Download Essay - `Judaism focuses on relationships`

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“Judaism focuses on relationships: the relationship between G-d and
mankind, between G-d and the Jewish people, between the Jewish people
and the land and between human beings”
With reference to the quotation, explain how Judaism as a living religious
tradition gives depth and meaning to the life of the Jewish community.
Judaism as a living religious tradition has a significant influence on the lives of its
adherents and the Jewish community. Judaism is based on the covenant between
G-d and the Jewish people, as it is said in the Torah- “I will be your God and you
will be my people” (Leviticus 26:12). This relationship can be displayed through
the life and writings of Moses Maimonides, Jewish environmental ethics and
marriage. Thought these relationships, Judaism gives depth and meaning to the
lives of all Jewish people.
The “relationship between God and mankind” can be displayed through the
writings of Moses Maimonides. Regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of
the middle ages, Maimonides’ writings have allowed mankind to improve their
understanding of the Torah, Jewish laws and to relationship with God. In the
Mishneh Torah (contains 14 volumes), Maimonides’ wrote a comprehensive
code of the Jewish law. It distilled the Talmud and all the responses of the Jewish
scholars into a code that anyone could understand, helping enhance the
“relationship between God and mankind”. The Guide for the Perplexed contained
elaborated explanations about the thirteen principles of faith so that mankind
can deepen their knowledge of God. Besides the Mishneh Torah and Guide for
the Perplexed, Maimonides’ also wrote The Commentary on the Mishnah Torah.
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He provided a comprehensive commentary on the Mishnah by describing the
oral history and elaborating between learning and living the Torah. Moses
Maimonides writings have helped build the “relationship between God and
mankind”.
Moses Maimonides life acts as an example for the Jewish people to balance their
relationship between God and everyday life, as Jewish ethics, beliefs and laws
influence his everyday life. This influence can be seen in his writing of the Oath
for Physicians, where he writes, “O God, Thou has appointed me to watch over
the life and death of Thy creatures”. Besides being a physician to Sultan Salah aldin (court advisor) he continuously devotes time to God. This is shown by
Maimonides dedication in replying letters about Jewish law to his fellow Jews as
well as being the head of the Jewish community in Fustat (place of his residence).
Through these examples, Maimonides is well known among the Jewish
community as an example to balance the busy life in the modern world with the
obligation of religious traditions. In conclusion, Moses Maimonides provides
instructions through his life as a practical example on how to live according to
Jewish beliefs and the covenant, helping Jewish people to enhance their
“relationship between God and the Jewish people”.
Jewish people can strengthen the “relationship between Jewish people and the
land” as well as gain depth and meaning in their lives by following Jewish
teachings about environmental ethics. These teachings are drawn from the
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Torah and the writings of rabbis and Jewish theologist such as Moses
Maimonides. Jewish ethics involve a Jewish person’s relationship with God and
with other people, and influence their entire way of life, or halachah. An
important Jewish teaching in the area of environmental ethics is that God created
the Earth and made humans its guardians. This concept comes from the Book of
Genesis 2:15 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to
till it and tend to it”. Humans therefore have a responsibility to care for and
preserve God’s creation for future generations. Environmental ethics are also
based on the teaching of Ba’al Taschit, in other words, it is the idea that humans
should not waste or destroy things unnecessarily. This teaching is also drawn
from the Torah, where Jewish people are told “you must not destroy its trees by
wielding an axe against them.” (Deutenometry 20:19). Moses Maimonides also
wrote in the Guide for the Perplexed- “all other things have been created for
their own sakes and not for the sake of something else”, therefore humans
should not destroy something which God created for a purpose. Finally, Judaism
teaches that all Jewish people should work together with God to improve the
world through social justice and environmental activities, Tikkun Olam. Jewish
people can follow Jewish environmental ethics by joining or supporting
organisations such as the Jewish National Fund of Australia (JNF), which raises
money to conserve water supplies and repair damaged natural areas. Jewish
environmental ethics allows the “relationship between Jewish people and the
land” to give depth and meaning to their lives.
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Marriage as a significant practice in the life of Jewish people adds depth and
meaning while allowing Jewish people to form a “relationship between human
beings”. Marriage is one of the most significant events for Jewish individuals and
the Jewish community. It is the ideal state to have children and build stronger
communities based on families. Marriages are also frequently mentioned in the
Torah reflect important beliefs about the covenant between God and the Jewish
people. The first command in the Torah was to “Be fruitful and increase in
number; fill the earth”. This quote can be found in Genesis 1:28 and it shows the
emphasis on family and marriage in the Jewish tradition. Marriage and children
also allows Jewish people to teach the Jewish faith to their children, ensuring
that Judaism continues to make relationship bonds with “God and mankind”,
“God and Jewish people”, “between the Jewish people and the land” and
“between human beings”. Marriage also allows Jewish people to experience love
and companionship. God said: “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18)
and marriage aims to bring ‘shalom bayit,’ or peace in the home. Finally, happy
marriages contribute to a Jewish community. Marriage and children also allow
Jewish people to participate fully in all rituals, such as Passover and continue the
“living religious traditions of Judaism”. Marriage allows adherents to Judaism to
form relationships with both their spouse and the wider community with greater
depth in their lives.
The contribution of Moses Maimonides, environmental ethics and the marriage
ceremony all encourage Jewish people to “focus on the relationship between God
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and mankind, between God and the Jewish people, between the Jewish people
and the land and between human beings” The ethics, rituals and role models in
Judaism allow Jewish people to express their beliefs in a practical way. Judaism
continues to be a living religious tradition, which continues to offer greater
depth and meaning to individuals and the Jewish community.