world religion judaism test

who did god origionally make a covenant with

abraham

terms of god’s covenant with abraham

god promises abraham the “promised land”, many descendants, and protection

in return for faith and obedience

the physical sign of the covenant

circumcision

who reaffirmed god and abraham’s covenant

moses

terms of god’s covenant with moses

when god delivers the israelites from slavery in egypt, he reaffirms the promises he made to abraham

moses recieves the ten commandments and other laws from god (613 mitzvot)

agreement that if the israelites would kep the covenant by obeying the law (torah), they would be god’s treasured possession

gods chosen people

jews

what do observant jews not pronounce out of veneration for God

Yahweh (“YHWH” in hebrew)

when reading the bible, they say “Lord” instead, or even “L-rd”

other names for the written torah

Tanakh

the hebrew bible

name the three parts of the written torah/tanakh

torah

nevi’im

ketuvim

the written torah

torah

(torah aka…)

torah aka ‘instruction’

primary statement of jewish law, god’s revelation of the divine will to the chosen people

another word for jewish commandments

mitzvot

the torah contains 613 mitzvot/commandments

specific definition (?) of the torah

the pentateuch (5 books of moses)

genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, deuteronomy

written torah

nevi’im

prophets

historical accounts of ancient israel and proclamations of the will of god

written torah

ketuvim

writings

historical accounts, wisdom literature, short stories

oral torah

material taught and transmitted by judaism’s great rabbis of antiquity

oral torah

mishnah

oral torah maintained in oral form until written in the mishnah 2nd century CE

written to preserve sacred practices / teachings (jews were dispersed)

talmud

based directly on the mishnah

interpretation of god’s will → bends oral and written torah

5th century CE

sh’ma / shema

shema → hebrew word for ‘hear’

fundamental statement of jewish monotheism

“hear, o israel; the lord our god, the lord is one”

how often is the shema recited

twice daily (morning & evening prayers)

main form of of daily worship

prayer

obligatory for adult males (13+)

morning, afternoon, or evening ; home or synagogue

tallit

prayer shawl

with knotted fringes (tzitzit)

tefillin

small boxes with scripture passages, strapped to left arm and forehead

kippah

aka yarmulke

head covering

center of jewish prayer, study, and fellowship

synagogue

who leads prayer services in the synagogue

rabbis

where is the scroll of the torah in the synagogue contained

in the ark

elevated platform with reading table where torah scroll is placed

bimah

the center of jewish social life and worship

the home

indicator of the home

the mezuzah

small parchment scroll containing specific hebrew verses from the torah . the scroll is placed inside a decorative case and affixed to the doorposts of jewish homes and other buildings as a sign of faith and protection

kosher

(& kosher aka)

“proper”

strict dietary and food preparation rules

prepared food with ingredients and preparation certified as kosher by proper rabbinic authorities

what are the kosher dietary rules called

kashrut laws

kashrut laws

land animals with cloven hooves and chew their chud are

KOSHER

kashrut laws

water animals with both _________ are KOSHER

fins and scales

kashrut laws

domestic species of birds are

predatory and scavenger birds are

domestic species of birds are KOSHER

predatory and scavenger birds are NOT

kashrut laws

meat and dairy separate is

meat and dairy together is

meat and dairy separate is KOSHER

meat and dairy together is NOT

kashrut laws

jewish products from _____ sources are NOT kosher

non-jewish

kashrut laws

reptiles, amphibians, worms, and insects are

(except…)

NOT kosher

(exception to this rule is the four types of locusts)

the four types of rites of passage

initiation rites

coming of age rituals (transition to adult status in jewish ritual life)

marriage

death and mourning

names of the initiation rites for boy vs girl

boy → brit milah “covenant of circumcision”

girl → brit bat “the daughter’s covenant”

brit milah

8th day after birth

held at home or in synagogue

ritual of circumcision → sign of entrance into the community, commanded in genesis

brit bat

sabbath service soon after birth

rite of welcoming to the community and naming

coming of age ritual

boys

bar mitzvah “son of the commandment”

13th birthday

coming of age ritual

girls

bat mitzvah “daughter of the commandment”

12th birthday

marriage ritual

the canopy/tent-like structure couples stand under

the huppah

what does the huppah symbolize

god’s presence at the wedding and in the couple’s household

abraham’s hospitality

other facts about the marriage ritual

7 blessings

the groom breaking a glass underfoot (a reminder of the destruction of the temple)

death and mourning ritual

corpse

body buried in the ground within 24 hours of death

NO cremation, public display of body, embalming

death and mourning ritual

period of mourning

7-day period of mourning called shiva

death and mourning ritual

traditional prayer of mourning

kaddish

sabbath aka

shabbat

when is the sabbath

sundown on friday to sundown on saturday

sabbath tradition and rituals

day of rest in remembrance of the 7th day of creation when god rests

avoidance of work (driving, cooking, using technology, switching lights)

torah study, religious service, family meals celebrating fellowship

ritual objects → shabbat objects, challah bread, kiddush cup with wine

high holy days aka

name them

information

days of awe

rosh hashanah and yom kippur

together 10-day observance in autumn

rosh hashanah

jewish new year (creation of the world) beings a period of reflection on the past year and need for penitence

begins with the plowing of the shofar

sweet foods are eaten = desire for sweet new year

yom kippur

day of atonement ; the most solemn day in the jewish calendar

ends with the blowing of the shofar

repentance to god, prayer, strict fasting

shofar

rams horn

reminds jews to redirect themselves to torah study, and reminds god of the commitment of jewish people to the covenant

pilgrimage festivals

name them

sukkot

passover

shavuot

sukkot aka

festival of booths

what does sukkot commemorate

40 years jews wandered in desert post-exodus and pre-canaan

when is sukkot

fall

5 days after yom kippur

7 days long

what do families build on sukkot

a sukkah

temporary dwelling (where they eat and may sleep)

passover aka

feast of unleavened bread

name ‘passover’ derivation → during the 10th plague the angel of death ‘passed over’ the houses of the israelites, leaving their first-born sons unharmed

what does passover commemorate

the exodus

moses lef the israwlites from slavery in egypt to freedom

when is passover

spring

8 days

what is the passover meal called

seder

what blessing and prayers text is read for passover

haggadah

retelling of exodus

shavuot aka

festival of weeks

or

pentecost

what does shavuot commemorate

the giving of the torah to moses on mt. sinai

torah given to moses → moses gives to jews

when is shavuot

7 weeks after passover

50 day duration

summer

ritual of shavuot

jews may stay up all night studying the torah (book of ruth)

minor festivals

hanukkah and purim

hanukkah (holiday) aka

hanukkah (hebrew word) aka

hanukkah (holiday) aka fesival of lights

hanukkah (hebrew word) aka dedication

what does hanukkah commemorate

the rededication of the temple in jerusalem after the hellenist empire desecrated it and suppressed the practice of judaism

the miracle of oil → despite not having enough oil the temple land for 8 days

when is hannukah

late fall/early winter

ritual traditions of hanukkah

lighting the chanukiah (menorah), playing dreidel, eating friend foods

*menorah has 8 candles + 1 lighter candle

what does purim commemorate

the 5th century when esther saved the jewish community in persia from being exterminated by haman

haman had wanted to kill the jews bc he hated their leader mordecai

esther pleads to the king → king condemns haman

when is purim

spring

ritual traditions of purim

reading the book of esther

celebrated with festivals, costumes, plays, parades, feating

triangle shaped cookies eaten during purim

hamentashen

date of romans destroying 2nd jerusalem temple during the jewosh war

70 AD

date of the 2nd revolt against romans → jewish diaspora

135 AD

date of the holocaust

1933-1945

holocaust

aka shoah (hebrew for ‘mass destruction’)

due to growing anti-semitism

mass systemic oppression, persecution, and extermination of jews by hilter and nazis

date of the founding of the state of israel

1948

what did the christians accuse jews of

deicide

killing god (jesus)

which catholic document denounced all displayed (present & past) hatred, persecution, and antisemitism against jewish people

nostra aetate

torah and its origins

orthadox

conservative

reform

orthadox - torah the actual word of god, dictated by god

both oral and written should be strictly followed

conservative - god gave the torah to jews to be directly interpreted as the history of contemporary society

reform - torah is not the actual word of god

interpretation of jewish law

orthadox

conservative

reform

orthadox - 613 mitzvot are laws about life that should be closely followed

conservative - jewish law is law by which people should live, allows innovations, guides religious change toward modernity

reform - emphasis is placed on the VALUES of the laws. orthopraxy over orthodoxy

orthopraxy and orthodoxy

orthopraxy → right practice (judaism)

orthodoxy → right doctrine

religious services and practice

orthodox

conservative

reform

orthodox - men and women sit separately in the synagogue (divided by a mekhitza), hebrew services, strict observance of traditional religious beliefs & practices (kosher, sabbath, etc.)

conservative - some services are in english

reform - personal choice for levels of observance, emphasis on community service & social justice, shortened (more accessible) prayers

women in religious life

orthadox

conservative

reform

orthadox - no religious role, women belong in the home raising children

conservative - 1985 women were permitted to become cantors and rabbis

reform - women can be cantors and rabbis , equal to men in religious roles

timeline of the origins of jewish sects

orthodox judaism → OG / traditional judaism

reform judaism → emerged during enlightenment (18th century), created by jews who wanted a modern view of their religion that would fit more easily into the world

conservative → (19th century), believed reform judaism went too far, believes in taking change but cautiously