Judaism

• divine presence

  - burning bush

  - ner tamid

  - pillar of fire and cloud

  - tabernacle

  "I beheld my lord on a high and lofty throne"
• God as lawgiver and judge

  - laws given so free will can be guided

  - 613 laws in Torah = mitzvot

  - 10 commandments form foundations of laws

  - Rosh hashana - yearly judgment

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• Evil and free will

  - God is omnipresent and omnipotent, omniscient

  - God must of created evil, necessary of free will.

  - wants people to choose good

  " I form light and darkness I make weal and create woe I the lord do all these things"
• God as one

  - foundation of Judaism

  - God always present in lives

  - everything we see is a meeting point with God

  - total loyalty and love to God

  "hear o Israel the lord if your God the lord alone"
• God as creator and sustainer

  - Torah includes Genesis creation lasted 6 days

  - sabbath day holy

  - Orthodox--> view genesis as literal reject science

  - reformed --> believe God the creator but accept old earth

  - God sustains universe in an outflow of love
• life after death, judgment and resurrection

  - not lots of information on life after death

  - difference in views

  - should focus on present and will of God

  - heaven + sheol - if follow faith will go to paradise, don't know if spiritual or physical.

  - sheol - place of cleansing some don't believe in punishment

  - some believe judged when die some believe at end of time

  - some believe in a resurrection

  "life breathe returns to God"

  "many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake"
• Messiah

  "anointed one"

  - future leader of Jews will bring about the messianic age

  - time of global peace

  - orthodox believe a potential messiah in every gen.

  - reformed - no messiah but a messianic age

  - future messiah will:

  - rule of humanity with love and kindness

  - uphold law and be perfect teacher

  - rebuild the temple

  - unite humanity
• free will

  - used for good ---> closer to God

  - Adam and eve banished
• sanctity of life

  - God breathed life into all - all life valuable

  - only God has right to take away life

  - can't quicken a natural death

  - "he who destroys one soul is considered by scripture as if he has destroyed the world"

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• pikuach nefresh

  - obligation to save a persons life without harming your own even if breaks law.
• Key moral principles

  justice - bring about what is right and fair "do justice and love goodness"

  
  

  healing the world - help God to sustain the world, contribute to social justice.

  
  

  Kindness to others - caring actions to all living things

  "love your fellow as yourself"
• Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur

  Rosh Hashana - creation day and judgment day, take actions to improve themselves - charity and celebration meal.

  
  

  Yom Kippur - day of atonement, in synagogue ask for forgiveness of sins 25 hr fast. "atonement shall be made to cleanse you of your sins"
• dietary laws

  - originate from Leviticus,

  - kosher food

  - some reformed don't follow it strictly.

  - animals must be slaughtered with a sharp knife.

  "you shall not boil a kid in it's mothers milk"
• mourning of the dead

  - make tear in clothes life Jacob, bless god as judge

  - buried within 24hr

  - shiva intense period of mourning

  - 30 days no music of parties

  - body washed and wrapped, simple coffin as all equal.
• marriage

  Betrothal - engagement, lasts 12 months, broken by death or divorce.

  - wedding - fast before - cleanse. bride joins groom under the chuppa, symbolises home.

  - marriage contract is signed,

  - groom breaks the glass- regret for destruction of temple and life has sad and joy.

  - "a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife"
• Bar and Bat mitzvah

  - becomes adult

  - closer to God and community

  - boys allowed to become part of minyan

  - strictly follow law

  - boy - reads Torah, classes for preparation tallit for first time.

  - girl - reformed read torah. orthodox just a meal.
• ceremonies on birth

  naming ceremony - blessed in a synagogue, girls on first shabbat, boys on circumcision.

  
  

  Brit Milah - circumcision, 8 days old part of covenant, "be the sign of the covenant between me and you"

  
  

  redemption of first born - coins given "shall have the first born man redeemed"
• Pesach

  - Passover, - escape from Egypt.

  - final plague - remove yeast from home no time to bake when fled Egypt.

  - Passover seder:

  - green vegetable - promised land

  - salt water - tears

  - bitter herbs - bitterness of slavery

  - charoset - mortar used when slaves

  - eggs and lamb bone - sacrifice in temple.
• Shabbat in the synagogue

  -- Holy day

  - "remember sabbath day and keep it holy"

  - celebrates creation and promise with God

  - service of Friday for families.

  - main service on saturday.

  - ark opened to reveal the Torah - mount sinai

  - Torah with crown -vestments worn by priests

  - Torah chanted - march through wilderness.

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• shabbat in home

  - all work done by friday evening

  - two candles lit - "remember" and "observe" commandments

  - challa bread- food provided by God while in the wilderness

  - welcomed by the lighting of the candles

  - prayer to bless family

  - special meal - recite Kiddush prayer

  - study Torah with family

  - end by Havdalah service
• written and Oral law

  Tenakh (written) - contains, Torah 5 books Moses, Nevi'im - prophets Ketuvim - poetry, stories and advice.

  
  

  Talmuld (oral) - commentary on Torah by early Rabbis,

  mishrah - oral law written down to avoid change

  Gemera - discussions on mishrah
• prayer

  - opening prayer - psalms

  - Shema -

  - Amidah - standing prayer, praise, ask for help, thanks

  - reading Torah

  - prayer - strengths, reminder of faith.
• Orthodox services

  - traditional strict laws of Torah

  - men and women diff. roles all rabbis men

  - daily service

  - men and women sperate

  - men and married women cover heads.
• reformed services

  - progressive

  - individual choice in how to worship

  - Torah can be adapted

  - men and women same roles

  - only services on holiday and shabbat.

  - leader faces congregation - in Hebrew and local language.
• interior features of a synagogue.

  "He brought the ark inside the tabernacle"

  - prayer hall - communal worship, ark on 4th side focus on prayer.

  - ark - faces Jerusalem built to hold 10 commandments. reminder God above people

  - Ner Tamid - lamp - God's presence, ever burning reminder of Menorah in temple.

  - Bimah - raised platform where Torah is read. - focus point when Torah is read.
• importance of the synagogue

  place for meeting and activities

  - prayer community and social events

  - provides space for worship and communal prayer. some prayers only said with a minyan

  - helps educate children about faith. classes in Hebrew.
• tallit

  prayer shawl - obey God tassels reminder of the Mitzvot
• Teflinn

  leather boxes containing, Torah fastened to forehead and arms - mind should be on God.
• covenant at Sinai and 10 commandments

  - God chose moses to lead Jews out of slavery

  - God sent plagues

  - moses climbed mount Sinai - 10 commandments

  - foundation of Jewish laws

  "shall not make idols" and "do not kill"
• Abraham and promise land

  - Born in a city called Ur. people worshiped idols

  - Abraham knew only one God.

  - left Ur to travel to Canaan

  - God told them to continue and that Abraham would be father of many nations.

  "i will make of you a great nation and bless you"

  "I give all the land that you see to you and your offspring forever"

  - later told to sacrifice Isaac total obedience and strength to God.

  - given covenant with God
• Mitzvot

  - guidance on free will

  - between man and God - improve relationship with God, worship and sacrifice. festivals and 10 commandments.

  
  

  - between man and man - improve relations with other people, should show love to others, treatment of workers. members of faith and community to please God.