mitzvot + sanctity of life

• Mitzvot

  law + rules on how Jews should live.
• Aseh


  positive commandments
• Ta'aseh


  negative commandments
• Aseh (positive)

  248 in total. These are instructions on something to follow.

  E.g. "Honour your father and mother".
• Ta'aseh (negative)

  365 in total. These are prohibitions or things not to do.

  E.g. "You shall not bear false witness".
• Ritual mitzvot

  These have to do with worshipping God. Most are Aseh laws.

  E.g. dietary laws
• Ethical mitzvot

  To do with behaviour towards other humans. These are all Ta'aseh mitzvot.

  E.g. "Thou shall not steal"
• Both ritual and ethical mitzvot are important but ethical are seen as more important and should be prioritised. The TALMUD teaches that it is wrong to reject those in need while praying. God is capable without us but humans need each other.
• Pikuach Nefesh

  any mitzvot can be broken/overruled in order to save a human life.
• Talmud - pikuach nefesh

  "Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world."
• Doctors, nurses + firefighters are allowed to work on Shabbat and break Shabbat rules as their jobs involve saving lives in emergency situations.
• orthodox jews -

  • all mitzvot are binding and God-given
  • not for them to decide which parts of the law to follow
  • must find a way to obey mitzvot in modern times
• reform jews -

  • only moral laws are binding
  • ritual mitzvot are assessed to determine value in current times
  • some ritual practices have changed to fit modern society
• an example of a reform ritual law that has been changed

  women can be rabbis
• secular jews -

  • some mitzvot are laws of the land they live so they still follow them
  • ritual mitzvot are irrelevant to them
• sanctity of life

  belief that life is sacred, holy and belongs to God.
• the belief of the sanctity of life does not extend to animals.
• why are we different to animals?

  • God separated the humans from the animals when He made them
  • Humans are ordered to be stewards of the Earth
  • We are made in God's image
• Orthodox Jews - Torah states only humans are holy so animals shouldn't be treated in the same way.
• Reform Jews - Some could argue that animals have sentience as well and so should be given the same rights as humans.
• Advances in science mean that people are now aware of animals capacity of intelligence.
• The State of Israel has only ever carried out one execution (Adolf Elchman, 1961).
• If someone is braindead:

  Orthodox Jews - leave them on life support just incase

  Reform Jews - would not do this