JUDAISM
BELIEFS
Judaism is a monotheistic religion, meaning that they believe that there is only one true God. Jews have a covenant with God, based on the promise Abraham made with God. In return for God’s good deeds to the world, Jews must keep his commandments and bring holiness to the world. Judaism is a faith based around community and family. This is seen in their prayers, as the words "we" and "our are frequently used". Jew believe that they belong to a global community, not just to their local community. A Jew is a child of a Jewish mother, and one is rarely considered to be A Jew with a Jewish father but a non-Jewish mother. Jews do not lose their status of being Jewish if they adopt another faith, they just have two religions. It is hard to be a Jew if you are not born into a Jewish family. They believe that everything they do are religious actions of faith. Although it is not as common in modern society, there are ultra-orthodox Jews who follow the laws governing lifestyles strictly (alternatively and more commonly called haredi or haredim).
Judaism is a monotheistic religion, meaning that they believe that there is only one true God. Jews have a covenant with God, based on the promise Abraham made with God. In return for God’s good deeds to the world, Jews must keep his commandments and bring holiness to the world. Judaism is a faith based around community and family. This is seen in their prayers, as the words "we" and "our are frequently used". Jew believe that they belong to a global community, not just to their local community. A Jew is a child of a Jewish mother, and one is rarely considered to be A Jew with a Jewish father but a non-Jewish mother. Jews do not lose their status of being Jewish if they adopt another faith, they just have two religions. It is hard to be a Jew if you are not born into a Jewish family. They believe that everything they do are religious actions of faith. Although it is not as common in modern society, there are ultra-orthodox Jews who follow the laws governing lifestyles strictly (alternatively and more commonly called haredi or haredim).
MYTHS AND SACRED STORIES
The myths and sacred stories are found in Hebrew scripture, or the Torah. The central theme of these myths is the development between the relationship with God and the Jews. The Creation: Jews believe that God made the earth in six days, allowing the seventh for rest. He created light and separated it from the dark, made the plants and animals and everything that exists on the earth. Finally he made humans and placed them in the garden of Eden. Tempted by evil, the first two humans, Adam and Eve disobeyed God's orders, and thus, all humans were banished from the garden of Eden. Evil is believed to be pre-existing, as God would never create an evil being. The next part of Genesis tells of how humans fought the temptation to do evil and explains why they still do today. The Flood: The theme of evil continues on in scripture, as the next myth is about God flooding the earth to rid it of evil and disobedient humans. God chose Noah to build an ark to save animals and his family. Once Noah was on the ark safely, God killed all humans. Noah made a covenant with God, promising to be obedient and faithful, and in return, God would be generous and reversed the curse placed on Adam; he would never curse the earth again. Covenant with Abraham: The Jews believe that Abraham was named so by God. His name means "Father of many" and he was humanity's last chance to have a relationship with God as previous generations had followed a pattern of evil doings. This myth is about the covenant he made with God. Abraham is promised land, numerous descendants and a relationship with God. In return, Abraham must leave his family and their polytheistic way of life. Although his wife, Sarah was old, she gave birth to a son named Isaac. As a test of Abraham's obedience, God commanded him to take Isaac up a mountain and sacrifice him. However, at the last moment, God intervenes and spares Isaac's life. This reinforces Abraham's complete faith in God and grants him land for his people. The Passover and the 10 Commandments: The myth found in the Torah is about the Jew's escape from Egypt. Under harsh enslavement, the Jews suffered for many years as the Pharaoh refused to let them go. Through Moses, he sent the 10 plagues, the final one being the death of the first born. The Jews were instructed to eat unleavened bread and an unblemished male lamb with bitter herbs whilst wearing clothes for a long journey. They smeared the blood on the doorframe of their houses, so the angel of death passed over the houses of the Jews, saving their first born. However, the Egyptian first born were killed, and in a rage, the Pharaoh freed the Jews and they escaped. Some time after that, God gave the 10 commandments to Moses, giving the Jews ways to govern their lives. |
SACRED TEXTS
- Tanakh: the name used to refer to the whole collection of stories and is made up of the old testament of the Christian bible. The name is an acronym of Torah, Nebi'im and Ketuvim (Law, Prophets and Writings)
- Torah: the first five books of the Tanakh. It is also known as the Five Books of Moses or the Pentateuch.
- Talmud: the central text for Jewish Rabbis. The first part is called the Mishnah and is the written form the the Rabbi's Torah. The second part, named the Gemara, is the explanation of the Mishnah and explores other subjects of the Tanakh. The whole Talmud is 63 tractates long, and when printed, normally over 6200 pages.
- Haggadah: the text that sets the order of the Passover. It is read to fulfil the scripture commandment stated in the Book of Exodus that each Jew must tell his son of Jewish freedom from slavery in Egypt. "And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: It is because of that which the Lord did for me when I came forth out of Egypt."
RITUALS
Birth:
For girls it is called simchat bat. This ritual is held in the synagogue on the first Sabbath after her birth. Either both her parents or just her father are called to the Torah to receive a blessing and listen to the reading. In modern times, most families choose to hold this ritual in their homes.
For boys this ritual is called the brit milah. During this ceremony, the baby boy is circumcised 8 days after his birth. It calls on the covenant Abraham made with God, and an empty chair is set aside for Elijah. Normally, the ritual is held in the family's home or in the synagogue.
Coming of age:
Bat Mitzvah for girls and Bar Mitzvah for boys. Literally translated, this ritual means "daughter" or "son of the commandment". Once a person is a Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah, they are obligated to follow the commandments, which they had previously only been encouraged, but not made to do so. The ceremony is not essential, as at the age of 12 for girls and 13 for boys, they automatically become a Bat or Bar Mitzvah. For boys, a tellifin is worn during prayer just before they become a Bar Mitzvah. This is a cubic leather box worn on their arm or head containing 4 important scriptures from the Torah.
Sabbath/Shabbat:
The Sabbath is a day of rest, commanded by God as said in the 4th commandment. It is celebrated once a week from nightfall on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. Celebrating the Sabbath remembers the covenant the Jews have made with God. In celebrating the Sabbath and keeping it Holy, Jews are rejoicing in the promise made with God. Resting on the Sabbath means no TV, no phone calls, no work, nothing that could induce stress in one's life. The Sabbath is family time to feel God's presence in their home.
Marriage:
Jews believe that marriage is a wonderful time and cause for celebration. The wedding can place at anytime of the year, however, it must not fall on any holy day and most Jews avoid holding it during the Passover period or Shavut. Many steps are taken to prepare for the wedding beforehand. The groom has a ceremony called the Ufruf, where he goes to the Synagogue to read and announce his upcoming wedding. The bride will take part in a ritual called Mikveh, which is a cleansing bath. This ensures that she can enter her marriage spiritually pure. The wedding itself can be held anywhere, however, a chupa, must be present. This is a small hut that symbolises the house the couple will live in in the future. Traditionally, the wedding would be held outside in a field, however, in modern times it is held inside to avoid complications with the weather. It is not a requirement for the wedding to be in a synagogue, as a long as a rabbi and chupa is present. There is no specific dress code, but normally the groom will wear black and the bride will wear white.
Death:
A death in the Jewish community is seen as God's plan and a part of life. As a sign of respect, shomerim (guards) are always with the deceased. It is considered disrespectful and is therefore prohibited to eat, drink or do anything that the dead cannot, as it is seen as mocking the departed. Jews believe that being in the presence of the dead is unholy. Thus, a member of the priestly family must not go near the body, and anyone who does, must wash their hands before entering a home to cleanse themselves. Burial should happen before the Sabbath if possible. Traditionally, burial occurred 24 hours after death, but modern times have allowed for more time to pass for relatives to travel to attend to ceremony. They believe that in death, everyone is equal. To show this, all the deceased are buried in a simple wooden coffin with no lining, and dressed in simple white robes. Scripture readings, prayers and a eulogy are read during the ceremony. Flowers and music are not used during this time of mourning as they are associated with joyous occasions.
The Passover:
This festival commemorates the Jewish freedom from enslavement in Egypt, as told in the book of Exodus. This ceremony is held in one's home with family and friend and generally lasts 8 days. In preparation for the Passover, the firstborn male fasts to remember the escape of the firstborn from death. The house is also clean to remove any chametz (leaven). Doing this remembers when the Jews could not use leaven to rise their bread. It also symbolises removing "puffiness" (arrogance) from one's soul. The Seder is the highlight of the festival. "Seder" means "order" as the meal is set out in a strict order and must be followed. This is set out in the Haggadah. As the 14 steps of the Jewish escape from Egypt is retold, a drop of red wine is spilt to recall that their freedom came at the price of pain from enslavement by the Egyptians. Used during the passover festival to hold the special foods that are asscciated with the passover: the shank bone, the egg, the bitter herbs, the paste, the vegetables and the lettuce. During the Seder, the four questions are asked: Why do we eat unleavened bread? Why do we eat bitter herbs? Why do we dip our food in liquid? Why do we eat in a reclining position? The answers to these questions relate to the suffering in Egypt; unleavened bread was eaten the night the Jews fled Egypt. Bitter herbs are eaten to represent the bitterness of slavery, while dipping a potato in salt water represents the tears shed and finally, eating in a reclining position represents freedom. The rest of the meal includes the shank bone, the egg, the bitter herbs, the paste, the vegetables and the lettuce. The door is left open and an empty chair and a cup of wine are left for Elijah, whom the Jews believe will announce the coming of the Messiah during the Passover. The conclusion of the Passover is marked by the words "Next year in Jerusalem!"
Birth:
For girls it is called simchat bat. This ritual is held in the synagogue on the first Sabbath after her birth. Either both her parents or just her father are called to the Torah to receive a blessing and listen to the reading. In modern times, most families choose to hold this ritual in their homes.
For boys this ritual is called the brit milah. During this ceremony, the baby boy is circumcised 8 days after his birth. It calls on the covenant Abraham made with God, and an empty chair is set aside for Elijah. Normally, the ritual is held in the family's home or in the synagogue.
Coming of age:
Bat Mitzvah for girls and Bar Mitzvah for boys. Literally translated, this ritual means "daughter" or "son of the commandment". Once a person is a Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah, they are obligated to follow the commandments, which they had previously only been encouraged, but not made to do so. The ceremony is not essential, as at the age of 12 for girls and 13 for boys, they automatically become a Bat or Bar Mitzvah. For boys, a tellifin is worn during prayer just before they become a Bar Mitzvah. This is a cubic leather box worn on their arm or head containing 4 important scriptures from the Torah.
Sabbath/Shabbat:
The Sabbath is a day of rest, commanded by God as said in the 4th commandment. It is celebrated once a week from nightfall on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. Celebrating the Sabbath remembers the covenant the Jews have made with God. In celebrating the Sabbath and keeping it Holy, Jews are rejoicing in the promise made with God. Resting on the Sabbath means no TV, no phone calls, no work, nothing that could induce stress in one's life. The Sabbath is family time to feel God's presence in their home.
Marriage:
Jews believe that marriage is a wonderful time and cause for celebration. The wedding can place at anytime of the year, however, it must not fall on any holy day and most Jews avoid holding it during the Passover period or Shavut. Many steps are taken to prepare for the wedding beforehand. The groom has a ceremony called the Ufruf, where he goes to the Synagogue to read and announce his upcoming wedding. The bride will take part in a ritual called Mikveh, which is a cleansing bath. This ensures that she can enter her marriage spiritually pure. The wedding itself can be held anywhere, however, a chupa, must be present. This is a small hut that symbolises the house the couple will live in in the future. Traditionally, the wedding would be held outside in a field, however, in modern times it is held inside to avoid complications with the weather. It is not a requirement for the wedding to be in a synagogue, as a long as a rabbi and chupa is present. There is no specific dress code, but normally the groom will wear black and the bride will wear white.
Death:
A death in the Jewish community is seen as God's plan and a part of life. As a sign of respect, shomerim (guards) are always with the deceased. It is considered disrespectful and is therefore prohibited to eat, drink or do anything that the dead cannot, as it is seen as mocking the departed. Jews believe that being in the presence of the dead is unholy. Thus, a member of the priestly family must not go near the body, and anyone who does, must wash their hands before entering a home to cleanse themselves. Burial should happen before the Sabbath if possible. Traditionally, burial occurred 24 hours after death, but modern times have allowed for more time to pass for relatives to travel to attend to ceremony. They believe that in death, everyone is equal. To show this, all the deceased are buried in a simple wooden coffin with no lining, and dressed in simple white robes. Scripture readings, prayers and a eulogy are read during the ceremony. Flowers and music are not used during this time of mourning as they are associated with joyous occasions.
The Passover:
This festival commemorates the Jewish freedom from enslavement in Egypt, as told in the book of Exodus. This ceremony is held in one's home with family and friend and generally lasts 8 days. In preparation for the Passover, the firstborn male fasts to remember the escape of the firstborn from death. The house is also clean to remove any chametz (leaven). Doing this remembers when the Jews could not use leaven to rise their bread. It also symbolises removing "puffiness" (arrogance) from one's soul. The Seder is the highlight of the festival. "Seder" means "order" as the meal is set out in a strict order and must be followed. This is set out in the Haggadah. As the 14 steps of the Jewish escape from Egypt is retold, a drop of red wine is spilt to recall that their freedom came at the price of pain from enslavement by the Egyptians. Used during the passover festival to hold the special foods that are asscciated with the passover: the shank bone, the egg, the bitter herbs, the paste, the vegetables and the lettuce. During the Seder, the four questions are asked: Why do we eat unleavened bread? Why do we eat bitter herbs? Why do we dip our food in liquid? Why do we eat in a reclining position? The answers to these questions relate to the suffering in Egypt; unleavened bread was eaten the night the Jews fled Egypt. Bitter herbs are eaten to represent the bitterness of slavery, while dipping a potato in salt water represents the tears shed and finally, eating in a reclining position represents freedom. The rest of the meal includes the shank bone, the egg, the bitter herbs, the paste, the vegetables and the lettuce. The door is left open and an empty chair and a cup of wine are left for Elijah, whom the Jews believe will announce the coming of the Messiah during the Passover. The conclusion of the Passover is marked by the words "Next year in Jerusalem!"
SYMBOLS
- Star of David: two overlapping triangles that represent the two dimensions of God, the Torah and Israel, both externally and internally.
- Chai: means life in Hebrew. Read from right to left: ‘chet’ and ‘yod’
- Seder plate: represents the passover festival where the Jews escaped slavery in Egypt. It is used during the passover festival to hold the special foods that are associated with the passover: the shank bone, the egg, the bitter herbs, the paste, the vegetables and the lettuce.
- Torah: scared text of Judaism, containing the first 5 books of the (Hebrew) bible.
- Menorah: holds 9 candles and lit during Hanukkah to commemorate the 8 days of light. The middle candle, called the shamash, is the "helper" candle. It is used to light all of the other candles.
- Kippah: also known as yarmulke. Worn by men to fulfil the requirement that all men must have their head covered at all times.
SOCIAL STRUCTURES
Rabbi: Teacher and decider of matters of religious law Chazan: Cantor, who leads congregation in prayer Gabbai: Volunteer who assists with Torah readings Kohein: Descendant of Aaron, the original High Priest Levi: Descendant of the biblical Levites Rebbe: The leader of a Chasidic community Tzaddik: A righteous person with spiritual power |
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
The ethical principles can be found in the Torah and the Talmud.
Abortion: Judaism does not condemn abortion, but it does not allow abortion to be practiced on demand. Jews must only have an abortion for a serious and legitimate reason.
Capital punishment: Jews condemn captial punshment as said in the book of Genesis: "A man who spills human blood, his own blood shall be spilled by man because God made man in His own Image." Genesis 9:6
Euthanasia and suicide: Judaism does not allow euthanasia or suicide as it considers preservation of human life to be of the utmost importance, and one most therefore "struggle until his last breath of life" Dr Rachamim Melamed-Cohen, Jewsweek, 2002
Organ donation: Some may argue that allowing a body to be disturbed after death is against their beliefs, but most Jews will support organ donation as it saves lives. A rabbi must be consulted before any surgery to transplant an organ.
The ethical principles can be found in the Torah and the Talmud.
Abortion: Judaism does not condemn abortion, but it does not allow abortion to be practiced on demand. Jews must only have an abortion for a serious and legitimate reason.
Capital punishment: Jews condemn captial punshment as said in the book of Genesis: "A man who spills human blood, his own blood shall be spilled by man because God made man in His own Image." Genesis 9:6
Euthanasia and suicide: Judaism does not allow euthanasia or suicide as it considers preservation of human life to be of the utmost importance, and one most therefore "struggle until his last breath of life" Dr Rachamim Melamed-Cohen, Jewsweek, 2002
Organ donation: Some may argue that allowing a body to be disturbed after death is against their beliefs, but most Jews will support organ donation as it saves lives. A rabbi must be consulted before any surgery to transplant an organ.
RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY
For Jews, religious experience can be found in every aspect of their lives. They live out their commandments given by God whilst they eat, pray and set time aside for holy days, such as the Sabbath. Although it comes down to an individual's relationship with God, most religious experiences are through Bat or Bar Mitzvah, marriage, and continuing the tradition with children and with the community.
For Jews, religious experience can be found in every aspect of their lives. They live out their commandments given by God whilst they eat, pray and set time aside for holy days, such as the Sabbath. Although it comes down to an individual's relationship with God, most religious experiences are through Bat or Bar Mitzvah, marriage, and continuing the tradition with children and with the community.