Unit 8 - Jewish Practices Flashcards
Avidat Hashem definition
Worship of God
Purpose of public worship
Allows individuals to spend time praying to God
Brings sense of unity with Jews around the world
Main form of worship
Prayer
Shabbat features
Friday dusk - Saturday dawn
Multiple Shabbat services in synagogue
Reform/liberal denominations focus on Shabbat and festival services than Daily Prayer services
Prayers (e.g. Amidah and Aleinu prayer), reading from Torah and sermon from Rabbi are said
Whole family are encouraged to join
Brings whole community together
Daily Jewish prayers
Shacharit, Mincha, Ma’ariv (morning, afternoon and evening) are times of prayer
Usually services in synagogue on above times
Services in Hebrew or English depending on denomination
Prayers usually said silently when a,one
Often done stood up as reminder of God’s presence
Siddhi contains daily prayers
Importance of synagogue services
Unites local community and worldwide Jewish community
Private prayers are said in thanksgiving, praise and to ask for things
Sermon by Rabbi helps Jews in knowing how to act in the outside world
Tenakh features
“Jewish Bible”
Consists of Torah (Pentateuch / Law), Nevi’im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings)
Most sacred object in Judaism
Talmud features
“Oral Torah”
Recording of tradition passed down generations
Consists of Mishnah (core text in Hebrew) and Gemara (Rabbinical analysis in Aramaic)
Source of all Jewish legal teaching and decision
Importance of use of Torah and Talmud in daily life
whole Torah is read in sequence over a year
Talmud is encouraged to be read by all Jews as contains Jewish laws
Kosher definition
Fit or correct
Food that is acceptable to Jews
Treifah definition
Torn
Food that is not kosher
Reasons to follow food laws
Some believe they benefit health
Pigs in Israel used to carry a lot of disease
Laws are written in Torah, and should be obeyed
Kiddush prayer definition
Prayer of sanctification
celebrates God’s creation of the universe
remembers release of ancestors’s slavery in Egypt
said before Shabbat meal
Prayer 3 times a day
Done as said in Psalm 55:18
Keeps God at top of Jew’s thoughts
Why Jews pray
Praise, request an Thanksgiving
Brings Jews together as community
Instructed in Torah
Improves personal relationship with God
Important of different forms of prayer
Daily prayer allows regular prayer, connecting in faith as a familg
Individual prayer allows personal reflection with God
Constant prayer keeps God in one’s head all the time
Keeps community together
Shema features
Most important prayer in Judaism
Recited 2 a day
Declares belief in only one God
Kept in mezuzah
Tallit definition
Fringed shawl worn by men at every morning service
Fringe is reminder of mitzvots
Covers head to focus on prayer
Tefillin definition
2 small block boxes with straps containing 4 sets of verses from Torah
Worn on forehead and arm (not on Shabbat or festivals)
Mezuzah definition
Container of Shema found in right hand doorpost outside Jewish home and every doorpost that leads to a habitable room
Reminder of God’s presence
Amidah features
Core part of every Jewish worship service
Referred to as HaTefillah (“the prayer”)
“standing”
series of blessings recited while standing up
Importance of different forms of prayer
Allows Jews to connect with God in different ways
What is done in morning prayer
Shema, Amidah and 19 blessings from God are recited
Thanks for the use of the body are given
Parts of Tenakh are said to help focus mind on God