Foundations Of A Major World Religion - Judaism - Practices And Ritual Events Flashcards
When does circumcision happen and what happens?
- 8 days after the boy is born
- small medical procedure, foreskin at tip of penis is removed
- carried out by a Jewish doctor in a special ceremony symbolising that the male is entering into the covenant with God
What happens at the special ceremony for circumcision?
- father says a blessing over son after the operation
- given a Hebrew name and one from the country he’s from
- Hebrew name will be used at other religious occasions throughout his life
- party afterwards
What does the term ‘Bar Mitzvah’ mean?
‘Son of the commandment’
At what age will a boy have is Bar Mitzvah and how will he prepare for it?
- 13
- he will have studied hard
What will a boy wear on his Bar Mitzvah?
- the tallit (the prayer robe/shawl worn by Jews during morning prayer)
- he will learn how to put on tefillin (two leather boxes containing biblical verses worn on the head and arm)
What is a Bimah?
A raised platform where the Torah is read from
What does the boy do on his Bar Mitzvah?
- is called up to read from the Torah for the first time
- will have had to study it before, as its read in Hebrew
- father says a blessing as boy goes to the bimah
- big party afterwards
- boy is now ready to take part fully in all aspects of his faith
What does Bat Mitzvah mean, and what age are girls when they celebrate it?
- ‘daughter of the commandment’
- 12
What do girls do on their Bat Mitzvah?
- learn about their role as women in Jewish ceremonies
- I’d the family is non-orthodox, the celebration is much the same as they boy’s one
What is marriage in Hebrew?
Kiddushin (holy)
What does the man do before the wedding?
Signs a marriage contract called the Ketubah, promising to always take care of his wife
Where do wedding ceremonies usually take place?
- under a huppah (canopy), can be in the synagogue or outside
- canopy represents their home, but is open on al, four sides to show they’re still connected to their community
What are the first three things that happen at a Jewish wedding?
- seven blessing are said/sung
- couple take a sip of wine from the same glass
- man places a ring on the woman’s finger, reads out the promises he made in the Ketubah
What happens next at a Jewish wedding?
- man takes the wine glass, wraps it in cloth and stamps on it
- symbolises the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, reminds everyone life is fragile & there will always be bad times as well as good
- all the guests shout ‘MAZAL TOF!’ (Good luck)
- wedding reception after ceremony, commitment is the most important thing in a Jewish marriage
How soon after someone Jewish dies is their funeral, and why?
Less than 24 hours and so the grieving/mourning can begin
What do the family of the person who dies do when they hear of their death?
Make small tears in their clothes as a sign of their grief
What is done with the body?
It’s washed, and and wrapped in a plain linen shroud & his tallit (prayer robe)
What happens at the funeral/burial?
- short
- after a few prayers and speeches, the burial takes place
- the Kaddish (a special prayer of mourning) is said
What are the three stages of mourning?
- shiva (seven)
- sheloshim (thirty)
- yahrzeit (year time)
What happens during shiva?
- family sit on low stools to show they’re brought low by grief
- family & friends come to house to pray/mourn
- friends bring food and do anything else that needs to be done so the family can concentrate on mourning
What happens during sheloshim?
Male mourners go to the synagogue every day and recite the Kaddish
What happens during yahrzeit?
- special candle is lit & prayers said
- when the family visit the grave they place small stones on it, like Abraham did for Sarah
