Judaism — Beliefs and Teachings
What's covered
Key facts
The 613 mitzvot are traditionally divided into 248 positive (do) commands and 365 negative (do not) commands.
Jewish views of the afterlife vary widely — from traditional resurrection beliefs to liberal emphasis on legacy.
Free will is the human ability to choose.
Chesed describes God's loyal love and kindness — covenantal faithfulness.
Jewish ethics emphasises action over belief alone — what you do matters as much as what you think.
Jews do not accept Jesus as the Messiah — they hold the messianic age has not yet come.
Jews avoid writing God's full name out of respect — to prevent accidental erasure or disposal of God's name.
Human life is so valued in Judaism because each life is made in God's image (b'tselem Elohim).
Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) strongly emphasises mystical experience of the Shekhinah.
The Hebrew name for the Ten Commandments is Aseret ha-Dibrot ("the Ten Words").
Sample questions
A taste of the 121 questions in this topic — answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
How are the 613 mitzvot divided?
- •100 each in six categories
- ✓248 positive and 365 negative commands
- •Based on day of the week
- •Equal halves with one extra
What is Sheol in Jewish thought?
- •A garden paradise like Eden today
- •A modern museum in Jerusalem
- •A specific synagogue location
- ✓Shadowy realm of the dead
What is the Jewish view of free will?
- •Free will is a Christian-only concept
- •God forces every choice on humans
- ✓Humans can choose to obey or disobey God
- •Humans cannot choose anything ever
What does chesed describe?
- •God's distant indifference to humans
- ✓God's loyal love and kindness
- •God's silence on all human affairs
- •God's strict legal punishment only
What does tikkun olam mean for Jews today?
- •Building only Jewish synagogues
- •Replacing all modern medicines
- •Returning to ancient temple rituals
- ✓Working to heal and repair the world
What is the Jewish expectation of the Messiah?
- •A divine being already arrived
- ✓A future human leader who brings peace
- •A spiritual idea, never a person
- •An angel from heaven who has come
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