religious studies paper 2

sowa for orthodox jews

you shall observe my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary – strict observance of torah laws

sowa for liberal/reform jews

the torah is a tree of life to those who uphold it – emphasizing ethical teachings and evolving interpretation

sowa for secular jews

not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit – focus on cultural identity over religious observance

sowa for nature of the almighty

i am the lord your god – god as personal and involved

sowa for characteristics of the almighty: one

hear, o israel: the lord our god, the lord is one – monotheism

sowa for characteristics of the almighty: creator

in the beginning god created the heavens and the earth

sowa for characteristics of the almighty: lawgiver

i give you a new commandment – the ten commandments

sowa for importance of the almighty for jewish people

i will be your god, and you will be my people – covenant

sowa for shekhinah

let them make a sanctuary for me, and i will dwell among them – god’s presence dwelling with people

divine presence of the shekhinah

where two or three gather in my name, there am i with them – god’s presence in community

sowa for study of the shekhinah

the lord is present where two or three are gathered – god’s presence in community and study

sowa for worship of the shekhinah

let them make a sanctuary so that i may dwell among them – worship invites god’s presence

sowa for prayer to the shekhinah

turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth – prayer invites divine presence and help

sowa for nature and purpose of the messiah

he shall judge the peoples with righteousness – messiah as a righteous judge and leader

sowa for messiah, jewish responsibility

repair the world – traditional teaching, jews have a duty to help bring the messianic age

sowa for orthodox understanding of the messianic age

the wolf shall dwell with the lamb – a future time of peace and harmony

sowa for liberal/reform understanding of the messianic age

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares – emphasis on an era of justice and peace, not necessarily a personal messiah

sowa for secular understanding of the messianic age

no specific scripture – often seen as a metaphor for human progress and social justice

sowa for orthodox understanding of when the messiah will come

but about that day or hour no one knows – orthodox believe messiah’s arrival is unknown and god’s timing

sowa for liberal/reform understanding of when the messiah will come

the messiah will come when humanity has made the world better – reform judaism principle, focus on human responsibility in bringing change

sowa for secular understanding of when the messiah will come

no specific scripture – often viewed as symbolic, meaning a future time of human progress and justice

sowa for jewish beliefs and teachings about the messiah

he will judge the nations with righteousness

sowa for covenant

i will be your god, and you will be my people

sowa for covenant at sinai

i will take you as my people, and i will be your god

sowa for nature of the covenant

obey my voice and keep my covenant – conditional on obedience

sowa for history of the covenant

god’s promises to abraham, moses, and david

sowa for importance of the covenant at sinai

you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation

sowa for ten commandments

i am the lord your god… you shall have no other gods before me

sowa for covenant with abraham

i will make you into a great nation

sowa for importance of the covenant with abraham

i will establish my covenant between me and you

sowa for nature of abrahamic covenant

i will make you the father of many nations – promise of descendants and relationship with god

sowa for history of abrahamic covenant

walk before me and be blameless – god’s promise tied to abraham’s obedience

sowa for how abrahamic covenant affects jews today

i will be their god – sense of chosen people and identity

sowa for how the promised land affects jews today

to your offspring i will give this land – connection to israel as a sacred homeland

sowa for nature and sanctity of human life

so god created mankind in his own image – life is sacred because humans are made in god’s image

sowa for pikuach nefesh: principle

whoever saves one life, it is as if they saved the whole world

sowa for pikuach nefesh: implication

all commandments can be broken to save a life

sowa for pikuach nefesh: example

jews can eat non-kosher food to survive – practical application of preserving life

sowa for human life in the torah

you shall not murder – respect and protection of life

sowa for orthodox understandings of pikuach nefesh

saving life overrides almost all mitzvot – based on talmudic law

sowa for liberal/reform understanding of pikuach nefesh

preserving life is a core value, but context and ethics guide decisions – emphasis on adapting mitzvot to save life and promote wellbeing

sowa for secular understanding of pikuach nefesh

viewed as a moral principle about the value of human life, not necessarily religious law

sowa for the nature and importance of the mitzvot

you shall keep my statutes and my rules – commandments from god guiding jewish life

sowa for mitzvot and free will

choose life so that you and your children may live – humans freely choose to obey mitzvot

sowa for difference between humans and almighty in terms of mitzvot

humans are commanded to obey mitzvot; god is the giver of mitzvot and is perfect and beyond law

sowa for humans in terms of mitzvot

humans must actively follow mitzvot to live a holy and ethical life

sowa for importance of moral principles and mitzvot for jews today

justice, justice shall you pursue – deuteronomy 16:20 – mitzvot shape jewish identity and ethical living

orthodox understanding of life after death sowa

the soul returns to god who gave it – ecclesiastes 12:7 – belief in resurrection and olam ha-ba

liberal/reform understanding of life after death sowa

focus on legacy and ethical living – less emphasis on physical resurrection, more on spiritual continuation

secular understanding of life after death sowa

often no belief in an afterlife – focus on life here and now

jewish teachings about life after death: reunited sowa

and many of those who sleep in the dust shall awake – daniel 12:2 – resurrection and reunion with loved ones

jewish teachings about life after death: reward and punishment sowa

whoever does what is right is righteous – psalm 1:6 – reward for the righteous, punishment for the wicked

the nature of resurrection and judgement: gan eden sowa

your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise – isaiah 26:19 – gan eden as a place of spiritual reward

the nature of resurrection and judgement: gehinnom sowa

he will cast them into the fire – malachi 4:1 – gehinnom as a place of purification or punishment

[nature of public worship sowa

pray without ceasing – 1 thessalonians 5:17 – communal worship strengthens faith and unity]

features of public worship sowa

reading from the torah, shema, amidah prayer, and use of a minyan

purpose of public worship sowa

to connect with god, community, and reinforce jewish identity

synagogue services: shabbat sowa

remember the sabbath day and keep it holy – exodus 20:8 – shabbat worship includes prayers, torah reading, and rest

synagogue services: daily prayers sowa

hear o israel: the lord our god, the lord is one – shema – recited morning and evening

importance of synagogue services sowa

where two or three gather in my name, there am i with them – matthew 18:20 – community worship and teaching

nature and purpose of the tenakh sowa

your word is a lamp to my feet – psalm 119:105 – sacred scripture guiding jewish beliefs and laws

nature and purpose of the talmud sowa

contains the mishnah and gemara – explaining and interpreting the torah – study the torah day and night – joshua 1:8

importance of tenakh and talmud in daily life and worship sowa

teach them diligently to your children – deuteronomy 6:7 – guides ethics, worship, and daily conduct

nature and purpose of kashrut sowa

you shall not eat any detestable thing – leviticus 11:4 – dietary laws to keep jews spiritually pure

application of kashrut today sowa

many orthodox jews keep kosher strictly; reform may interpret more flexibly

nature of prayer in the home and private prayer sowa

even if i pray alone, i am heard – talmud berakhot 6b – personal connection with god

shabbat prayer sowa

remember the sabbath day and keep it holy – exodus 20:8 – special prayers to honor shabbat

praying three times a day sowa

morning, afternoon, and evening prayers — based on the patriarchs (abraham, isaac, jacob)

when prayer should be used sowa

pray without ceasing – 1 thessalonians 5:17 – at times of need, gratitude, and daily worship

types of prayer: the shema sowa

hear, o israel: the lord our god, the lord is one – deuteronomy 6:4 – declaration of faith

types of prayer: the amidah sowa

central prayer in jewish worship, also called the standing prayer – recited silently with 19 blessings

importance of having different forms of prayer: morning sowa

modeh ani – thanks god for returning the soul after sleep – morning gratitude

importance of having different forms of prayer: afternoon sowa

mincha prayer – focuses on forgiveness and reflection during the day

importance of having different forms of prayer: evening sowa

ma’ariv prayer – marks the end of the day and asks for protection overnight

the kaddish sowa

prayer praising god, often recited in mourning – sanctifies god’s name

barkhu sowa

call to worship, inviting the congregation to bless god

importance of ritual for jews today sowa

to observe and to do – deuteronomy 26:17 – rituals connect jews to god and community

birth sowa

welcoming a child is a significant event – prayers said for health and life

brit milah sowa

circumcise the flesh of your foreskin – genesis 17:12 – covenant of abraham, performed on 8th day

bar mitzvah sowa

son of the commandment – marks jewish boy’s responsibility to follow mitzvot at age 13

marriage sowa

therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife – genesis 2:24 – marriage as a sacred union

mourning ceremonies sowa

blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted – matthew 5:4 – mourning rituals offer comfort

periods of avelut: aninut sowa

immediate mourning period from death to burial – focused on burial preparation – you shall surely bury him the same day – deuteronomy 21:23

periods of avelut: shiva sowa

seven days of intense mourning at home – comfort, comfort my people – isaiah 40:1

periods of avelut: sheloshim sowa

thirty days of mourning following shiva – gradual return to daily life

periods of avelut: yud-bet chodesh sowa

first 12 months of mourning for a parent – with limited restrictions

periods of avelut: yahrzeit sowa

annual anniversary of death marked by lighting a candle – a candle is the soul of a person – proverbs 20:27

the funeral sowa

for dust you are and to dust you shall return – genesis 3:19 – simple burial emphasizing return to earth

nature of celebrating shabbat sowa

remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy – exodus 20:8 – day of rest and spiritual renewal

features of celebrating shabbat sowa

lighting candles, kiddush blessing over wine, sharing meals, attending synagogue services

history of celebrating shabbat sowa

by the seventh day god completed his work – genesis 2:2 – shabbat commemorates god’s creation

purpose of celebrating shabbat sowa

remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy – exodus 20:8 – day of rest and spiritual renewal

shabbat in the home sowa

light the shabbat candles – traditional blessing – marks start of shabbat and brings peace

shabbat in the synagogue sowa

torah reading and communal prayer – the assembly shall keep the sabbath – leviticus 23:3

shabbat’s importance today sowa

a delight and holy day – isaiah 58:13 – restores the body and soul

nature of festivals for jews today sowa

celebrations of faith, history, and renewal – e.g., passover, yom kippur

origins of festivals for jews today sowa

many trace back to events in the torah – celebrate the festival of unleavened bread – exodus 12:17

purpose of festivals for jews today sowa

to remember god’s saving acts and renew faith – you shall keep my festivals – leviticus 23:4

importance of festivals for jews today sowa

strengthen community and jewish identity

rosh hashanah sowa

blow the horn on the new moon – psalm 81:3 – jewish new year, day of judgment and repentance