Religions - Judaism: Moses - BBC

Introduction

Moses

One of Judaism's great figures is the man called Moshe Rabbenu ('Moses our teacher') in Hebrew. The first five books of the Bible are traditionally ascribed to him. Moses is the channel between God and the Hebrews, through whom the Hebrews received a basic charter for living as God's people.

1300 BCE - the beginning of a religion

Over a thousand years after Abraham, the Jews were living as slaves in Egypt. Their leader was a prophet called Moses.

Moses led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt and led them to the Holy Land that God had promised them.

The escape of the Jews from Egypt is remembered by Jews every year in the festival of Passover.

The Jews were helped on their journey by God; the same God who'd promised Abraham that he would look after the Jews. God parted the Red Sea to help them escape and helped them in many other ways.

When they reached a Mount Sinai, in present day Egypt, God spoke to Moses high on the mountain slopes and made a deal (called a covenant) with the Jews that renewed the one he had made with Abraham.

At the same time, God gave the Jews a set of rules that they should live by.

On behalf of Israel, Moses received torah, traditionally translated 'law'. This is not law in the modern sense but rather authoritative teaching, instruction, or guidance. The most famous of these commandments are the Ten Commandments. But there are actually 613 commandments covering every aspect of life including law, family, and personal hygiene and diet.

Most scholars date the beginning of Judaism as an organised and structured religion to this time.

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Other faith note

Moses is a significant character in other religions - not only Christianity but Islam too. He is an important prophet for Muslims, who call him Musa.

The Ten Commandments

In the Ten Commandments, Moses outlined a basis for morality which has lasted over 3,000 years and been embraced by two-thirds of the world's population. The most common form of the Ten Commandments is given in Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 5.

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
4. Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy
5. Honour thy father and thy mother
6. Thou shalt not kill
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery
8. Thou shalt not steal
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour
10. Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour's

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