Judaism

Judaism

1. Types of Jews

   • Reform Jews
     • They try to adapt Jewish laws in a modern way.
     • They aren't too strict.
   • Orthodox Jews
     • Strict
     • Takes everything from the Holy book at face value
     • Takes everything literally and follows the Jewish laws exactly as they are told.
   • Secular Jews
     • They do not believe in the religious aspects of Judaism but still call themselves Jews because they were brought up in a Jewish household.

2. Beliefs about God

   • Not physical- spiritual.
   • As creator- God created everything, Jews celebrating creation is one of the most important aspects of Jewish worship.
     • Jews rest on the seventh day of creation, like God did.
       • The Jewish festival Rosh Hashanah celebrates the creation of the world.
   • Lawgiver- God gives rules and guidance (613 mitzvots).
     • He did this to build a just and fair society.
       • Jews show their faithfulness to God by keeping the laws.
   • Judge
     • God is a very merciful and compassionate judge
     • He forgives sin and evil but he still punishes evil.
     • Jews have a period of 10 days after Rosh Hashanah to ask for forgiveness anually.
       • Jews believe it is important to use this opportunity to repair their relationship with God.
   • One
     • There is only one God.
       • A prayer in Judaism, the Shema, says "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One".
         • Jews do not put up any images of God because they believe that God is so unique that he cannot be represented in a physical way
       • Jews say the Shema in the morning and in the evening.

3. Abraham

   • God asked Abraham to take the people to a new land.
   • The covenant
     • The sign of this covenant is circumsision.
       • Only males perform this when they are 8 days old.
     • God promised Abraham as many descendants as there are stars in the sky if Abraham and his descendants stayed faithful to God.
   • Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son because God had ordered him to. However, right before he was about to murder his son, a lamb appeared.
   • Abraham walked in faith for 25 years.

4. Moses

   • God told Moses to go to the Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt
   • Moses climbed Mount Sinai and spent 40 days fasting and praying. When Moses came back down, he brought the Ten Commandments down with him
   • He understood all 613 mitzvots
   • The ten plagues struck Egypt.
     • Passover is when the angel of death passed over the firstborn children and killed them if people did not paint their doors with sacrificed lamb blood.
       • He parted the Red Sea.
   • The terms of Moses' covenant is that you have to be sprinkled with bull's blood
     • In return, God will be their God

5. The Messiah

   • Messiah means "The anointed one"
   • Some reform and Secular Jews don't believe that the Messiah will have an extravagant and Holy entrance.
     • Some believe that the Messiah will be:
       • A role model
         • A political leader in Israel
           • Judge/ Lawyer
     • The Torah never directly speaks of a Messiah
       • There are no teachings in Judaism of when the Messiah might come
         • There have been multiple false Messiahs
   • Orthodox Jews believe the Messiah will be Holy
     • He will bring age of peace and he will be a judge who will bring the world to an end
       • The Messiah will appear when there is sin or when everyone is pleasing God
     • Maimonides put the coming of the Messiah as one of his 13 principles of faith

6. Jewish scriptures

   • Torah
     • First five books of the Hebrew Bible
   • Mishnah
     • The oral Torah
   • The Tanakh
     • Jewish scripture/ The Hebrew Bible

7. Pikuach Nefesh

   • The concept that human life is more important than keeping the mitzvots
   • For example:
     • If you have to go to the hospital on the Sabbath
       • If you have to go to work because you are a key worker or work for the NHS
   • Jews believe that it is very important to live life to the fullest

8. The ten commandments

   • 1. Do not have any other gods.
     • There is only one God.
   • 2. Do not make or worship idols.
     • Because false gods originate with Satan. God does not want His people involved with them in any way.
   • 3. Do not use God's name in vain
     • We should treat God's name with respect and reverence.
   • 4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
     • This is a command to rest on the seventh day of the week like God did. It reminds us of what He has done by creating and sustaining us.
   • 5. Honour your mother and father.
     • Treating one's parents with respect.
   • 6. Do not commit murder.
     • No one is allowed to take away a life/ decide when someone's life ends aside from God.
   • 7. Do not commit adultery.
     • God commands against sexual relations with anyone aside from your husband/ wife.
   • 8. Do not steal.
     • You should earn what you have and shouldn't take someone else's possessions.
   • 9. Do not tell lies
     • Do not gossip and spread lies.
   • 10. Do not be envious of others.
     • Being jealous can lead to you breaking any other commandments.

9. The Mitzvots

   • There are 613 mitzvots
   • Reform Jews try to adjust the mitzvots to fit in modern life.
   • Orthodox Jews try their best to keep every mitzvot
     • They find it hard to keep the mitzvots because they are strict with following them but some of the laws can't be carried in modern life

10. Free Will

    • Jews believe that God doesn’t overwhelm us with his power so we can learn through trial and error what we can do to make this world a better place and how to resist sin and temptation
    • Jews believe that we are the master of our house, meaning that we choose what we let into our life and what we exclude.
    • Jews believe in inclinations to do either good or bad.
      • Yetzer Ha Ra is the inclination to do evil and craving things that will never fully satisfy you and is just something hat you want, which makes you greedy.
      • Yetzer Ha Tov, however, is the inclination to do good things, which will fulfil your purpose on earth and make this world a better place.

11. The Afterlife

    • Most Jews believe in Olam Ha Ba
      • Olam Ha Ba is one place where everyone goes when they die and depending on how you lived your life will determine if you enjoy it there or not
        • If you did mainly or only good deeds throughout your life, you will enjoy Olam Ha Ba, if you mainly committed sins you will hate it and if you were balanced then you will find it okay.
    • Jews generally try not to think too much about the afterlife because they want to live in the present and focus on doing good while on earth
    • Orthodox Jews believe in immortality of the soul. They believe that the soul lives on after your physical body dies.
      • They also believe in the eventual resurrection of the body to rest under the wings of the Shekinah.
        • They believe in Sheol, where they rest for the rest of eternity.