Rituals Flashcards
Rituals
- Baby Naming
- Brit Milah
- Bar/Bat Mitzvah
- Marriage
- Mourning rituals
Naming of Babies
The child receives its name at the first public gathering after their birth
Girls are named at the first public reading of the Torah
The father recites the blessing before and after the reading of the Torah, and at the same time the girl receives her name
After the service, the mother and father are honoured at a Hiddush
Brit Milah
B - Brit Milah, the Hebrew word describing teh religious circumcising of boys at 8 days old, or males converting to Judaism. It is carried out by a Mohel, who removes the foreskin. It is performed in front of a minyan. The baby is placed on a cushion on an empty chair to symbolise Elijah’s presence. They are then placed on teh lap of a sandek, and the father recites a blessing
R- The relationship with god is shown through the circumcision, representing the covenant made with Abraham. A prayer is said: ‘That as this child has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into the Torah’
I - Identity is reinforced, as the boy is given his Hebrew name. The boy is not a Jew, but the boy has entered into the covenant, shown by the fact that adult males who convert must be circumcised, in all orthodox and some reform communities
T - TOday, it is a traditional ceremony which is widely celebrated. Traditionally, only men attended, but reform encourage anyone who wants to be present. There are some people who object as the baby cannot give consent, and it is a breach of human rights.
What is a Bar Mitzah
At 13, a boy becomes Bar mitzvah - he enters into Jewish adulthood. Now he can form the minyan, and he is now responsible for filling the Torah
How is a Bar Mitzvah celebrated
Usually, ceremony has commemorated the event on the Shabbat following the birthday.
The boy recites a blessing and reads part of the Torah in Hebrew
His father then recites a statement thanking God
Young boys are trained to keep all mitzvot before bar mitzvah, apart from Tefillin, which they can only wear at 13
Bat Mitzvah and Bat Chayil
Traditionally, girls did not have particularly large ceremonies
In the Orthodox community, Girls have a bat chayil at 12, where the girl gives a presentation of things she has learnt in her study of Judaism, and there is a special ceremony
In the Reform community, girls become bat mitzvah at 12 and can form the Minyan. The Bat Mitzvah is where often there is a ceremony with her leading prayers and reading from the Torah scroll, as she takes on new responsibilities
Marriage
K - Ketubah, marriage contract, remains property of the wife throughout marriage
I - Intentions, entering the marriage the intentions must be right
D - Down the Aisle, although a wedding can happen anywhere, the bride will walk down the aisle and join the groom under the chuppah
D - Declaration in front of witnesses, groom makes a declaration and reads out the promises in the Ketubah
U - Under the Chuppah, a shelter with 4 sides symbolising the Jewish home, with a blessing written in Hebrew
S - Stamping of glass - at the end of the ceremony, symbolises the fragility of marriage and reminds of the destruction of the temple
H - Happiness, marriage is a blessing and a joyous occasion
I - Index finger, where the ring is placed, meant to be connected with the heart, and a ring of eternity
N - Nisuin, the second part of the ceremony in which 7 further blessings are said to finalise the marriage
Mourning rituals
Chevra Kadisha, Onan, Shiva, Kaddish, Yarhzeit
Chevra Kadisha
A burial society attached to the synagogue to prepare for the burial
Great care is taken
The body is the earthly container for the soul, and some even believe it rises with the soul
After death
The onan arranges the funeral, and are exempt from all mitzvot apart from preparing
The dead body must not be left alone, as it is an act of respect for the body created in God’s image
Shiva
There are set rituals following a funeral, as life cannot immediately carry on as before
The first week is called Shiva, in which most mourners stay at home and are visited
Male mourners will recite Kaddish, a special prayer to celebrate God’s greatness and the upcoming messianic age
Mirrors are covered, no music is played, low stools are sat on
Tombstone and consecration
A tombstone is erected within a year, and stones are meant to be left at the grave, as that is what Abraham did with Sarah
A yarhzeit ceremony is held each year to mark the death, where prayers are said and a candle burns for 24 hours
