Jewish & Christian concerns – Ask the Rabbi
Q. Can you give me an example of where Judaism and Christianity part company?
A. Where Christianity focusses on sin, Judaism is concerned with mitzvah.
In classical Christianity, man is inherently sinful and needs Jesus to bring him salvation. In Judaism, man has the privilege of knowing God’s will and living by His mitzvot.
It is not that Judaism has no concept of sin, but man sins by mistake, not because he is automatically programmed to do so. If a person sins, Judaism tells him he can pick himself up and resolve to be more careful in future.
That is why on the High Holydays Judaism posits a hopeful concept of man, who, even if he has sinned, can get over it by penitence, prayer and righteous living.