Jewish beliefs and practices Flashcards
what are the 6 stages of jewish mourning
- loved one has died
- aninut
- funeral
- shiva
- sheloshim
- avilut
briefly explain the stage of aninut
- lass unitl funeral
- tearing clothes in life
- they don’t leave the house
- loved ones will cook for them etc.
briefly explain the funeral
the funeral must be kosher for example at a jewish funeral, there a no flowers and the casket must fully be wooden no metal allowed
briefly explain the stage of shiva
shiva (sitting shiva)
- don’t leave the house for the 7 days (except shabbat)
- loved ones will cook for them
- cover mirrors
- they don’t shave
- don’t buy new clothes
briefly explain the stage of sheloshim
- start of the return to normal life e.g. leave the house
- no shave
- only the Onan (closest relative)
- recite the mourning kaddish
- lasts 30 days
briefly explain the stage of avilut (Onan)
- light yahrzeit (candle)
- lasts a whole year
- kaddish (3x a day)
- no celebrations
(bar/bat mitzvah, birthdays, brit milah) - no shaving, no buying clothes, no new clothes
- no music
- ends with placing of the headstone
why are there different stages of mourning in judaism
The different stages are designed to allow a person to disrupt their everyday prayer lives to focus on the loss and changes happening in their lives.
What is Shekina?
Shekinah is believed to be God’s divine, and feminine presence in the world today. There are examples in the Torah from the exodus through a pillar of cloud and fire. Today it is felt during the lightning of the shabbat candles.
What is Rosh Hashanah
the jewish new year and it is the birthday of the world to the creation story is read
why do jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah
it gives jews time to think about what they have done right and wrong over the past year and to look forward to the year ahead.
why are apples and honey eaten on rosh Hashanah
to represent a sweet new year
what horn is blown on rosh Hashanah and how many times
shofar horn - 100 times
what is tashlik
‘casting away’
jews will throw crumbs from the challah into the water which represents the throwing away of sin
on Rosh Hashanah what happens in heaven
on Rosh Hashanah three books are opened in heaven and the actions of
everyone are recorded in them.
what are the 4 main features of a jewish gallery and briefly explain them
Bimah – where the Torah scrolls are read from
Gallery – where women would sit in an Orthodox Synagogue
Ner tamid – everlasting light
Aron hakodesh (the ark) – the Ark where the Torah scrolls are kept
what is Yom Kippur
Known as the ‘day of atonement,’ for Jewish people it is the one festival that all Jews will attend as it is the holiest day of the year
when does Yom Kippur happen
10 days after rosh Hashanah
when does Yom Kippur date back to
back to the time of the temple and jewish people would visit the temple in Jerusalem and offer a small sacrifice to God to atone
is Yom Kippur happy or sad
holy and solemn day
what type of clothing would jews wear on Yom Kippur
white clothing
how long do most jews fast for on this special day
25 hours
how many services would jews tend to go to at the synagogue
up to 5 services
why is the shofar horn blown
to mark the end of a day of repentance and prayer
do the rules of shabbat apply
yes but so does pikuach nefesh
what is believed about the books on Yom Kippur
It is believed the ‘books’ are closed as people sing ‘Avinu Malkeinu’ where they thank God for his mercy and pray for forgiveness.
what quote is evidence for Yom Kippur
(Leviticus)
“the tenth day is the day of atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering to the lord” Leviticus
what quote is evidence for Rosh Hashanah - think about the shofar horn
(numbers)
“on the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets” numbers
what is Sukkot
know as a harvest festival and is the festival of tabernacles
how long is Sukkot celebrated
8 days - seen as a holiday period
where does the festival Sukkot originate from
Sukkot comes from the time when the early jewish community were wondering in the wilderness after leaving the slavery of Egypt
why do jews build huts/tents during Sukkot?
what do they do we these huts
represent the temporary shelters the early jews used in the desert
they live in it during the holiday
there is an ancient tradition that a lulav (____, ______ and ______ placed in a woven ____ holder) and an etrog ( a type of ______ fruit) are waved in ___ directions showing gods power is everywhere
there is an ancient tradition that a lulav (palm, myrtle and willow placed in a woven palm holder) and a etrog (a type of citrus fruit) are waved in 6 directions showing gods power is everywhere
what does the last day of Sukkot celebrate
the torah
what happens to the torah on this day
the torah scrolls are taken out of the ark, with much singing and dancing, and are paraded around the synagogue
what is evidence for sukkot from Leviticus
‘You shall dwell in sukkot seven days…in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite
people live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I the Lord your God.’
true or false?
Sukkot is one of the 613 mitzvot
true
what is pesach
pesach is known as passover
what does pesach remember
recalls the time that the jewish people were saved by Moses from Egypt and reminds people that they are gods chosen people
how do jews prepare for pesach
- the home is thoroughly cleaned
- all chametz (food containing yeast or raising agent) is thrown out
why is flat bread eaten
it symbolizes the slaves who left Egypt were in such a rush that they did not have time for their bread to rise
what do the bitter herbs like horseradish symbolize
the bitterness of slavery
what does the salt water symbolize
the tears of the slaves
what is the charoset made of and what does it symbolize
a mix of apple, cinnamon, nut and wine
symbolizes the cement used in buildings by the slaves
what does pesach remember
It remembers the exodus from Egypt where they remember that God set the
Israelites free
what is evidence for pesach
exodus
God has commanded Jews to ‘tell it to you children on that day’
so the story is told to children over the course of the festival and a Seder meal consumed with symbolic food
define the term shivah
the seven days of mourning that starts straight after the burial of a close relative (e.g. parent, child, spouse or sibling)
define the term shofar
the rams horn that is blown on rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
define the term atonement
when sins are forgiven and a person is reconciled with god
define the term kaddish
a prayer recited in memory of a deceased person
define the term sukkah
the festival of passover when jews remember the Israelites escaping from Egypt
define the term Onan
a person who is. close relative (e.g. parent, child, spouse or sibling) of aa deceased person
define the term shekinah
the divine presence of god
define the term fasting
the act of not eating or drinking for a period of time
define the term tashlik
the practice during Rosh Hashanah of throwing bread crumbs into water to symbolize the casting away of sins
define the term mourning
the expression of sorrow when someone passes away
define the term Aron hadokesh
the ark where the torah scrolls are kept in the synagogue
define the term bimah
the reading platform in the synagogue
define the term pesach
the festival of passover when jews remember the Israelites escaping from Egypt
define the term seder
the plate with symbolic food on shared during the festival of pesach
define the term minyan
the ark where the torah scrolls are kept in the synagogue
define the term ner tamid
the eternal light that is on above the Aron hakodesh in the synagogue
