The Covenant at Sinai (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

The Role of Moses

Who was Moses?

• Moses is regarded as the greatest prophet in Judaism

• Jews believe that he too made an important covenant with God

• It is believed that Moses is the only person to have ever witnessed God face to face

• Moses delivered the words of God and received miracles sent by God

• Jews believe that God acted through Moses

The Story of Moses

• The story of Moses is important for Jewish belief and practices, especially the story where he led the Israelites out of slavery to the promised land

Moses Leads the Israelites from Egypt

• This journey is remembered and celebrated at the festivals of Succoth and Pesach

• God promised to be with him in his role

The Covenant at Sinai

The Covenant at Sinai

• Jews believe that:

  • After Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt, he took them through the desert and disappeared up a mountain (Mount Sinai)

  • This is when God revealed to Moses the 613 commandments that Jews are expected to follow, including the Ten Commandments

  • God spoke to Moses through a burning bush:

    • Many Jews (mainly Orthodox Jews) also believe that Moses was given the Oral Torah, which was passed down by word of mouth to help people interpret the Written Torah

The Ten Commandments

• Moses was also given the Ten Commandments to teach the children of Israel about the most important rules to live by

• Moses formed a covenant with God that, as God’s chosen people, the Israelites would keep the commandments

The Promised Land

The promised land

• The Tanakh repeatedly refers to God’s offer of a Promised Land for Abraham and his descendants

• God promised Abraham and his wife Sarah many descendants

• Today, many Jews believe that the land now known as Israel belongs to Jews in fulfilment of God’s covenant with Abraham to give the Jewish people a Promised Land

• This has often led to conflict both within and outside the religion

  • In 1948, in the face of opposition from Arab countries in the Middle East, the State of Israel was created

  • Since then there have been many disputes, and even wars, over the land

Different views about the promised land

• For some Jews, their relationship with the State of Israel is an essential part of their religious identity and key to their understanding of Judaism

  • For some Jews, a connection to Israel is part of their cultural and personal identity

• A very small minority of Jews do not see the land of Israel as important in their understanding of what it means to be Jewish

  • There are some Jews who feel that there should not have been an attempt to set up the State of Israel before the coming of the Messiah because the Jews’ exile from the land was a punishment from God