Jewish View of God, Cosmos, Human Being, Human Problem and Salvation

View of God 

Strict Monotheism

- God is One

- God is personal, just, righteous, holy 

- Schema. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" (Deut 6:4-9) 

 

View of the Cosmos

The world has been created by Yahweh, and is completely dependent upon Him (Psalms 8:3; 19:1)

In its basic form, the Jewish cosmos consists of hell, earth and heaven. In some versions, there are multiple heavens and multiple hells. Heaven is populated by God, the angels who are his servants and messengers. Humans live on the earth and, in some versions, there are demons, devils, and/or the Devil (Satan) living in the hells and/or the earthly realms. Some forms of Judaism also believe in fallen angels who inhabit the earthly realms and cause trouble for human beings.

View of the Human Being

•        Created in God’s image (Imago Dei) and therefore have inherent value independent of their utility or function

•        Have freedom of will (we are responsible for our actions)

•        A unitary being

–        No mind-body division as in Greek philosophy

–        A psycho-physical being (from dust), rooted in nature

•        People have 2 tendencies:

–        Yetzer hara – evil inclination

–        Yetzer tov – good inclination

View of Salvation

•        Strict obedience to the Torah

•        Centrality of study is distinctive among world religions

•        Study of the Torah is the means par excellence towards knowledge of God, and His ways

•        “Build a fence around the Torah”

Because of free will there is a possibility of sin, but forgiveness is always possible where there is sincere repentance Ezekiel 18:30-32

Conduct

Imitatio Dei: Man finds virtue by attempting to imitate God  (Leviticus 19:2. 18)

It is important to observe the moral law. Torah (“The Law of the Heart”) is the blueprint for conduct both ethical and religious. Obedience to the Torah must be total, inner and outer (inner person and outer person).

The Ten Commandments. When the Israelites accepted the Ten Commandments from God at Mount Sinai, they committed themselves to following a moral code of behavior. 

1. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery in Egypt.
2. You shall have no other gods but me.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

6-10 are very similar to moral precepts in Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.

The rabbis teach that the first five sayings, on the left side of the tablet, concern man's relationship with God (belief in God, prohibition of improper worship, prohibition of oath, shabbat, respect for parents). The second five sayings, on the right side of the tablet, concern man's relationship with other people (prohibitions of murder, adultery, theft, false witness, coveting). Judaism teaches that our relationship to our parents is akin to our relationship to God because our parents created us. Disrespect of parents is considered an insult to God. Thus, respect for parents is included on the right side of the tablets with the other sayings that concern our relationship with God.