JUDAISM BELIEFS + TEACHINGS OCR B

JUSAISM NATURE OF GOD

Monotheistic belief system originating in ancient Israel. God is seen as the creator and ruler of the universe, all-powerful and all-knowing. He is transcendent, existing outside of the physical world, and immanent, actively involved in human affairs. God is compassionate, just, and merciful, and expects humans to follow His commandments.

GOD AS THE CREATOR OF EVIL AND FREE WILL WITH TORAH QUOTE

Divine Omnipotence: God's ability to create evil and grant free will. "I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil" (Isaiah 45:7).

JUDAISM GOD AS A LAWGIVER AND JUDGE WITH QUOTE

• God gave 613 mitzvot (including the Ten Commandments - Exodus 20)

Form the basis of Halakah (accepted code of conduct for Jewish life)

Rosh Hashanah: God judges peoples actions and decides their fortunes for the next year.

• Judgement in the Afterlife

  • "If you obey me fully and keep my covenant" Exodus 19:5

    • Covenant w/Moses --) if all laws followed, God will protect them.

Shekinah - Divine presence

• Shekinah is sometimes seen as the feminine aspect of God.

• Tenakh describes how the Jews were lead by a pillar of fire or a cloud on their journey to Canaan --) demonstrating God's power and glory.

 

• Key focus in Judaism on focusing on living in the present + living in a way that pleases God.

•  

  • Rabbi Benjamin Blech speaks of how in the afterlife they will not "accept cheques - only reciepts"

  • Little agreement within Judaism about the afterlife.

Judgement and Resurrection

• Some Jews believe they will be judged by God immediately after death

  • "The dust returns to the ground as it was, and the lifebreath returns to God who bestowed it" Ecclesiastes 12:7

• Others believe that God will judge everyone on the Day of Judgement, which happens after the Messiah comes.

  • "Many of those that sleep in the dust of the Earth will awake" Daniel 12:2

Gan Eden and Sheol

• Jews do not believe in eternal punishment, Sheol is a place of waiting for souls to be cleansed for those who do not immediately enter Gan Eden.

• Most Orthodox Jews believe if they follow their faith properly, they will go to Gan Eden (paradise) when they die.

  • "Some [awake] to eternal life" Daniel 12:2

  • Gan Eden is considered to be a place with God.

 

Jesus was not the Jewish Messiah.

• A human being

• A descendant of King David

• He will be chosen by God to:

  • Rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and return all Jews to Israel.

    • "The mountain of the Lord's temple will be established" Micah 4:1

  • Rule over humanity with kindness + justice.

  • Bring world peace.

    • "Judge between many people and settle disputes" Micah 4

  • Uphold the Torah law.

orthodox beliefs about the messiah

• Orthodox Jews believe there is a descendant of King David in every generation who has the potential to become the Messiah - if the Jews are worthy of redemption then this person will be directed by God to become the Messiah.

  • The Messiah will bring abot the Messianic Era.

  • "The belief in the arrival of the Messiah and the Messianic Era" Maimonides #12

reform beliefs about the messiah

• Reform Jews reject the idea of the Messiah, they believe in a future Messianic age --) will be achieved by everyone working together to create world peace.

  • "The establishment of the kingdowm of truth, justice and peace" Pittsburgh Platform #5

covenant with abraham - Genesis 17

God's promise	"You will be the father of many nations" Genesis 17:5 + Canaan will be given to the Jewish people as the Promised Land.
Required of Abraham	"Walk in [God's] ways and be blameless" Genesis 17:1 Must live a good life, worship only God (no idols or other God's as was common at the time)
Covenant sealed	Through circumcision (removal of the foreskin from the penis performed by a Mohel), at 8 days old the ceremony called Bris/Brit Milah. It is a physical sign of the covenant. "Every male among you shall be circumcised" Genesis 17:10
How God keeps his side	God made it possible for Abraham and Sarah to concieve their son Isaac (meaning Laughter) --) seen as a miracle. His birth marked the start of the covenant.

gods covenant with moses - Exodus 20

• God chose Moses to lead the Jews escape from slavery in Egypt (the Exodus), God sent 10 plagues To Egypt until the Pharoah released the Jews.

• Covenant at Sinai --) requires Jews to follow God's laws (613 mitzvot including the 10 Commandments) in return God will protect the Jews from harm.

  • "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, and then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession" Exodus 19:5

 

Covenants have lead to a belief (by Jews) that they were specially chosen to be God's people.

 

Justice

 

• Prophet Micah states God requires his people "to do justice and love goodness" Micah 6:8

  • Laws in the Torah give guidance to Jews on how they should treat others and the vulnerable.

• "Let justice well up like water, righteousness like an unfailing stream" Amos 5:24

Tikkun Olam

 

• By healing the world, Jews are sustaining the world that God created for them.

  • Campaign for social justice and protect the environment.

• Might volunteer for charities such as World Jewish Relief.

  • Helps those living in poverty.

• Should include obeying the mitzvot and working to become closer to God.

  • "Love your fellow as yourself" Leviticus 19

    • Show kindness to others .

Sanctity of Life

• Sanctity of Life states that all life is holy because it was created by God, human life should not be misused or abused.

  • Jews believe the sanctity of life means that they should not do anything to quicken a person's natural death (eg. Euthanasia or Murder).

    • However, a patient's death should not be prolonged if they are in great pain.

• Pikuach Nefesh is the duty that Jews have to save a person's life --) they can break mitzvot (eg. Shabbat laws) to do so.

• "Whoever destroys one sould of a human being […] destroys a whole world. Whoever saves one life […] saves an entire world" Sanhedrin 4:5 (Talmud).