TWR 2

1. In Judaism, what is the meaning of suffering?

Smith describes suffering as "God's way of underscoring the demand for righteousness." In Judaism, the main sources of group suffering have been the two exiles from Jerusalem. The Jews viewed this as a punishment from God. God created the suffering by having Jerusalem's enemies exile it's people because they had stepped off the path at some point and they needed to learn their lesson. This aspect of suffering has a historic/savior-esque telt to it, because in some instances, God imposes one big suffering in order to teach a longstanding lesson to be passed through generations. This prevents future generations from having to endure the pains of their ancestors. This view serves several different purposes: one, it glorifies God, strengthening his image as the Almighty,two, it protects the faith of the Jewish people, for had they accepted their exile as an act of their enemies God, it would have derailed their belief system and three, it weeds out the faithful, those who are devout enough to endure the suffering because it is God's will.

2. In Judaism, what is the meaning in Messianism?

The simplified version of the meaning behind the Messianic idea is that it gives the Jewish people a hopeful motivation. The views of the western world were largely formed based on the influences of the Jews, giving the west this idea that life can always improve. This train of thought was very important to Jews because, as they were so oppressed by the surrounding nations, if they were to believe that things could only get worse, their faith would either be shaken or become pointless. As Smith puts it, "Underdogs only have one direction to look, and it was the upward tilt of the Jewish imagination that eventually led the West to conclude that the conditions of life as a whole might improve." The literal meaning of the word Messiah is someone who is anointed or elevated, a title of honor originally for kings and priests, however the word evolved to describe a person who would restore the Jews to their former glory.
Messianism embodied three ideas after it became a fully developed concept, hope, national restoration and world upgrade. These ideas were presented in several forms. Some believed in an actual messiah while others believed God would come directly to earth and restore the world and some foresaw a time of apocalypse where the world would be destroyed before the restoration could occur. In any case, the basic idea of hope for a better time for the Jewish people, a return to their homeland, is the backbone of the messianic idea.

3. In Judaism, what is meant by the "hallowing of life"?

The Hallowing of Life is the conviction that all life and everything is part of God and therefore holy in one way or another. All life is part of God and therefore Hallowed. The hallowing, however, also includes a way to show reverence for this ever connected holiness. The rituals help to remind people of the glory of God and the magnificence of his creation. These rituals can also help people through tough times as well as bolster the pleasure of the good ones. While these rituals may seem strange and or pointless to the secular observer, the Jews find two important reasons to keep practicing them. First, in the eyes of Judaism, to fulfill a ritual holds more meaning than verbally professing their reverence for God. Smith compares this idea to love, "Is love better expressed through words or an embrace?" Second, within these rituals lies the meaning of life itself. To practice is to honor and acknowledge centuries of God's great works and shows.