Judaism: Jewish Beliefs | Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B (1RB0)
Judaism: Jewish Beliefs
- 99 questions
- 8 subtopics
- Judaism, one religion of seven
- Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3
Judaism: Jewish Beliefs is examined in whichever of the three papers Judaism is studied for, because this section is the same in all three areas of study.
It covers the nature of the Almighty in Judaism, Shekhinah, the divine presence, the Messiah and the Messianic Age, the covenant with Abraham, the Covenant at Sinai and the Ten Commandments, Jewish sanctity of life and Pikuach Nefesh, the Mitzvot and moral principles and olam Ha-Ba, resurrection and judgement.
Sample questions from Judaism: Jewish Beliefs
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The nature of the Almighty in Judaism
According to Genesis 2, what did the Almighty do on the seventh day?
Show the answer
The Almighty rested on the seventh day after finishing the work of creation. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. -
Shekhinah, the divine presence
How did the people respond to the Shekhinah in 2 Chronicles 7:1–3?
Show the answer
The people bowed with their faces to the ground and worshipped. The Israelites praised God because “his love endures for ever”. -
The Messiah and the Messianic Age
Describe the Messianic Age.
Show the answer
The Messianic Age is a future time of universal peace, when war and hatred end. All people will know the Almighty and the Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. -
The covenant with Abraham
What sign of the covenant is commanded in Genesis 17?
Show the answer
Every Jewish male is to be circumcised as the sign of the covenant. Circumcision takes place on the eighth day after birth. -
The Covenant at Sinai and the Ten Commandments
State the commandments in Exodus 20 that concern duties between people.
Show the answer
Jews must honour their parents and must not murder or commit adultery. Jews must not steal, give false witness or covet. -
Jewish sanctity of life and Pikuach Nefesh
What does Talmud Yoma teach about a person in danger on Yom Kippur?
Show the answer
A person whose life is at risk must eat on Yom Kippur, even non-kosher food if needed. The preservation of life comes before the fast. -
The Mitzvot and moral principles
What does Maimonides teach about free will in Sefer Madda?
Show the answer
Maimonides teaches that every person is free to choose good or evil. Human beings are not forced by fate or by God to be righteous or wicked. -
Olam Ha-Ba, resurrection and judgement
How does Ecclesiastes 12 end, and what does it teach about judgement?
Show the answer
Ecclesiastes 12 ends by telling people to fear God and keep his commandments. God will bring every deed, even secret ones, into judgement.
The 8 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| The nature of the Almighty in Judaism | One God and the ban on images, Genesis 2 on Creation and the seventh day, a Judge both just and merciful, Orthodox and Reform views of the Law-Giver, and the name left unwritten. | 12 |
| Shekhinah, the divine presence | Its signs in the Exodus, the completed Tabernacle in Exodus 40, 2 Chronicles 7:1–3 and the people's response, the Talmud on communal prayer and exile, Maimonides and Kabbalah, and the Western Wall. | 12 |
| The Messiah and the Messianic Age | Mashiach and the family he is expected from, Jeremiah 23:5–8, Maimonides' account, Orthodox, Reform and Chabad views, Religious Zionist and Haredi positions on Israel, and why Jesus is not accepted. | 13 |
| The covenant with Abraham | The promises to Abram in Genesis 12 and 17, the new name, the land and the sign of the covenant, the promise about Sarah, Terah's idol shop, aliyah, and Reform views of the land. | 12 |
| The Covenant at Sinai and the Ten Commandments | Where the Decalogue is recorded and its first statement, duties to the Almighty and between people, Moses' role and the Israelites' response, why it left daily prayer, and Orthodox and Reform views. | 12 |
| Jewish sanctity of life and Pikuach Nefesh | Talmud Yoma 83–84 on a collapsed building on Shabbat and danger on Yom Kippur, who should break Shabbat, the three commandments never broken, organ donation, and synagogues in the Covid-19 pandemic. | 12 |
| The Mitzvot and moral principles | How the 613 are divided, Maimonides' Sefer Madda on free will, duties to the Almighty and to others, why Yom Kippur cannot atone for wrongs to others, Hillel's summary, and Orthodox and Reform views. | 13 |
| Olam Ha-Ba, resurrection and judgement | Gan Eden and Gehinnom, Ecclesiastes 12 on death and judgement, the resurrection of the dead in the Amidah, Orthodox and Reform differences, whether the afterlife matters less than life now, and comparisons with Christian belief. | 13 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 5,266 questions with their answers.