Judaism

Judaism

by Amy Lee

​Basic Facts

• Prophet: Abraham, Moses (and many others)

• Established: Believed to be as early as about 1500 B.C.E.

• Number of adherents: About 14 million worldwide

• Type of faith: Monotheistic

• Prayers: 3 times a day

• Holy book: Torah, Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)

• Day of worship: From sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday (called Shabbat)

• Place of worship: Synagogue

​The Prophet: Abraham

​Abraham was the first prophet of Judaism.  According to the holy books of Judaism, Abram (as he was first known) was living in Mesopotamia, in the city of Ur, when God revealed himself to Abram.  God told Abram that he would be known as Abraham and that he would father many children in a land away from his home that God had promised.  This land is known as Canaan. Jews believe that Abraham obeyed this command and was rewarded later in his life with many children.  They believe that God established a covenant with the Jews to protect them if they are faithful.  His faith was tested by God, but is regarded as a faithful person.  He is known as the father of Judaism, and later the father of Christianity and Islam.  Jews do not worship Abraham, but respect him as a prophet.

Multiple Select

Which of the following is true of the prophet Abraham?

• He was told to move when he was visited by an angel

• He is known as the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

• He is not worshiped as a god but is respected as a prophet.

• He and his wife had many children

• He saw God in a burning bush

​Heaven and Hell

​Jews have many beliefs about Heaven and Hell.  Some Jews do not believe that there is an afterlife, while others do believe that there will be an afterlife one will enter after he dies.  Those who believe in an afterlife have different ideas about what that might look like.  Some believe that all souls, other than the very wicked, will go to a place like the Garden of Eden in the end.  They do not believe that you have to accept Judaism to make it to heaven, just that you have to be a decent human being.  Most Jews believe that you can’t know on this earth, so one should do the right thing while on this earth.

Multiple Choice

All Jews believe in an afterlife with a Heaven and a Hell.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Most Jews believe you can't know on this earth what happens when you die, so...

• You should exercise every day

• You should give away everything you own

• You should do as much good as you can in the world while you are alive

• It doesn't matter what you do in this life

Multiple Choice

What do Jews believe about the need for others to convert to their faith?

• They believe everyone needs to become Jewish

• They believe a person must be Jewish to be saved

• They believe that a person will become a God after his death if he converts to Judaism

• They do not believe that a person needs to be Jewish to be saved

​Heaven and Hell

• ​Not all Jews believe that there is a Heaven and Hell

• ​Most believe that you can't know on this earth what will happen when you die, so you should do your best to do good deeds while you are here

• ​Jews do not believe a person needs to convert to Judaism to be saved

​Doing Good

​Jews are required to follow the laws and commandments set out for them in the Torah, which is the part of the Hebrew Bible that lays out the laws.  In addition to these laws and commandments, Jews are commanded to “Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”  They believe that every good thing they do is an act of worship and that they are to put good into the world to heal the world.  Doing good acts that heal the world is known as “tikkun olam” and all Jews are required to commit these acts to live their faith.  While some don’t believe this has an effect on their afterlife, they still view it as their responsibility in their covenant with God.  They view their faith as a faith of action.

Multiple Choice

The phrase "tikkun olam" means to do what?

• heal the world

• heal your wounds

• save the life of another

• be sad and angry

Multiple Choice

Every good thing a Jewish person does is considered an act of tikkun olam.

• true

• false

Multiple Select

What three commandments are Jews supposed to live by?

• do justly

• love mercy

• walk humbly with God

• give money to charity

Multiple Choice

Judaism is considered a faith of action that requires people to do good deeds.

• true

• false

​Doing Good

• ​Jews are responsible for following the Ten Commandments and other laws of the Torah

• ​They are also commanded to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God

• ​Jews are responsible for committing acts of tikkun olam, which means to heal the world

• ​They believe that every person has free will to choose good or bad, and they must choose good

• ​Even those who don't believe in an afterlife believe you can't really know while on earth what will happen when you die, so you must do good things as much as possible

​The Environment

​Jewish people believe that God created the world and gave human beings a special responsibility to take care of the land.  Most Jews believe that the whole earth belongs to God.  We are to show the earth respect and give it back to God in good condition, to show they are thankful for what they have been given.

​

Jews also believe in the principle of “tikkun olam,” which means “repairing the world.”  According to the Bible, every seven years should be a sabbatical year, where land lies fallow (unused) to rest and renew itself.  They believe that they are commanded to behave with justice and compassion in all things, including the environment.

Multiple Select

Jews believe God created the world.  What is the role of man on the earth?

• to care for and cultivate the land

• give the land back to God in good condition

• repair the physical and natural world

• to get as much as he can from the earth while he is here

​Environment

• ​Jews believe that God created the world and gave people a special responsibility to take care of it

• ​They believe the earth belongs to God and they are to give it back in good condition to show their respect

• ​They believe tikkun olam also refers to the physical world and believe they are responsible for healing nature

• ​Every seven years should be a Sabbatical year for the land, in which it is not used for crops, so it can heal

​Messiah

​Jews believe that a Messiah was promised to them by God, as part of their covenant with him.  The messiah will be a descendent of King David, according to tradition.  They believe that when the messiah comes, there will be a final battle between good and evil.  They believe that God will prevail and that there will be universal peace on earth.  They also believe that the dead will be resurrected at this time, and Jews scattered over the whole earth will return to Jerusalem, and the temple will be rebuilt.  Ultimately, Jews believe that God had a vision of having a home on earth, and he wishes people to build it for him.  The good deeds people do are a means to bringing about the coming of the messiah.

Multiple Select

Which is true of what Jews believe about a messiah?

• He is promised to them by God

• There will be three messiahs who will come to the world 1000 years apart

• The messiah will bring a final battle between good and evil, which God will win

• The good deeds people do will bring the return of the messiah

• The messiah will be female

​Messiah

• ​A messiah has been promised by God and he will be a descendent of King David

• ​When the messiah comes, a final battle will happen between good and evil, and God will win

• ​The dead will be resurrected and Jews will return to Jerusalem

• ​The good deeds people do will bring about the return of the messiah

​Angels

​Jewish people believe in angels, and believe that they appear in many situations to give guidance.  In the book of Genesis in the Torah, three angels of the Lord appear to Abram, telling him that God wishes him to move on to Canaan.  Later, in the book of Exodus, an angel appears in a burning bush to tell Moses that he is to free his people, the Jews, from captivity in Egypt.

​

Multiple Select

What is the Jewish belief about angels?

• they do not exist

• they exist, but they are not powerful

• they come to bring messages from God

• they give guidance to the people

​Demons

​As for demons, Jews are not completely consistent.  Some believe demons exist, but the Jews who believe in them tend to live in areas that coincidentally have a strong background in Zoroastrianism.  Jews do believe in Satan, in a different way than Christians traditionally do.  He is not a very prominent figure in Judaism, but he does appear several times in the Hebrew Bible and other Jewish texts.  In Hebrew, the word Satan has the meaning “opponent” or “adversary, ” and Satan represents the force that keeps people from committing to God.  Other Jewish traditions have slightly different ideas about Satan, but he is a part of Jewish tradition.

Multiple Choice

The Jewish people around the world all believe the same things about demons.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

What does Satan mean in Hebrew?

• devil

• opponent or adversary

• evil one

• demon

Multiple Choice

What does Satan do, according to Jewish tradition?

• stands in the way of people coming to God

• leads people to God

• commands an army of demons

• tries to kill people

​Angels and Demons

• ​Jews believe in angels and that they show up to give guidance and deliver messages from God

• ​Some believe in demons, but most do not

• ​They believe in Satan (Satan means "adversary" or "opponent" in Hebrew) as a figure that stands in the way of people being with God

​Death

​In the Jewish faith, burial is very important and should happen within 24 hours of a person’s death.  Jews have traditionally not believed in cremation (the burning of the body) because the Torah discusses not destroying or defiling bodies.  More Jewish people today are opting for cremation, though, so this is changing.

Multiple Choice

How quickly should a person be buried according to Jewish tradition?

• within three days

• within 24 hours

• within a week

• whenever the whole family is able to gather

Multiple Choice

All Jews believe it is acceptable to cremate a loved one after his death.

• true

• false

• false, but this is changing today

​Mourning

Once a funeral service and burial have occurred, the family engages in a ritual called sitting Shiva.  This occurs for seven days after the funeral.  The close family of the deceased person stays home for those seven days and receives visitors.  The family wears torn clothing or a torn black ribbon to symbolize that their heart has been torn by the loss.  They cover mirrors in the house to show that the time of shiva is a time to focus on the loved one who is being mourned, rather than on oneself.  Mourners also sit on the floor, on pillows, on low stools, or small chairs to show that they are feeling low because of the loss.  On each of the seven days, the family holds a minyan or prayer service for the deceased person. ​

Multiple Choice

How long does a family sit shiva?

• 7 days

• 3 days

• 5 days

• 1 day

Multiple Select

When the family of a deceased Jewish person sits shiva, what things do they do to show their grief?

• wear torn clothing or a torn black ribbon to show their heart is torn

• cover mirrors to show that the focus is on the deceased

• sit on the floor, low stools, or pillows to show they feel low with grief

• pray with family

• go to temple or synagogue daily

​Death and Mourning

• ​Bodies are supposed to be buried within 24 hours of death

• ​Some Jews are willing to consider cremation, but it has not been done traditionally

• ​After a funeral and burial, the family sits shiva for 7 days. This means:

  • ​The close family stays home to receive visitors

  • ​they wear torn clothing to symbolize that their heart is torn by the loss

  • ​They cover all mirrors in the house to show that they are thinking about the deceased relative, rather than themselves

  • ​mourners sit low to show they feel low from the loss

  • ​they hold a minyan or prayer service in the home each day

​Children

​In the Jewish faith, a boy can officially become a part of the faith at 13, and a girl at 12. When a boy reaches the age of 13, he is considered a bar mitzvah, which means “son of the commandment.”  A girl of 12 would be considered a bat mitzvah or “daughter of the commandment.”  The bar/bat mitzvah is celebrated on the child’s birthday on the Jewish calendar.  It means that they can take on an adult role in their faith.  They can pray and read sections of the Torah at services, and participate in the minyan, or prayer, for his family while they sit shiva, or other public prayer times.  

Multiple Choice

Jewish children are considered an adult part of the faith when they are 

• 13, no matter if they are a boy or girl

• 13 if they are a girl, 12 if they are a boy

• 12, no matter if they are a boy or a girl

• 12 if they are a girl, 13 if they are a boy

Multiple Choice

When a boy becomes an adult member of the faith he is known as a "son of the commandment."  In Hebrew the word for this is

• bar mitzvah

• bat mitzvah

• mat bitzvah

• mar bitzvah

Multiple Choice

When a girl becomes an adult member of the faith she is known as a "daughter of the commandment."  In Hebrew the word for this is

• bar mitzvah

• bat mitzvah

• mat bitzvah

• mar bitzvah

​The Service

​During the service, the bar mitzvah boy or girl will participate in the service in different ways depending on the traditions of the congregation.  Usually, they will have spent years studying in Hebrew school and with the rabbi and cantor.  The rabbi is the spiritual leader of the congregation.  The cantor leads the singing and prayers for the congregation.  During the service, the bar mitzvah boy or bat mitzvah girl will chant blessings, chant from the Torah, chant selected prayers, and deliver a personal lesson from the Torah portion he or she has chosen to read.

Multiple Select

What are some things that happen during and before a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah?

• The young person studies in Hebrew school to read Hebrew and learn about the faith

• singing and prayer

• the bar mitvah boy or bat mitzvah girl reads from the Torah

• The bar mitvah boy or bat mitzvah girl deliver a message about the Torah portion they read

• they take a ritual bath

Children

• ​A boy becomes a "bar mitzvah" or "son of the commandment" at age 13. This makes him an adult member of the faith.

• ​​A girl becomes a "bat mitzvah" or "daughter of the commandment" at age 13. This makes her an adult member of the faith.

• ​A young person usually studies for years in Hebrew school to learn about the faith, and learn the Hebrew language, which is the language of their faith

• ​During the service, prayers are said and songs are sung. The young person reads from the Torah and delivers a message based on the section of the Torah they chose to read.