JUDAISM

• Messiah


  Anointed one or someone who is chosen to rule
• The term Messiah was originally used in the Tenakh to refer to the kings of Israel
• The first king was Saul, who was anointed by the prophet Samuel to show he was chosen by God
• The Torah does not make direct references to the "Messiah", but it does make references to the "End of Days" and the "Messianic Age"
• Maimonides in the 12th century refers to a belief in the Messiah as one of the 13 Principles of Judaism
• Messianic Age


  • A time of perfect peace and prosperity when the Messiah will come to Earth
• Role of the Messiah

  • Bring Jews back to Israel, rebuild the Temple, and bring about a time of peace for all
• Beliefs about the Messiah within Judaism


  • Orthodox Jewish beliefs
  • Reform Jewish beliefs
• Orthodox Jewish beliefs about the Messiah


  • The Messianic Age will only start after the Messiah's arrival on Earth, so it is important for Jews to pray for the Messiah to come
  • The Messiah will be a human being descended from King David, with superhuman qualities and abilities
  • In the Messianic Age, Jews will triumph over the enemies of Israel, leading to the destruction of weapons and people living in peace
  • The Messianic Age will be a sign of the end of the world and the physical resurrection of the dead
  • The Messiah will rebuild the ancient Temple in Jerusalem and restore the authority to rule over Israel to the descendants of King David
• Reform Jewish beliefs about the Messiah

  • Human beings are responsible for bringing peace to the world, so Jews should pray for a Messianic Age rather than a Messiah
  • There will not necessarily be a person who is the Messiah
  • Humans can bring on the Messianic Age by joining together to create a better world
  • Many Reform Jews do not believe that there will be an end to the world, or that the dead will be resurrected
  • The rebuilding of the Temple is a metaphor for the Messianic Age where there is peace and all people know God and follow his commandments
• For Jews, the most important role of the Messiah is to bring peace to the world


  Orthodox Jews believe the Messiah will bring peace, while Reform Jews believe humans are responsible for creating peace
• Quote about Messianic Age

  
  

  Isaiah 11:1-9: '"He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear, but with righteousness, he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked"'
• Mitzvot


  Positive and negative rules within Judaism
• Mitzvot


  • 248 positive mitzvot (what Jews should do)
  • 365 negative mitzvot (what Jews should not do)
• Mitzvot


  • Mitzvot between God and Man
  • Mitzvot between Man and Man
• Mitzvot between God and Man


  • Ritual mitzvot explain what Jews should or should not do to avoid offending God and cover areas such as worship and festivals
  • These mitzvot form a personal covenant between a Jewish person and God
• Mitzvot between Man and Man


  • Moral mitzvot explain how Jews should act when dealing with other people
  • Positive relationships with others are pleasing to God
  • They help Jews to live as a community in a way that God finds acceptable
• Mishpatim


  Laws that are judgements from God, for example "you shall not steal"
• Importance of the Mitzvot

  • Jews should follow the mitzvot because God told them to
  • The laws are seen as a gift from God
  • Keeping the mitzvot improves their relationship with God
  • Obeying the commandments shows gratitude to God for all that he has done
• Synagogue


  A place of worship, and where Jews are educated about the Jewish faith

  
• Importance of the Synagogue

  • It is a space for worship and prayer
  • It is an important centre for Jewish communities where meetings take place and social gatherings happen
  • It is a place of education, with classes where people can learn Hebrew
  • Synagogues often hold charity events and have various activities for young people, such as youth clubs
• Ner Tamid


  A light above the Aron Hakodesh that never goes out, representing the order from scripture to keep the lamp burning always
• Aron Hakodesh


  A large cupboard facing Jerusalem that is the holiest place in the synagogue and holds the Torah

  
• Sefer Torah


  A scroll kept inside the Aron Hakodesh that is handwritten by a scribe and covered with a mantle or cloth
• Yad


  A pointer used by the reader to indicate their place during a reading of the Torah
• Bimah


  A raised platform with a reading desk from which the Sefer Torah is read, representing the altar in the Temple
• There are no images of God or people in a synagogue, as the second of the Ten Commandments forbids idolatry
• Olam ha-ba


  The world to come, which many Jews look forward to, can refer to the afterlife or the Messianic Age
• Differences between Orthodox and Reform Synagogues


  • Orthodox Jews refer to a synagogue as "shul", while Reform Jews sometimes call it a "temple"
  • In Orthodox synagogues, men and women sit in separate sections, while in Reform synagogues they sit together
  • The bimah is often placed in the centre of an Orthodox synagogue, while in Reform synagogues it is often close to the Aron Hakodesh
  • Traditionally, only men could be ordained as a rabbi in Orthodox Judaism, while Reform movements allow women to ordain as rabbis
  • Prayers are often longer and read in Hebrew in Orthodox synagogues, while in Reform synagogues they are often shorter and some are read in English
• Judaism does have ideas about an afterlife but does not have a single, agreed-upon teaching about life after death
• Services in the Synagogue


  • A Rabbi usually leads services of worship in both Orthodox and Reform Synagogues
  • A cantor called the hazzan stands at the front facing the Aron Hakodesh to lead prayers
  • The siddur is used during each service and contains the prayers for the day
  • A service begins with opening prayers, followed by a recitation of the Shema and the Amidah prayer
  • Services also contain readings from the Torah and end with final prayers, such as the Aleinu
• Life on earth is viewed as preparation and there is a focus on what happens in this life rather than the next
• Shema


  The Jewish declaration of faith in only one God
• Rosh Hashanah


  The Day of Judgement, when God judges every person
• Amidah


  A central prayer in Jewish worship, consisting of a series of blessings
• God is a God of justice and mercy and is a judge of how the duties of the Torah are followed
• Most synagogues have daily prayers and celebration of festivals, but the main community time is the Shabbat service
• Quote about Olam Ha Ba

  
  

  Pirkei Avot 4:21: '"This world is like a lobby before the Olam Ha Ba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall"'
• In Orthodox synagogues, the men and women worship separately, while in non-Orthodox synagogues, men and women are together
• Quote on Day of Judgement

  Ecclesiastes 12:14: '"God will bring every deed into judgement … whether it is good or evil"'