4. Judaism- Practices Flashcards
The Star of David
The symbol of Judaism.
The Ark
Cupboard that houses the Torah scrolls – the most important feature in the synagogue.
The Ten Commandments
These decorate the Ark, reminding Jews of their most important rules.
The Bimah
Platform in the centre of the synagogue. The Torah scrolls are read from here.
The Menorah
A seven-branched candlestick – representing each day of God’s creation.
Ner Tamid
Eternal light. Always burning. It shows God is always present.
Stained Glass Windows
Show important symbols of faith.
The Gallery
In Orthodox synagogues the seating area upstairs is just for women.
Orthodox worship in synagogues
- Daily services
- Services in Hebrew
- Rabbi has his back to the congregation
- Men & women sit separately
- Congregation may arrive late
- Men always covertheir heads
- Singing is unaccompanied
Reform worship in synagogues
- Services only on Shabbat & festivals (not daily)
- Services in Hebrew and English
- Rabbi faces congregation
- Men & women sit together
- Shorter, structured services
- Most men wear a kippah (and some women)
- Singing is accompanied by music
- Women perform all rituals … can be a rabbi, publicly read the Torah etc
Four main areas of importance of synagogues
Prayer
Charity
Study
Socialising
How is the synagogue important for PRAYER?
- Daily services
- Celebration of festivals
- Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, marriages etc.
How is the synagogue important for STUDY?
- Learn Hebrew (used in prayer)
- Prepare for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
- Library to improve knowledge of Jewish faith
How is the synagogue important for CHARITY?
- Place to collect money/items for the poor
* Holds fundraising events e.g. for World Jewish Relief/natural disasters
How is the synagogue important for SOCIALISING?
- Youth clubs
- Senior citizen clubs
- Music and drama groups
- Sportsgroups
During daily prayers Orthodox Jewish men wear (3) ….?
A kippah, tallit and tefillin.
Why is the Kippah worn?
All Jewish men cover their heads when they pray as a sign of respect for God.
Why is the Tallit worn?
Woollen shawl. Shows the man is obeying God’s laws because each fringe (tzitzit) symbolises one of the 613 mitzvot given by God.
Why is the Tefillin worn?
Two leather boxes. One is worn on the upper left arm and the other on the forehead. Each contains the Shema and wearing them shows that the person loves God with their heart and mind.
How often do Orthdox Jews pray?
• Orthodox Jews pray three times a day - morning, afternoon and evening
Requirements from Shekhinah to be present in a Minyan?
- A minimum of ten adult males are required (Orthodox)
* Or a minimum of ten men and women (Reform tradition)
Quote about Minyan
“Whenever ten are gathered for prayer the Shekhinah is there” The Talmud
The format of Jewish prayer services:
On weekdays, prayer services are held in the (Orthodox) synagogue. This consists of:
- Opening prayers
- Shema
- Amidah
- Final prayers
What is the Amidah?
The Amidah is the central prayer of Jewish worship. Prayed in silence while standing and facing Jerusalem. Includes a series of blessings and thanksgiving.
The aims/importance of prayer are to…?
- Communicate with God
- Become closer to God
- Focus your heart, mind and soul on God
- Strengthen the sense of Jewish community
What and when is Shabbat?
The Jewish holy day – Sabbath. From sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday every week.
A day to rest, enjoy family life and worship God
A day God commanded Jews to celebrate ‘Keep the Sabbath day holy’
A weekly celebration of creation (God rested on 7th day)
Quote about Shabbat rules?
‘You shall not burn a fire in your dwelling (home) on the day of Shabbat’ (Exodus 35:3)
= electricity usage?
What happens on Shabbat in the synagogue?
- Every Friday evening there is a prayer service in the synagogue – often family friendly - stories, games, music.
- A further service in the synagogue on Saturday morning includes a reading from the Torah.
- While the Torah is being read the congregation stand to remind them that the Israelites stood at the bottom of Mount Sinai when Moses returned with the Ten Commandments.
- The Torah scrolls are then paraded around the synagogue – giving people the opportunity to be close to God’s word.
- Many touch the Torah with their tzitzit (tassels on their tallit) and then touch their lips – showing that God’s words should be on their lips.
What happens on Shabbat in the home?
- The house and meal are prepared - clean clothes.
- Wine and two loaves of challah bread are placed on the table
- A female member of the family lights two candles before sunset
- She then welcomes in Shabbat by waving her arms around the candles and covers her eyes to say a blessing and prayer
- Many go to the evening service in the synagogue (see previous)
- Once home, there is a family meal - Kiddush blessings are said
- On Saturday morning the family may attend another service in the synagogue (see previous slide)
- Afterwards, time is spent as a family - Torah may be studied
- When 3 stars are seen in the sky Shabbat has finished
What is the mezuzah?
A small box containing verses from the Torah is fixed to a doorpost.
4 stages of life celebrated by Jews:
Birth
Coming of age
Marriage
Death
These events are celebrated with the wider Jewish community.
3 ceremonies associated with birth:
Naming ceremony
Brit Milah (circumcision ceremony – when a boy is eight days old)
Redemption of the firstborn son
Circumcision?
The removal of the foreskin from the penis. Sealing the covenant.
Quote about circumcision?
“From now on you must circumcise every baby boy when he is eight days old….this will show that there is a covenant between you and me’ (Genesis 17:12)
Effects on a person of Bar & Bat Mitzvah:
- A Jew is seen to become an adult
- Preparation brings the person closer to God
- Expected to take responsibility for following the law
- Jewish boy can be part of a minyan
What happens at Bar Mitzvah (Son of the commandments)?
- When boy is aged 13
- Reads from Torah during a service
- Wears a tallit for the first time
- Makes a short speech
- The boy’s father declares he is now responsible for his own actions
- Usually followed by a party
What happens at Bat Mitzvah (Daughter of the commandments)?
- When a girl is 12
- Reform girls have a Bat Mitzvah
- Girl reads from the Torah
- Girl gives a speech
- Usually followed by a party
Parts of the Jewish Marriage:
- Engagement (betrothal – usually lasts a year)
2. Wedding
Location of Jewish Marriage:
The wedding may be in the synagogue or a hotel (not on Shabbat/festival)
What happens at a Jewish wedding?
- The betrothal ceremony takes place under chuppah (canopy) - symbolising their home. Rings exchanged
- Marriage contract signed (hopes for marriage)
- Marriage ceremony – blessings recited, short speech from rabbi, groom breaks a glass
- Wedding reception – music and dancing
Reason for set periods of mourning?
Helps a family grieve fully and get back to normal life.
What are the Four periods of mourning?
- The family do not have to follow certain Jewish laws (24 hours)
- Shiva - intense 7 days of mourning, from burial. Do not work, stay home and say prayers 3 times a day. No make up worn, no shaving, no hair-cuts; mirrors are covered so as not to focus on appearance
- Until 30 days after death. Normal life resumes but still no listening to music, going to parties, shaving or cutting hair.
- 11 months – do not attend parties, children say blessings for a parent.
What happens to the bodies of Jews when they die?
Jews are usually buried (not cremated) usually within 24 hours.
What happens at the Jewish funeral?
• The body is washed, wrapped in cloth and a tallit (men)
• Placed in a simple coffin to show that everyone is equal in death.
• Funerals take place at the cemetery
• The funeral service includes prayers, psalms, readings from scripture and a speech by the rabbi
• After the service, everyone washes to their hands to
show they are leaving death behind
• Jewish law states a tombstone must be placed on the grave to remember the person
• Pebbles are often placed on the gravestone by visitors
Kosher =
food that Jews are allowed to eat
Trefah =
food that Jews are not allowed to eat
Kosher Rule number 1 (general meat)
“You are allowed to eat … anything which has a completely split hoof and chews the cud….” (Leviticus 11:2-3)
Rule 2 (diary)
Do not mix meat with dairy.
Kosher Rule 3 (kitchen)
You must keep a kosher kitchen. A fully kosher household may have two sets of pots, pans and dishes: one for meat and one for dairy (or colour
coded).
Kosher Rule 4:
Animals must be killed according to Jewish Law. It must:
• Be healthy
• Have its throat slit by a trained Jew (so it does not suffer)
• Have the blood drained from it before it is eaten
Reasons that Modern Jews should forget old laws and eat what they want:
- It should be an individual’s decision
- It is inconvenient…. restricted to Kosher restaurants
- ….cannot have dinner with non-Jewish friends
- There is no logical reason for the laws
Reasons that Modern Jews should not forget old laws and eat what they want:
- The covenant – it is Jews’ duty to obey God
- Obeying the rules shows love for God
- It shows the uniqueness of Jews
- It is the Jewish tradition
- It’s healthy
What happens at Rosh Hashanah:
- Jewish new year
- Remembers God’s creation
- Believed to be the anniversary of the day God created humans.
- God judges people’s actions over the past year and decides their fortune for the coming year
- Similar to Shabbat – meal includes applies dipped in honey (symbolises hope for a sweet new year)
- In synagogue ram’s horn is blown 100 times
What happens at Yom Kippur:
- Holiest and most important day of the year – the Day of atonement - when God’s judgement from Rosh Hashanah is finalised
- Much of the day spent in the synagogue
- Confession & forgiveness
- Jews fast for 25 hours
- Do no work
- Bathing, wearing leather shoes, having sex are forbidden
The Days of Awe
Day 1- Rosh Hashanah
Day 10- Yom Kippur
How can God’s judgement be influenced in the 10 days to say sorry?
God’s judgement can be influenced by actions during the festival so they try to make up for their wrongdoings and seek forgiveness e.g. through prayer and doing acts of charity.
What is the Pesach (Passover)?
- Lasts for eight days
- Celebrates the Jews’ escape from slavery in Egypt.
- Remembers the final plague which killed the firstborn of the Egyptians but ‘passed over’ the houses of the Jewish slaves
- The most important preparation is to remove leaven (yeast) from the home
What does the The Seder meal (Passover meal) mean to Jews?
- Different foods symbolise an aspect of the struggle of the Israelites in Egypt
- …It reminds Jews that God freed them and led them to the Promised Land
- It reminds Jews that they are the chosen people of God.
What does the first part of The Passover Meal represent (wine)?
- First, four cups of wine are drunk to remind Jews of the four times God promised freedom to the Israelites
- Wine symbolises the joy of freedom
What does Dipping the Parsley represent?
- Next, a green vegetable -often parsley - is dipped into salt water.
- This reminds Jews of the sweat and tears of the slaves
- The Parsley is a symbol of the fresh start God gave the Israelites
What does the The Matzah (Unleavened Bread) symbolise?
Matzah reminds Jews of the speed with which they left Egypt.
What do the Bitter Herbs symbolise?
Bitter herbs – such as horseradish – are eaten with matzah. They symbolise the bitter suffering of the slaves in Egypt.
What does the Charoset represent?
- This tasty mixture of chopped apples, walnuts and spices represents the mortar used to make the bricks to build Pharaoh’s buildings.
- The sweet taste symbolizes freedom.
- The bitter herbs are dipped into the charoset
What does the Roasted egg symbolise?
- A symbol of the harshness of the Egyptians
- The new life offered to the Jews by God
- The egg is not actually eaten!
What does the Lamb Bone symbolise?
A symbol of sacrifice of the lamb, shown with blood on the door post of each Jewish home on the night of the Passover (and later sacrificed at the Temple).
The blood of the lamb marked the Israelites out as the People of God
The bone is not eaten!
The importance of Pesach:
- It celebrates that Jews are God’s chosen people - God has fulfilled the covenant
- To thank God for saving them
- To help Jews empathise with those who still live under oppression
- To experience the freedom that their ancestors gained
- To ensure Jewish faith and traditions are passed on to future generations
Kosher fish and sea creatures must:
- Have fins.
2. Have scales.
Kosher birds or poultry must;
- Not be a bird of pray
2. Only eat grain
Kosher rules about Fruit and Vegetables?
All fruit, vegetables and grain foods are kosher.
But they must be washed and checked for insects before eating.
