2/7/2015 JewishprinciplesoffaithWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Jewishprinciplesoffaith
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

PractitionersofJudaismsharesomeprinciples,butthereisnoestablishedformulationofprinciplesof
faiththatarerecognizedbyallobservantJews.

Thevarious"principlesoffaith"thathavebeenenumeratedovertheinterveningcenturiescarrynogreater
weightthanthatimpartedtothembythefameandscholarshipoftheirrespectiveauthors,astheonlyadded
weightisdirecttrueProphecy,whichisconsideredtohavebeenlostinthe4thor5thcenturyBCE.Central
authorityinJudaismisnotvestedinanypersonorgroupthoughtheSanhedrin,thesupremeJewishcourt,
wouldfulfilthisrolewhenitisreestablishedbutratherinJudaism'ssacredwritings,laws,andtraditions.
JudaismaffirmstheexistenceanduniquenessofGodandstressesperformanceofdeedsorcommandments
alongsideadherencetoastrictbeliefsystem.IncontrasttotraditionssuchasChristianitywhichdemanda
moreexplicitidentificationofGod,faithinJudaismrequiresonetohonourGodthroughaconstantstruggle
withGod'sinstructions(Torahs)andthepracticeoftheirmitzvoth.

OrthodoxJudaismhasstressedanumberofcoreprinciplesinitseducationalprograms,mostimportantlya
beliefthatthereisonesingle,omniscient,transcendent,noncompoundGod,whocreatedtheuniverse,and
continuestobeconcernedwithitsgovernance.TraditionalJudaismmaintainsthatGodestablisheda
covenantwiththeJewishpeopleatMountSinai,andrevealedhislawsand613commandmentstothemin
theformoftheWrittenandOralTorah.InRabbinicJudaism,theTorahs(Hebrew"Toroth")compriseboth
thewrittenTorah(Pentateuch)andatraditionoforallaw,muchofitlatercodifiedinsacredwritings(see:
Mishna,Talmud).

Traditionally,thepracticeofJudaismhasbeendevotedtothestudyofTorahandobservanceoftheselaws
andcommandments.InnormativeJudaism,theTorahandhenceJewishlawitselfisunchanging,but
interpretationoflawismoreopen.Itisconsideredamitzvah(commandment)tostudyandunderstandthe
law.

ThepropercounterpartforthegeneralEnglishterm"faith"asoccurringintheexpression"principlesof
faith"wouldbetheconceptofEmunah[1]inJudaism.TheconceptofEmunah,whileingeneraltranslated
asfaithortrustinGod,isdescribedas"aninnateconviction,aperceptionoftruththattranscends(..)
reason."[1]Emunahcanbeenhancedfurtherbythehelpofwisdom,knowledge,understandingandlearning
ofsacredJewishwritings.ButEmunahisnotsimplisticallybasedonreasonnorcanitbeunderstoodasan
oppositeorcontrasttoit.

Contents
1Jewishprinciplesoffaith
1.1ConceptionofGod
1.1.1Monotheism
1.1.2Godisthecreatoroftheuniverse
1.1.3NatureofGod
1.1.4ToGodalonemayoneofferprayer
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1.2Revelation
1.2.1Scripture
1.2.2MosesandtheTorah
1.2.3TheoriginoftheTorah
1.2.4Thewordsoftheprophetsaretrue
1.2.5OralTorah
1.3God'srelationshipwithMan
1.3.1Peoplearebornwithbothatendencytodogoodandtodoevil
1.3.2Rewardandpunishment
1.3.3Israelchosenforapurpose
1.3.4Themessiah
2Historyanddevelopment
2.1Noformaltextcanonized
2.2ConversiontoJudaism
2.3Areprinciplesoffaithinherentinmitzvot?
2.4BeliefintheOralLaw
2.5Beliefduringthemedievalera
2.6Maimonides'13principlesoffaith
2.7PrinciplesoffaithafterMaimonides
2.8TheEnlightenment
2.9Holocausttheology
3PrinciplesoffaithinModernJudaism
3.1PrinciplesofOrthodoxJudaism
3.2PrinciplesofConservativeJudaism
3.3PrinciplesofNorthAmericanReformJudaism
3.4PrinciplesofReconstructionistJudaism
4References
5Furtherreading

Jewishprinciplesoffaith
Thereareanumberofbasicprinciplesthatwereformulatedbymedievalrabbinicauthorities.These
principleswereputforthasfundamentalunderpinningsinherentinthe"acceptanceandpracticeof
Judaism."

ConceptionofGod

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Monotheism

Judaismisbasedonastrictmonotheismandabeliefinonesingle,indivisible,noncompoundGod.The
ShemaYisrael,oneofthemostimportantJewishprayers,encapsulatesthemonotheisticnatureof
Judaism:[2]"Hear,OIsrael:TheLordisourGodtheLordisone."[3]

"JudaismemphaticallyrejectsanyconceptofpluralitywithrespecttoGod"[4]explicitlyrejecting
polytheism,dualism,andtrinitarianism,whichare"incompatiblewithmonotheismasJudaismunderstands
it."[2]TheunityofGodisstatedmanytimesinJewishtradition.ItisthesecondofMaimonides's13
principlesoffaithMaimonideswrotethat"ThisGodisOne,nottwoormorethantwo,butOnewhose
unityisdifferentfromallotherunitiesthatthereare.Heisnotoneasagenus,whichcontainsmany
species,isone.NorisHeoneasabody,containingpartsanddimensions,isone.ButHisisaunitythan
whichthereisnootheranywhere"(Yad,YesodeHaTorah1:7).[2]

InJewishtradition,dualisticandtrinitarianconceptionsofGodaregenerallyreferredtoasShituf
("partnership"),meaninganincorrectbutnotanidolatrousview.[5]

Godisthecreatoroftheuniverse

JewsbelievethatGodiscreatoroftheuniverse.However,Jewsdonotbelieveinaliteralinterpretationof
theGenesiscreationnarrative,andJudaismisnotincontradictiontothescientificmodelthatstatesthatthe
ageoftheuniverseisaround13.77billionyearsold.[6]NorbertM.Samuelsonwritesthe"questionof
datingtheuniversehasneverbeenaproblemofJewishphilosophy,ultimatelybecausethatphilosophyhas
nevertakentheliteralmeaningoftheBibletobeitsrevealed,truemeaning."[7]

WhilethegeneralJewishattitudehasbeenthatGodcreatedtheworldexnihilo,RabbiMarcD.Angel
writesthathistorically"therehasbeenageneralreluctanceinJewishtraditiontospeculateonthe
metaphysicalaspectsofcreation":

TheimportantstatementforJudaismisthatGoddidinfactcreatetheworldan
evolutionaryprocessdidnotsimplyhappenbyitself,butwassetintomotionbyGod.
WhentheBiblespeaksofGodcreatingtheworldinsixdays,itmaybespeaking
figuratively.Thewordyom(day)inthecreationstorycanhardlybeprovedtobereferring
toadayoftwentyfourhours.Afterall,thesunitselfwasnotcreateduntilthefourth
"day,"soitisimpossibletoarguethatthefirstthree"days"weredaysasweknowthem.A
moreappropriatewaytounderstandthecreationstoryisthatGodcreatedtheuniversein
sixstages,andeachofthesestagesmayhavetakenmillionsofyears,ortwentyfour
hours,orinstants.Inshort,JudaisminsiststhatGodcreatedtheworld,thathecreateditin
stages,andthathecontinuestomaintaintheuniversewhichhecreated.Thespecific
detailsofthecreationprocessarenotcentraltoJewishthought.[8]

MosesMaimonideswrotethat"byvirtueoftheexistenceoftheCreatoreverythingexists"[9]andarguesin
his12thcenturyGuideforthePerplexed(2:13)that"timeitselfispartofcreation"andthattherefore,
"whenGodisdescribedasexistingbeforethecreationoftheuniverse,thenotionoftimeshouldnotbe
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understoodinitsnormalsense."The15thcenturyJewishphilosopherJosephAlboarguedsimilarlyinhis
Ikkarimthattherearetwotypesoftime:"Measuredtimewhichdependsonmotion,andtimeinthe
abstract,"thesecondofwhichhasnooriginandis"theinfinitespaceoftimebeforetheuniversewas
created."Alboarguedthat"althoughitisdifficulttoconceiveofGodexistinginsuchaduration,itis
likewisedifficulttoimagineGodoutsidespace."OtherJewishwritershavecometodifferentconclusions,
suchas13thcenturyscholarBahyabenAsher,16thcenturyscholarMosesAlmosnino,andthe18th
centuryHasidicteacherNahmanofBratslav,whoexpressedaviewsimilartothatexpressedbythe
ChristianNeoPlatonicwriterBoethiusthatGod"livesintheeternalpresent"andtranscendsorisabove
alltime.[10]

NatureofGod

TheJewishviewisthatGodiseternal,with"neitherbeginningnorend,"aprinciplestatedinanumberof
Biblicalpassages.Therabbistaughta"quiteliterally...downtoearth"viewoftheeternalnessofGod:That
"Godiseternalbutitisnotgiventomantoexplorethefullmeaningofthisidea,"andso"onecannot,
therefore,expecttofindintherabbinicliteratureanythinglikeadetailedexaminationofwhatismeantby
divineeternity."AfamousMishnahstatementonattemptsto"piercetheveil"isthis:"Whoeverreflectson
fourthingsitwerebetterforhimthathehadnotcomeintotheworld:"whatisabove?whatisbeneath?
whatisbefore?andwhatisafter?"[11]

ThetraditionalJewishviewisthatGodisomnipotent,omniscient,andomnibenevolent.[12][13]

VariousJewishthinkers,however,haveproposeda"finiteGod,"sometimesinresponsetotheproblemof
evilandideasaboutfreewill.LouisJacobswritesthatmodernJewishthinkerssuchasLeviOlan,echoing
someclassicalJewishwriterssuchasthe14thcenturyTalmudistGersonideshave"thoughtofGodas
limitedbyHisownnaturesothatwhileHeisinfiniteinsomerespectsheisfiniteinothers,"referencingthe
idea,presentinclassicalsources,that"thereisaprimalformlessmaterialcoexistentwithGodfromall
eternityuponwhichGodhastoworkandthatGodonlyknowsthefutureinageneralsensebutnothow
individualmenwillexercisetheirchoice."[13]Onthetopicofomniscienceandfreewill,Jacobswritesthat
inthemedievalperiod,threeviewswereputforth:Maimonides,whowrotethatGodhadforeknowledge
andmanisfreeGersonides,whowrotethatmanisfreeandconsequentlyGoddoesnothavecomplete
knowledge,andHasdaiCrescas,whowroteinOrAdonaithatGodhascompleteforeknowledgeand
consequentlyGodisnotreallyfree.[13]

SeveralJewishwritershavedealtwiththeissueoftheodicy:whetherandhowGodisallpowerfulandall
good,giventheexistenceofevilintheworld,particularlytheHolocaust.JonD.Levensonarguesthat
omnipotencedoctrinefailsto"givedueregardto"'theformidabilityandresilienceoftheforces
counteractingcreation"(suchastheprimordialstateofchaosexistingbeforecreation)and"leadstoa
neglectoftheroleofhumanityinformingandstatingtheworldorder.[12]HansJonasproposeda"tentative
myth"that"God'chose'inthebeginningtogiveGod'sself'overtothechanceandriskandendlessvariety
ofbecoming,enteringintotheadventureofspaceintime."Jonesexpressedtheviewthat"Goddoesnot
createtheworldbyfiat(althoughGoddoescreatetheworld),butleadsitbybeckoningitintonovel
possibilitiesofbecoming.Jonas,whowasinfluencedbytheHolocaustexperience,believedthatGodis
omnipresent,butnot"inallrespectsnontemporal,impassible,immutable,andunqualifiedomnipotent."[12]

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MostofclassicalJudaismviewsGodasapersonalgod.RabbiSamuelS.Cohonwrotethat"Godas
conceivedbyJudaismisnotonlytheFirstCause,theCreativePower,andtheWorldReason,butalsothe
livingandlovingFatherofMen.Heisnotonlycosmicbutalsopersonal....Jewishmonotheismthinksof
Godintermsofdefinitecharacterorpersonality,whilepantheismiscontentwithaviewofGodas
impersonal."ThisisshownintheJewishliturgy,suchasintheAdonOlamhymn,whichincludesa
"confidentaffirmation"that"HeismyGod,mylivingGod...Whohearsandanswers."[14]EdwardKessler
writesthatHebrewBible"portraysanencounterwithaGodwhocarespassionatelyandwhoaddresses
humanityinthequietmomentsofitsexistence."[15]BritishchiefrabbiJonathanSackssuggeststhatGod"is
notdistantintimeordetached,butpassionatelyengagedandpresent."[15]Itisimportanttonotethat"the
predicate'personal'asappliedtoGod"doesnotmeanthatGodiscorporealoranthropomorphic,views
whichJudaismhasalwaysrejectedrather,"personality"refersnottophysicalitybutto"inneressence,
psychical,rational,andmoral."[14]AlthoughmostJewsbelievethat"Godcanbeexperienced,"itis
understoodthat"Godcannotbeunderstood"because"Godisutterlyunlikehumankind"(asshowninGod's
responsetoMoseswhenMosesaskedforGod'sname:"IAmthatIAm")allanthropomorphicstatements
aboutGod"areunderstoodaslinguisticmetaphors,otherwiseitwouldbeimpossibletotalkaboutGodat
all."[15]

AlthoughthedominantstraininJudaismisthatGodispersonal,thereisan"alternatestreamoftradition
exemplifiedby...Maimonides,"who,alongwithseveralotherJewishphilosophers,rejectedtheideaofa
personalGod.[15]Thisreflectedhisbeliefinnegativetheology:thatGodcanonlybedescribedbywhat
Godisnot.[15]RabbiMordecaiKaplan,whodevelopedReconstructionistJudaismandtaughtatthe
ConservativeJewishTheologicalSeminaryofAmerica,alsorejectedtheideaofapersonalGod.Kaplan
insteadthoughtofGod"asaforce,likegravity,builtintotheverystructureoftheuniverse,"believingthat
"sincetheuniverseisconstructedtoenableustogainpersonalhappinessandcommunalsolidaritywhenwe
actmorally,itfollowsthatthereisamoralforceintheuniversethisforceiswhattheConstructionists
meanbyGod,"althoughsomeReconstructionistsdobelieveinapersonalGod.[16]AccordingtoJoseph
TelushkinandMorrisN.Kertzer,Kaplan's"rationalistrejectionofthetraditionalJewishunderstandingof
Godexertedapowerfulinfluence"onmanyConservativeandReformrabbis.influencedmanytostop
believinginapersonalGod."[17]TheNationalSurveyofYouthandReligionin20022003and20072008
indicatesthataboutonethirdofyoungAmericanJewsbelieve"notinapersonalGod,butinanimpersonal,
cosmiclifeforce."[18]

ToGodalonemayoneofferprayer

Judaismhasoftenemphasizestrictmonotheismand"exclusivityofthedivinity"andprayerdirectlytoGod
referencestoangelsorotherintermediariesarenottypicallyseeninJewishliturgyorinsiddurs
(prayerbooks).Maimonides'fifthprincipleoffaithstatesthat"Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatitisonly
propertopraytoGod,"andthisisoftenseenasstatingthat"Onemaynotpraytoanyoneoranythingelse.
ThisprincipleteachesthatGodistheonlyonewhomwemayserveandpraise...Itisthereforenotproperto
serve(angels,stars,orotherelements)ormakethemintermediariestobringusclosertoGod."[19]Talmudic
literaturedoesshowsthatsomeevidencethatJewishprayersinvokingangelsandotherintermediaries
existedinthe1stcenturyCE,andseveralexamplesofpostTalmudicprayersexist,includingafamiliar
piyyut(liturgicalsong)entitled"UsherersofMercy,"recitedbeforeandafterRoshHashanahinSelichot
(Jewishpenitentialprayers).[20]

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Revelation

Scripture

TheHebrewBibleorTanakhistheJewishscripturalcanonandcentralsourceofJewishlaw.Thewordis
anacronymformedfromtheinitialHebrewlettersofthethreetraditionalsubdivisionsoftheTanakh:The
Torah("Teaching",alsoknownastheFiveBooksofMosesorPentateuch),theNevi'im("Prophets")and
theKetuvim("Writings").[21]TheTanakhcontains24booksinallitsauthoritativeversionistheMasoretic
Text.Traditionally,thetextoftheTanakhwassaidtohavebeenfinalizedattheCouncilofJamniain70
CE,althoughthisisuncertain.[21]InJudaism,theterm"Torah"refersnotonlytotheFiveBooksofMoses,
butalsotoalloftheJewishscriptures(thewholeofTanakh),andtheethicalandmoralinstructionsofthe
rabbis(theOralTorah).[22]

InadditiontotheTanakh,therearetwofurthertextualtraditionsinJudaism:Mishnah(tractatesexpounding
onJewishlaw)andtheTalmud(commentaryofMisnehandTorah).Thesearebothcodificationsand
redactionsoftheJewishoraltraditionsandmajorworksinRabbinicJudaism.[22]

TheTalmudconsistsoftheBabylonianTalmud(producedinBabylonaround600CE)andtheJerusalem
Talmud(producedintheLandofIsraelcirca400CE).TheBabylonianTalmudisthemoreextensiveofthe
twoandisconsideredthemoreimportant.[23]TheTalmudisarepresentationoftheTorahthrough
"sustainedanalysisandargument"with"unfoldingdialogueandcontention"betweenrabbinicsages.The
TalmudconsistsoftheMishnah(alegalcode)andtheGemara(Aramaicfor"learning"),ananalysisand
commentarytothatcode.[23]RabbiAdinSteinsaltzwritesthat"IftheBibleisthecornerstoneofJudaism,
thentheTalmudisthecentralpillar...Nootherworkhashadacomparableinfluenceonthetheoryand
practiceofJewishlife,shapinginfluenceonthetheoryandpracticeofJewishlife"andstates:[24]

TheTalmudistherepositoryofthousandsofyearsofJewishwisdom,andtheorallaw,
whichisasancientandsignificantasthewrittenlaw(theTorah)findsexpressiontherein.
Itisaconglomerateoflaw,legend,andphilosophy,ablendofuniquelogicandshrewd
pragmatism,ofhistoryandscience,anecdotesandhumor...Althoughitsmainobjectiveis
tointerpretandcommentonabookoflaw,itis,simultaneously,aworkofartthatgoes
beyondlegislationanditspracticalapplication.AndalthoughtheTalmudis,tothisday,
theprimarysourceofJewishlaw,itcannotbecitedasanauthorityforpurposesofruling...

Thoughbasedontheprinciplesoftraditionandthetransmissionofauthorityfrom
generationtogeneration,itisunparalleledinitseagernesstoquestionandreexamine
conventionandacceptedviewsandtorootoutunderlyingcauses.Thetalmudicmethodof
discussionanddemonstrationtriestoapproximatemathematicalprecision,butwithout
havingrecoursetomathematicalorlogicalsymbols.

...theTalmudistheembodimentofthegreatconceptofmitzvattalmudTorahthe
positivereligiousdutyofstudyingTorah,ofacquiringlearningandwisdom,studywhich
isitsownendandreward.[24]

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MosesandtheTorah

OrthodoxandConservativeJewsholdthattheprophecyofMosesisheldtobetrueheisheldtobethe
chiefofallprophets,evenofthosewhocamebeforeandafterhim.Thisbeliefwasexpressedby
Maimonides,whowrotethat"Moseswassuperiortoallprophets,whethertheyprecededhimorarose
afterwards.Mosesattainedthehighestpossiblehumanlevel.HeperceivedGodtoadegreesurpassing
everyhumanthateverexisted....Godspoketoallotherprophetsthroughanintermediary.Mosesalonedid
notneedthisthisiswhattheTorahmeanswhenGodsays"Mouthtomouth,Iwillspeaktohim."The
greatJewishphilosopherPhilounderstandsthistypeofprophecytobeanextraordinarilyhighlevelof
philosophicalunderstanding,whichhadbeenreachedbyMosesandwhichenabledhimtowritetheTorah
throughhisownrationaldeductionofnaturallaw.Maimonides,inhisCommentarytotheMishna(preface
tochapter"Chelek",TractateSanhedrin),andishisMishnehTorah,(intheLawsofthefoundationsofthe
Torah,ch.7),describesasimilarconceptofprophecy,sinceavoicethatdidnotoriginatefromabody
cannotexist,theunderstandingofMoseswasbasedonhisloftyphilosophicalunderstandings.However,
thisdoesnotimplythatthetextoftheTorahshouldbeunderstoodliterally,asaccordingtoKaraism.
RabbinictraditionmaintainsthatGodconveyednotonlythewordsoftheTorah,butthemeaningofthe
Torah.Godgaverulesastohowthelawsweretobeunderstoodandimplemented,andthesewerepassed
downasanoraltradition.Thisorallawwaspasseddownfromgenerationtogenerationandultimately
writtendownalmost2,000yearslaterintheMishnaandthetwoTalmuds.

ForReformJews,theprophecyofMoseswasnotthehighestdegreeofprophecyratheritwasthefirstina
longchainofprogressiverevelationsinwhichmankindgraduallybegantounderstandthewillofGod
betterandbetter.Assuch,theymaintain,thatthelawsofMosesarenolongerbinding,anditistoday's
generationthatmustassesswhatGodwantsofthem.Thisprincipleisalsorejectedbymost
ReconstructionistJews,butforadifferentreasonmostpositthatGodisnotabeingwithawillthusthey
maintainthatnowillcanberevealed.

TheoriginoftheTorah

TheTorahiscomposedof5bookscalledinEnglishGenesis,Exodus,Leviticus,Numbers,and
Deuteronomy.TheychroniclethehistoryoftheHebrewsandalsocontainthecommandmentsthatJewsare
tofollow.

RabbinicJudaismholdsthattheTorahextanttodayisthesameonethatwasgiventoMosesbyGodon
MountSinai.Maimonidesexplains:"WedonotknowexactlyhowtheTorahwastransmittedtoMoses.But
whenitwastransmitted,Mosesmerelywroteitdownlikeasecretarytakingdictation....[Thus]everyverse
intheTorahisequallyholy,astheyalloriginatefromGod,andareallpartofGod'sTorah,whichis
perfect,holyandtrue."

HarediJewsgenerallybelievethattheTorahtodayisnodifferentfromwhatwasreceivedfromGodto
Moses,withonlythemostminorofscribalerrors.ManyotherOrthodoxJewssuggestthatoverthe
millennia,somescribalerrorshavecreptintotheTorah'stext.TheynotethattheMasoretes(7thto10th
centuries)comparedallknownTorahvariationsinordertocreateadefinitivetext.However,even
accordingtothispositionthatthescrollsthatJewspossesstodayarenotletterperfect,theTorahscrollsare
certainlythewordperfecttextusreceptusthatwasdivinelyrevealedtoMoses.Indeed,theconsensusof
OrthodoxrabbinicauthoritypositsthisbeliefinthewordperfectnatureoftheTorahscrollasrepresenting
anonnegotiableprerequisiteforOrthodoxJewishmembership.AlthougheveninModernOrthodoxcircles
therearesomeRabbis(e.g.ProfessorMarcShapiro)thatpointoutthenumerousrabbinicsourcesfromthe
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Talmudic,PostTalmudic,andmedievalagesthatclaimthatthereweresomechangestothetext,which
includewholeverses,thatweremadedeliberatelyduringtheMishnaicera,andevenduringthetimesofthe
firsttemple.ProfessorShapiroliststhemanymedievalRabbisdiscusschangesandadditionsthatoccurred
duringthetimeofEzratheScribeinhiswork'TheLimitsofOrthodoxTheology:Maimonides'Thirteen
PrinciplesReappraised'.

Thewordsoftheprophetsaretrue

TheNevi'im,thebooksoftheProphets,areconsidereddivineandtrue.Thisdoesnotimplythattheyare
alwaysreadliterally:Jewishtraditionhasalwaysheldthatprophetsusedmetaphorsandanalogies,and
therearemanycommentariesexplainingandelucidatingmetaphoricalverses.

OralTorah

ManyOrthodoxJewsviewtheWrittenandOralTorahasthesameasMosestaught,forallpractical
purposes.ConservativeJewstendtobelievethatmuchoftheOrallawisdivinelyinspired,whileReform
andReconstructionistJewstendtoviewalloftheOrallawasanentirelyhumancreation.Traditionally,the
ReformmovementheldthatJewswereobligedtoobeytheethicalbutnottheritualcommandmentsof
Scripture,althoughtodaymanyReformJewshaveadoptedmanytraditionalritualpractices.KaraiteJews
traditionallyconsidertheWrittenTorahtobeauthoritative,viewingtheOralLawasonlyonepossible
interpretationoftheWrittenTorah.MostModernOrthodoxJewswillagreethat,whilecertainlawswithin
theOralLawweregiventoMoses,mostoftheTalmudiclawswerederivedorganicallybytheRabbisof
theMishnaicandTalmudiceras.

God'srelationshipwithMan

Judaism'sfocusismoreonhowGoddefinesmanthanonetryingtodefineGod.Thereisthereforeafocus
onwhatpeopleareexpectedtobeordofarmorethanonspellingouttheologicalbeliefs.

Peoplearebornwithbothatendencytodogoodandtodoevil

Jewishtraditionmostlyemphasizesfreewill,andmostJewishthinkersrejectdeterminism,onthebasisthat
freewillandtheexerciseoffreechoicehavebeenconsideredapreconditionofmorallife.[25]"Moral
indeterminacyseemstobeassumedbothbytheBible,whichbidsmantochoosebetweengoodandevil,
andbytherabbis,whoholdthedecisionforfollowingthegoodinclinationratherthantheevilrestswith
everyindividual."[25]MaimonidesassertedthecompatibilityoffreewillwithforeknowledgeofGod
(MishnehTorah,HilkhotTeshuvah5).[25]OnlyahandfulofJewishthinkershaveexpresseddeterministic
views.ThisgroupincludesthemedievalJewishphilosopherHasdaiCrescasandthe19thcenturyHasidic
rabbiMordechaiYosefLeinerofIzbica.[26][27]

Judaismaffirmsthatpeoplearebornwithbothanyetzerhatov(),aninclinationorimpulsetodo
good,andwithayetzerhara(),aninclinationorimpulsetodoevil.Thesephrasesreflectthe
conceptthat"withineachperson,thereareopposingnaturescontinuallyinconflict"andarereferenced
manytimesintherabbinictradition.[28]Therabbisevenrecognizeapositivevaluetotheyetzerhara:
withouttheyetzerharatherewouldbenocivilizationorotherfruitsofhumanlabor.Midrash(Bereshit

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Rabbah9:7)states:"Withouttheevilinclination,noonewouldfatherachild,buildahouse,ormakea
career."Theimplicationisthatyetzerhatovandyetzerharaarebestunderstoodnotonlyasmoral
categoriesofgoodandevilbutastheinherentconflictwithinmanbetweenselflessandselfishorientations.

Judaismrecognizestwoclassesof"sin":offensesagainstotherpeople,andoffensesagainstGod.Offenses
againstGodmaybeunderstoodasviolationofacontract(thecovenantbetweenGodandtheChildrenof
Israel).(SeeJewishviewsonsin.)

Aclassicalrabbinicwork,AvothdeRabbiNatan,states:"Onetime,whenRabbanYochananbenZakkai
waswalkinginJerusalemwithRabbiYehosua,theyarrivedatwheretheTempleinJerusalemnowstoodin
ruins."Woetous,"criedRabbiYehosua,"forthishousewhereatonementwasmadeforIsrael'ssinsnow
liesinruins!"AnsweredRabbanYochanan,"Wehaveanother,equallyimportantsourceofatonement,the
practiceofgemiluthasadim(lovingkindness),asitisstated:"Idesirelovingkindnessandnotsacrifice"
(Hosea6:6).Also,theBabylonianTalmudteachesthat"RabbiYochananandRabbiEleazarbothexplain
thataslongastheTemplestood,thealtaratonedforIsrael,butnow,one'stableatones[whenthepoorare
invitedasguests]"(Talmud,tractateBerachoth55a).Similarly,theliturgyoftheDaysofAwe(theHigh
HolyDaysi.e.RoshHaShanahandYomKippur)statesthatprayer,repentanceandtzedakahatoneforsin.

Judaismrejectsthebeliefin"originalsin."BothancientandmodernJudaismteachesthateverypersonis
responsibleforhisownactions.However,theexistenceofsome"innatesinfulnessoneachhumanbeing
wasdiscussed"inbothbiblical(Genesis8:21,Psalms51.5)andpostbiblicalsources.[29]Someapocrypha
andpseudepigraphicsourcesexpresspessimismabouthumannature("Agrainofevilseedwassownin
Adam'sheartfromthebeginning"),andtheTalmud(b.AvodahZarah22b)hasanunusualpassagewhich
EdwardKesslerdescribesas"theserpentseducedEveinparadiseandimpregnatedherwithspiritual
physical'dirt'whichwasinheritedthroughthegenerations,"buttherevelationatSinaiandthereceptionof
theTorahcleansedIsrael.[29]Kesslerstatesthat"althoughitisclearthatbeliefinsomeformoforiginalsin
didexistinJudaism,itdidnotbecomemainstreamteaching,nordogmaticallyfixed,"butremainedatthe
marginsofJudaism.[29]

Rewardandpunishment

ThemainstreamJewishviewisthatGodwillrewardthosewhoobserveHiscommandmentsandpunish
thosewhointentionallytransgressthem.Examplesofrewardsandpunishmentsaredescribedthroughout
theBible,andthroughoutclassicalrabbinicliterature:seeFreewillInJewishthought.Thecommon
understandingofthisprincipleisacceptedbymostOrthodoxandConservativeandmanyReformJewsit
isgenerallyrejectedbytheReconstructionists.[30]

ThemainstreamJewishviewisthatGodwillrewardthosewhoobservehiscommandmentsandpunish
thosewhointentionallytransgressthem.Examplesofrewardsandpunishmentsaredescribedthroughout
theBible,andthroughoutclassicalrabbinicliterature.Thecommonunderstandingofthisprincipleis
acceptedbymostOrthodoxandConservativeandmanyReformJewsitisgenerallyrejectedbythe
Reconstructionists.[31]

TheBiblecontainsreferencestoSheol,lit.gloom,asthecommondestinationofthedead,whichmaybe
comparedwiththeHadesorunderworldofancientreligions.Inlatertraditionthisisinterpretedeitheras
Hellorasaliteraryexpressionfordeathorthegraveingeneral.

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AccordingtoaggadicpassagesintheTalmud,GodjudgeswhohasfollowedHiscommandmentsandwho
doesnotandtowhatextent.Thosewhodonot"passthetest"gotoapurifyingplace(sometimesreferredto
asGehinnom,i.e.Hell,butmoreanalogoustotheChristianPurgatory)to"learntheirlesson".Thereis,
however,forthemostpart,noeternaldamnation.Thevastmajorityofsoulsonlygotothatreformingplace
foralimitedamountoftime(lessthanoneyear).Certaincategoriesarespokenofashaving"nopartinthe
worldtocome",butthisappearstomeanannihilationratherthananeternityoftorment.

PhilosophicalrationalistssuchasMaimonidesbelievedthatGoddidnotactuallymeteoutrewardsand
punishmentsassuch.Inthisview,thesewerebeliefsthatwerenecessaryforthemassestobelieveinorder
tomaintainastructuredsocietyandtoencouragetheobservanceofJudaism.However,onceonelearned
Torahproperly,onecouldthenlearnthehighertruths.Inthisview,thenatureoftherewardisthatifa
personperfectedhisintellecttothehighestdegree,thenthepartofhisintellectthatconnectedtoGodthe
activeintellectwouldbeimmortalizedandenjoythe"GloryofthePresence"foralleternity.The
punishmentwouldsimplybethatthiswouldnothappennopartofone'sintellectwouldbeimmortalized
withGod.SeeDivineProvidenceinJewishthought.

TheKabbalah(mysticaltraditioninJudaism)containsfurtherelaborations,thoughsomeJewsdonot
considertheseauthoritative.Forexampleitadmitsthepossibilityofreincarnation,whichisgenerally
rejectedbynonmysticalJewishtheologiansandphilosophers.Italsobelievesinatriplesoul,ofwhichthe
lowestlevel(nefeshoranimallife)dissolvesintotheelements,themiddlelayer(ruachorintellect)goesto
GanEden(Paradise)whilethehighestlevel(neshamahorspirit)seeksunionwithGod.

ManyJewsconsider"TikkunOlam"(orRepairingtheworld)asafundamentalmotivatingfactorinJewish
ethics.Therefore,theconceptof"lifeafterdeath,"intheJewishview,isnotencouragedasthemotivating
factorinperformanceofJudaism.IndeeditisheldthatonecanattainclosenesstoGodeveninthisworld
throughmoralandspiritualperfection.

Israelchosenforapurpose

GodchosetheJewishpeopletobeinauniquecovenantwithGodthedescriptionofthiscovenantisthe
Torahitself.Contrarytopopularbelief,Jewishpeopledonotsimplysaythat"GodchosetheJews."This
claim,byitself,existsnowhereintheTanakh(theJewishBible).SuchaclaimcouldimplythatGodloves
onlytheJewishpeople,thatonlyJewscanbeclosetoGod,andthatonlyJewscanhaveaheavenlyreward.
TheactualclaimmadeisthattheJewswerechosenforaspecificmission,aduty:tobealightuntothe
nations,andtohaveacovenantwithGodasdescribedintheTorah.ReconstructionistJudaismrejectseven
thisvariantofchosennessasmorallydefunct.

RabbiLordImmanuelJakobovits,formerChiefRabbioftheUnitedSynagogueofGreatBritain,describes
themainstreamJewishviewonthisissue:"Yes,Idobelievethatthechosenpeopleconceptasaffirmedby
Judaisminitsholywrit,itsprayers,anditsmillennialtradition.Infact,Ibelievethateverypeopleand
indeed,inamorelimitedway,everyindividualis'chosen'ordestinedforsomedistinctpurposein
advancingthedesignsofProvidence.Only,somefulfilltheirmissionandothersdonot.MaybetheGreeks
werechosenfortheiruniquecontributionstoartandphilosophy,theRomansfortheirpioneeringservices
inlawandgovernment,theBritishforbringingparliamentaryruleintotheworld,andtheAmericansfor
pilotingdemocracyinapluralisticsociety.TheJewswerechosenbyGodtobe'peculiaruntoMe'asthe
pioneersofreligionandmoralitythatwasandistheirnationalpurpose."

Themessiah
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Judaismacknowledgesanafterlife,butdoesnothaveasingleorsystemicwayofthinkingaboutthe
afterlife.JudaismplacesitsoverwhelmingstressonOlamHaZeh(thisworld)ratherthanOlamhaba(the
WorldtoCome),and"speculationsabouttheWorldtoComeareperipheraltomainstreamJudaism."[32]In
PirkeiAvot(EthicsoftheFathers),itissaidthat"Onehourofpenitenceandgooddeedsinthisworldis
betterthanallthelifeoftheworldtocomebutonehourofspiritualreposeintheworldtocomeisbetter
thanallthelifeofthisworld,"reflectingbothaviewofthesignificanceoflifeonEarthandthespiritual
reposegrantedtotherighteousinthenextworld.[32]

JewsrejecttheideathatJesusofNazarethwasthemessiahandagreethatthemessiahhasnotyetcome.
ThroughoutJewishhistorytherehavebeenanumberofJewishMessiahclaimantsconsideredfalseby
Jews,includingmostnotablySimonbarKokhbaandSabbataiZevi,whosefollowerswereknownas
Sabbateans.[33]

ThetwelfthofMaimonides'13principlesoffaithwas:"Ibelievewithperfectfaithinthecomingofthe
messiah(mashiach),andthoughhemaytarry,stillIawaithimeveryday."OrthodoxJewsbelievesthata
futureJewishmessiah(theMashiach,"anointedone")willbeakingwhowillruletheJewishpeople
independentlyandaccordingtoJewishlaw.Inatraditionalview,theMessiahwasunderstoodtobea
humandescendantofKingDavid(thatis,oftheDavidicline).[33]

LiberalandReformJudaismdoesnotbelieveinthearrivalofahumanmessiahwhowillliterallygather
JewsintheLandofIsraelandcausethephysicalresurrectionofthedead.Rather,ReformJewsfocusona
futureagetheWorldtoComeinwhichthereisaperfectedworldofjusticeandmercy.[33]

Historyanddevelopment
AnumberofformulationsofJewishbeliefshaveappeared,andthereissomedisputeoverhowmanybasic
principlesthereare.RabbiJosephAlbo,forinstance,inSeferHaIkkarimcountsthreeprinciplesoffaith,
whileMaimonidesliststhirteen.Whilesomelaterrabbishaveattemptedtoreconcilethedifferences,
claimingthatMaimonides'principlesarecoveredbyAlbo'smuchshorterlist,alternativelistsprovidedby
othermedievalrabbinicauthoritiesseemtoindicatesomeleveloftoleranceforvaryingtheological
perspectives.

Noformaltextcanonized

Thoughtoacertainextentincorporatedintheliturgyandutilizedforpurposesofinstruction,these
formulationsofthecardinaltenetsofJudaismcarriednogreaterweightthanthatimpartedtothembythe
fameandscholarshipoftheirrespectiveauthors.Noneofthemhadanauthoritativecharacteranalogousto
thatgivenbyChristianitytoitsthreegreatformulas(theApostles'Creed,theNiceneorConstantinopolitan,
andtheAthanasian),ortotheKalimatAsShahadatoftheMuslims.Noneofthemanysummariesfromthe
pensofJewishphilosophersandrabbishasbeeninvestedwithsimilarimportance.

ConversiontoJudaism

Unlikemanyotherreligions,JudaismhasnotmadestrongattemptstoconvertnonJews,althoughformal
conversiontoJudaismispermitted.Righteousness,accordingtoJewishbelief,wasnotrestrictedtothose
whoacceptedtheJewishreligion.Andtherighteousamongthenationsthatcarriedintopracticetheseven

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fundamentallawsofthecovenantwithNoahandhisdescendantsweredeclaredtobeparticipantsinthe
felicityofthehereafter.ThisinterpretationofthestatusofnonJewsmadethedevelopmentofamissionary
attitudeunnecessary.Moreover,theregulationsforthereceptionofproselytes,asdevelopedincourseof
time,provetheeminentlypractical,thatis,thenoncreedalcharacterofJudaism.Compliancewithcertain
ritesimmersioninamikveh(ritualbath),britmilah(circumcision),andtheacceptanceofthemitzvot
(CommandmentsofTorah)asbindingisthetestofthewouldbeconvert'sfaith.Heorsheisinstructedin
themainpointsofJewishlaw,whiletheprofessionoffaithdemandedislimitedtotheacknowledgmentof
theunityofGodandtherejectionofidolatry.JudahhaLevi(Kuzari1:115)putsthewholemattervery
strikinglywhenhesays:

Wearenotputtingonanequalitywithusapersonenteringourreligionthroughconfessionalone.
Werequiredeeds,includinginthattermselfrestraint,purity,studyoftheLaw,circumcision,andthe
performanceofotherdutiesdemandedbytheTorah.

Forthepreparationoftheconvert,therefore,noothermethodofinstructionwasemployedthanforthe
trainingofonebornaJew.Theaimofteachingwastoconveyaknowledgeofhalakha(Jewishlaw),
obediencetowhichmanifestedtheacceptanceoftheunderlyingreligiousprinciplesnamely,theexistence
ofGodandthemissionofIsraelasthepeopleofGod'scovenant.

Areprinciplesoffaithinherentinmitzvot?

ThecontroversywhetherthepracticeofmitzvotinJudaismisinherentlyconnectedtoJudaism'sprinciples
offaithhasbeendiscussedbymanyscholars.MosesMendelssohn,inhis"Jerusalem,"defendedthenon
dogmaticnatureofthepracticeofJudaism.Rather,heasserted,thebeliefsofJudaism,althoughrevealedby
GodinJudaism,consistofuniversaltruthsapplicabletoallmankind.RabbiLeopoldLw,amongothers,
tooktheoppositeside,andconsideredthattheMendelssohniantheoryhadbeencarriedbeyondits
legitimatebounds.UnderlyingthepracticeoftheLawwasassuredlytherecognitionofcertainfundamental
principles,heasserted,culminatinginthebeliefinGodandrevelation,andlikewiseinthedoctrineof
divinejustice.

ThefirsttoattempttoformulateJewishprinciplesoffaithwasPhiloofAlexandria.Heenumeratedfive
articles:GodisandrulesGodisonetheworldwascreatedbyGodCreationisone,andGod'sprovidence
rulesCreation.

BeliefintheOralLaw

ManyrabbisweredrawnintocontroversieswithbothJewsandnonJews,andhadtofortifytheirfaith
againsttheattacksofcontemporaneousphilosophyaswellasagainstrisingChristianity.TheMishnah
(TractateSanhedrinxi.1)excludesfromtheworldtocometheEpicureansandthosewhodenybeliefin
resurrectionorinthedivineoriginoftheTorah.RabbiAkivawouldalsoregardashereticalthereadersof
SefarimHetsonimcertainextraneouswritingsthatwerenotcanonizedaswellsuchpersonsthatwould
healthroughwhisperedformulasofmagic.AbbaSauldesignatedasundersuspicionofinfidelitythosethat
pronouncetheineffablenameofGod.Byimplication,thecontrarydoctrinemayberegardedasorthodox.
Ontheotherhand,Akivahimselfdeclaresthatthecommandtoloveone'sneighboristhefundamental
principleoftheTorahwhileBenAsaassignsthisdistinctiontotheBiblicalverse,"Thisisthebookofthe
generationsofman".

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ThedefinitionofHilleltheElderinhisinterviewwithawouldbeconvert(Talmud,tractateShabbat31a),
embodiesinthegoldenruletheonefundamentalarticleoffaith.Ateacherofthe3rdcentury,RabbiSimlai,
tracesthedevelopmentofJewishreligiousprinciplesfromMoseswithhis613mitzvotofprohibitionand
injunction,throughDavid,who,accordingtothisrabbi,enumerateseleventhroughIsaiah,withsixMicah,
withthreetoHabakkukwhosimplybutimpressivelysumsupallreligiousfaithinthesinglephrase,"The
piouslivesinhisfaith"(Talmud,Mak.,towardend).AsJewishlawenjoinsthatoneshouldpreferdeathto
anactofidolatry,incest,unchastity,ormurder,theinferenceisplainthatthecorrespondingpositive
principleswereheldtobefundamentalarticlesofJudaism.

Beliefduringthemedievalera

DetailedconstructionsofarticlesoffaithdidnotfindfavorinJudaismbeforethemedievalera,whenJews
wereforcedtodefendtheirfaithfrombothIslamicandChristianinquisitions,disputationsandpolemics.
ThenecessityofdefendingtheirreligionagainsttheattacksofotherphilosophiesinducedmanyJewish
leaderstodefineandformulatetheirbeliefs.SaadiaGaon's"EmunotveDeot"isanexpositionofthemain
tenetsofJudaism.Theyarelistedas:TheworldwascreatedbyGodGodisoneandincorporealbeliefin
revelation(includingthedivineoriginoftradition)maniscalledtorighteousnessandendowedwithall
necessaryqualitiesofmindandsoultoavoidsinbeliefinrewardandpunishmentthesouliscreatedpure
afterdeathitleavesthebodybeliefinresurrectionMessianicexpectation,retribution,andfinaljudgment.

JudahHaleviendeavored,inhisKuzaritodeterminethefundamentalsofJudaismonanotherbasis.He
rejectsallappealtospeculativereason,repudiatingthemethodoftheIslamicMotekallamin.Themiracles
andtraditionsare,intheirnaturalcharacter,boththesourceandtheevidenceofthetruefaith.Inthisview,
speculativereasonisconsideredfallibleduetotheinherentimpossibilityofobjectivityininvestigations
withmoralimplications.

Maimonides'13principlesoffaith

13PrinciplesofFaithSummarized:
1. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
Creator,BlessedbeHisName,is
theCreatorandGuideof
everythingthathasbeencreated
Healonehasmade,doesmake,and
willmakeallthings.
2. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
Creator,BlessedbeHisName,is
One,andthatthereisnounityin
anymannerlikeHis,andthatHe
aloneisourGod,whowas,andis,
andwillbe.
3. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
Creator,BlessedbeHisName,has
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RabbiMosesbenMaimon,betterknownasMaimonidesor"The
Rambam"(11351204CE),livedatatimewhenboth
ChristianityandIslamweredevelopingactivetheologies.Jewish
scholarswereoftenaskedtoattesttotheirfaithbytheir
counterpartsinotherreligions.TheRambam's13principlesof
faithwereformulatedinhiscommentaryontheMishnah
(tractateSanhedrin,chapter10).Theywereoneofseveral
effortsbyJewishtheologiansintheMiddleAgestocreatesuch
alist.BythetimeofMaimonides,centersofJewishlearningand
lawweredispersedgeographically.Judaismnolongerhada
centralauthoritythatmightbestowofficialapprovalonhis
principlesoffaith.
Maimonides'13principleswerecontroversialwhenfirst
proposed,evokingcriticismbyCrescasandJosephAlbo.They
evokedcriticismasminimizingacceptanceoftheentireTorah
(RabbiS.ofMontpelier,YadRama,Y.Alfacher,Rosh
Amanah).The13principleswereignoredbymuchoftheJewish
communityforthenextfewcenturies.(DogmainMedieval
JewishThought,MenachemKellner).Overtimetwopoetic
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nobody,andthatHeisfreefrom
allthepropertiesofmatter,and
thattherecanbeno(physical)
comparisontoHimwhatsoever.
4. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
Creator,BlessedbeHisName,is
thefirstandthelast.
5. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatto
theCreator,BlessedbeHisName,
andtoHimalone,itisrightto
pray,andthatitisnotrighttopray
toanybeingbesidesHim.
6. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatall
thewordsoftheprophetsaretrue.
7. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
prophecyofMosesourteacher,
peacebeuponhim,wastrue,and
thathewasthechiefofthe
prophets,boththosewhopreceded
himandthosewhofollowedhim.
8. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
entireTorahthatisnowinour
possessionisthesamethatwas
giventoMosesourteacher,peace
beuponhim.
9. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthis
Torahwillnotbeexchanged,and
thattherewillneverbeanyother
TorahfromtheCreator,Blessedbe
HisName.
10. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
Creator,BlessedbeHisName,
knowsallthedeedsofhuman
beingsandalltheirthoughts,asit
iswritten,"Whofashionedthe
heartsofthemall,Who
comprehendsalltheiractions"
(Psalms33:15).
11. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththatthe
Creator,BlessedbeHisName,
rewardsthosewhokeepHis
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restatementsoftheseprinciples(AniMa'aminandYigdal)
becamecanonizedintheJewishprayerbook.Eventually,
Maimonides'13principlesoffaithbecamethemostlywidely
acceptedstatementofbelief.
Importantly,Maimonides,whileenumeratingtheabove,added
thefollowingcaveat"Thereisnodifferencebetween[the
Biblicalstatement]'hiswifewasMehithabel'[Genesis10,6]on
theonehand[i.e.an"unimportant"verse],and'Hear,OIsrael'
ontheother[i.e.an"important"verse]...anyonewhodenies
evensuchversestherebydeniesGodandshowscontemptforhis
teachingsmorethananyotherskeptic,becauseheholdsthatthe
Torahcanbedividedintoessentialandnonessentialparts..."
Theuniquenessofthe13fundamentalbeliefswasthatevena
rejectionoutofignoranceplacedoneoutsideJudaism,whereas
therejectionoftherestofTorahmustbeaconsciousactto
stamponeasanunbeliever.Others,suchasRabbiJosephAlbo
andtheRaavad,criticizedMaimonides'listascontainingitems
that,whiletrue,intheiropiniondidnotplacethosewhorejected
themoutofignoranceinthecategoryofheretic.Manyothers
criticizedanysuchformulationasminimizingacceptanceofthe
entireTorah(seeabove).Asnotedhowever,neitherMaimonides
norhiscontemporariesviewedtheseprinciplesasencompassing
allofJewishbelief,butratherasthecoretheological
underpinningsoftheacceptanceofJudaism.
SeveralOrthodoxscholarswritethatthepopularOrthodox
understandingoftheseprinciplesarenotatallwhatMaimonides
heldtobetrue.SeebooksnotedbelowbyMarcShapiroand
MenachemKellner.
PrinciplesoffaithafterMaimonides
ThesuccessorsofMaimonides,fromthe13thtothe15th
centuryNahmanides,AbbaMaribenMoses,Simonben
ZemahDuran,JosephAlbo,IsaacArama,andJosephJaabez
narrowedhis13articlestothreecorebeliefs:BeliefinGodin
Creation(orrevelation)andinprovidence(orretribution).
Others,likeCrescasandDavidbenSamuelEstella,spokeof
sevenfundamentalarticles,layingstressonfreewill.Onthe
otherhand,DavidbenYomTobibnBilia,inhis"Yesodotha
Maskil"(FundamentalsoftheThinkingMan),addstothe13of
Maimonides13ofhisownanumberwhichacontemporary
ofAlboalsochoseforhisfundamentalswhileJedaiahPenini,in
thelastchapterofhis"BehinathaDat,"enumeratednolessthan
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commandmentsandpunishesthose IsaacAbravanel,his"RoshAmanah,"tookthesameattitude
thattransgressthem. towardsMaimonides'creed.WhiledefendingMaimonides
12. Ibelievewithperfectfaithinthe againstHasdaiandAlbo,herefusedtoacceptdogmaticarticles
forJudaism,criticizinganyformulationasminimizing
comingoftheMessiahandeven
acceptanceofall613mitzvot.
thoughhemaytarry,nonetheless,I
waiteverydayforhiscoming. TheEnlightenment
13. Ibelievewithperfectfaiththat
Inthelate18thcenturyEuropewassweptbyagroupof
therewillbearevivalofthedead
atthetimewhenitshallpleasethe intellectual,socialandpoliticalmovements,togetherknownas
Creator,BlessedbeHisname,and TheEnlightenment.Thesemovementspromotedscientific
thinking,freethought,andallowedpeopletoquestion
Hismentionshallbeexaltedfor
previouslyunshakenreligiousdogmas.LikeChristianity,
everandever. Judaismdevelopedseveralresponsestothisunprecedented
Maimonides[SeeBirnbaumatp.
phenomenon.Oneresponsesawtheenlightenmentaspositive,
157][34]
whileanothersawitasnegative.Theenlightenmentmeant
equalityandfreedomformanyJewsinmanycountries,soitwas
feltthatitshouldbewarmlywelcomed.Scientificstudyof
religioustextswouldallowpeopletostudythehistoryofJudaism.SomeJewsfeltthatJudaismshould
acceptmodernsecularthoughtandchangeinresponsetotheseideas.Others,however,believedthatthe
divinenatureofJudaismprecludedchanginganyfundamentalbeliefs.

ThegroupsacceptingoutsideinfluenceonthepracticeofJudaismareknownasConservativeandReform
Judaism.TheJewswhodidnotacceptanyfundamentalchangesinrabbinicJudaismbecameknownas
Orthodox.TheentryonReformmovementinJudaismdiscussesinmoredetailhowandwhythe
enlightenmentledtothedevelopmentofthemodernJewishdenominations.

Holocausttheology

BecauseofthemagnitudeoftheHolocaust,manypeoplehavereexaminedtheclassicaltheologicalviews
onGod'sgoodnessandactionsintheworld.Somequestionwhetherpeoplecanstillhaveanyfaithafterthe
Holocaust.SometheologicalresponsestothesequestionsareexploredinHolocausttheology.

PrinciplesoffaithinModernJudaism
PrinciplesofOrthodoxJudaism

OrthodoxJudaismconsidersitselftobeindirectcontinuitywithhistoricalrabbinicJudaism.Therefore,as
above,itacceptsphilosophicspeculationandstatementsofdogmaonlytotheextentthattheyexistwithin,
andarecompatiblewith,thesystemofwrittenandoralTorah.AsamatterofpracticeOrthodoxJudaism
laysstressontheperformanceoftheactualcommandments.Dogmaisconsideredtobetheselfunderstood
underpinningofthepracticeoftheMitzvot.

Owingtothis,thereisnooneofficialstatementofprinciples.Rather,allformulationsbyacceptedearly
Torahleadersareconsideredtohavepossiblevalidity.Nevertheless,the13principlesofMaimonideshave
acertainpriorityoverotherformulations:theyareoftenprintedinprayerbooks,andinmanycongregations

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ahymn(Yigdal)incorporatingthemissungonFridaynights.(TheinclusionofYigdal,however,isnot
exclusivetoOrthodoxJudaism.)

PrinciplesofConservativeJudaism

ConservativeJudaismdevelopedinEuropeandtheUnitedStatesinthelate1800s,asJewsreactedtothe
changesbroughtaboutbytheenlightenmentandemancipation.Inmanywaysitwasareactiontowhat
wereseenastheexcessesoftheReformmovement.Formuchofthemovement'shistory,Conservative
Judaismdeliberatelyavoidedpublishingsystematicexplicationsoftheologyandbeliefthiswasa
consciousattempttoholdtogetherawidecoalition.Thisconcernbecameanonissueaftertheleftwingof
themovementsecededin1968toformtheReconstructionistmovement,andaftertherightwingsecededin
1985toformtheUnionforTraditionalJudaism.

In1988,theLeadershipCouncilofConservativeJudaismfinallyissuedanofficialstatementofbelief,
"EmetVeEmunah:StatementofPrinciplesofConservativeJudaism".ItnotedthataJewmustholdcertain
beliefs.However,theConservativerabbinatealsonotesthattheJewishcommunityneverdevelopedany
onebindingcatechism.Thus,EmetVeEmunahaffirmsbeliefinGodandinGod'srevelationofTorahto
theJewshoweveritalsoaffirmsthelegitimacyofmultipleinterpretationsoftheseissues.Atheism,
TrinitarianviewsofGod,andpolytheismareallruledout.Allformsofrelativism,andalsoofliteralism
andfundamentalismarealsorejected.ItteachesthatJewishlawisbothstillvalidandindispensable,but
alsoholdstoamoreopenandflexibleviewofhowlawhasandshoulddevelopthantheOrthodoxview.

PrinciplesofNorthAmericanReformJudaism

ReformJudaism(NorthAmerica)hashadanumberofofficialplatforms,butincontrasttorabbinic
Judaism,rejectstheviewthatJewsmusthaveanyspecificbeliefs.ThefirstReformJewishplatformwas
the1885DeclarationofPrinciples("ThePittsburghPlatform")[35]theadoptedstatementofameetingof
reformrabbisfromacrosstheUnitedStatesNovember1619,1885.

ThenextplatformTheGuidingPrinciplesofReformJudaism("TheColumbusPlatform")[36]was
publishedbytheCentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis(CCAR)in1937.

TheCCARrewroteitsprinciplesin1976withitsReformJudaism:ACentenaryPerspective[37]andrewrote
themagainin1999'sAStatementofPrinciplesforReformJudaism.[38]Whileoriginaldraftsofthe1999
statementcalledforReformJewstoconsiderreadoptingsometraditionalpracticesonavoluntarybasis,
laterdraftsremovedmostofthesesuggestions.Thefinalversionisthussimilartothe1976statement.

AccordingtotheCCAR,personalautonomystillhasprecedenceovertheseplatformslaypeopleneednot
acceptall,orevenany,ofthebeliefsstatedintheseplatforms.CentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis
(CCAR)PresidentRabbiSimeonJ.MaslinwroteapamphletaboutReformJudaism,entitled"WhatWe
Believe...WhatWeDo...".Itstatesthat"ifanyoneweretoattempttoanswerthesetwoquestions
authoritativelyforallReformJews,thatperson'sanswerswouldhavetobefalse.Why?Becauseoneofthe
guidingprinciplesofReformJudaismistheautonomyoftheindividual.AReformJewhastherightto
decidewhethertosubscribetothisparticularbeliefortothatparticularpractice."ReformJudaismaffirms
"thefundamentalprincipleofLiberalism:thattheindividualwillapproachthisbodyofmitzvotand
minhagiminthespiritoffreedomandchoice.TraditionallyIsraelstartedwithharut,thecommandment

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engravedupontheTablets,whichthenbecamefreedom.TheReformJewstartswithherut,thefreedomto
decidewhatwillbeharutengraveduponthepersonalTabletsofhislife."[BernardMartin,Ed.,
ContemporaryReformJewishThought,QuadrangleBooks1968.]

PrinciplesofReconstructionistJudaism

ReconstructionistJudaismisanAmericandenominationthathasanaturalisttheologyasdevelopedby
RabbiMordecaiKaplan.[39]ThistheologyisavariantofthenaturalismofJohnDewey,whichcombined
atheisticbeliefswithreligiousterminologyinordertoconstructareligiouslysatisfyingphilosophyfor
thosewhohadlostfaithintraditionalreligion.[Seeid.at385butseeCaplanatp.23,fn.62("Themajority
ofKaplan'sviews...wereformulatedbeforehereadDeweyor[William]James."[40])]Reconstructionism
deniesthatGodiseitherpersonalorsupernatural.Rather,Godissaidtobethesumofallnaturalprocesses
thatallowmantobecomeselffulfilled.RabbiKaplanwrotethat"tobelieveinGodmeanstotakefor
grantedthatitisman'sdestinytoriseabovethebruteandtoeliminateallformsofviolenceandexploitation
fromhumansociety."

MostReconstructionistJewsrejecttheism,andinsteaddefinethemselvesasreligiousnaturalists.These
viewshavebeencriticizedonthegroundsthattheyareactuallyatheists,whichhasonlybeenmade
palatabletoJewsbyrewritingthedictionary.AsignificantminorityofReconstructionistshaverefusedto
acceptKaplan'stheology,andinsteadaffirmatheisticviewofGod.

AsinReformJudaism,ReconstructionistJudaismholdsthatpersonalautonomyhasprecedenceover
Jewishlawandtheology.Itdoesnotaskthatitsadherentsholdtoanyparticularbeliefs,nordoesitaskthat
halakhabeacceptedasnormative.In1986,theReconstructionistRabbinicalAssociation(RRA)andthe
FederationofReconstructionistCongregations(FRC)passedtheofficial"PlatformonReconstructionism"
(2pages).Itisnotamandatorystatementofprinciples,butratheraconsensusofcurrentbeliefs.[FRC
Newsletter,Sept.1986,pagesD,E.]Majorpointsoftheplatformstatethat:

Judaismistheresultofnaturalhumandevelopment.Thereisnosuchthingasdivineintervention.
Judaismisanevolvingreligiouscivilization.
Zionismandaliyah(immigrationtoIsrael)areencouraged.
Thelaitycanmakedecisions,notjustrabbis.
TheTorahwasnotinspiredbyGoditonlycomesfromthesocialandhistoricaldevelopmentof
Jewishpeople.
AllclassicalviewsofGodarerejected.Godisredefinedasthesumofnaturalpowersorprocesses
thatallowsmankindtogainselffulfillmentandmoralimprovement.
TheideathatGodchosetheJewishpeopleforanypurpose,inanyway,is"morallyuntenable",
becauseanyonewhohassuchbeliefs"impliesthesuperiorityoftheelectcommunityandthe
rejectionofothers".ThisputsReconstructionistJewsatoddswithallotherJews,asitseemsto
accuseallotherJewsofbeingracist.JewsoutsideoftheReconstructionistmovementstrenuously
rejectthischarge.

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AlthoughResconstructionistJudaismdoesnotrequireitsmembershiptosubscribetoanyparticulardogma,
theReconstructionistmovementactivelyrejectsormarginalizescertainbeliefsheldbyotherbranchesof
Judaism,includingmany(ifnotall)ofthe13Principles.Forexample,RabbiKaplan"rejectedtraditional
Jewishunderstandingsofmessianism.HisGoddidnothavetheabilitytosuspendthenaturalorderand
couldthusnotsendadivineagentfromthehouseofDavidwhowouldbringaboutamiraculous
redemption."[40]Rather,inkeepingwithReconstructionistnaturalistprinciples,"Kaplanbeievedstrongly
thatultimatelytheworldwillbeperfected,butonlyasaresultofthecombinedeffortsofhumanityover
generations."(Id.at57)SimilarlyReconstructionismrejectsthe13thprincipleofresurrectionofthedead,
whichKaplanbelieved"belongedtoasupernaturalworldviewrejectedbymoderns."(Id.at58.)Thus,the
ReconstructionistSabbathPrayerBookerasesallreferencestoamessianicfigure,andthedaily'Amidah
replacesthetraditionalblessingofrevivingthedeadwithonethatblessesGod"whoinloveremembers
Thycreaturesuntolife."(Id.at5759.)

References
1. ^abEmunah(http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1398519/jewish/Emunah.htm)
2. ^abcLouisJacobs,"Chapter2:TheUnityofGod"inAJewishTheology(1973).BehrmanHouse.
3. ^Deut6:49(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?book=Deut&verse=6:49&src=JPR)
4. ^AryehKaplan,TheHandbookofJewishThought(1979).eMaznaim:p.9.
5. ^JewishTheologyandProcessThought(eds.SandraB.Lubarsky&DavidRayGriffin).SUNYPress,1996.
6. ^HowOldistheUniverse?HowOldistheUniverse?(http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_age.html),NASA
PhilPlait,TheUniverseIs13.82BillionYearsOld
(http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/03/21/age_of_the_universe_planck_results_show_universe_is_
13_82_billion_years.html)(March21,2013),Slate
7. ^NorbertMaxSamuelson,RevelationandtheGodofIsrael(2002).CambridgeUniversityPress:p.126.
8. ^Angel,Marc(1995).LeonKlenickiandGeoffreyWigoder,ed.ADictionaryoftheJewishChristianDialogue
(Expandeded.).PaulistPress.p.40.ISBN0809135825.
9. ^Maimonides,TheGuideofthePerplexed,translatedbyChaimMenachemRabin(Hackett,1995).
10. ^DanCohnSherbok,Judaism:History,Belief,andPractice(2003).PsychologyPress:p.359.
11. ^LouisJacobs,"Chapter6:Eternity"inAJewishTheology(1973).BehrmanHouse:p.8193.
12. ^abcClarkM.Williamson,AGuestintheHouseofIsrael:PostHolocaustChurchTheology(1993).
WestminsterJohnKnoxPress:pp.210215.
13. ^abcLouisJacobs,"Chapter5:OmnipotenceandOmniscience"inAJewishTheology(1973).BehrmanHouse:
p.7677.
14. ^abSamuelS.Cohon.WhatWeJewsBelieve(1931).UnionofAmericanHebrewCongregations.
15. ^abcdeEdwardKessler,WhatDoJewsBelieve?:TheCustomsandCultureofModernJudaism(2007).
BloomsburyPublishing:pp.4244.
16. ^MorrisN.Kertzer,WhatIsaJew(1996).SimonandSchuster:pp.1516.
17. ^JosephTelushkin,JewishLiteracy:TheMostImportantThingstoKnowAbouttheJewishReligion,Its
People,andItsHistory(RevisedEdition)(2008).HarperCollins:p.472.
18. ^ChristianSmithandPatriciaSnell,SoulsinTransition:TheReligiousandSpiritualLivesofEmergingAdults
(2009).OxfordUniversityPress:pp.119120.

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19. ^RonaldH.Isaacs,EveryPerson'sGuidetoJewishPhilosophyandPhilosophers(1999).JasonAronson:pp50
51.
20. ^MeirBarIllan,"PrayersofJewstoAngelsandOtherMediatorsintheFirstCenturiesCE"inSaintsandRole
ModelsinJudaismandChristianity(eds.JoshuaSchwartzandMarcelPoorthuis),pp.7995.
21. ^abPeterA.Pettit,"HebrewBible"inADictionaryofJewishChristianRelations(2005).Eds.EdwardKessler
andNeilWenborn.CambridgeUniversityPress.
22. ^abChristopherHughPartridge,IntroductiontoWorldReligions(2005).FortressPress:pp283286.
23. ^abJacobNeusner,TheTalmud:WhatItIsandWhatItSays(2006).Rowman&Littlefield.
24. ^abAdinSteinsaltz,"Chapter1:WhatistheTalmud?"inTheEssentialTalmud(2006).BasicBooks:pp.39.
25. ^abcDeterminism,inTheOxfordDictionaryoftheJewishReligion(ed.AdeleBerlin,OxfordUniversityPress,
2011),p.210.
26. ^LouisJacobs,AJewishTheology(BehrmanHouse,1973),p.79.
27. ^AlanBrill,ThinkingGod:TheMysticismofRabbiZadokofLublin(KTAVPublishing,2002),p.134.
28. ^RonaldL.Eisenberg,WhattheRabbisSaid:250TopicsfromtheTalmud(2010).ABCCLIO:pp.311313.
29. ^abcEdwardKessler,"OriginalSin"inADictionaryofJewishChristianRelations(eds.EdwardKessler&
NeilWenborn,CambridgeUniversityPress,2005)pp.323324.
30. ^RebeccaAlpert(2011)."Judaism,Reconstructionist".TheCambridgeDictionaryofJudaismandJewish
Culture.CambridgeUniversityPress.p.346
31. ^RebeccaAlpert(2011)."Judaism,Reconstructionist".TheCambridgeDictionaryofJudaismandJewish
Culture.CambridgeUniversityPress.p.346
32. ^abMarcAngel,"Afterlife"inADictionaryoftheJewishChristianDialogue(1995).Eds.LeonKlenickiand
GeoffreyWigoder.PaulistPress:pp.35.
33. ^abcEugeneB.Borowitz,NaomiPatz,"Chapter19:OurHopeforaMessianicAge"inExplainingReform
Judaism(1985).BehrmanHouse.
34. ^DavidBirnbaum,Jews,Church&Civilization,VolumeIII(MillenniumEducationFoundation2005)
35. ^"DeclarationofPrinciples"ThePittsburghPlatform" "(http://ccarnet.org/rabbisspeak/platforms/declaration
principles).TheCentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis.1885.Retrieved20120521.
36. ^"TheGuidingPrinciplesofReformJudaism"TheColumbusPlatform" "(http://ccarnet.org/rabbis
speak/platforms/guidingprinciplesreformjudaism/).TheCentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis.1937.
Retrieved20120521.
37. ^"ReformJudaism:ACentenaryPerspective"(http://ccarnet.org/rabbisspeak/platforms/reformjudaism
centenaryperspective).TheCentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis.1976.Retrieved20120521.
38. ^"AStatementofPrinciplesforReformJudaism"(http://ccarnet.org/rabbisspeak/platforms/statement
principlesreformjudaism/).TheCentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis.1999.Retrieved20120521.
39. ^MordecaiM.Kaplan,JudaismasaCivilization:TowardaReconstructionofAmericanJewishLife
(MacMillanCompany1934),reprintedbyJewishPublicationSociety2010.
40. ^abEricCaplan,FromIdeologytoLiturgy:ReconstructionistWorshipandAmericanLiberalJudaism(Hebrew
UnionCollegePress2002)

Furtherreading
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2/7/2015 JewishprinciplesoffaithWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Blech,BenjaminUnderstandingJudaism:TheBasicsofDeedandCreedJasonAronson1992,ISBN
0876682913.
Bleich,J.David(ed.)WithPerfectFaith:TheFoundationsofJewishBeliefKtavPublishingHouse,
Inc.1983.ISBN0870684523
Boteach,ShmuelWisdom,Understanding,andKnowledge:BasicConceptsofHasidicThoughtJason
Aronson1995.Paperback.ISBN0876685572
Dorff,ElliotN.andLouisE.Newman(eds.)ContemporaryJewishTheology:AReaderOxford
UniversityPress1998.ISBN0195114671.
Dorff,ElliotN.ConservativeJudaism:OurAncestorstoOurDescendants(Revisededition)United
SynagogueofConservativeJudaism,1996
PlatformonReconstructionismFRCNewsletter,Sept.1986
Fox,MarvinInterpretingMaimonides,Univ.ofChicagoPress.1990
RobertGordis(Ed.)EmetVeEmunah:StatementofPrinciplesofConservativeJudaismJTS,
RabbinicalAssembly,andtheUnitedSynagogueofConservativeJudaism,1988
JuliusGuttmann,PhilosophiesofJudaismTranslatedbyDavidSilverman,JPS,1964
Maimonides'Principles:TheFundamentalsofJewishFaith,in"TheAryehKaplanAnthology,
VolumeI",MesorahPublications1994
Kaplan,MordecaiM.JudaismasaCivilizationReconstructionistPress,NewYork.1935.Jewish
PublicationSociety1994
Kellner,MenachemDogmainMedievalJewishThoughtOxfordUniversityPress,1986.
Maslin,SimeonJ.,MelvinMeriansandAlexanderM.Schindler,WhatWeBelieve...WhatWeDo...:
APocketGuideforReformJewsUAHCPress,1998
Shapiro,MarcB."MaimonidesThirteenPrinciples:TheLastWordinJewishTheology?"inThe
TorahUMaddahJournal,Vol.4,1993,YeshivaUniversity
Shapiro,MarcB.TheLimitsofOrthodoxTheology:Maimonides'ThirteenPrinciplesReappraised
TheLittmanLibraryofJewishCivilization2004,ISBN1874774900.

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