Judaism is…
• “A 4000 year old tradition with ideas
about what it means to be human and
how to make the world a holy place”
(Rabbi Harold Kushner, To Life)
• A “covenant relationship” between
God and the Hebrew people
• A celebration and sanctification of
life
• A faith, a people, a way of life…
Founded: 13th Century BCE
Founder: Moses, who emancipated the
Jews from slavery in Egypt and later
established a ‘covenant’ between his people
and Yahweh on Mount Sinai
Traditionally, it is held that Abraham and
his descendants established Judaism before
Moses, however the 10 Commandments are
now considered by many to be the
foundation upon which Judaism rests.
Roots: dating back approximately 4000
years= origins of Judaism, Islam and
Christianity
Place: Palestine (sometimes called
Canaan; now Israel
Sacred Books: Old Testament (which
consists of the Five Books of Law, the
historical books, the Prophets and other
writings). The most sacred are the Five
Books of the Law= called the TORAH
Symbols: Menorah and Star of David
Adherents: Smallest major world religions,
making up 0.2 % human race
Judaism
What is in a name?
• Hebrew means “From across”name given to Abraham and his
followers
• Israelites: Abraham’s grandson
Jacob renamed Israel which means
“he who has wrestled with God”.
His descendants were called
“Israelites”
• Jews: named after Jacob’s son
Judah, ancient father of tribe of
King David’s dynasty
• From the beginning, the
Jewish people have
interpreted acts of history
as God acting on behalf of
the Jewish people
– Either to promote them or to
punish them
– History is seen as the story
of God’s intervention in the
lives of His “Chosen
People”
Judaism as a Race
• Judaism is an ethnic religion
• Began as a religion of an extended family, a tribe
of peoples known as the Hebrews
• Jewish people today continue to think of
themselves as a family, a nation of peoples, as
well as a religion
• God is understood by the Jews to intervene, to act,
in and through history time and again, especially
in the history of Israel (the people)
• Jews look to God’s action in the world
A 4000 year old tradition…
• The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
(“Israel”) – origins of the Hebrew people
(more than 3800 years ago)
• Enslaved in ancient Egypt and freed by
Moses (more than 3300 years ago)
• Hebrew monarchy in the “Promised Land”
(The Land of Israel), ends 6th century
BCE
History of the Jews From Ancient
Times
Beginnings…
• The story of Israel as a nation unfolds
beginning with the founding of the people
by Abraham.
Tracing Roots of Israel’s History
• Nomadic tribes wandered
into Palestine from east in
approximately 1900 BCE
• Mesopotamian society
dominated by polytheism
• God (Yahweh) appeared
before Patriarch Abraham
and told Abraham “to go
and raise a great nation”
• This began the
monotheistic tradition of the
Hebrew faith with the
establishment of the
“Covenant”, “Chosen
People” and “Promised
Land”
• Abraham settled in Canaan
• Story: Sacrifice of Abraham
Patriarchs to Judaism
Abraham
• God told Abraham to go to Haran then Canaan
and “make of him a great nation”
• Began monotheistic tradition
• Covenant with God
• The story of the Sacrifice of Abraham
Abraham’s Geneaology
HAGAR
ABRAHAM
Ishmael
12 Arabian
Tribes
SARAH
Isaac
Jacob
12 Tribes of
Israel
Esau
Abraham’s Journeys
Jacob (grandson of Abraham)
• Abraham’s
grandson Jacob
took name “Israel”
which means “God
ruled” and
organized
Israelites into 12
tribes
• Some tribes
settled in Egypt
(due to drought
and famine) and
where subjected to
Pharaoh rule and
slavery
4
HOME
The Origins of Judaism
2000 B.C.
1300 B.C.
Abraham:
Father of
Jewish
people
Moses:
Led
Hebrews
out of
slavery
1200 B.C.
1020-922 B.C.
Deborah:
A
prominent
judge
Saul, David,
Solomon:
Kings under whom
Hebrews united
continued . . .
The journey to Egypt…
• Long after the time of Abraham, an agricultural
crisis let the Israelites to move to Egypt.
• The JOSEPH story ~ Genesis 37, 39-50. (a long
story highlighting its importance).
The Early Hebrews
The Hebrews were the ancestors of the Jews, and most of what we
know, including the laws and requirements of their religion, Judaism,
comes from their later writings.
Hebrew Fathers
Moses and Exodus
Promised Land
• The Torah
• Slaves in Egypt
• Israelites in desert
• Abraham, father of
the Hebrews
• Moses
• Canaan
• Pharaoh, plagues
• God’s covenant
• Exodus
• Land of “milk and
honey”
• 12 Tribes of Israel
• Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob were
patriarchs
• Israelites in Egypt
– Israelites out of
Egypt
• Israelites battled for
land
– Passover
• Canaan = Israel
• The Ten
Commandments
Slaves… in Egypt!
• The Hebrews grew in number and were forced into
slavery by the Egyptians many years later.
• They were slaves for about 400 years – being used
to build structures for the Egyptians.
Moses…
• Moses was born as a slave
and hidden in a basket on the
river Nile.
• Moses was then found by an
Egyptian Princess who raised
him in the royal palace.
• Moses grew up thinking he
was an Egyptian until he
realised who his family were.
• Moses killed an Egyptian for
mistreating a Jewish slave.
Moses contd.
• Moses ran away and
became a shepherd.
• One day he came across a
‘Burning Bush’ where he
heard the voice of G-d.
• G-d told him to go back
to Egypt to free the
Hebrew/Jewish slaves.
• G-d told him that He
would help him.
Moses & Exodus:
“Let My People Go!”
• Moses received revelations from God:
burning bush, rod / staff, 10 plagues,
parting of the Red Sea
• End of 13th century BCE- Moses led
the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt
during Rames II reign called the
EXODUS
• Moses led the 12 Tribes of Israel to
Mount Sinai where Yahweh gave him
the 10 Commandments, uniting the
Hebrews under one God
• Moses and Hebrews searched for the
“Promised Land” or the land of milk
and honey, however they wandered in
the desert for 40 years
Moses back in Egypt…
• Moses returned to ask Pharaoh
to let G-d’s people go free.
• Pharaoh refused and G-d sent
10 plagues in total to make
Pharaoh change his mind.
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Blood
Frogs
Vermin
Beasts
Cattle Disease
Boils
Hail
Locusts
Darkness
Slaying of First Born
•
FREEDOM!
After the last plague – the death
of the first born, Pharaoh decided
to let the Jews go.
• But then Pharaoh changed his
mind and chased after them.
• At the YAM SUPH (Red Sea)
Moses held his staff over the
water and the sea parted allowing
the Jews to cross.
• When the Egyptians tried to cross
the water came down over them
and they were drowned.
Route of the Exodus
Desert wanderings…
• After G-d gave Moses the
Torah including the 10
commandments the Jews did
not follow G-d’s ways.
• They were on their way to the
Promised Land – Canaan, but
G-d punished them for by
making them wander around
the desert for 40 years.
Moses and the 10
Commandments
A new “covenant”
with Yahweh
Mount Sinai
Kings of Israel
•
•
•
•
•
•
1230 BCE, Israelites guided
by Joshua, invaded Canaan
(Promised Land)
1020 BCE: first king of
Israelites was Saul, then
David, then Solomon
Under King David the
Israelites captured city of
Jerusalem
King Solomon built the
Temple of Jerusalem, to
house the Arc of the
Covenant (sacred box to
hold Torah)
Solomon’s Temple was
destroyed during
Babylonian invasion, rebuilt
in 6th century BCE, and
destroyed again in 70 CE by
the Romans
Only remaining part of
Solomon’s Temple is the
Western Wall
Into the Promised Land…
• Over the next several centuries Israel
became a moderately powerful nation
under Saul, David, and Solomon.
• After Solomon’s death the Kingdom
was divided in two parts.
• The northern segment of Israel was
overrun by the Assyrian Empire late in
the 8th century BC.
• The southern part known as the nation
of Judah was conquered by the
Babylonians early in the 6th century.
Lost Tribes of Israel
• After the death of Solomon,
Kingdom of Israel split into
two (north= Israel; south=
Judah)
• Israel was conquered by
Assyrians in 722 BCE and
the scattered people were
known as the ‘Lost Tribes of
Israel’
• Judah was eventually
destroyed by Babylon in 586
BCE and inhabitants were
held in captivity (called the
Exile or Babylonian
Captivity)
• Emergence of synagogues
and rabbis during Exile
• Released by Persians in 538
BCE and returned to
Jerusalem to rebuild temple
Solomon’s
Kingdom
King Solomon’s Temple
Floor Plan
The First Temple
Inside the Temple
Tabernacle
The Arc
of the
Covenant
The Temple Mount, Jerusalem
Today
Solomon’s Temple Wall: The “Wailing” Wall
Western Wall
•The Western Wall in the midst of the
Old City in Jerusalem is the section of
the Western supporting wall of the
Temple Mount which has remained
intact since the destruction of the
Second Jerusalem Temple (70 CE)
•It became a center of mourning over
the destruction of the Temple and
Israel's exile
The Kingdom of Israel
The Period of the Judges
•
•
•
•
Scattered communities
No central government
Judges enforce laws
Prophets keep Israelites focused on faith
Saul, David, Solomon
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Israelites united against Philistines
Saul, first Israelite king
Never won full support
David, second king
Strong king, gifted poet
Solomon, David’s son
Israel reached height of wealth
Division and Conquest
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Conflict after Solomon’s death
Two kingdoms, Israel and Judah
722 BC, Israel fell to Assyrians
586 BC, Judah fell to Chaldeans
Chaldeans enslaved Jews
Diaspora = scattering of Jews
Persians conquered Chaldeans
Judah…
• After the Babylonians conquered Judah they made
most of the people move to Babylon (Iran/Iraq).
• Eventually the Jews returned to their homeland.
• Next they were conquered by the Greeks.
• Then they were conquered by the Romans…
Diaspora
• Diaspora is a Greek word meaning “sowing of seed” or “dispersal” which refers to
Jewish population living outside of Israel
• In 332 BCE, Jewish people in fell under Hellenization (Greek culture) as
Alexander the Great conquered Persia, Egypt and India
• 164 BCE, group of Jews called the Maccabees revolted against Greek rule, took
control of Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple to God (Hanukkah)
• 64 BCE, Jerusalem fell to Romans and the Kingdom of Judah became one of the
provinces of the Roman Empire (Judea). The people living there were called
Judeans, and it is from this word that we get the word Jew
• In 66 CE the people of Judea revolted against Rome. This uprising was crushed
and the temple was destroyed for a second time in 70 CE
• Despite the dispersion of Jewish people throughout Europe after 70 CE, their
culture and religious beliefs have been by far the most influential of all the ancient
cultures of the Near East
Expelled!
Then return!
• The Romans occupied Israel
until 70 CE when they finally
expelled the Jews.
• The Jews travelled all over the
world not having a country of
their own for the next 2000
years until just after the second
world war when the nation of
Israel was reformed in
Palestine. (1948).
Key Leaders and Prophets
*NOTES*
JUDAISM- major world religion founded by the Hebrews in
1400 B.C. which became the first monotheistic belief
system. (monotheism-ONE GOD)
IMPORTANT FIGURES:
1. Abraham- first Hebrew to make a covenant
with God; father of monotheism
2. Moses- messenger of God (prophet) who
led the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt and
was given the Ten Commandments
3. King David & his son Solomon- created a
Jewish empire and built the city of Jerusalem
Beliefs and Practices
*NOTES*
Torah- holy book
Monotheism
- 1 God
Synagogue or
temple- house of
worship
Important days:
Hannukah,
Passover, Yom
Kippur, Rosh
Hashanah
JUDAISM
Orthodox,
Conservative or
Reformed
Ten
Commandmentslaw code
Sabbathholy day is
Saturday
Kosher food
(no pork or
shellfish)
Beliefs and Practices
• Monotheistic (belief in one God).
• Humanity is the pinnacle of creation and people are
indebted to their Creator.
• Human bodies are from the earth, their souls are
from heaven.
• Humans were created with “free will”, giving them
the option of choosing “life and prosperity” or
“death and adversity”.
The Teachings of Judaism
Religion the foundation of Hebrew and Jewish societies
• Belief in One God
– Monotheism
• Justice and Righteousness
– Kindness, fairness, code of ethics
• Obedience to the Law
– Ten Commandments, Mosaic Law
• Jewish Sacred Texts
– Torah, Talmud
Basic Jewish Beliefs
 Maimonides’ 13 Principles of Faith
are widely accepted by Jews as
summarizing the basic beliefs of
Judaism
 They are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
God exists
God is one and unique
God is incorporeal
God is eternal
Prayer is to be directed to God alone
The words of the Prophets are true
7. Moses was the greatest of the Prophets
8. The written Torah (the first five books of the
Tanakh) and the Oral Torah (teachings
contained in the Talmud) were given to Moses
by God
9. There will be no other Torah
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men
11. God will reward the good and punish the wicked
12. The Messiah will come
13. The dead will be resurrected
These are accepted by most Jews as
the minimum one must believe
As a faith, Jews Believe…
• In one God, creator of the universe, personal
but non-corporeal
• In prophets of old – especially Moses, through
whom Torah was revealed to the Hebrew
people
• In Torah (first five books of the Bible),
containing religious, moral and social law which
guides the life of a Jew
– the Hebrew Bible does not include the New
Testament
The “Name” of God
• Written by Hebrew consonants YHVH
– Means “I am”
• Jews do not have a personal name for God
– Christians and others have Anglicized it to Yahweh or
Jehovah
– Written by Orthodox Jews as G-d
• God referred to as:
– Adonai (The Lord)
– Elohim, or HaShem (the Name) - the unpronounceable
name of God
A Few Main Beliefs
• Jews do not believe in
"original sin" (no need for
a "savior" in the Christian
sense)
• The Ten Commandments
– first 4 have to do with our
relationship with God
– Next 6 refer to our
relationship with other
people
Beliefs
• Importance of family
• Story/experience of exile and exodus
– "Let my people go."
– Compassion and concern for freedom of all
peoples
– history of continual fight for freedom and
continued survival
Humans
• God’s highest creatures
– Earth has been given to them for food & pleasure
– They are the “caretakers”
• Created in God’s image
– Each is a soul and body united
– Each should have a fellowship with God
• Responsible
– Answer to God for conduct
– Humans have choices/can make decisionssuffer
consequences
Problem for Humans
• Rebellion against God
and consequential
expulsion
– Adam and Eve
• Who is the Messiah?
– Has not arrived yet to
usher in a new age
– He is expected
Life after Death
• Emphasis on good life on earth more than
good afterlife
• References in Psalms to heaven and hell
– Influenced by Zoroastrians?
– Lack specific descriptions of life beyond death
Afterlife and Salvation
• Belief in heaven.
• When the body dies, the soul remains in
heaven.
• Both Jews and righteous Gentiles (nonJews) have a reserved place in heaven based
on their study of the Torah along with
prayer, repentance, and good deeds.
Funerals
Jewish beliefs about life after death:
Orthodox Jews
 Heaven and hell
 A bodily resurrection when the Messiah
comes
Conservative Jews
 Resurrection – either bodily or spiritual –
when the Messiah comes
Reform Jews:
 No bodily resurrection; the soul returns to God
Not all Jews believe in life after death.
Some believe that we live on through our
good works and our descendants
Prayer
Several times a day – when waking, before
and after meals, before bed and any other
time you wish during the day
Major Prayers:
 Shema
 Amidah – 19 blessings, thanks and petitions
(said at synagogue)
 Aleinu – affirms that there is one God
 Kaddish – prayer of praise. Always said in
Aramaic. The Mourners Kaddish is associated
with praying for the dead.
Place of Worship
The Synagogue
Jewish place of prayer and worship
Dates back to time of Babylonian Exile
Services daily
Requires a minyan = ten adults
Usually led by rabbi; can be led by any
adult
Main services held on the Sabbath
(Shabbat) – either Friday evening or
Saturday morning
THE SYNAGOGUE
The Synagogue Sanctuary
Contains the
scrolls
The reading
desk.
Inside the Synagogue
All Synagogues contain . . .
Aron Kodesh – also called the Ark. Holds
Torah scrolls.
Ner Tamid – “eternal light”. Near the Ark;
symbolizes the presence of God.
Bimah – the lectern from which the Torah is
read
The layout of the building is rectangular, with seats arranged on three sides.
The fourth side is the most important, it holds the Ark.
Almost in the centre of the Synagogue is a raised platform called the Bimah.
At the foot of the Bimah is a group of seats reserved for elders of the synagogue.
The Bimah is used by the Rabbi to
read the Torah scrolls from. It is
raised so that the congregation can
see the Rabbi and he can see them.
The scrolls have crowns covering the top of the rollers and a metal
plate, called a breastplate hanging around the crowns.
Covering the Torah scroll is a decorated cover called a mantle.
This is usually embroidered with a crown, representing King David.
Orthodox synagogues separate men and
women at worship. They have a divider
called a mechitzah between the two sections
of the synagogue.
Synagogue Service
There are communal prayers in the
synagogue daily
Main service is on Shabbat (the Sabbath)
Service is led by the Rabbi and perhaps a
cantor
Service is often a mixture of Hebrew and
English
Lasts between 30 and 90 minutes
The Service:
Chanting of the Shema and Amidah
Scripture readings




Writings
Psalms
Prophets
Torah
Sermon
Blessings
Religious Leaders: Rabbi
Rabbi holding a
Torah scroll – the
scrolls are written
in Hebrew by hand
on parchment
Rabbi
• He (or she in Reform and some
Conservative communities) leads services,
educates, and officiates at events like bar
mitzvahs, weddings and funerals
• It usually takes five years of postgraduate
study to become a rabbi.
Chapter 28 of Exodus describes
the garb of the high priest, based
off of this the priest’s clothing
includes:
-A tunic (the Torah mantle)
-A belt (the sash around the
Torah)
-A Mitre (the crown of the Torah)
-A Breastplate
These have all been reproduced in
some fashion for the dressing and
decorating of the Sefer Torah.
Responsibilities of the Rabbi:
(Rabbi means “teacher”)
-Preaching from the pulpit
-Teaching classes
-Individual counseling
Some prayers are said by
everyone, and some are recited
aloud by the shaliach tzibbur, to
which the congregation responds
"Amen.“
The chazzan (cantor) is specially
trained in the art of Jewish music
and liturgy for this role.
Clothing Specific to Faith
Clothing worn during worship:
tallit
kippah
teffilin
Tallit - Before beginning to worship or pray the devout Jew will
often put on a prayer shawl.
The fringes on the shawl remind him of the many commandments
(613) of the Torah.
He will first cover his head completely with the Tallit.
The Tallit is a prayer shawl, worn around the neck during
the service.
You can see the tassels or fringes hanging down.
Each one represents the laws Jews must follow in their
lives. This comes from a commandment in the Torah:
The Tephillin are two small boxes with leather straps
attached to them.
You can see them in the picture next to the Siddur,
the Jewish prayer book.
The tephillin contain a small portion of scripture
from the Torah, called the Shema
Phylacteries or Tefillin - Phylacteries are small leather boxes
that have long straps attached that are worn on the left forearm
and on the forehead.
Inside the boxes are passages from the scriptures, including the
Shema.
Kippur or Yarmulke - On their heads
the devout Jew always wears the
Yarmulke, a small skull cap, which
reminds them that they are always
duty bound to follow the laws of God
at all times and in all places.
Religious Objects and Symbols
Symbols
• Star of David= shape
of King David’s
shield; symbol adopted
by Zionists
• Menorah= ancient
source of light
7 branched= Sabbath
9 branched= Hanukah
The Menorah : The Menorah is
the seven branched candlestick
which was placed in the temple
in Jerusalem, each home has a
Menorah to remind them of the
temple and of their hope that
one day it will be built again
The Mezuzah : The Mezuzah is a small box fixed to
the doorpost on your house, according to the
command in scripture.
If you look at a Jewish house there will be a small
box fixed to the right hand side of the doorpost.
Inside the Mezuzah is a small piece of parchment
with the words of Deuteronomy 13-21 written upon it..
The Magen David : The Magen David is the
star of David, this is the representation of the
state of Israel.
It is more a political than a religious statement.
The state of Israel was recreated by the United
Nations in 1948.
Interesting Facts
• The Israeli flag is rooted in Jewish tradition. The white
background symbolizes purity. The symbols on the flag are two
stripes—one on the top and one on the bottom—and the Star of
David emblem adorning the center. The stripes and blue color are
inspired by the techeileth dye of the tallit (Jewish prayer shawl)
• Jews have regarded the Land of Israel as their homeland, both as
a Holy Land and as a Promised Land. The Land of Israel holds a
special place in Jewish religious obligations, encompassing
Judaism's most important sites — including the remains of the
First and Second Temples
Holy Texts
Yahweh’s “Covenant” With His
People
 The first 5
books
of the Hebrew
Bible.
The Torah
 The most
sacred
text in the
Jewish
religious
tradition.
The 3 Categories
1. Torah
 Most important text
 Divine instruction and guidance or "Written Law”
 Books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy
 Covers history from creation through the Exodus and
wandering in the desert
 613 commandments from God
Continued…
2. Prophets: Words and revelations of the minor and
major prophets
Ezekiel, Isaiah, Amos, Jonah, etc.
3. Writings: poetic and devotional material written
and used during the same time as the Prophets,
words and works of the sages
Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ruth, Esther, Daniel, etc.
TORAH
• consists of Five Books of
Moses written on parchment
scroll in ancient form by hand
and kept in Ark
• Torah means “law” but more
accurate is “revelation”,
“teaching” or “instruction”
• Torah is divided into 54
sections and one portion is
read each week (2 weeks of
year have a double portion)
so that the entire Torah is
read from beginning to end in
a year
Torah Scroll
What is a Torah scroll?
The Torah contains the Five Books of Moses, whose English and Hebrew
names are:
English
Hebrew
Genesis
Beraishit
Exodus
Shemot
Leviticus
Vayikra
Numbers
B'midbar
Deuteronomy
Devarim
Sacred Texts
• The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh
– Known by Christians as "Old Testament“
– contains the same books as the Christian version but in a
different order after the first five
• Considered revealed and inspired by God
– Interpretation of early history of the Hebrew people,
establishment of a nation
– Story of God’s interaction with His "Chosen People" (His-Story)
– Foundation of Jewish life
• Called the Bible
– (Biblia) means "little books“
– Actually a library of 39 independent books divided into 3
categories:
Sacred Texts
Tanukh
• Jewish Bible, consisting of
Torah (Law of Moses), the
Prophets, and the Writings
Talmud
• second most important source
of rabbinic Jewish law based on
Mishnah, which complements
and interprets the Torah and
applies scripture to everyday
life and observance
Mishnah
• Early rabbinic teachings on how
to live according to Torah
• The Talmud
– Oral tradition passed to Moses and beyond
– Finally written down in the 2nd century
– Contains info on rituals, marriages, agricultural
laws, festivals, etc.
As a way of life, Judaism is
based on…
• 613 commandments found in Torah (“Written Law”)
• Talmud (“Oral Law”) – commentary of ancient rabbis
that elaborates on how to apply God’s Law in
everyday life through:
– Dietary rules (Kashrut/Kosher)
– Dress and other symbols
– Prayer and devotion to the one God
– The Temple and Temple rites
– Observance of Holy days
– Proper social relations between male and female, in
business, judicial rulings, etc.
• Thus sanctifying life, blessing it in every way
Kosher Food
Kashrut
(Kosher Food Laws)
 Kosher Food laws concern:
1. What foods can be eaten
2. How foods must be prepared
 The laws are found in the Torah
Trayf – food that is not kosher and cannot
be consumed
Pareve – food that can be eaten at any time,
with any other food
General information . . .
Kosher animals chew their cud and have
cloven hoofs (cattle, sheep, goats, deer)
Animals must be humanely slaughtered
under the supervision of a trained
shochef
Seafood must have scales and fins
Domesticated fowl can be eaten; birds of
prey cannot
Reptiles, amphibians and insects are trayf
Blood cannot be consumed
Meat and milk cannot be consumed at the
same meal
Rules for Passover are stricter
Kosher foods
Goat
Turkey
All fish (as long as
they have scales)
Cow
Sheep
Duck
Chicken
Non-Kosher foods
Rabbit
Pig
Camel
Octopus
Eel
Horse
Most birds especially
birds of prey
Insects
Lev. 11:13-19 : These you shall regard as detestable among the
birds. They shall not be eaten; they are an abomination: the eagle,
the vulture, the osprey, the buzzard, the kite of any kind; every
raven of any kind; the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the
hawk of any kind; the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the
water hen, the desert owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron
of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
Kosher Animals
Animals are kosher if:
1. Their hooves are completely parted
at the bottom to form 2 horny pads
2. If it chews the cud
In order for the animal to be Kosher, they must
do BOTH.
(For example, pigs are not Kosher because they
do not chew the cud)
• All Vegetables and fruit are kosher, but they must be carefully
checked for non-kosher foods like insects.
• All dairy products are kosher (Must be bloodless), but it must be
checked that the product does not contain any meat based
products
• (for example many cheeses contain rennet which is made from
the stomach of pigs or cows and thus breaks two of the kosher
rules (i) that meat and dairy must be separate and (ii) that
products from the pig are treyfah).
• Also the kosher Jew must to sure that the milk is only from
kosher animals (some farmers made a practice of topping up
cow's milk with pig's milk - this would make the milk treyfah)
• All shellfish is treyfah.
Different branches of Judaism have
different attitudes towards these laws:
 Orthodox – follow strictly
 Conservative – some follow strictly; many follow a
modified version
 Reform – following is up to the individual; many
follow partially
Special Ceremonies
Brit Milah
 “The Covenant of
Circumcision”
 8 days after birth
 Performed at home or
at the synagogue
 Mohel – performs the
ceremony
 The child is officially
given his name
Boys :
•After a boy child has been born a blessing is said and eight days
later the child will be presented for the ceremony of circumcision.
•This may take place in the synagogue or in the home, or at the
hospital.
•This is a very important ceremony and the only reason for
delaying it is if the child is ill.
•The boy will be placed on the lap of the sandek (A bit like a
Christian godparent).
•it is a great honour to be asked to perform this service.
•The circumcision is performed by the mohel , who may be a
doctor but does not have to be.
•The circumcision of boys is a sign of the covenant that God
agreed with Abraham (more about Abraham).
Brit Ha-bat
The naming
ceremony for a
daughter
A modern
celebration done
mostly in Reform
synagogues
Bar Mitzvah
Bat Mitzvah
Son or Daughter of Commandment – the
child officially becomes an adult in the
Jewish community
Takes place at the synagogue
The child reads (in Hebrew!) and
comments on the Torah portion for the
day
The Bat Mitzvah ceremony is modern
and is not done in Orthodox
communities
Mitzvah
• 613 mitzvot
• 258 positive, 365 negative
• Boys: 13+1 day, girls 12+1 day
– Bar Mitzvah means “son of the commandment”
• Commands from God
– No immediate reward
– Obedience rewards in afterlife
The ceremony of the Bar
Mitzvah is a very important
occasion for the young Jewish
male. The ceremony, is normally
held on the first Shabbat after
his 13th birthday.
There are three main reasons why the Bar Mitzvah is so important
for every Jewish male:
•The boy who has come of age is given the full religious
responsibilities of the adult male. He is allowed to wear the
ritual clothes the Tallit and the Tefillin, he can make up the
minimum 10 males who must be present for a service to
take place (the minyan), and he can take part fully in the
worship in the synagogue.
•At any time in the future he can be called upon to read
from the Torah. All Jews consider this to be a great
privilege.
•In many synagogues this is seen as a serious statement
of faith by the young adult. They acknowledge their faith
and acknowledge that the responsibility for their spiritual
life now passes from their parents to them.
Bar Mitzvah
A Bar Mitzvah at the Wailing Wall,
Jerusalem
In Reform Judaism teens are often
confirmed as well as bar or bat mitzvahed.
Confirmation takes place when they are older
and is a personal commitment to Judaism.
Weddings
 Takes place under a
chuppah = canopy
 Ancient custom
 May be raised indoors
or out
 Symbolizes both the
new home established
by the couple and the
tents Jews lived in
during the Exodus
. The Chuppah : The whole of the wedding service
takes place under the Chuppah.
This is usually a canopy supported by four poles
and normally decorated with fringes and flowers.
The chuppah is a symbol of the home that the
couple will set up together after the marriage.
. Signing the KETUBAH : Before the bride enters the
synagogue the bridegroom will sign the Ketubah, thus
signifying the terms of the contract for the marriage.
The Ketubah is a "bill of rights" for the woman since it
sets out the responsibilities of the husband, the
wording of the document is about 2000 years old.
The groom now waits for his bride under the chuppah, at a signal
the bride enters in procession.
The bride will come with a collection of close relatives and friends
who take their place on either side of the chuppah. As the bride
enters a special blessing is sung.
The betrothal blessing is recited over a goblet of wine and God is
praised for guiding humanity by giving laws about marriage.
The couple then drink from the goblet and the groom places a ring
on the right index finger of the bride.
The seven blessings of marriage are then recited.
These are called the SHEVA BARACHOTH
After the Sheva Baracoth a cup of wine is then
drunk.
The bridegroom then symbolically breaks a glass
under his foot
The priestly blessing is then said over the couple the
couple leave to sign the registers.
The wedding ceremony
includes:
 Blessing and sharing
wine
 Exchange of rings
 Signing the Ketubah
Marriage contract
Protects the rights
of the wife
Often in Aramaic
 The Seven Blessings
 Breaking a glass
Mazel Tov!
When someone dies the family does something
which non-Jewish observers would find very
strange they take hold of a garment that they are
wearing and tear it.
This is an ancient Jewish customs and helps to
vent the anger that they are feeling at the death of
a loved one.
Shivah (Mourning)
7 days after death of a family member
 Remain at home except for going to
synagogue
 Wear black or black ribbon with a symbolic
slash (cut) in it
 No work
 Men don’t shave
 People visit
Extended Mourning
 30 days for a close family member
 Return to work or school but not other
activities
 For a parent, spouse or child mourning
continues for a year (no parties, celebrations)
Yahrzeit
 1 year anniversary
 Special synagogue service
 Unveiling of the tombstone
Preparation of the body:
 Washed and dressed by members of a funeral society
 Placed in a plain wood casket surrounded by a linen
shroud
 Never embalmed
 Never cremated
Visitation:
 In the home (body not present)
 In the synagogue before the funeral
 Never open casket
•A candle is lit and placed at the head of the bed.
•One of the sons remains with the body and quietly recites some
of the psalms
•. From now until the burial, the body would not be left alone.
•Arrangements are made for the funeral, for it is the tradition for
the Jews to bury the body, if at all possible within 24 hours of
death.
• The undertaker provides a simple coffin.
The Funeral Service:
 Prayers and blessings
 One or more eulogies
Internment:
 In a Jewish cemetery
 Ceremony presided over
by the Rabbi and attended
by only closest friends and
relatives
 No flowers
Why do Jews leave a rock at the gravesite?
Jews do not place flowers on graves.
Often, they leave a small rock on the
headstone
Reasons:
1. Historical – ancient Jews covered graves
with rocks to protect them. It is a hold over
from that
2. Contemporary– it shows that someone has
visited the grave
Holidays
How does Judaism sanctify
time?
The Jewish Holidays:
• High Holidays:
– Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)
– Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
• Sukkot, the “Festival of Booths” (fall
harvest festival)
• Simchat Torah – celebrating Torah
• Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights”
More Holy Days…
• Purim (“Lots”) – a carnival (commemorates
events told in book of Esther)
• Pesach (“Passover”) – commemorates the
exodus from Egypt (events told in Exodus)
• Shavuot (“weeks,” Pentecost) –
commemorates receipt of Torah at Sinai
• Other, minor festivals
• Shabbat (Sabbath, 7th day, on Saturday) –
the “Day of Rest”
Rituals
• Jewish calendar based on lunar month
• Sabbath/Shabbat
– Observed each week
– Sundown on Fridaysundown on Saturday
• Rosh Hashanah
– New year
– Begins the Days of Awe
– Concentrate on prayer, contemplation, self-searching
• Yom Kippur
– 10th day (of awe)
– Holiest day observed
– Repentance: 24 hours of atonement and fasting
Shabbat dinner
Sweets for a sweet new year
continued
• Chanukkah
– Celebrated
rededication of
Jerusalem temple in
164 BCE (after
destruction by Greeks)
– Sacred oil lasted 8 days
for celebration
– Minor festival
Passover
• Most important holiday
• Marks deliverance form slavery in Egypt
under Moses’ leadership
• Sacred meal: seder
– Unleavened bread (matzah)
Conclusion
How is Judaism related to
Christianity?
• Judaism predates Christianity – it is the foundation
of Christianity but is not a part of it
• Jesus was Jewish, as were his followers and the
Apostles
• Jews do not believe that Jesus was anything more
than a good and wise man who lived and died 2000
years ago – Jews still await their messiah
• The Jewish messiah would not be divine. He would
be a political figure who restores the Hebrew
monarchy and causes peace to reign on Earth
• Jews are not concerned about salvation and the
“world to come”
What are Jews really
concerned about?
• Tikkun Olam - “repairing this world” through
justice and righteousness; through “deed, not
creed”
• The heart of Judaism is in the home and family,
social responsibility and doing Mitzvot (“good
deeds” based on God’s commandments)
• Through education and hard work we make our
lives, the lives of others, and the world, what
God intended it to be – Holy!
To Life!
To Life!
LeChaim!
Web resources
• Judaism 101: http://jewfaq.org/
”an online encyclopedia of Judaism, covering Jewish
beliefs, people, places, things, language, scripture,
holidays, practices and customs”
• ReligiousTolerance.org on Judaism:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/judaism.htm
• This P0werpoint presentation available at:
http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/Rel232/resource/judaism.ppt