Judaism-items of worship Flashcards
describe Aron Hakodesh
this is the Ark which is a piece of cupboard like furniture with screen or doors it is positioned to face Jerusalem
why is the Ark important
it stores the Torah scrolls which are the book of laws for Jews
describe the Torah Scrolls
these are the books of laws in Judaism and they have a wooden pole at each scroll
name the importances of Torah Scrolls
they are the Jewish guide for morality, it is the revealed word of God, the scrolls show the relationship between God and the Jews as the chosen generation, it unifies Jews all over, shows the nature of God, Jews can understand their past and get hope for the future
what do Jews do before handling the scrolls
pray, wash their hands, stand during the procession when the scrolls are brought in
what do Jews do when handling the scrolls
use a yad or pointer so they dont touch the scrolls, read them from a bimah (when the scrolls are worn out they are buried with special prayers)
what is a Bimah
a reading desk at the centre of the synagogue where the sermon takes place
what is Ner Tamid
the eternal light, lamp that burns perpetually in Jewish synagogues before or near the ark of the Law (aron ha-qodesh).
what are the importances of Ner Tamid
it signifies eternal light , it is a symbol of the menorah in the temple of Jerusalem which is always lit
what is a Menorah
it is a seven branched candlestick found in the temple , the menorah used during Hanukkah has 9 branches. In the synagogue it has 6 or 8 because exact duplication is seen as improper.
describe the tablets of the law and their importances
these are the 10 commandments that were given to Moses on mt Sinai by God. they are important because they are used by Jews to guide them everyday as part of the revealed word of God that Jews are instructed to follow.
describe the tablets of law or magen David and their importances
it is an inseparable star representing King David’s Shield that represents how Jews are inseparable from God
