Judaism Flashcards
Shekhinah
The place where Gods presence rests and can be felt
Mitzvot
There are 613 mitzvot rules in the Torah
They are duties or good deeds
Torah
The five Books of Moses e.g Genesis
The holiest books of the TeNaK
Covenant
A promise between two people or groups
Covenants were made between God with Noah, Abraham and Moses
Messiah
The anointed one who Jews believe will bring in a new age
This will include rebuilding the Temple and bringing in an age of universal peace
Why do Jews believe in one God?
The Shema prayer says Adonai Ehad which means the Lord is One
What is Shekhinah?
Shekhinah is God’s presence in the world. It is seen as God reaching out and connecting with Jews. They believe it enables a closer and more personal relationship with God.
Why do Jews believe God is a lawgiver and judge?
God gave Moses the 613 mitzvot. There is no Jewish view on what happens to a person after death. Jews believe God will judge each person on how well they have kept his laws.
What are the 613 mitzvot?
Laws given to Moses from God. Many are common sense, some don’t make sense. They are interpreted differently by different denominations. Jews believe that they should trust the laws because they come from God.
Why do Jews believe God created the world?
It says so in the creation story in the book of Genesis in the Torah.
Why is life so special to Jewish people?
Because it was made with such detail by God. The belief of the Sanctity of Life comes from the creation story is Genesis when humans were created in the image of God
What is pikuach nefesh?
The Jewish teaching on the sanctity of life. You can break any 613 mitzvot to save a life. It could be thought of as the most important commandment.
What was God’s covenant promise with Abraham?
God promised that Abraham would have many descendants. God promised to give a land to those descendants. God have Abraham the rite of circumcision.
What was God’s covenant promise with Moses?
God promised to bless the Jews. God promised that the Jews would increase in number. God promised to bless the land the Jews were going to live in. The Israelites had to obey God, keep his laws and live God and only God.
What is the connection between free-will and the mitzvot rules?
Some Jews say that the mitzvot shoe you how to use your free will. Some say that you might have to use your free will to break a mitzvot.
What do Jews believe and the Messiah?
He will bring about the end of the world and judgement day. He will rebuild the temple. He is a descendant of King David. He is a human being.
What do Jews believe about life after death?
Jews don’t really think about life after death because they believe that what is important is living a good life now in preparation for olam haba. They also believe that the ways of God are not for humans to understand so there’s no point in trying to do so.
What does Olam Ha Ba mean?
The world to come
What are the Orthodox Jewish beliefs on life after death?
There will be a physical resurrection of the body. The body will be buried rather than cremated.
What are the Reform Jewish views on life after death?
The resurrection will be spiritual
Info on life after death
There are no specific teachings about the afterlife in the Torah, any ideas about the afterlife are based on the Rabbi’s interpretations of sacred texts.Most Jews recognise that if there is to be judgement, it will be based on their conduct during their lives.
Kosher
Foods that can be eaten by Jewish people
It is also used to refer to the purity of objects like the Torah scrolls
Shabbat
Day of rest
Happens every week in a Friday night to Saturday
Synagogue
House of assemblage
Building for Jewish public prayer, study and assembly
What is a kippah?
A skullcap worn by Jewish men as a sign of respect to God. Some Jews were the kippah all the time, others only wear ur in the synagogue or whilst praying at home.
What is a Tefillin?
It’s made up of two leather boxes. In each of its four compartments, there is a small handwritten scroll with the first two paragraphs of the Shema prayer written on it. The Tefillin on the head and arm remind Jewish people that they should love and serve God with all their heart, mind and strength.
What is the Tallit?
The tallit is a four cornered shawl which has fringes attached that represent the 613 mitzvot. This reminds Jews to follow the mitzvot.
Name some features of the synagogue?
Torah scrolls, Ten Commandments, Ner Tamid, Rabbi’s seat
What foods are on the Sedar plate at Passover?
Bitter herbs, Lamb bone, Salt water, Charoset, Parsley, Roasted egg
What do the bitter herbs on the sedar plate represent?
The bitter times as slave
What does the lamb bone on the sedar plate represent?
The sacrifice on the last night
What does the salt water on the sedar plate represent?
The tears of the slaves
What does the charoset, cinnamon and nuts on the sedar plate represent?
The mortar they are kept in represents the how the Jews used to make bricks as slaves.
What does the parsley on the sedar plate represent?
It’s a sign of new life
What does the roasted egg on the sedar plate represent?
A new life after Egypt
How do Jews prepare for Pesach?
Many Jews remove all traduced of chamez(grain products) from their houses before and during the festival because it remind them of when their Jewish ancestors left Egypt and did not have time to let their bread rise.
How is pesach celebrated?
Pesach is welcomed into the home with the lighting of candles. Families will attend synagogue and then have a special family meal at home called Seder.
Why is Passover also referred to as ‘Festival of Freedom’?
Because it celebrated the Israelites freedom from slavery in Egypt and it is a time where Jews will pray for those around the world who are not free.
When is Sukkot?
It begins five days after Yom Kippur and lasts for seven days.
What happens during Sukkot?
Jewish families build their on sukkah’s and they are encouraged to eat, sleep and study Torah in the Sukkot.
Why do Jews celebrate the festival of Sukkot?
To remember the 40 year period during which the Israelites were in the desert, living in temporary shelters, on their way to the Promised Land.
What does the sukkah represent?
They represent the temporary shelter that many Jews used in the desert. The temporary nature of the sukkah also represents human’s vulnerability and need for God in their lives
Summarise Brit Milah in 5 bullet points
•welcoming ceremony for baby boys at 8 days old
•translates as “covenant of circumcision”
•they receive their Hebrew name here
•the sign of the covenant with Abraham
•the child is now a part of the Jewish community and will be brought up with Jewish traditions e.g. following the mitzvah
Summarise Bar/Bat Mitzvah in 5 bullet points
•Marks the transition into adulthood for young Jews
•Translates to son/daughter of commandment
•Boys have to read from the Torah and they have to read in Hebrew, they often practise for weeks
•God says to keep His commands
•The child will now be responsible for following the mitzvot rules and will be written in the Book of Life or Book of Death at Yom Kippur
Summarise Jewish Wedding Ceremonies in five bullet points
•Couple can now have a family
•”go forth and multiply”
•By marrying, Jewish person fulfils the mitzvot rule to enter into a new life of love and joy.
Name three features of a Jewish wedding
•Chuppah
•Rings
•Stamping on the glass
What is the Chuppah and what does it symbolise?
It’s a canopy that has two open sides where the marriage ceremony takes place. It symbolises the home the couple will make and that it is open to the community.
What do the rings symbolise?
The groom gives the bride a plain gold ring to symbolise that they are together forever.
What does the stamping on the glass symbolise?
The groom smashes a glass by stamping on it as a reminder of the destruction of the Temple.
Summarise Jewish mourning rituals in 5 bullet points.
•The burial should ideally take place within 24hrs of death
•Reform Jews allow cremation whereas Orthodox Jews bury their dead
•The family return home to sit Shiva. ‘Shiva’ means 7 as it is a 7 day mourning ritual.
•”Dust to dust, ashes to ashes”
•For the next seven days a candle is kept burning and the mirrors in the house are covered. The mourners stay at home. They do not shave or cut their hair and they sit in low stools.
Where do some Jews believe they will go after death?
-Gan Eden
-Olam ha-ba
-Gehenna
What is Gan Eden
(The Garden of Eden)
A paradise where righteous souls may go after death
What is Olam ha ha
The world to come where souls might go after death
What is Gehenna?
A place where impute souls might go to be cleansed after death
What is the Tallit Gadol?
It’s a large Tallit that is worn during prayer and worship and is sometimes wrapped around the body after death
What is Tallit Katan ?
It is a small Tallit worn by Orthodox Jews under normal clothing every day
Why is the coffin at a Jewish burial unpolished with no brass handles?
To show that everyone is equal in death
What is the name of the burial society that will prepare the body for burial?
Chevra kadisha
Who is the funeral arranged by?
The onan(main mourner)
What happens during rosh hashanah?
The shofar horn will be blown
In the morning service, the shofar horn will be blown 100 times with notes that sound like crying
Challah loaf is eaten(this is circular at Rosh Hashanah as a symbol of the cycle of the year)
Yom Kippur requires self-denial in which 5 areas?
-Food
-Wearing perfumes
-Drinking
-Sex
-Wearing leather shoes
What happens during Yom Kippur?
It is a 25 hour fast
Confessions are quietly made to God
Yom Kippur begins in the home with an early dinner to allow for attendance at synagogue before sundown
The story of Jonah is told in the Synagogue- telling of God’s willingness to forgive those who fully repent
After nightfall, a single blast of the shofar horn announces an end to the fast
