Judaism: Origins and Their Impact on the Community » Moses, the Exodus and the Covenant at Sinai

Prophets in Judaism

In Judaism a prophet (in Hebrew, navi) is a person called by the Almighty to speak the Almighty's word to the people. Prophets are not mainly fortune-tellers. Their job is to remind the people of the covenant, to warn them when they have turned away from it, and to call for justice and care for the poor. Isaiah and Jeremiah are two famous examples. Their words are collected in books of the Jewish Bible.

Jews see Moses as the greatest of all the prophets. The Torah says that no prophet since has been like him (Deuteronomy 34:10). Jews also call him Moshe Rabbenu, which means "Moses our teacher".

Key terms:

• Prophet (navi): a person called by the Almighty to speak the Almighty's word and to call the people back to the covenant and to justice.
• Exodus (recap from Judaism and Human Rights): the escape of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt. The word means "going out". It is also the name of the second book of the Torah.
• Pharaoh: the title of the king of ancient Egypt.
• Ten Commandments: ten key laws given to the people at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20).
• Moshe Rabbenu: "Moses our teacher", the Jewish name for Moses.

The birth and early life of Moses

The Torah says the Hebrews (the descendants of Abraham) had become slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh feared how many they had become, and ordered that every Hebrew baby boy should be thrown into the River Nile (Exodus 1). A Hebrew mother hid her baby son for as long as she could. When she could hide him no longer, she placed him in a basket among the reeds at the edge of the Nile. His sister watched over him. Pharaoh's daughter found the basket and took the child as her own. She named him Moses.

So Moses grew up in Pharaoh's household, but he knew he was one of the Hebrews. One day he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, and he killed the Egyptian. When he realised that people knew, he fled to the land of Midian. There he married and became a shepherd.

The burning bush and the call

While Moses was looking after his flock, he saw a bush that was burning but was not burnt up (Exodus 3). The Almighty spoke to him from the bush and told him to take off his sandals, because the ground was holy. Moses was told to go back to Egypt and lead the people out of slavery.

Moses did not want the job. He said he was not a good speaker, so his brother Aaron was chosen to speak for him. This is why Jews see Moses as a humble leader: he was called, he did not push himself forward.

The Exodus in outline

Pharaoh refused. After a series of disasters struck Egypt, he let the people go, and the Hebrews left Egypt with Moses as their leader. The Torah says the Almighty saved them from slavery. This escape is the great story of freedom in Judaism. The details, such as the plagues, the first Passover and the crossing of the sea, are told in the lesson on Pesach: The Festival of Freedom.

The covenant at Sinai

Remember, a covenant is a solemn agreement between the Almighty and the Jewish people. After the Exodus, the people travelled to Mount Sinai. There the Almighty gave Moses the Torah, including the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20). The people promised to keep the Almighty's laws (Exodus 24). The covenant with Abraham promised descendants and land. The covenant at Sinai set out how the people should live.

The Torah describes the Jews as a people with a mission. They are to be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). Jews understand this to mean that they are to live by the Almighty's laws and set an example to the world.

• The Torah: the Almighty's teaching, the guide for Jewish life.
• The Ten Commandments: they include honouring the Almighty, keeping Shabbat, honouring parents, and not murdering, stealing or committing adultery.
• The promise: the people agreed to do what the Almighty had said. The covenant is a two-way agreement.

Two ways of reading the stories

Why Moses matters to Jews today

• Lawgiver and teacher: Jews learn the Torah through Moses, so he is known as Moshe Rabbenu.
• Freedom: his story reminds Jews that the Almighty is on the side of the oppressed, and that they should help others who are not free.
• The covenant: his role at Sinai explains why Jews believe they have special duties.
• A model prophet: he spoke the Almighty's word, even when it was hard.

Common mistakes

Exam-style question

(a) Outline two events in the life of Moses. [4 marks]

(b) Explain why the covenant at Sinai is important for Jews. [6 marks]

(c) "Moses is the most important person in Judaism." Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include reference to teachings, other points of view and your own opinion. [10 marks]