Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings

What Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings covers

Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings is examined in Component Group 1, the Judaism beliefs and teachings & practices paper (J625/03), if Judaism is one of the two religions studied. It covers G-d as One, Creator, Law-Giver, Judge and Eternal, G-d's characteristics and the problem of suffering in Judaism, Shekinah, the divine presence of G-d, the Covenant at Sinai and the role of Moses, the Messiah and the Messianic Age, the Promised Land and the Covenant with Abraham, mitzvot, free will and Divine Providence, ethical and ritual Mitzvot, the sanctity of life and Pikuach Nefesh and Jewish beliefs about the soul and life after death.

The 10 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• G-d as One, Creator, Law-Giver, Judge and EternalThe Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Genesis 1 on creation and on human beings, the judgements made at Rosh Hashanah, the Last Day, and Orthodox and Reform views of G-d's judgement.Open →
• G-d's characteristics and the problem of suffering in JudaismG-d as all-powerful, all-good, all-knowing and everywhere, beyond time and space, Orthodox and Liberal views of intervention, Job and G-d's answer to him, Jonah, and two Jewish responses to suffering.Open →
• Shekinah, the divine presence of G-dThe link with mishkan, the pillar of cloud and fire in Exodus 13, the glory on Sinai and at the Tabernacle, the Talmud on Shekinah in exile, the feminine and the Sefirot, and the prophets.Open →
• The Covenant at Sinai and the role of MosesExodus 19:5–6 and 24:7, the chosen people, the Hebrew name for the Ten Commandments and how they are divided, Moshe Rabbenu, and what Sinai means to Orthodox and Reform Jews today.Open →
• The Messiah and the Messianic AgeQualities expected of the Messiah, Elijah and his place at the Seder, Ezekiel 37, Micah 4 and Isaiah 11 on the age to come, Shabbetai Zevi, and Orthodox and Reform hopes.Open →
• The Promised Land and the Covenant with AbrahamG-d's promise in Genesis 12 and its later development, what Abraham's descendants owed in return, the test of Genesis 22, Isaiah 51:3, Jerusalem in Micah, the founding of modern Israel, and Jewish attitudes to it.Open →
• Mitzvot, free will and Divine ProvidenceHow many mitzvot the Torah holds, positive and negative commandments, Job 42:2 and Jonah on Providence, Deuteronomy 30:19, the yetzer hatov and yetzer hara, and Pikuach Nefesh with its three exceptions.Open →
• Ethical and ritual MitzvotMitzvot bein adam laMakom and bein adam lechavero, Hillel's summary of the whole Torah, why Yom Kippur cannot atone for wrongs to others, Numbers 15:37–41, and why lists of the 613 differ.Open →
• The sanctity of life and Pikuach NefeshGenesis 1:27 and Exodus 20:13, the Mishnah on saving one life, Leviticus 19:16, saving life on Shabbat and fast days, the treatment of animals, and whether the principle extends to relieving suffering.Open →
• Jewish beliefs about the soul and life after deathSoul and body in Genesis 2:7, resurrection and Daniel 12:2–3, Sheol, Gan Eden and Gehenna, how long souls stay in Gehenna, and why Jews focus more on this life than the next.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Shekinah vs Sefirot

  Shekinah: the manifest, dwelling presence of G-d among people. Sefirot: the ten powers or emanations through which G-d acts, in Kabbalah.

• Mitzvot aseh vs Mitzvot lo ta'aseh

  Mitzvot aseh: commands that say what a Jew must actively do. Mitzvot lo ta'aseh: commands that say what a Jew must refrain from doing.

• Ethical mitzvot vs Ritual mitzvot

  Ethical mitzvot: commandments governing how people treat one another. Ritual mitzvot: commandments governing worship and religious practice.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What do Jews mean by describing G-d as One?

   Model answer

   G-d is a single, indivisible being with no partners and no parts. G-d cannot be divided or shared with any other power.

2. 2

   What does Deuteronomy 6:4 declare?

   Model answer

   “Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One”. The verse opens the Shema, the central statement of Jewish belief.

3. 3

   What duties does Deuteronomy 6:5–9 place on Jews?

   Model answer

   Jews must love G-d with all their heart, soul and might, and teach G-d's words to their children. The words are to be bound on the arm and head and written on doorposts.

4. 4

   What does it mean to call G-d the Creator?

   Model answer

   G-d brought the universe into being from nothing, by will alone. G-d also sustains creation at every moment.

5. 5

   What does Genesis 1:1–2 teach about creation?

   Model answer

   Genesis 1:1 states that in the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, with the spirit of G-d hovering over the waters.

6. 6

   What does Genesis 1:27 teach about human beings?

   Model answer

   G-d created humans in the divine image, male and female. Every person therefore carries a special dignity.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings revision questions

What does Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings cover in OCR GCSE Religious Studies?

10 subtopics: g-d as one, creator, law-giver, judge and eternal, g-d's characteristics and the problem of suffering in judaism, shekinah, the divine presence of g-d, the covenant at sinai and the role of moses, the messiah and the messianic age, the promised land and the covenant with abraham, mitzvot, free will and divine providence, ethical and ritual mitzvot, the sanctity of life and pikuach nefesh and jewish beliefs about the soul and life after death. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings organised?

By the OCR J625 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.