Judaism

What Judaism covers

Judaism is examined in Paper 1, The study of religions — one of the two religions chosen from seven. It covers the nature of God and the Shekhinah, the Messiah, judgement and life after death, the Covenant with Abraham and the Covenant at Sinai, the mitzvot, free will and key moral principles, the synagogue and its features, public worship, the Amidah and prayer in the home, Shabbat in the home and the synagogue, Tenakh, Talmud and the dietary laws, Brit Milah, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, marriage and mourning and Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Pesach.

The 10 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• The nature of God and the ShekhinahThe subtopic covers the Shema and belief in one God, God as Creator, Law-Giver and Judge, mercy alongside justice in Exodus 34:6, the Shekhinah and why it is a rabbinic term, and whether God can be pictured.Open →
• The Messiah, judgement and life after deathThese questions explain the Messiah and differing Orthodox and Reform views of him, the messianic age, olam ha-ba, judgement, Gan Eden and Gehinnom, resurrection of the dead, and how belief in judgement affects Jewish life.Open →
• The Covenant with Abraham and the Covenant at SinaiStudents learn the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 and its sign of circumcision, Moses and the exodus, the covenant at Sinai and the Ten Commandments in their Jewish numbering, and why these covenants still matter.Open →
• The mitzvot, free will and key moral principlesThe subtopic covers the number and two kinds of mitzvot, free will, justice, tzedakah, tikkun olam and gemilut hasadim, and Pikuach Nefesh with examples of it in practice and the laws it does not override.Open →
• The synagogue and its featuresThese questions describe the synagogue and its names, the aron hakodesh, ner tamid and bimah, the mechitzah and the minyan, the language and music of services, and how Orthodox and Reform synagogues differ.Open →
• Public worship, the Amidah and prayer in the homeStudents learn the three daily services and the siddur, the Amidah's blessings, structure and posture, the Shema said morning and evening, and the mezuzah, tefillin and tallit, and why the home is a small sanctuary.Open →
• Shabbat in the home and the synagogueThe subtopic covers when Shabbat begins and ends and why it is kept, the candles, kiddush and two loaves, the thirty-nine forbidden categories of work in Orthodox and Reform practice, the synagogue service and havdalah.Open →
• Tenakh, Talmud and the dietary lawsThese questions explain the three parts of the Tenakh, the Torah, the Talmud as oral law and its authority, and the kosher food laws, including permitted animals, shechitah and the separation of milk and meat.Open →
• Brit Milah, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, marriage and mourningStudents learn Brit Milah and the naming of girls, Bar and Bat Mitzvah in Orthodox and Reform practice, the chuppah, ketubah and breaking of a glass at a wedding, and burial, shiva and the Kaddish.Open →
• Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and PesachThe subtopic covers Rosh Hashanah with the shofar and symbolic foods, the Ten Days of Repentance, the Yom Kippur fast and services, Pesach and the removal of chametz, and the seder plate and the four questions.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Judaism further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Torah vs Tenakh

  Torah: the first five books. Tenakh: the whole Jewish Bible in its three parts of law, prophets and writings.

• Mishnah vs Gemara

  Mishnah: the written record of the oral law. Gemara: the later rabbinic debate on the oral law.

• Bimah vs Aron hakodesh

  Bimah: the reading platform. Aron hakodesh: the ark holding the scrolls.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   Which prayer states the Jewish belief that God is one?

   Model answer

   The Shema declares that the Lord our God, the Lord is One. The words come from Deuteronomy 6:4.

2. 2

   Why does belief in one God matter so much in Judaism?

   Model answer

   Jews believe there is one God and no other. Worship of any other god breaks the first of the Ten Commandments.

3. 3

   What do Jews mean by calling God the Creator?

   Model answer

   Genesis 1 teaches that God made the universe and everything in it. Jews believe creation was deliberate and good.

4. 4

   How does belief in God as Creator affect the way Jews treat the world?

   Model answer

   The world belongs to God and is entrusted to human beings. Care for the environment and for animals follows from that trust.

5. 5

   What does it mean to call God the Law-Giver?

   Model answer

   God gave the Torah and its mitzvot to the Jewish people at Sinai. Jewish law is understood as God's instruction rather than human invention.

6. 6

   What does it mean to call God the Judge?

   Model answer

   God judges every person for their actions. Genesis 18:25 asks whether the Judge of all the earth will not act justly.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Judaism revision questions

What does Judaism cover in AQA GCSE Religious Studies A?

10 subtopics: the nature of god and the shekhinah, the messiah, judgement and life after death, the covenant with abraham and the covenant at sinai, the mitzvot, free will and key moral principles, the synagogue and its features, public worship, the amidah and prayer in the home, shabbat in the home and the synagogue, tenakh, talmud and the dietary laws, brit milah, bar and bat mitzvah, marriage and mourning and rosh hashanah, yom kippur and pesach. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Judaism organised?

By the AQA 8062 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.