Assumptions: God has created
all humanity in the image of God, meaning that human beings have the
ability to understand, reason and choose. God has chosen the people of
Israel to receive the law (Torah). The relationship between God and
Israel is understood as a covenant or contract in which God binds
himself to be Israel's God and Israel commits itself to do and hear the
Torah. |
The Problem: Humans have two impulses. The good impulse can be understood as one's
moral conscience that tells one what one should do. The evil impulse is
our selfish nature. It can be understood as the desire to satisfy
personal needs (food, shelter, sex, etc.) without regard for the moral
consequences of fulfilling those desires. The evil impulse is not
necessarily bad since it was created by God. It can, however, lead to
evil when not controlled by the good impulse. To keep the Torah is to
follow the good impulse. The problem is that individually and
collectively, the people of Israel fail to control the evil impulse and
follow the good. Consequently, disorder, brokenness and alienation enter
life. |
The Cure: The cure is to
follow the good impulse and control the evil impulse. The Torah or Law
is God's special gift to Israel by which each person knows what is good.
By following the Torah, Israel can live in harmony with God and with the
universe. To resist evil and temptation requires more than human
resources; rather it requires strength from God. Consequently, Judaism
has emphasized the concept of redemption rather than salvation.
God is the redeemer who delivers his people. |
Over Judaism's long history, the concept of
redemption has changed and evolved. Modern
Jewish thought emphasizes redemption as the ultimate triumph of good
over evil. This redemption is understood in different ways by different
groups and individual. For example, the concept of redemption has been
associated with self-fulfillment, the eradication of human-made evil in
society or the reestablishment of a sovereign Jewish state. In any case,
the triumph of good over evil is achieved by a combination of human
effort and the grace of God. Human effort is required and expected; but
God is the one who helps the sinner to repent and who reaches out in
love and grace so that individuals can keep the Torah. |
Type of Salvation:
To a large extent, redemption in Judaism represents a this-worldly type
of salvation: it involves the transformation of individuals and the
people of Israel and ultimately the entire world. In Orthodox Judaism,
however, redemption is also understood in terms of a physical
resurrection and afterlife. Among non-orthodox Jews, the concepts of
resurrection and the afterlife are virtually absent. |
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