GCSE RE (Eduqas) Judaism - Shekhinah 5min recap

Summary

This five-minute educational video delves into Jewish beliefs, focusing on the concept of the Shekhinah, which represents God's presence felt in the world and particularly in Israel at the Western Wall. It traces the Shekhinah's origins to the time of Moses and the Tabernacle, highlighting its significance in connecting Jews through prayer and embodying God's nurturing qualities. The video aims to help viewers understand the Shekhinah's role in Jewish faith and its enduring presence in Jerusalem's remaining temple wall.

Takeaways

• 😇 The Shekinah represents the presence of God, where God's presence rests and can be felt.
• 🌍 God's presence is omnipresent, meaning it can be felt not only in a synagogue but everywhere in the world.
• 🕍 Jews believe God's presence is especially felt at the site of the destroyed temple in Israel, known as the Western Wall.
• 📜 The concept of Shekinah is rooted in the story of Moses and the building of the Tabernacle, a portable temple for God's dwelling among the people.
• 🔥 God's presence guided and protected the Jews during their journey to the Promised Land, symbolized by pillars of cloud by day and fire by night.
• 🏛 The transition from a portable Tabernacle to a permanent temple in Jerusalem signifies the establishment of a fixed place for God's presence.
• 🧱 The Western Wall is the remaining part of the destroyed temple in Jerusalem, believed to be a place where God's presence still resides.
• 🙏 The Shekinah allows Jews to experience God through prayer and feel a close connection with the divine.
• 👥 The concept of Shekinah connects Jews in a community, as they are all part of one community under one God.
• 👂 The Shekinah implies that God listens to the prayers of the Jewish people, fostering a sense of intimacy with the divine.
• 🌱 The Shekinah can also refer to God's nurturing and caring qualities, as seen in biblical passages describing God's sustenance and care for creation.

Q & A

What is the focus of the video session on Jewish beliefs?

The focus of the video session is on the nature of God in Judaism, with a particular emphasis on the concept of the Shekhinah.

What does the term 'Shekhinah' mean in the context of Jewish beliefs?

The term 'Shekhinah' refers to the place where God's presence rests and can be felt.

Why do Jews believe that God's presence can be felt everywhere, not just in a synagogue?

Jews believe in the concept of omnipresence, meaning that God is present everywhere, which allows His presence to be felt in the whole world, not only in a synagogue.

What is the significance of the Western Wall in Jewish beliefs regarding the Shekhinah?

The Western Wall is significant because it is the only remaining part of the destroyed temple in Israel, where Jews believe God's presence rests, making it a place of prayer and connection to God.

What was the purpose of the tabernacle as instructed by God to Moses?

The tabernacle was a portable temple meant to allow God's presence to dwell among the Jewish people as they traveled, signifying His desire to be in relationship with them.

How did God guide and protect the Jews during their journey to the promised land as mentioned in Exodus?

God guided the Jews with pillars of cloud by day and pillars of fire by night, symbolizing His presence, guidance, and protection.

What is the connection between the Shekhinah and the temple built by the Jews in the promised land?

The Shekhinah is connected to the temple because it is where God's presence was believed to dwell permanently, as stated in the Book of Chronicles where the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Why is the Western Wall considered the closest place on earth to experience God's presence according to the video?

The Western Wall is considered close to God's presence because it is the last remaining part of the temple where His presence was believed to dwell, and it is a place where Jews go to pray and feel connected to God.

How does the Shekhinah concept teach Jews about experiencing God through prayer and community?

The Shekhinah concept teaches that Jews can experience God through prayer and feel connected to each other in a community, as they are all connected by the one God and the one community.

What are some of the female qualities of God that can be referred to by the Shekhinah according to the script?

The Shekhinah can refer to God's female qualities such as sustenance, care, and looking after creation, as exemplified in the Book of Psalms where God makes the grass grow for cattle and plants for people.

Outlines

00:00

🛐 Understanding the Shekinah in Judaism

This paragraph introduces the concept of the Shekinah in Jewish beliefs, emphasizing the omnipresence of God and the significance of the Shekinah as the place where God's presence is felt. It explains that God's presence is not only in the synagogue but everywhere due to His omnipresence. The paragraph also highlights the importance of the Western Wall in Jerusalem as a place where Jews feel a strong connection to God, as it is believed to be the site of the destroyed temple where His presence rests. The discussion is rooted in the historical context of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments and God's desire to dwell among His people, as evidenced by the construction of the tabernacle and later the temple in Jerusalem.

Keywords

💡Shechinah

The Shechinah is a term that signifies the divine presence of God, particularly in Jewish theology. It is the place where God's presence is believed to rest and can be felt. In the video, the Shechinah is discussed as a central concept in understanding Jewish beliefs about God's omnipresence and His closeness to His people, exemplified by its presence in the synagogue and the significance of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

💡Omnipresence

Omnipresence is the concept that God is present everywhere. In the context of the video, it is used to explain that while God's presence is felt in the synagogue, it is also omnipresent, meaning that God is everywhere. This concept is integral to understanding the Shechinah, as it underscores the belief that God's presence is not confined to any one place but is pervasive throughout the world.

💡Western Wall

The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, is the remaining part of the ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. In the video, it is highlighted as a significant site where Jews believe God's presence rests, making it a place of prayer and connection to God. The Western Wall serves as a tangible symbol of the Shechinah, representing the enduring divine presence despite the destruction of the temple.

💡Tabernacle

The Tabernacle, as mentioned in the video, is a portable temple that was constructed following God's instructions to Moses after receiving the Ten Commandments. It symbolizes God's desire to dwell among His people during their journey to the Promised Land. The Tabernacle is a precursor to the permanent Temple in Jerusalem and is connected to the concept of the Shechinah, as it represents the traveling presence of God with His people.

💡Decalogue

The Decalogue refers to the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. In the script, the Decalogue is mentioned as a pivotal event leading to the construction of the Tabernacle, which in turn is linked to the Shechinah. The Ten Commandments are foundational to Jewish law and ethics, and their reception initiated the desire of God to dwell among His people, as evidenced by the Tabernacle.

💡Exodus

Exodus is the second book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, which narrates the departure of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt under the leadership of Moses. In the video, Exodus is cited to illustrate how God guided and protected the Israelites with pillars of cloud and fire, demonstrating His presence and care, which is a manifestation of the Shechinah.

💡Promised Land

The Promised Land refers to the land promised by God to the Israelites in the Hebrew Bible, which they were to inhabit after their exodus from Egypt. In the context of the video, the journey to the Promised Land is highlighted as a period when God's presence, through the Shechinah, was particularly evident, guiding and protecting the Israelites.

💡Chronicles

The Book of Chronicles is part of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, which provides a history of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah. In the video, Chronicles is mentioned to emphasize the moment when the permanent Temple in Jerusalem was completed and God's glory filled the temple, signifying the establishment of the Shechinah in a fixed location.

💡Judaism

Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, with a rich history and a set of beliefs and practices based on the Hebrew Bible. The video focuses on Jewish beliefs about the nature of God and the Shechinah, which is a fundamental concept in Judaism that represents God's presence and relationship with His people.

💡Divine Presence

Divine Presence in the video refers to the concept that God is not only transcendent but also immanent, meaning He is actively present in the world and in the lives of His people. The Shechinah is a key aspect of this belief, illustrating how God's presence can be felt and experienced in both physical and spiritual realms.

💡Community

Community, in the context of the video, refers to the collective of Jewish people who are spiritually connected through their shared belief in one God and their experiences of the Shechinah. This sense of community is strengthened by the belief in God's omnipresence and the collective experience of prayer and connection at sites like the Western Wall.

Highlights

The video focuses on the nature of God in Judaism, particularly the concept of the Shekhinah.

Shekhinah means the place where God's presence rests and can be felt.

Jews believe in God's omnipresence, feeling His presence not only in the synagogue but everywhere.

God's presence is especially felt at the site of the destroyed temple in Israel, known as the Western Wall.

The concept of Shekhinah is linked to Moses and the construction of the tabernacle as a portable temple.

God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle to dwell among His people, indicating a desire for relationship.

The Shekhinah guided and protected the Jews during their journey to the Promised Land.

In the Promised Land, the portable tabernacle became a permanent temple where God's presence dwelt.

The Western Wall is the only remaining part of the temple, believed to still hold God's presence.

Jews visit the Western Wall to pray and feel close to God's presence.

The Shekhinah teaches that Jews can experience God through prayer and community.

Prayer and the Shekhinah allow Jews to feel close to God and believe that He listens to their prayers.

The Shekhinah can also refer to God's female qualities, such as sustenance and care for creation.

The Book of Psalms illustrates God's nurturing role through the Shekhinah, providing for humans and animals.

The Shekhinah is an important concept that connects Jews to their faith and to each other.

The video encourages viewers to explore the key terms related to the Shekhinah and their significance in Judaism.

Example questions are provided to help viewers further understand and apply the concept of the Shekhinah.

Transcripts

welcome to another five minute village

education recap video one on the example

of ed cass we are studying a world faith

and a particular emphasis on judaism and

we're looking at the section of jewish

beliefs today's session will focus on

the nature of god and in particular the

shechener and i'm hoping you'll be able

to explain jewish beliefs about the

shechena by the end of this video

so first of all the example when talking

about the nature of god they want you to

be aware of the idea that god is one the

creator the law giver the judge and also

be aware of the shekinah now i've done

videos on those top four today we're

just going to focus on the shekel

so starting off then the actual key term

or key word shekinah it means the place

where god's presence rests and can be

felt now i've identified two key phrases

there rests and felt and i'm hoping by

unpacking these two phrases it's going

to help you to understand the shaking a

little bit more so first of all let's

take that word felt well jews believe

that god's presence cannot only be felt

in a synagogue because that is the house

of god

but also in the whole world because god

is omnipresence so the idea is omni is

all present meaning here if god is

omnipresent it means he is everywhere so

god's presence can be felt not only the

synagogue but everywhere because he's

only presence secondly jews also feel

that god's presence rests in israel at

the site of a destroyed temple now jews

will gather at that destroyed temple

there's only one single war left it's

called the western wall and they'll go

there to pray and feel connected to god

because they believe that his presence

rests at that site and we're going to

explore why jews feel that in a little

bit of detail

so let's link the second to moses then

well after receiving the decalogue the

ten commandments on mount sinai god

tells moses to build a tabernacle now

tabernacle's basically like a little

portable temple that the jews can carry

with them as they're traveling around

looking for the promised land because

god he says he wants to dwell amongst

his people he wants a relationship with

his people

so in exodus it says

then have them make a sanctuary for me

and i will dwell amongst them so the

idea is god's given a direct instruction

to say i want my presence to be with you

now as the jews continue their journey

god actually guides them his presence

guides them and protects them and by day

we see in exodus it says the lord led

people with pillars of cloud by day and

then at night the lord led the people

with a pillar of fire

so we find that the shekinah draws all

the way back to kind of moses and when

they're traveling through the to find

the promised land and the idea of clouds

guiding fire protecting

now

finally after arriving in the promised

land the tabernacle that portable temple

actually becomes a permanent one so the

jews actually

create and build a temple dedicated to

god and god's presence dwells there and

this is why in the book of chronicles it

says the glory of the lord filled the

temple so they finally don't have this

portable temple anymore these

tabernacles they have one site the great

temple in jerusalem

now the western wall though it's the

only remaining war left of that temple

and this is why jews say the shechem

arrests in jerusalem because if if god's

presence was resting there in that

temple and there's still part of that

temple left that his presence is still

going to be there and the reason there's

only a war left is because there were

various wars and invasions that happened

and then various individuals have

managed to destroy the temple leaving

that wall behind

nevertheless many jews will still go and

visit that wall in jerusalem they will

pray there because they feel is the

closest place on earth that you can

actually get to the presence of god so

remember

his presence can be felt anywhere but

where does it rest will it rest to that

western wall the site of that destroyed

temple in jerusalem

so think about the shekel then it's also

important because the shekinah it

teaches that you know jews can

experience god through prayer but also

it connects jews to each other in a

community because all jews are connected

by that one god in that one community

secondly the sheck and it allows jews to

experience god and also feel close to

him and jews know that when they pray

that god will listen to their prayers

and finally

the shekinah it can also be used to

refer to god's female qualities so for

example there's lots of instances in the

bible where god kind of you know

sustains and cares and looks after

things and often the shekinah can be

used to describe the action of god so i

was looking at the book of psalms and i

lifted out the fact that it says here he

makes the grass grow for the cattle the

plants for people to cultivate bringing

forth food from the earth so in the book

of styles we see how god kind of allows

the earth to grow for it to be used and

to look after his creation of humans and

animals now you could use the word

shechener to describe that process that

god is allowing the earth to kind of

provide for his creation

so again checking and showing the female

qualities

now have a look down this key term list

see if you can link any of these to the

idea of the shackener if you can do that

then you've been successful if you've

had a little bit tough and then

obviously go back through the video if

you want to push yourself a little bit

further try some of these example

questions whatever you're up to best of

luck and thanks for listening