belief that they will be here cited without comment.
According then to this presentation, the Essentials of Judaism are: '(i)
There is One Eternal God, who is the sole Origin of all things and forces,
and the Source of all living souls. He rules the universe with justice,
righteousness, mercy, and love. (ii) Our souls, emanating from God, are
immortal, and will return to Him when our life on earth ceases. While
we are here, our souls can hold direct communion with God in prayer and
praise, and in silent contemplation and admiration of His works. (iii)
Our souls are directly responsible to God for the work of our life on
earth. God, being All-merciful, will judge us with loving-kindness, and
being All-just, will allow for our imperfections; and we, therefore,
need no mediator and no vicarious atonement to ensure the future
welfare of our souls. (iv) God is the One and only God. He is Eternal
and Omnipresent. He not only pervades the entire world, but is also
within us; and His Spirit helps and leads us towards goodness and truth.
(v) Duty should be the moving force of our life; and the thought that God
is always in us and about us should incite us to lead good and beneficent
lives, showing our love of God by loving our fellow-creatures, and working
for their happiness and betterment with all our might. (vi) In various
bygone times God has revealed, and even in our own days continues to
reveal to us, something of His nature and will, by inspiring the best
and wisest minds with noble thoughts and new ideas, to be conveyed to
us in words, so that this world may constantly improve and grow happier
and better. (vii) Long ago some of our forefathers were thus inspired,
and they handed down to us--and through us to the world at large--some
of God's choicest gifts, the principles of Religion and Morality, now
recorded in our Bible; and these spiritual gifts of God have gradually
spread among our fellow-men, so that much of our religion and of its
morality has been adopted by them. (viii) Till the main religious and
moral principles of Judaism have been accepted by the world at large,
the maintenance by the Jews of a separate corporate existence is a
religious duty incumbent upon them. They are the "witnesses" of God,
and they must adhere to their religion, showing forth its truth and
excellence to all mankind. This has been and is and will continue to
be their mission. Their public worship and private virtues must be the
outward manifestation of the fulfilment of that mission.'
CHAPTER IV
SOME CONCEPTS OF JUDAISM
Though there are no accepted Articles of Faith in Judaism, there is
a complete consensus of opinion that Monotheism is the basis of the
religion. The Unity of God was more than a doctrine. It was associated
with the noblest hope of Israel, with Israel's Mission to the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account