rs beliefs judaism keywords

• Covenant - an agreement between God and his people.
• mitzvot


  the 613 Jewish commandments/rules found in the Tenakh
• orthodox judaism


  Jews who believe god gave the complete Torah to Moses and therefore live according to Jewish laws and traditions
• reform Judaism


  Jews who believe the Torah was inspired by God and was developed through their history - therefore laws may be changed or adapted as modern life changes
• Pikuach Nefesh


  this principle overrides all other religious laws because saving a human life should be of upmost importance in any situation
• tenakh


  holy book/souce of authority; the jewish scriptures. includes three parts: torah (law), nevi'im (prophets) and ketuvim (writings)
• messiah


  the 'anointed one'. orthodox jews believe that the messiah will be a human person sent by God to establish justice and peace on Earth. for reform jews, the messiah is a symbolic figure.
• liberal judaism


  this is a form of progressive judaism which seems to combine traditional beliefs and practices with modern interpretations
• shekinah


  belief that God is beyond human understanding but his presence may be experienced/known
• shema


  the most important jewish prayer which affirms that god is one. many jews will say the shema every morning and evening due to this.
• shabbat


  the sabbath/holy day of the week; beginning at sunset on friday until sunset on saturday
• creation


  The creation story in Genesis shows how God made the world and everything in it in six days, resting on the seventh, making it holy
• chesed


  the act of giving to charity as an act of love and kindness
• tikkun olam


  the idea of repairing the world, e.g volunteering for charities or obeying the mitzvot given by God
• tzedakah


  literally 'righteousness', the giving of charity
• olam ha-ba


  'the word to come', sometimes referred to the afterlife or the messianic age (a time of peace with a total absence of war and hatred)
• gan eden and gehenna


  represents paradise, or heaven, for those who have lived according to god's law; while gehenna is a place of punishment, or hell, for those who had lived immoral lives