Judaism Beliefs Flashcards
(94 cards)
1
Q
Covenant meaning
A
A promise or agreements between two parties
Covenants we’re made between God and Noah, Abraham, and Moses
2
Q
Kosher meaning
A
“Fit” or “proper” foods that are permitted to be eaten according to Leviticus chapter 11
Also used to refer to the purity of ritual objects like Torah scrolls
3
Q
Messiah meaning
A
The anointed one who Orthodox Jews believe will bring in a new era or age for humankind
This will include rebuilding the temple and bringing an age of peace
4
Q
Mitzvot meaning
A
Duties (such as the 613 in the Torah) and good deeds
5
Q
Shabbat meaning
A
Day of spiritual renewal and rest
Beginning at sunset on Friday and ending at nightfall on Saturday
6
Q
Shekinah meaning
A
The place where Gods presence rests and can be felt
7
Q
Synagogue meaning
A
House of assembly
Building for Jewish public prayer, study and assembly
8
Q
Torah meaning
A
The five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)
Regarded as the holiest books in the Tenakh
9
Q
What is Monotheism
A
Belief that there is only one God
10
Q
Shema quote about monotheism
A
“The Lord our God, the Lord alone”
11
Q
What do Jews believe God is
A
Omniscient
Omnipotent
Omnipresent
12
Q
What is a name of respect for God
A
HaShem
13
Q
Exodus quote about monotheism
A
“You shall have no other Gods besides me”
14
Q
How do synagogues show monotheism
A
Show no statues or images of living beings
15
Q
Jewish beliefs of God as a creator
A
God created overy thing
Gd created humankind in his image and likeness
Humans have a special role as stewards
16
Q
Genesis quote about Gods creation
A
““Let there be light” and there was light”
17
Q
Genesis quote about human image
A
“Let us make man in our image”
18
Q
How do many Orthodox Jews view creation stories
A
Metaphorically
19
Q
What is Rosh Hashana the anniversary of
A
Creation
20
Q
What do the mitzvot ensure
A
A good and moral life according to Gods laws
21
Q
How do Orthodox Jews follow Gods laws
A
Exactly as laid out in the Torah
22
Q
How do reform Jews follow Gods law
A
Adapt them to fit in with modern life
23
Q
Gods judgement
A
At the end of time
On each day of their life
24
Q
How does God show compassion through judgement
A
He gives Jews an opportunity to atone for their actions on the 10 days leading up to Yom Kippur (day of atonement)
25
What does the Shekinah show
Gods closeness and immanence with creation
A way that God connects with humans
Can engage with the Shekinah through prayer and pilgrimage
26
What aspects of God is the Shekinah
Feminine - loving, caring, compassionate
Promotes feelings of security and peace
27
Genesis quote about the Shekinah
“They heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the garden”
28
2 Chronicles quote about the Shekinah
“The glory of the lord filled the house”
29
Exodus quote about the
Shekinah (pillars)
“The lord went before then in a pillar of clouds by day, to guide them”
30
Exodus quote about the Shekinah (about the temple)
“Make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them”
31
When does God make himself known
Times of great need in Jewish history
32
Ark of the Covenant
Where the stone tablets the commandments were written on were kept
The temple housed these and was believed to be where Gods presence was concentrated
Orthodox Jews still believe the presence can be felt in the western wall
33
Ways to experience the Shekinah - worship
A Ner Tamid (eternal light) is always present in the synagogue to show Gods continuous presence
34
Ways to experience the Shekinah - prayer
Can be felt in a minyan (group of ten adult male Jews)
“The divine presence dwells in any place where there are ten adult male Jews” Talmud
35
Ways to experience the Shekinah - study
Study Hebrew Scriptures at home, synagogue, yeshiva (academy) to understand faith
36
Ways to experience the Shekinah - Shabbat
The women of the home light 2 candles and welcome the Shekinah into the home
37
Ways to experience the Shekinah - pilgrimage
Orthodox believe they ça experience ut by visiting the western wall on pilgrimage
38
Jeremiah quote about the messiah
“I will raise up a true branch of David’s line. He shall reign after a king and shall prosper”
39
What will the messiah be/have
A human man
The authority of God
Be descended from king David
Be a great political leader and defend Judaism from enemies
Many people believe that every generation there is potential for someone to be a messiah
40
Roles of the messiah - righteous
A king who will spread good and justice throughout the world
41
Roles of the messiah - bringer of peace
Will bring a messianic age of peace
Olam ha-ba - the end of the world as it is
42
Isaiah quote about the messianic age of peace
“They shall never again know war”
43
Role of the messiah - restorer of the temple
Some believe he will restore the temple in Jerusalem that was destroyed in 70CE
44
Role of the messiah - the restorer of Israel
Some believe he will return Jews to Israel and bring an understanding of God to all people
45
Ezekiel quote about the messiah restoring Israel
“Bring them to their own land”
46
Isiah quote about peace in the messianic age (wolf)
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb”
47
Maimonides quote about the messiah
“The belief in the arrival of the messiah”
13 principle of faith
48
Reform Jews beliefs in the messiah
They don’t believe in the messiah and instead believe the duty to bring the messianic age lies with all people to do good
49
Noah’s covenant
Where God gave the Noahide Laws
50
Covenant with Moses
Where God gave the Torah and law
Conditional
51
Covenant with Abraham
Judaism founded
God gave unconditional promises
Abraham rejected polytheism and is seen as a model of faith and virtue
52
What is Abraham referred to as
“Abraham our father”
53
The first promise in the Abrahamic covenant
God tells Abraham to leave Haran and travel to Canaan to make a home for his descendants
Known as “land of Israel” after another name for Abrahams son Jacob
Synagogues are orientated towards Israel and some Jews are buried with soil from Israel
Shown as a home and place of sanctuary
54
Genesis quote about the promised land
“To the land that I will show you”
55
The second promise in the abrahamic covenant
Descendants
Promises Abraham will have many descendants connected to God
56
Genesis quote about descendants
“I will make of you a great nation”
57
The third promise in the Abrahamic covenant
Blessing descendants
Special connection with God
Carries with the obligation to keep the mitzvot
58
Genesis quote about blessings
“I will bless those who bless you”
59
The sign of the covenant
All Abraham’s male descendants have to be circumcised
Brit Milah when a boy is 8 days old
60
Genesis quote about the sign of the covenant
“You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin”
61
Escape of the Israelites
Moses delivered them from slavery to the promised land
Moses is considered the only person who has come face to face with God
God parted the Red Sea
Pesach celebrated to commemorate this
62
Exodus quote about Moses being sent
“The God of your fathers has sent me to you”
63
Moses receiving the Torah
In mount Sinai God gave Moses the Torah
Given to teach how to live
Ten Commandments which form the basis of Jewish ethics
Orthodox Jews believe God gave Moses oral Torah commentary to better understand it
64
Commandment on monotheism
“You shall have no other gods besides me”
Involves God
65
Commandment on Shabbat
“Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy”
Involves God
66
Commandment on life
“You shall not murder”
Involves humans
67
Commandment on honesty and fairness
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour”
Involves humans
68
Jewish value of humanity
Life belongs to God
Image of God
Responsibility over the earth
69
Genesis quote about value of humanity
“Let us make man in our image”
70
Reasons Jews do not agree with euthanasia
God gives life so should choose when to end it
It might lead people to think people with a terminal illness are less valuable
God has a special relationship with everyone, so life must be cherished
71
Jeremiah quote about human life
“Before I created you in the womb, I selected you”
72
What is Pikuach Nefesh
Action of saving a life
Moral duty
So important that Jews can break all but 3 Mitzvot (incest, adultery, idolatry) to save a human life
Like feeding a starving Jew non kosher food
Abortion may be permitted to save a mothers life
Does not extend to saving your own life at the cost of someone else’s
73
Sanhedrin quote about saving life’s
“One who saves a life, it is as if they had saved a whole world”
74
What are positive Mitzvot
Actions that can be done
75
What are negative Mitzvot
Actions that cannot be done
76
Orthodox Jew approach to the Mitzvot
Try to keep all Mitzvot
Believe they should not be changed as Gods divine word
77
Reform Jew approach to keeping the Mitzvot
Recognise that Mitzvot need to be interpreted to fit in with modern society
For example, being more relaxed about dietary laws when eating out
78
Free will in the Mitzvot
Humans can choose to follow or not
Active disobedience can be atoned between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur
79
What is yetzer ha tov
The tendency to do good
80
What is yetzer ha ra
The tendency to do bad
81
What are moral Mitzvot
Ones that deal with humans
Explain how to treat one another and build fair society’s
82
What are ritual Mitzvot
Ones that deal with God
How to show respect to God and maintain a strong relationship with him
83
What is Tikkun Olam
“Repairing” or “perfecting”
Social justice and harmony
Caring for the environment
84
What is Gemilut Hasadim
“Acts of loving kindness”
Doing good deeds and helping individual people
85
What is Tzedakah
“Righteous” or “justice”
Encourages equality and charitable work
86
Jewish beliefs in the afterlife
No specific mention in holy books
Focus on living a good life
Believe true understanding is beyond human comprehension
Should live well as it is the right thing to do, not in hope of a reward
Some believe in heaven (Gan Eden) and hell (Gehenna)
Sheol is traditionally a dark place everyone would go
Is now a place of waiting
Some Jews believe in reincarnation
87
What is olam ha-ba
Life after death
88
What is Olam ha-ze
Life on earth
89
Ethics of the fathers quote about the afterlife as a reward
“Do not be like servants who serve the master in the expectation of receiving a reward”
90
Reform Jew beliefs on resurrection
Some believe the soul will live on after death but reject physical resurrection
Believe they live on through the memories of others
This don’t forbid cremation due to this
91
God judgement
God is the ultimate judge
Day of judgement will arrive after the messiah has
92
What do Orthodox Jews believe about resurrection
They believe the body will be resurrected and returned to the soul during the messianic age
Due to this they don’t agree with cremation, organ donation, post-mortems
Cemeteries are known as houses of life showing this belief
93
Daniel quote about resurrection
“Many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth will awake”
94
Maimonides quote about resurrection
“The belief in the resurrection of the dead”
13 principles of faith
