Judaism Beliefs and Values a. Define Shekinah. b. Do you agree that the Decalogue is still relevant today?

Authors Avatar by kanni (student)

Judaism Beliefs and Values

  1. Define Shekinah.
  2. Do you agree that the Decalogue is still relevant today?
  3. Explain why the covenant with Abraham is important to Jews.
  4. “The Messiah will never come”.
  1. Do you agree?
  2. Why might people disagree with you?

  1. A visible manifestation of the divine presence as described in Jewish theology. It is the third principle in the thirteen principles of faith written by Maimonides as God is spirit.
  2. Yes the Decalogue is very important as it helps to layout and enforces morals into society. ‘Honour your father and mother’ the fifth commandment and its punishment (in Exodus 21:17- ‘anyone who curses his father or mother should be put to death’) highlight the importance of respect for family, which is a value that forms the foundation of a good society, especially a hierarchical one, which was the case in ancient Israel.

The Ten Commandments if kept help keep society together by preventing many a problems such as adultery, commandment number seven which sheds light upon how to live a good Jewish life. Through this commandment the Decalogue promotes the importance of marriage by prohibiting sex between a married woman and a man who was not her husband. Again the seriousness of this commandment is stated elsewhere in the Pentateuch: ‘if a man commits adultery with another man’s wife- with the wife of his neighbour- both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death’ (Leviticus 20:10).

Join now!
  1. Abraham is regarded by Jews as the first Patriarch of the Jewish people. Abraham was the first person to teach the idea that there was only one God; before then people believed in many Gods. Therefore being the first Abraham is very important and contributed massively to the religion in its making.

Firstly, it was for most Jews the first recognised point when a firm commitment was made to worship one God. Here monotheism was born and is the became the centre of Judaism as it later became the first commandment- ‘Do not worship any other God’

Furthermore, the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay