What is the central beliefs of Judaism?

Answer 1

jesus is not the son of god

Answer 2

According to the 12th century Jewish thinker, Moses Maimonides, there are 13 things every Jew is supposed to believe:

1. that God exists
2. that God is one and unique
3. that God is incorporeal
4. that God is eternal
5. that prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other
6. that the words of the prophets are true
7. that Moses's prophecy is better than any other prophet's
8. that the Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses
9. that there will be no other Torah
10. that God knows the thoughts and deeds of men
11. that God will reward the good and punish the wicked
12. that the Messiah will come
13. that the dead will be resurrected

All that being said, in Judaism your actions are considered more important than your beliefs. There are no thought police in Judaism, and what you believe is understood to be between you and God. Your beliefs are a private matter, and are really noone else's business.

What matters is that you are a moral person. You should follow the ten commandments. You should work to make the world a more just place. You should give to charity. Basically, Judaism believes that God did not complete the creation of this world--God left it for the human beings to finish, and we are each obligated to bring the world closer to completion by infusing it with holiness.

The material world and our life in it are considered great gifts--not something to be escaped from or just endured on the way to a better place. This is the only place.

Thus, the enjoyment of physical pleasures is actually a religious obligation--otherwise it is like thumbing your nose at God. As long as that enjoyment is not obtained at the expense of others, and it is part of a life lived in a just and moral way, then it is something that will actually lead to deeper religious feeling.

At some point in time, in the distant future, after we humans have done our job, and brought a sense of holiness into every part of the material world, then the Messiah will come. Here. To this world. And all of the faithful dead will be ressurected---Here, in this world.

Many people interpret these last points as metaphors--and really, if you think about it, God and God's future plans are so far beyond human understanding that anything we could say about them would have to be metaphoric.

The most important aspects to take from all this, I think, are 1. that Judaism is *this worldly*--what happens here is what counts and that 2. human beings have the free will, and thus the responsibility, to make the world better, and 3. you don't have to be Jewish to be considered a good person, you just have to do the right things (ie: God will reward ALL the good people, not just the Jewish ones).

Answer 3

There are five main forms or sects of Judaism in the world today. They are Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, Reconstructionist and Humanistic. The beliefs and requirements in each group differ dramatically; however, a short list of the traditional beliefs of Judaism would include the following:



God is the creator of all that exists; He is one, incorporeal (without a body), and He alone is to be worshipped as absolute ruler of the universe.



The first five books of the Hebrew Bible were revealed to Moses by God. It will not be changed or augmented in the future.



God has communicated to the Jewish people through prophets.



God monitors the activities of humans; He rewards individuals for good deeds and punishes evil.



Although Christians base much of their faith on the same Hebrew Scriptures as Jews, there are major differences in belief: Jews generally consider actions and behavior to be of primary importance; beliefs come out of actions. This conflicts with conservative Christians for whom belief is of primary importance and actions tend to be secondary.



Jewish belief does not accept the Christian concept of original sin (the belief that all people have inherited Adam and Eve's sin when they disobeyed God's instructions in the Garden of Eden).



Judaism affirms the inherent goodness of the world and its people as creations of God.



Jewish believers are able to sanctify their lives and draw closer to God by fulfilling mitzvoth (divine commandments).



No savior is needed or is available as an intermediary.



Beliefs about Jesus vary considerably. Some view him as a great moral teacher. Others see him as a false prophet or as an idol of Christianity. Some sects of Judaism will not even say his name due to the prohibition against saying an idol's name.



The Jews are often referred to as God's chosen people. This does not mean that they are in any way to be considered superior to other groups. Biblical verses such as Exodus 19:5 simply imply that God has selected Israel to receive and study the Torah, to worship God only, to rest on the Sabbath, and to celebrate the festivals. Jews were not chosen to be better than others; they were simply selected to receive more difficult responsibilities, and more onerous punishment if they fail.



The 613 commandments found in Leviticus and other books regulate all aspects of Jewish life.



The Ten commandments, as delineated in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, form a brief synopsis of the Law.



The Messiah (anointed one of God) will arrive in the future and gather Jews once more into the land of Israel. There will be a general resurrection of the dead at that time. The Jerusalem Temple, destroyed in 70 CE, will be rebuilt.

Recommended Resource: What Do Jews Believe?: The Spiritual Foundations of Judaism by David Ariel.

Answer 4

The central beliefs of Judaism 'are' far too complex to be easily described here. I would recommend either reading the Torah or going to talk to a Rabbi or Rabbinical scholar. Alternatively, there are probably some good websites. Try google or wikipedia and 'Judaism'.

Answer 5

Buddhism: to seek enlightenment. Christianity: to seek Salvation. Hinduism: To be released from the cycle of Karma. Islam: To put up to the favor Of God. Judaism: To obey God's Covenant. Jainism(no longer requested, I understand, yet, desirous to operate): to conquer ones inner temptations.

Answer 6

In a slightly long story one of the greatest rabbis of Judiasm said that the Torah is all about The Golden Rule. Everything else is just commentary.

Answer 7

Belief that the Messiah will come and make the world better

Belief in all of the prophets

Belief in only serving one god who is I am what I am.

Answer 8

"Don't do unto others what you would not have them do unto you." Rabbi Hillel around the year one

Answer 9

For pretty well any religion, see:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/index.htm#new
And specifically:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/judaism.htm

Answer 10

"Hear O Israel, The Lord, our God, the Lord is One"