The Moral Code of Judaism (Junior Cert Religious Education): Revision Notes

The Moral Code of Judaism

What is a moral code?

A moral code consists of rules or beliefs that help people make important ethical decisions. Judaism has developed its own distinctive set of guidelines that assist Jewish people in living good lives while remaining faithful to their religious teachings. These principles shape how Jewish believers approach moral choices in their daily lives.

Morality involves the decisions people face every day. Jewish people rely heavily on their religious moral framework to guide them towards making good choices in all areas of their lives.

Judaism and morality

Jewish people hold the belief that one God created the world and everything within it. They also believe they share a unique and special relationship with God, based on a sacred agreement called the Covenant. Due to this special relationship with God, Jewish people strive to live lives that are faithful to Him in every aspect. The Jewish moral code draws influence from both the Torah and the Talmud.

The Covenant

Understanding the Jewish moral code requires first grasping the special relationship between Jewish people and God, known as the Covenant. This sacred agreement forms the foundation of Jewish moral teachings.

A covenant represents a sacred agreement or promise between two parties, where each side must fulfil their obligations. The Covenant between God and Abraham was established approximately 4,000 years ago. God promised to care for Abraham and his family, calling them His chosen people. In return, Abraham promised to worship God and follow whatever God requested of him.

This Covenant remains equally significant for Jewish people today as it was thousands of years ago. It sits at the heart of Judaism, shaping how Jewish people view the world and conduct their lives. The Covenant also forms the core of the Jewish moral code.

The Ten Commandments

The Jewish moral code is known as the Ten Commandments. These can be found in the book of Exodus (20:2-17), which forms part of the Torah's five books. They contain moral guidelines for how Jewish people should live their lives and remain faithful to the Covenant and their special relationship with God.

Origins of the Ten Commandments

The individual commandments

First Commandment: "I am the Lord your God, you shall not have other Gods before me"

This commandment reminds Jewish people of their monotheistic faith, encouraging them to follow only the one true God.

In terms of moral decision-making, there may be times when Jewish people face decisions about their faith. If someone was being encouraged to move away from their faith during challenging or difficult times, the first commandment would help them decide to always maintain their faith in God.

Second Commandment: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain"

This commandment reminds Jewish people that the Lord is sacred, and His name should not be used in everyday language.

Regarding moral decision-making, in difficult or challenging situations, people might feel tempted to use the Lord's name to express their frustration. The second commandment reminds Jewish people to make the decision not to use this sacred name inappropriately.

Third Commandment: "Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day"

This commandment reminds Jewish people to pray regularly and attend Sabbath services in the synagogue. It encourages Jewish people not to work on the Sabbath.

For moral decision-making, this commandment helps Jewish people make appropriate choices when it comes to keeping the Sabbath (Saturday) holy. It may be as simple as deciding to take time away from social media or their phones to enjoy the world around them.

Fourth Commandment: "Honour your father and mother"

This commandment reminds Jewish people to show respect to their parents.

In terms of moral decision-making, this commandment reminds Jewish people of the importance of family. It could help Jewish people make simple decisions like ensuring they phone or text their parents or grandparents every day.

Fifth Commandment: "You shall not kill"

This commandment reminds Jewish people of the sacredness of human life, warning them not to harm others, with the worst form of harm being murder. Jewish people therefore try to honour others in all aspects of life.

Regarding moral decision-making, hopefully this should be an easy commandment to live by as most Jewish people will not face this decision in their lives. However, this commandment could spark interesting conversations with Jewish people about the killing of animals and eating meat.

Sixth Commandment: "You shall not commit adultery"

This commandment reminds Jewish people about the importance of relationships, asking all Jews to be faithful in marriage.

For moral decision-making, when Jewish people get married, they might think this commandment is obvious. However, Jewish people might need reminding about the importance of resisting temptation if they were ever faced with it.

Seventh Commandment: "You shall not steal"

This commandment reminds Jewish people not to steal or take anything that does not belong to them.

In terms of moral decision-making, have you ever been tempted to copy and paste an essay from the internet? A Jewish person would always be reminded of the seventh commandment not to steal anything - even an idea that did not belong to them!

Eighth Commandment: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour"

This commandment reminds Jewish people never to gossip or tell lies, encouraging them to live honest lives.

For moral decision-making, imagine you attempted to cook dinner and made a complete mess of the kitchen. Your parents come home and start complaining about the mess. Instead of taking the blame, you blame your sister. If Jewish people were faced with this decision, they would be reminded by the eighth commandment to never wrongfully accuse anybody.

Ninth Commandment: "You shall not covet your neighbour's wife"

This commandment reminds Jewish people about the importance of being truthful to partners, reminding them of the importance of love and respect in marriage, as well as in all areas of life.

Regarding moral decision-making, this commandment shares the same message as the sixth commandment. If faced with a difficult decision, it reminds Jewish people not to be jealous.

Tenth Commandment: "You shall not covet your neighbour's goods"

This commandment reminds Jewish people not to be jealous of others, asking them to be content with and grateful for what they have.

In terms of moral decision-making, this commandment would remind Jewish people who are looking at people's seemingly perfect lives on Instagram or Snapchat not to be jealous of their friends when on social media.

The Jewish moral code and moral decision-making

The Jewish moral code significantly influences how believers approach moral decisions in their daily lives. Here are practical examples:

Both examples demonstrate the influence that the Jewish moral code can have on the moral decision-making process for believers.

Comparing with non-religious moral codes

Moral codes are sets of rules or guidelines that create awareness of what is right and wrong. The moral code of Judaism encourages believers to live lives shaped by their Jewish faith. There are also non-religious moral codes that encourage people to live good lives that are not shaped by religion. For instance, a Humanist would not share a photo online because it would cause harm to another human, not because of religious influences.