rituals-judaism

Question 1

what are the four rites of passage in Judaism?

Answer 1

birth, initiation, marriage and death.

Question 2

whats Shalom nekevah/Shalom bat?

Answer 2

a new custom of greeting the female.

Question 3

on the first Friday after the birth of a boy, why does a party happen in the family home to ‘greet’ the male (Shalom zachar)?

Answer 3

its based on Genesis 21, in which ‘Abraham held a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned’,

Question 4

whats Brit Milah

Answer 4

Brit Milah, from the instructions in Leviticus 12:1-3, is the circumcision ceremony.

Question 5

what does Brit mean?

Answer 5

covenant

Question 6

what does Milah mean?

Answer 6

Milah means circumcision.

Question 7

whats Simchat hadat?

Answer 7

the Sabbath after a girls’ birth and her father is called up to offer a blessing.

Question 8

Every male first-born is given to God’s service and who do they have to be redeemed by a Jew of?

Answer 8

a jew of the Cohen tribe (Orthodox Jews).

Question 9

whats Bar Mitzvah?

Answer 9

the Son of the Commandment- also a service based on tradition for boys aged 13, to mark their responsibility for their own religious actions.

Question 10

before the ceremony what do they learn to put on and read?

Answer 10

they learn to put on the ‘lay’ tefillin and read Hebrew (to read a passage during the ceremony).

Question 11

whats Bat Mitzvah?

Answer 11

the ‘Daughter’ of the Commandment.

Question 12

whats Bat chayil?

Answer 12

a ceremony for Orthodox girls.

Question 13

whats Kiddushin?

Answer 13

the marriage service that takes place under a chuppah or canopy, and not on the Sabbath.

Question 14

before the ceremony what dont the bride and groom do?

Answer 14

they do not meet for a week before the wedding

Question 15

what do two witnesses at the wedding sign?

Answer 15

the Ketubah (contract- which has the duties the bride and groom will take in the future)

Question 16

wheres the groom taken and who by after letting the bride’s veil down?

Answer 16

he gets taken to the chuppah by his father and the bride’s father. then he faces Israel.

Question 17

whos the bride led by?

Answer 17

her mother and the groom’s mother.

Question 18

how many times is the bride led around the groom in the ceremony?

Answer 18

The bride is led around the groom seven times.

Question 19

what blessing made over and whats then exchanged between the bride and groom?

Answer 19

There are blessings over wine which is drunk, rings are exchanged.

Question 20

what does the groom smash as a reminder of?

Answer 20

he smashes a glass as a reminder of the Temple.

Question 21

whats yichud

Answer 21

Yichud is when they go to a private room and be together for the first time as husband and wife (only Orthodox jews do this).

Question 22

whats said as a jew dies?

Answer 22

the shema prayer

Question 23

what happens with the jews dead body?

Answer 23

burials quick and the bodys washes, dried then dressed in tachrichim (a white shroud)

Question 24

whats the body then sealed i immediately?

Answer 24

a wooden coffin

Question 25

whats type of body disposal isn’t permitted at death in orthodox jewish tradition?

Answer 25

cremation

Question 26

why do mourners tear their garments (Keriah) when someone dies?

Answer 26

to show grief

Question 27

why aren’t there any flowers at a jewish burial?

Answer 27

this is as all are equal in death.

Question 28

what three stages are Avelut (mourning) made up of?

Answer 28

shiva, sheloshim and the year of mourning.

Question 29

whats shiva?

Answer 29

the seven days after a funeral when mourners do not leave their homes.

Question 30

whats Sheloshin?

Answer 30

the 30 days after the burial, no cutting hair or shaving.

Question 31

whats Yahrzeit?

Answer 31

the anniversary of the death.