Key beliefs in JudaismGod as law-giver and judge

Jews believe that God has given many religious laws to help them live in a way that pleases him. These laws are called mitzvot, and there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah that give Jewish people detailed instructions about many aspects of daily life.

While there is no one Jewish view of what happens to a person after death, many Jews believe that after they die, God will judge each person on how well they have kept his laws. Those who have followed God’s laws will be rewarded but those who have not will be punished.

The Ten Commandments

The second book of the Torah, Exodus, tells the story of how God helped Moses to guide the Jewish people out of slavery in Egypt. After gaining their freedom, they began to engage in idolatry and live in ways that were not pleasing to God. In response, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments - ten important rules for people to live by. The Ten Commandments are included in the 613 mitzvot found in the Torah.

The first four commandments are instructions about how humans should relate to God:

1. You shall have no other gods besides me - God is one, and the only being worthy of worship.
2. You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness - Humans should not make images of beings from Heaven or Earth.
3. You shall not swear falsely by the name of the Lord your God - God’s name should be honoured and respected.
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy - One day a week, known as the Sabbath, should be set aside for worshipping God and resting. In Judaism, the Sabbath is called Shabbat and lasts from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.

The following six are commandments about how people should treat each other:

1. Honour your father and mother - Jewish people should love and respect their parents, their family and elders in the community.
2. You shall not commit adultery - a married person should not have a sexual relationship with anyone other than the person they are married to.
3. You shall not steal - A person should not take things that do not belong to them without permission.
4. You shall not commit murder - Human life has a special status, and many Jewish people believe that only God should have the power to end a human life.
5. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour - A person should be truthful.
6. You shall not covet - A person should not be jealous of someone else’s possessions but instead should be happy with what God has given them. (Exodus 20:1-15)