Free Will & Mitzvot

Free Will

Jews believe God has given people free will (able to make their own decisions). Jews also believe their decisions have consequences that will lead them closer or away from God.

Good actions lead to a life of fulfilment, closer to God, and to be judged favourably by him. Bad actions don’t bring people closer to God, in life and after death

in Genesis Adam & Eve use free will to disobey God, resulting in them being banished from the Garden of Eden

Mitzvot

Mitzvot are the Jewish rules, it teaches them how to form a good relationship with God and each other. There are 613, they are in the Tanakh. 248 are positive, 365 are negative.

The mitzvot are a responsibility, a blessing, and a cause of happiness.

IMPORTANCE

  • a way to communicate with God

  • a way to live according to God’s will

  • following them is a part of Jewish Identity

  • Helps build a sense of community

  • help Jews follow an ethical code of behaviour

“To imitate his good and upright ways” - Deuteronomy 28:9

INFLUENCES

  • Jews are influenced to teach the Torah, recite the Shema

  • Only worship God

  • Keep the Sabbath day holy

  • To respect life and not to kill

  • Teaches Jews hot to live their life in relation to God

  • Observe festivals like Shabbat

  • Observe ceremonies like marriage

‘The mitzvot are a great burden for Jews today.’ (12) 

FOR

AGAINST

mitzvot are old-fashioned and are universally relevant

If it was a burden it would have died out already

mitzvot take away focus from God, as Jews focus on following rules

some Mitzvot like food laws don’t take much consideration and are catered for by shops

religious laws don’t need to dictate how to dress or cut hair

It’s a part of Jews daily routine instead of a burden/chore

the level of interference from tradition is difficult and inconvenient

keeping Mitzvot isn’t forced by God, Jews do it because they believe God did it for their own happiness

some Mitzvot can only be done in Israel so not all Jews have to be the same level of observant

keeping the mitzvot doesn’t make you Jewish, Judaism is an ethnic identity and lifestyle

In modern society people don’t always live in small communities and so don’t fit the mitzvot

constant reminder of the covenant relationship with God making life more spiritually significant

It’s a way to show love for God

the burden is outweighed by the positive from Jewish communities coming together and a sense of identity