Unit 9: Judaism - Beliefs (Key Concepts)

The belief that all life is sacred (holy) because it is a gift from God. 

The obligation / duty to always act to save a life if it is possible to do so, even if doing so breaks Jewish law. For example, a Jew may work on the Sabbath if their actions are carried out with the intention of saving a life, because this duty ranks above all other religious laws. 

In Judaism, the Written Law is found in the Torah, the first 5 books of the Jewish Bible. These are laws that God has given his people to follow. The Oral Law are teachings that have been passed on through the Rabbi's who have instructed the Jewish people on how to follow Jewish scripture - many of these Oral Law have been written down in the Talmud. 

The name given to the 613 Commandments found in the Torah. Jews believe that God has given them these commandments to follow, and that they must obey them. Whilst Jews should strive to follow all the 613 Mitzvot, it is impossible for them to do so in practice, owing to the fact that some of the Mitzvot are not applicable to everybody. 

Orthodox Jews are Jews who emphasise the importance of following the laws and guidance found in the Torah as strictly as possible. Reform Jews do still follow the laws of the Torah, but less strictly - they tend to be more relaxed. There are also "Ultra-Orthodox Jews" who follow the laws even more closely than Orthodox Jews.