Judaism

Patriarchs, Principal Beliefs , Sacred Texts and Writings , Ethical Teachings, Shabbat ,

Paradigm belief

The belief in one God

The nature of God

God is:

* one
* indivisible
* unique
* eternal
* has always existed, will always exist
* the source of all creation
* Omnipresent
* everywhere, intimately involved with human history
* all powerful
* all knowing
* unable to be fully comprehended by humans
* manifested throughout the universe

3 Principal beliefs of Judaism

* belief in one God
* belief in moral law prescribed by God
* belief in the Covenant

Judaism Patriarchs

Abraham, Jacob, Isaac

Where si the basic formulation of the moral law found?

In the Ten Commandments

Moses childhood

Hebrew who grew up in the Egyptian royal court after being adopted by the Pharaoh’s daughter

Why did Moses flee egypt and why did he return?

He killed an Egyptian abusing a slave, but then years later God gave Moses the task of liberating the Hebrew people from slaves in Egypt

How many mitzvot was given to Moses?

613 at Mt Sinai (365 negative, 248 positive)

What happened in the Exodus?

The liberation of Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt

Significance of Exodus

* The Hebrews discovered a God who was concerned with their welfare and intervened with their oppression
* Given the mitzvot which governs their daily lives

What is a covenant

a series of agreements recorded in the Hebrew bible between God and the people of Israel

Importance of the covenant

* shows how God continues to work over the course of Jewish history
* reflects the Jewish people’s understanding of God’s chosen people
* expresses ongoing relationship
* obligation for Jews today to walk in God’s way, reflecting their creation in God’s image

Origins of the covenant

1. God **promises** Abraham that:


1. He will become the **head of a great natio**n
2. God will **provide him a land** of his own; the land of Canaan
3. Abraham’s **descendants will be as numerous as the star**s (in response to Abraham and Sarah’s want for a child)
2. Following the birth of Isaac, Abraham encounters God again where the promise of descendants is reaffirmed
3. Abraham is obliged to walk in the presence of God and be blameless


1. This covenant is known as the **covenant of circumcision (brit milah)**

4\. God requests the sacrifice of Isaac, the only son of Abraham and Sarah -Abraham complies with this command. At the last minute the angel of God intervenes and saves Isaac. God reaffirms the dual promise of descendants ad land in response to Abraham’s fidelity.

3 sections of the Hebrew Bible (Tenach)

* Torah
* Nevi’im
* Ketuvim

Sometimes “Torah” is used to refer to the whole Hebrew Bible

The Torah

* most important part of the Tenach as it contains the expression of the Covenant between God and the people of Israel
* Torah is the books of Jewish law
* 613 mitzvot which regulates the life of adherents

Oral Torah

* oral Torah is the application and interpretation of the Torah, later written down in collections:
* Mishnah
* Gemara

The Talmud

* Where the Mishnah and Gemara were collected together in the 5th and 6th centuries CE
* provides detailed interpretation and application of the mitzvot and the rules and laws for living
* the Talmud draws from the Torah and relies on the Torah
* Two versions of the Talmud
* Babylonian
* Palestinian (Jersusalem)

Where are the ethical teachings principal derived from?

* The Torah, 613 mitzvot
* also encompasses the Written and Oral Torah
* Oral Torah provides guidelines for the detailed applications of the mitzvot
* ongoing rabbinic discussions to apply to modern circumstances

Prophetic vision

included Tikkun olam and social justice- derived from Prophets called b God to relay the message that people were straying from the path laid down by the Torah

Tikkun olam

Repair/transformation of the world

Aim is to achieve a perfect world

connected with the idea of social justice

* Includes:
* Gemilut Chasadim
* Tzedakah

Gemilut Chasidim

* Acts of loving kindness
* visiting the sick
* feeding the poor
* comforting the mourner
* leading a righteous life and having a good life

Tzedakah

* Charity/justice
* all Jews required to give tzedakah to seek a just world

halachah

Jewish jurisprudence- assisting Jews to apply the general principals contained in the Torah to dial Jewish life (all ethical terms mentioned before)

Shabbat

* Where Jewish people imitate God who rested on the seventh day after creating the world
* Most significant religious event of thw eek

Shabbat significance

* reminds the Jewish people of the greatness of God in creating the cosmos
* Remind Jewish people of the Covenant between God and the People of Israel which lies at the heart of Judaism (**Exodus 31: 16)**

2 Commandments that guide Shabbat

1. “Remember the Sabbath day” (Exodus 20:8) which means refraining from all forms of work
2. “Keep the Sabbath day (Deuteronomy 5:12) which refers to reciting the Kiddush over a cup of wine

Ritualistic proceedings of Shabbat

1. The wife prays over the lit candles for the welfare of her husband and children
2. On Friday night, the most significant celebration is the Shabbat dinner (eaten with family +friends)
3. Table is lit with 2 loaves, challah, representing the dual Shabbat commandments
4. The father blesses the children before Kiddish (prayer) is recited over the wine
5. Saturday morning is spent in the synagogue in Torah study
6. The recitation of the prayer, Havdalah, takes place to mark the end of Shabbat celebration at sunset
7. The Havdalah candle is lit as a sign of the **end** of Shabbat, where lighting a fire is permissible again

Isaac as a patriarch and continuing the covenant

* continues practising the religion
* enforces circumcision
* covenant is renewed with Isaac (circumcision)

Importance of the Patriarchs

* forefathers of modern Judaism
* covenant established with them (one of the most importantf beliefs)
* developed Judaism
* models for Jewish life