Moses
Religious Studies: KS3, topic 1.2.4
Moses
Moses is the second figure in Jewish belief who has a covenant with God.
Moses
- The Ethical Monotheism (belief in the One God) of Abraham forms part of the key beliefs of the Jewish people.
- It matters to the one true God how we behave.
- The second foundation was the giving of God’s Laws at Mount Sinai.
- Moses went up Mount Sinai and God gave the first ten of 613 Mitzvot (commandments).
- The Mitzvot are opportunities to connect with God.
Moses and the Mitzvot
- The Jewish people were then bound in a relationship with God.
- Jewish people are bound to God in human to human behaviour and with a set of clear duties between them and God.
- This was God's covenant with Moses.
- For example, keeping the Shabbat, only eating Kosher food and having daily prayer.
- Visiting the sick, giving to charity and not gossiping create a Godly society.
The two pillars
- The twin pillars of the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants are accepted as relevant and binding by Orthodox Jews to this very day.
- Jewish living reflects the details of these two Biblical Covenants.
Test yourself on Moses
How many Mitzvot did God give to the Jewish people?
What are some examples of the duties set out in the Mitzvot?