Unit 1 - Universe, Creation and Humans

Jewish attitudes towards creation (6)

1. Ex nihilo - "in the beginning", "void" (Torah)

- G-d's omnipotence allows him to create the world out of nothing and therefore there was nothing in existence before the world was created

2. Created as perfect - "it was good" (Torah)

- No imperfections in G-d's eyes, we must emulate G-d, therefore believe that the world was created as perfect

3. Creation beyond our understanding - "we still don't understand the secret of even the process of creation" (Rambam)

- G-d transcends human knowledge and creation shouldn't be questioned since it's beyond our possible understanding

Reasons for belief in a soul

- Gives people purpose (higher spiritual sense)

- "departing of her soul" (Torah - Sarah)

- Soul completes mitzvot through the body

- Made in the image of G-d - Rambam and Rashi say this means we're similar in nature of essence, can perceive things without physical senses (G-d isn't physical)

- G-d breathed in a soul through man's nostrils (Torah) - soul required for life

- Near death experiences - consciousness survives death and so must come from the soul

- Explains moral conscience - surely physical desires would be all?

- Soul only part of human that stays the same - cells replaced, memories forgotten

Reasons NOT to believe in a soul

- No physical evidence

- Evidence is weak and can be rationalised e.g. morals/NDEs

- Wishful thinking

Body more important than Soul (12) (1 point)

1. Vessel for mitzvot

- Soul can't reach higher spirituality without mitzvot which need the body therefore without it, it would fail

Soul more important than Body (12) (2 points)

1. G-d breathed a soul into mans nostrils and he became a living thing (Torah)

- Body just an empty vessel without the soul. Soul contains life, and also has an element of godliness so more important

2. "With the departing of her soul she died" (Torah)

- Soul is what continues to afterlife --> survives without the body and has another, more ultimate, purpose

Soul and Body both important (12) (1 point)

1. Soul = roots and body = tree (Talmud)

- They are co-dependent, without one, the other could not exist

Body VS Soul Summary (12)

Body:

- Vessel for mitzvot

Soul:

- soul contains life (nostrils)

- soul goes on to afterlife (departing)

Both:

- soul = roots, body = tree

Selfishness is bad (12) (3 points)

1. Goes against Torah - "love your neighrbour like yourself"

- However much care and attention you give yourself, must be given to others too, so selfishness goes against this (sin)

2. World will collapse

- We all have social responsibility, who will teach the children if there are no teachers etc. We rely on helping each other in society (interdependence) (why it's called 'society' - companions/associate)

3. Jewish prayers in plural

- Even during prayer, a time for personal connection to G-d and introspection, we are responsible for others and this shows us we shouldn't do things for personal gain

Selfishness is good (12) (1 point)

1. Must look after ourselves too

- We'd eventually tire out if we only looked after others, we must make sure our wellbeing is looked after so we are in the best state to take care of others

Selfishness Good/Bad Summary (12)

Good:

- must look after ourselves to look after others

Bad:

- love your neighbour - sin

- society built on responsibility

- jewish prayers in the plural

Jewish beliefs about free will (6)

1. Our fate in our hands - we were given the Torah

- The torah is a guidance book, what would be the point in G-d giving it to us if we can't even decide our own actions?

2. Punishment - gehinnom/biblical punishment e.g. stoning

- What is the purpose of divine punishment and a moral conscience if humans aren't in control of their actions

3. Ralbag - believes G-d knows the multiple paths available for us to choose but doesn't know which one we will decide on

Extra:

4. Ravad - G-d knows all of the factors at play in our decision, our abilities to overcome them, and even the final decision, but he only knows, doesn't decree (like astrologers reading stars)

Jewish attitudes towards polytheism (6)

1. Shema + 13 principles of faith

- States that the lord is one, fundamental Jewish prayer and important principle, suggesting belief in one G-d is a fundamental aspect of Jewish belief.

2. Avraham created monotheism from logic (midrash)

- Saw the sun go down and realised it could not be controlling the world, then the moon too, and he realised there must be a single, higher being controlling the universe

3. Tradition of forefathers

- Avraham (founder) was against polytheism and even smashed his father's idols in his shop (midrash), shows how important belief in one G-d was to him, so we should emulate him

Historical Argument (+pros and cons)

Jews have survived dozens of nations trying to kill them, this can't have been by chance and it's clear there's a G-d controlling the world.

+ likely explanation since Jew survival chance so low

- could've just been luck, doesn't prove anything

Moral Argument (+pros and cons)

All humans have an inbuilt moral compass which must have been given by G-d

+ Universal - if you go to almost anyone they'll say murder is wrong

- Ignores other factors: upbring may explain shared morals

Cosmological Argument (+pros and cons)

Every cause has an effect (nothing happens spontaneously) so the universe which came out of nothing must have had a cause beyond our knowledge which has always existed - G-d

+ Logical - every cause has an effect and nothing physical could have come from nothing

- No physical evidence to suggest G-d caused the world to come into being. Only a belief that He was there first. + why does evil exist?

Teleological Argument

The world is too complex to have occurred randomly therefore there must have been a creator.

+ Tangible theory: can see the evidence yourself. Also becomes more evident the more we discover about our complex universe

- Perfect + Evil doesn't work. Everything can happen by chance, however unlikely

Reasons for not believing in a G-d

- Owning mistakes = self growth rather than blaming a higher power that controls the universe

- No physical evidence

- Praying to a G-d is a waste of time (limited time on Earth - could spend helping the planet)

- Humanists - we're solely responsible for each other + planet so should focus on that

Jewish attitudes to Conversion (6)

1. Want more converts - why did G-d exile the Jews

- Talmud understands that we must gain more Jews through conversion to grow the religion so that we're greater when we return to Israel

2. Converts are respected and important - Converts dearer to G-d than born Jew (Midrash)

- The Jewish nation witnessed G-d's revelation first hand so belief was easier (some sources say He held a mountain above them)

3. Not anyone can just convert (hard process) - Two main steps: accepting G-d as ruler and accepting + following the commandments

- Process takes years, so must be fully involved with the religion and right intentions to be allowed in (sometimes rejected on purpose)

Jewish responses to free will Quickfire (5)

1. Evil exists to allow free will to exist

2. Evil exists to show G-d justice

3. Evil helps us become better by seeing the bad

4. Evil has a greater purpose that we can't see

5. G-d uses evil to punish people e.g. ten plagues

Jewish attitudes towards inconsistent triad (evil problem) (6)

1. Evil exists so freewill can exist - Without evil inclination, our good decisions mean nothing

- G-d instead chose to give man freewill instead of removing evil, He's still omnibenevolent, and so there has to be an evil decision for this free will to exist

2. G-d created evil for the justice system - good deeds rewarded and evil deeds are punished

- G-d is still omnibenevolent since He prefers there to be a fair justice system and that explains the evil. Justice = gift

3. Evil can't be explained - We don't know why good things happen to bad people (Pirkei Avot)

- G-d still omnibenevolent as the evil has a greater, meaningful purpose that we can't see