RMPS - Int2/Higher - World Religions - Judaism - Education Scotland

SECTION 4
THE GOALS
The meaning of obedience to God: ritual observance, Part 1
The goals of life are to obey God and to build and maintain a close
relationship with Him. For Jews this means study and observance of the
Torah, which includes prayer, ethical living and social justice. There are
613 different commandments in the Torah which can be categorised into
religious, ethical and social obligations. Each of these is called a
mitzvah. Every Jew has an obligation to carry out these mitzvot, to
learn as much about Jewish beliefs and practices as possible and to teach
them to their children.
For Jews, the home is where children receive their earliest education in
Judaism as parents show them by personal example how to live as Jews.
Religious observances, particularly those connected with Shabbat and
the festivals, strengthen Jewish family life in that the family plays a
central focus in their celebrations. The many daily, weekly and annual
religious practices help children develop their Jewish identity and an
understanding of their faith.
The religious obligations of the Torah such as the Shabbat, dietary laws
and festivals, of course, only apply to Jewish people. In this section we
will investigate prayer, the dietary laws and the two most important
Jewish holy days: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Prayer
The concept of prayer is based on the conviction that God exists, hears
and answers. As Father and King, God demands obedience from His
children. Shabbat is an example of one religious observance. Most
Jewish prayers are written in the first person plural because Jewish
people have always been particularly group conscious and prayers were
intended for congregational worship. Although the synagogue and the
home are the usual places of worship, Jews believe that a person can
pray to God whenever and wherever he or she wishes. This allows for
spontaneity in praying as well as the set daily prayers. Jews consider
both types of prayer to be important as both can be accompanied by
great devotion. Prayer allows Jews to praise, adore and thank God as
well as to reflect and repent. Prayer contributes to maintaining or
building a close relationship with God and acts as a discipline that
focuses the mind on spiritual matters and thereby lessens the danger of
RMPS: WORLD RELIGIONS – JUDAISM (INT 2, H) 29
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