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To Life Essay

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To Life Everyone knows that in order to truly appreciate something sometimes you have to do without. I think that this can be related to my Catholic faith and studying about the Jewish faith. After reading the book, "To Life", I value my faith that I have much more. It has also helped me to appreciate the Jewish faith. Lastly, it has enlightened my mind with appreciation for the Jewish faith and how it has been a building block for our faith. First of all, the Jewish people have a strong belief in community. On page ten it is quoted, "people before we had a religion." To the Jews this is a very important part of their religion. By following the traditions of their ancestors (Moses, Isaac, Jacob) they believe that they will fulfill …show more content…

Instead, for Jews, they have a higher reason. Keeping the rules of kosher allows the Jews to make eating a holy thing. Allowing God to be part of their meals! It states, "The fact is that the rules of keeping kosher have nothing to do with trichinosis or contamination. They have everything to do with taking the process of eating which we share with all other animals and making it a uniquely human activity by investing it with considered ones of permitted and forbidden. Jews also believe that our moral choices we make in our life need to be handled with much maturity and responsibility. As regards to sexual pleasure the Jews have strict laws to this. On page fifty-three Kushner describes Jews having three different ways to react to sexual pleasures or any pleasures. We can yield to our instincts like animals do, suppress them or sanctify them. The Jews sanctify their instincts by keeping sex only for marriage and for the purpose of procreation. A last main belief can be found on page sixty-seven of Jews is that called tzedaka or in English charity. Christians believe that giving is not just the material sense of giving, but giving when it hurts. Christians believe that it doesn't matter how much you give as long as you are giving a generous gift. The Jews believe in tzedaka meaning giving as much money as you can and the more money you give the better and holier you are! Prayer is the last

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