (Jewish laws given by G-d) in the Torah
• The first 10 mitzvot are the 10 commandments
• The two main times when Jews are judged by G-d are: during Rosh Hashanah and after death, where God will decide how they spend the afterlife
• Rosh Hashanah: This is the Jewish New Year, G-d judges people for their actions over the past year and decides what the coming year will bring them

Question 5

Shekinah

Answer 5

• the divine presence
• In early Judaism, the tabernacle was considered to house the divine presence of G-d. This was a portable temple that the Jews carried with them on their journey to Canaan.
• After Canaan was conquered, the Tabernacle was replaced with Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. Multiple prophets experienced the presence of G-d in this temple
• The Tenakh describes how at times Jews were led by a pillar of fire or a cloud on their journey to Canaan : These were considered to be appearances from G-d.

Question 6

Life after death : general

Answer 6

Jews are not too concerned about the afterlife, they focus on this life → so there are many different ideas about life after death in Judaism

Question 7

Heaven and Sheol

Answer 7

• Many Jews believe that if they follow their faith correctly, they will go to heaven or paradise (Gan Eden)
• There is no clear teaching about what heaven is like, however there is a general consideration of it being with G-d
• Heaven is not taught as being specifically spiritual / physical / a state of consciousness so there are differing ideas
• Some Jews believe that those who do not go into heaven, go to sheol → This is a place of waiting where souls are cleansed
  Jews do not believe in eternal punishment

Question 8

Judgement and resurrection

Answer 8

• Some Jews believe they will be resurrected as soon as they die but others believe everyone is judged on the day of judgement
• Some Jews believe in physical or spiritual resurrection but many do not

Question 9

The nature and role of the messiah: Orthodox vs Reform

Answer 9

• Orthodox belief: The Messiah will be a person that comes in the future, every generation has a descendent of King David that has the potential to be the messiah
• Reform belief: There is no messiah, but rather a ‘messianic age’ where together everyone will achieve world peace.

Question 10

Abraham and the promised land: covenant with God

Answer 10

1. Abraham was born in the city of Ur at a time when people worshipped many idols of many gods
2. Abraham became convinced at an early age that there was only one god and that worshipping idols was wrong
3. Abraham and his family decided to travel to Canaan but on their way they settled at Haran
   Many years later, God told Abraham to continue his journey to Canaan, promising to make a great nation through him
   - Once Abraham and Sarah reached Canaan God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations, he granted Sarah the ability to have a child even though she was considered too old
   - What did God promise?: To make Abraham the father of many nations
   - What did Abraham have to do: Live a life according to God’s will
   - How was the covenant sealed?: circumcision of himself and all the males in his household
   - God’s side of the covenant: father of many nations, son Isaac

Question 11

The covenant at Sinai

Answer 11

1. About 400 years after Abraham’s covenant
   the Jews were escaping slavery and they were led by Moses
2. The Jews left Egypt and wandered for many years in the desert region between Egypt and Canaan
3. When they reached Mt Sinai, Moses climbed it, leaving the rest of the Jews at its base
4. Moses came back down the mountain with 2 tablets of stone that had the 10 commandments carved into them - God had given them to him
   - What was the agreement?: God would protect the Jews from harm if they obeyed his laws (10 commandments and other mitzvot)

Question 12

Justice

Answer 12

• Justice refers to bringing about what is right and fair or correcting a wrong that has been committed
• pursuing justice is a sacred duty for Jews

Question 13

healing the world

Answer 13

• involves taking actions to help God’s work in sustaining the world
• many Jews do this through: charity work, protecting the environment, contributing to social justice etc.
• some Jews also believe this involves following the mitzvot and growing closer to God

Question 14

Kindness to others

Answer 14

• one of the main moral principles of Judaism
• the Torah teaches for Jews to ‘love your fellow as you love yourself’

Question 15

Sanctity of life

Answer 15

• Life is valuable because God created it
• God gave beings life so only God can take it away
• Therefore, Jews believe nothing should be done to quicken a person’s natural death (e.g. active euthanasia, murder etc.)

Question 16

differing beliefs on the sanctity of life

Answer 16

• Some Jews think this means that people e.g. sick patients should be kept alive for as long as possible at all costs
  -Others think that a patient’s death should not be prolonged if they are in pain / that humans should not interfere in a person’s death

Question 17

Pikuach Nefesh

Answer 17

• This is the obligation of Jew to save a person’s life even if it means breaking a Jewish law e.g. doing no work on Shabbat

Question 18

Free Will

Answer 18

• Jews believe God has given them free will to make their own choices :
• a good life leads to fulfillment
• bad actions will not bring people closer to God, in life or after death

Question 19

Mitzvot

Answer 19

• there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah
• The mitzvot give guidance to Jews in how to use their free will correctly
• two types of mitzvot: mitzvot between man and god & mitzvot between man and man

Question 20

mitzvot between man and God

Answer 20

• these tell Jews how they can improve their relationship with God
• they cover things such as: worship, sacrifice, festivals etc. e.g. the 10 commandments
• the most important are the first 4 of the 10 commandments

Question 21

Mitzvot between man and man

Answer 21

• these aim to improve Jews’ relationships with other people
• this helps Jews to live as members of their faith and community in a way that pleases God