Judaism

• Outline three characteristics of the Almighty

  -God is creator

  -god is one

  -God is judge
• What are Jewish beliefs on God as judge


  -God is constantly judging every person's behaviour, abiding by his laws will allow you to reach Gan Eden

  -Rosh Hashanah gives jews chance to repent, begin a clean slate with God, and live according to God's law

  -judgement seen in story of Noah, judges every persons behaviour, flooded the world as sbehaviour was so bad
• What are the 7 Noahide Laws?

  1)not to deny God

  2)do not blaspheme God

  3)do not murder

  4)not to engage in incestuous, adulterous, homosexual relationships

  5)do not steal

  6)do not eat a live animal

  7)establish courts/legal system to ensure law obedience
• Why is God seen as one

  -monotheistic religion, e.g. Abraham who was rewarded for his faith

  -shema is said twice a day, important Jewish prayer- belief that god is one
• Why is God seen as lawgiver

  -Torah is seen as most important Holy Book

  -they believe obeying them will fulfil God's will on Earth
• Why is God seen as the shekinah

  -God is transcendent and the transcendent creator of the universe

  -Genesis 1:1-2 he described the heaven and earth forming, this developed into the teaching about the Shekinah which means divine presence, the glory of God, e.g. Moses and the burning bush
• What is the importance of God as Creator

  -Torah states God created the earth out of nothing-important as the Torah is the most important book

  -shows God as omnipotent, "let there be light"
• What is the Tenakh


  Jewish scripture
• What is the Torah

  First five books of the Hebrew Bible, law books
• What is the Shema?


  Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Prayer declaring that god is one.
• What is a mezuzah?

  parchment scroll the Shema is written on and put on door frames
• What is a tefillin?

  small black boxes containing Shema worn on forehead and arm during morning prayer
• What is Mitzvot?


  a commandment of the Jewish law
• What is Halakhah?


  Holy law of Judaism
• "God's oneness is the most important characteristic"


  For:

  -written about in the shema

  -monotheistic religion

  "Hear O Israel, the Lord Our God, the Lord is One"

  
  

  Against

  -He is creator; should be exalted, created humans and all things around us

  -judge; gave mitzvot, there will be judgement, they will either go Gehinomn or Gan Eden

  "The Lord is our Law-Giver"
• How many mitzvot are there in the Torah?

  613
• Why are the Jews God's chosen people?

  God offered many groups the Mitzvot, only the Jews accepted without condition, the agreed to obey and listen
• What do Jews believe happened on mount sinai

  That God gave the 613 Mitzvot- Torah

  And gave the oral Torah, which becamepart of the Talmud
• SOWA for God as the Shekinah

  -"By day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to lead the way"-Exodus 13

  -"His voice was like the sound of many waters and his earth shone with His glory"
• Outline 3 examples God is seen as the Shekinah

  -Moses and the burning bush

  -pillars of cloud and fire

  -ark of the covenant
• What is the Mishkan?


  Tabernacle
• SOWA for ark of the covenant

  "They should make a sanctuary for so I may dwell amongst them" Exodus 25:8
• What is the Talmud?

  Oral Torah- writings that explain the Torah, and teachings of rabbis
• Outline 3 ways study is important to Jews

  -seen as an act of worship

  -encouraged to connect with God through study

  -Jewish laws and traditions evolve from discussions with rabbis, done though study
• What is Kabbalah?


  Jewish mysticism
• What is the role of Kabbalah


  To unravel the mysteries of the Tenakh; such as 10 creative forces, one of which is the Shekinah
• Why is the Kabbalah significant

  -allows a personal relationship with the Almighty as more a approachable figure than how He is portrayed in Torah verses

  -seen as a gateway to a higher conscience
• Outline 5 beliefs about the Messiah

  - will be a descendant of David

  -will bring the Messianic Age

  - He will be human and close to God

  -will rebuild the temple

  -Bring a new kingdom
• What are two purposes of the Messiah

  -Unit all people in the world(messianic age)

  -rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
• The messiah is seen as the...

  'Anointed one' who is sent by God
• What is explained in Jeremiah 23:5-8


  Explains the messiah with be a descendant if David and will be a great leader to the Israelites
• What are three characteristics of the Messiah

  -He will be born and have the authority of God

  -He will be a peaceful ruler and peace will last forever

  -He will sit on a throne in Jerusalem
• What do majority of Orthodox Hews believe

  -limited number of souls destined to enter the world and live within their human bodies

  -when these souls arrive on earth the messiah will come and bring the messianic age
• What do other Orthodox Jews believe

  -messiah will not come until all Jews observe all 613 Mitzvot fully without breaking a commandment
• What do Kabbalistic Jews belief about the messiah

  -believe there will be two messiahs : messiah ben David (King/leader) and messiah ben Joseph(humble)
• What do reformist jews believe about the messiah

  -view the messianic teachings as closely related to Zionism(belief in the Jewish Exodus back to Israel) rather than the literal scriptural interpretation of Orthodox tradition

  -meaning messianic age will happen when the Jews return to Israel
• What is said in Micah 4:1-3

  "Lord's temple will be established"

  "He will teach us his ways"

  "He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes"
• What is a covenant?

  An agreement between God and his people
• A SOWA showing Jews as the chosen people

  "God chose you to be His treasured people"
• What was the covenant at Sinai?

  Jews accepted Torah and oral Torah- agreed to obey and follow, God agreed to never leave them