Judaism Practices

Judaism - Practises

24 April 2023

12:19

Synagogue also can be known as "shul" (Orthodox), "temple" (Reform), "Beit T'Filah"

Importance

• Prayer

• Study + education

  • House of study = Beit Midrash

  • Some synagogues provide classes for learning Hebrew

  • Lots of Synagogues have a library to enable Jews to improve their knowledge on the Jewish faith.

  • Preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

• Social + charitable work --) Community action/work

  • Venue collecting money/other items to be distributed to poor members of the community

    • Jews often support the work of organisations such as World Jewish Relief.

  • Youth clubs + clubs for senior citizens --) bring the community together

• Place for celebration of festivals and rites of passage (eg. Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and weddings)

Interior Features

• Aron Hakodesh --) sacred scrolls (Torah)

  • Represents the original Ark of the Covenant - original Ark was created to house the stone tablets containing the 10 Commandments given to Moses by G-d.

    • "Have the [Israelites]  build an ark" Exodus 25:10

    • It was then taken to the Temple in Jerusalem - Focus of Jewish worship

  • Many synagogues have two stone tablets above the Ark with the 10 commandments written on them.

  • Reached by climbing up stairs --) Torah is above humanity.

  • Every act involving the Ark is full of ceremony - importance.

• Bimah --) Reading Platform

  • In Orthodoxy the Bimah faces the Ark, Reform it faces the people

  • Reminder of the altar in the original temple

  • Where the Torah scrolls are read from

• Ner Tamid --) eternal flame/ever-burning light

  • Symbolises G-D's presence - Never extinguished

  • Reminder of the Menorah which was lit every night in the original Temple

  • "Keep the lamps burning before the Lord" Exodus 27:21

Worship/Prayer

Structure of an Orthodox Service: Opening Prayers of praise, Shema, Amidah ('standing prayer'), reading from the Torah, Aleinu prayer (closing prayer praising and thanking G-D) -----> Modeh Ami; separate from of prayer

Orthodox vs Reform

Orthodox Judaism emphasises the importance of following the laws and guidance in the Torah; they believe the Torah was given directly by G-d to Moses; so should be followed as closely as possible.

Reform Judaism believes the laws and guidance in the Torah can be adapted for modern times; they believe the Torah was inspired by G-d but written by humans; so can be interpreted according to the times.

Differences in Public Worship

Jews are expected to pray three times a day --) this is often (especially in Orthodoxy) in the Synagogue.

Tallit/tefillin/Mezuzah

Tefillin: Remind Jews that their mind should be fully concentrated on G-D when they pray, and their prayer should come from the heart.

• "Shall serve as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead" Exodus 13:9

  • Wrapped 7 times round the arm to remind of the seven days of creation.

• Contain extracts from the Torah, including the Shema.

Tallit: Prayer shawl, reminds Jews that they are obeying G-D's word whenever they wear it.

• The fringes on the four corners (Tzitzit) represent the 613 mitzvot, 5 knots to represent the five books of the Torah.

  • "Make tassels on the four corners of the cloaks you wear" Deuteronomy 22:12

Mezuzah: Handwritten scrolls mounted on the doors containing the Shema.

• "Write them on the door frames of your houses" Deuteronomy 11:20

Shabbat

• Remembers and honors the 7th day of rest taken by G-D in Genesis 1 after creating the world.

• Commandment from G-D to "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" Exodus 20:8 (Ten Commdandments).

Shabbat is…

• A time to relax and rest, worship G-D, enjoy family life.

• A gift from G-D of a day of rest and renewal.

• A day that G-D has commanded Jews to celebrate, the fourth of the ten commandments.

• A time to celebrate G-D's creation.

Celebration in the Synagogue

• Friday evening, brief service where Shabbat is welcomed like a bride coming to meet her husband (Jewish people).

• Main service is the Saturday morning:

Shabbat in the home

• Shabbat is welcomed with the lighting of candles, usually the wife of the family, beckons her arms around the candles and covers her eyes to say a blessing

• Wine or grape juice and two loaves of challah bread are also placed on the table; the loaves are covered with a special cover whenever possible.

  • The loaves represent the two portions of manna that G-d provided the Israelites on Shabbat when they were in the wilderness.

• Shabbat Wine is sweet and is usually drunk from a special goblet known as the Kiddush cup.

  • Drinking this wine on Shabbat symbolises joy and celebration.

• Kiddush blessing said over the wine --) sanctifies Shabbat.

Written and Oral law

Dietary Law - Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14

Acceptable food is called Kosher, unacceptable food is called trefah

• Fish is only kosher if it has scales and fins.

• Meat must have split hooves and chew the cud

Some people think that the rules were for hygiene, health or because an animal was more valuable for other uses.

• Eg. Prohibition against pork was sensible in a hot climate where pigs could carry many diseases.

• Camels were more valued for transporting goods across the desert.

• Not eating animals that had been killed by predators or that were already unconscious reduced the chances of getting a disease.

Orthodox Jews follow dietary laws strictly, Reform believe it is up to the induvidual.

Kosher Food

• Animal must be slaughtered (Shechita)  with a sharp knife and the throat slit, the animal must be conscious (no prestun). Then the blood drained.

• Milk and meat must be eaten seperately (not in the same meal), Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox will wait several hours between consuming milk and meat.

  • "Do not boil a kid in its mother's milk" Exodus 23:19

• Most Orthodox homes will have kitchens with seperate appliances, cutlery etc for milk and meat.

Jews may/will keep kosher because…

• It's how they have grown up --) tradition

• G-D's law

• Encourages mindful eating.

Ceremonies associated with birth

Brit Milah

• Happens when a boy is 8 days old.

• Part of the covenant with Abraham "Every male among you shall be circumcised" Genesis 17:10

• Baby placed on an empty chair symbolising the presence of prophet Elijah.

• Done by a trained professional (Mohel)

• Baby boys name announced.

Naming Ceremony

• Boys and girls in Orthodox families are blessed in Synagogue on the first Shabbat after birth.

• Father recites Torah blessing, asks G-D for the good health of his wife and child.

• Baby girl's name announced at this point.

• Reform: both parents take part in the ceremony so might not be the first Shabbat after birth (time might be needed for the mother to recover).

Redemption of the first born son

• Some Orthodox Jews give a small amount of money 31 days after birth to redeem the firstborn son from Temple service (even though the Temple no longer exists).

• 5 silver coins given to a kohen (descendant of a Priest who worked in the Temple)

• "But you shall have the first-born of man redeemed" Numbers 18:15-16

Bar and Bat Mitzvah

• Becoming Bar mitzvah means becoming a 'son of the commandment' at age 13

• Becoming Bat mitzvah means becoming a 'daughter of the commandment' at age 12

Significant because…

• Jew is seen to be responsible for their own actions

• Preparing for it brings Jews closer to G-D and their community.

• Orthodox: Jewish boy can now become a part of the minyan

Ceremony (Bar Mitzvah - Orthodox)

• Read from Torah,

• Wear Tallit and Tefillin for the first time.

• Makes a short speech.

• Father thanks G-D for bringing his son to maturity.

• Now responsible for his own actions.

• "Thirteen for the obligation to observe mitzvot" Mishnah 5:22

Ceremony (Bat Mitzvah - Reform + Orthodox)

• Reform Bat Mitzvah is the same as the Orthodox Bar Mitzvah

• Orthodox:

  • Family meal and small religious gifts.

  • May read the Eishet Chayil poem from Proverbs (qualities of an ideal Jewish woman)

Pesach - lasts 7/8 days

• Celebrates the Jew's escape from slavery in Egypt, specifically the final plague when the Angel of Death passed over the houses of the Jewish slaves and only killed the first-born sons of the Egyptians.

• Celebrates the fact that they are G-D's chosen people.

  • A time to give thanks for their redemption + feel empathy for those who are still oppressed.

• Leavening agents (eg. Yeast) are removed from the house to commemorate how the Jews did not have time for their bread to rise.

• Some first-born males fast before Pesach starts --) thanksgiving for their ancestor's escape from death.

Seder plate

Four glasses of red wine drunk during the meal: four for each of the four freedoms that G-D promised (Exodus 6:6-7)

• Red wine to remind of the lambs blood smeared on the Jews doors to save their children.

Marriage

• Marriage is a place to have children --) "Be fruitful and multiply" Genesis 1:28

• Betrothal period is one year (couple do not live together - prepare for future lives together) --) called Kiddushin.

  • Betrothal has legal status in Judaism --) only broken by death or divorce.

  • Betrothal ceremony takes place at the actual wedding.

"A man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh" Genesis 2:24

• Marriage is a spiritual bond between a couple, way of experiencing holiness in everyday life.

Mourning for the Dead

Rosh Hashanah - New Year

Festival marking the start of the Jewish new year, during Rosh Hashanah G-D judges their actions over the past year and decides their fortune for the coming year.

Rosh Hashanah recalls the creation story from the book of Genesis.

• Considered to be the anniversary of the day on which G-d created humans.

• Also, the Day of Judgement.

  • Shows how all actions have consequences.

During Rosh Hashanah Jews will:

• Aim to improve G-D's judgement

  • Praying, doing charity work, atoning and making up any harm they have caused over the past year.

• Celebrate at home

  • Eat a special festive meal with family --) eg. Apples dipped in honey symbolising hope for a new year.

• Attend Synagogue services

  • Evening service in synagogue, prayers asking G-D to continue to be King of the world for the next year.

  • Next morning, Shofar (rams horn) is blown 100 times

Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement

• Stems from Leviticus 16:30 "atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins"

• G-D's judgement is finalised on this day, last chance to repent for any sins.

During Yom Kippur Jews will:

• Attend Synagogue

  • Will spend most of their time in the Synagogue - repenting.

  • General confession of sins as community.

  • Doors of the Ark are closed --) G-D's judgement is sealed.

• Observe other rituals:

  • Fast for 25 hours and do no work

  • Wear white --) symbol of purity

  • Forbidden: bathing, wearing leather shoes and having sex

• Shofar blown at the end to signal the end of fasting