Judaism Practices Flashcards
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.
Worship in synagogues
Orthodox
Daily services
• Services in Hebrew
• Rabbi has his back to
the congregation
• Men & women sit
separately
• Congregation may arrive
late
• Men always cover their
heads
• Singing is unaccompanied
Worship in synagogues
Reform
• 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
The importance of the synagogue
Prayer
• Daily services • Celebration of
festivals
• e/Bat Mitzvahs,
marriages etc.
The importance of the synagogue
Study
Learn Hebrew (used in prayer)
• Prepare for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
• Library to improve knowledge of Jewish faith
The importance of the synagogue
Harity
• Place to collect money/items for the poor
• Holds fundraising events e.g. for World Jewish Relief/natural disasters
The importance of the synagogue
Socialising
Youth clubs
• Senior citizen clubs
• Music and drama groups • Sports groups
Kippah
All Jewish men cover their heads when they pray as a sign of respect for God.
Tallit
Woollen shawl. Shows the man is obeying God’s laws because each fringe (tzitzit) symbolises one of the 613 mitzvot given by God.
Tefillin
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.
Daily prayer
Orthodox Jews pray three times a day - morning, afternoon and evening
• A minimum of ten adult males are required (Orthodox)
• Or a minimum of ten men and women (Reform tradition)
This is called minyan
On weekdays, prayer services are held in the (Orthodox) synagogue. This consists of:
- Opening prayers
- Shema
- Amidah
- Final prayers
Aims 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 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
Described in poetry as a ‘bride’ or ‘queen’
A day God commanded Jews to celebrate ‘Keep the Sabbath day holy’
A weekly celebration of creation (God rested on 7th day)
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.
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
Worship in the home
Jews worship God whenever they can
• Their house reminds them to obey God’s
• 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
3 ceremonies associated with birth
Naming ceremony
Redemption of the firstborn son
Brit Milah (circumcision ceremony – when a boy is eight days old)
Circumcision: The removal of the foreskin from the penis sealing covenant.
Brit Milah
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)
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
Bar mitzvah
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
Bat mitzvah
Bat Mitzvah (Daughter of the commandments)
Reform girls have a Bat Mitzvah Girl reads from the Torah
Girl gives a speech
Usually followed by a party
Jewish Marriage
- Engagement (betrothal – usually lasts a year) 2. Wedding
The wedding may be in the synagogue or a hotel (not on Shabbat/festival) - The betrothal ceremony takes place under chuppah
(canopy) - symbolising their home. Rings exchanged 2. Marriage contract signed (hopes for marriage) - Marriage ceremony – blessings recited, short speech
from rabbi, groom breaks a glass - Wedding reception – mu
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.
The Funeral
The body is washed, wrapped in cloth and a tallit (men)
• Placed in a simple coffin to show that everyone is equalin death.
• Funerals take place at the cemetery
• The funeral service includes prayers, psalms, readingsfrom 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
Certain types of food can/cannot be eaten. Quote
“You are allowed to eat … anything which has a completely split hoof and chews the cud….” (Leviticus 11:2-3)
Do not mix meat with dairy quote
you shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk’ (Exodus 23:19)
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).
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
do not partake of the blood’ Deuteronomy 12:23)
Modern Jews should forget old laws and eat what they want
Agree
Disagree
Agree
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
Disagree
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
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
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
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
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
The Seder meal (Passover meal)
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.
The Passover Meal
• 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
Dipping the Parsley
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
The Matzah (Unleavened Bread)
Matzah reminds Jews of the speed with which they left Egypt
Bitter Herbs
Bitter herbs – such as horseradish – are eaten with matzah. They symbolise the bitter suffering of the slaves in Egypt
Charoset
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
Roasted egg
A symbol of the harshness of the Egyptians
• The new life offered to the Jews by God • Theeggisnotactuallyeaten!
Lamb Bone
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
How does the messiah influenc ejews today
Reform Jews believe that the messiah will not be a person but there will be an age where everyone will live in a time of global peace and harmony and has a duty to live and work together
Orthodox Jews believe that the messiah is a person and he will bring world peace and rule over all humans with kindness and justice creating a messianic age. (Ultimate teacher of Torah and will rebuild the temple)
