World Religions: Figures and Terms
Unit 3 (part a): Judaism
http://markvillehistory.cjb.net
Person or Term
Identify
Abraham
The Patriarch (“father") of the
Covenant.
Covenant
As used in the Bible, a solemn
and binding agreement
between God and humanity.
Moses
Born a son of Hebrew slaves,
but was later adopted by
Pharaoh’s daughter and grew
to manhood in the imperial
court. He was favoured by
Pharaoh until Moses killed an
Egyptian who was harassing a
Hebrew slave. He fled to
Midian and lived with Jethro, a
priest.
Exodus
The significant event in which
Moses led the Israelites out of
bondage in Egypt to freedom
in the Promised land. The word
exodus means “going out” or
“departure”.
The Jewish Bible, consisting of
the Torah (the Law of Moses),
the Prophets, and the Writings.
Tanakh
Mitzvah
A commandment from God;
the act of performing a good
deed. The most well known
mitzvoth are the Ten
Commandments.
Ark of Covenant
The wooden chest that held
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Religious Importance
According to Hebrew scriptures, around 2000 BC, Abraham received a vision
from God that instructed him to leave his home in Ur, Mesopotamia, and move
to Haran and later Canaan. Abraham was instructed to move to a special land
to raise a nation, and he followed God’s instructions.
The ideas of the Jews being the God’s Chosen People and that they would live
in the Promised Land are the foundation of the covenant that God made with
Abraham. This covenant is the key to all Jewish faith. It established God as the
creator and governor of all things, and the chosen people as those who would
honour God’s covenant.
One day while tending Jethro’s flock of sheep, Moses went to Mount Horeb
(“Mountain of God”) and encountered God through a burning bush. God told
him that Moses would help to set free the Israelites from slavery—they would be
delivered from Egypt into the Promised Land, a place “flowing with milk and
honey”. Moses led the Israelites to freedom with God’s help of the 10 plagues on
the Egyptians in order to convince Pharaoh to let the Hebrew people go. The
last plague involved the angel of death killing the firstborn male child of every
Egyptian household, including Pharaoh’s son. Moses led the Israelites across the
Red sea into the region of the Sinai peninsula. This mass emigration is known as
the Exodus. On mount Sinai, God appeared to Moses again, this time sharing
with him the Ten Commandments.
The Israelites left the bondage of slavery in Egypt for freedom and hope in a new
land. Moses led them across the Red Sea and into the region of the Sinai
peninsula.
The word of God, as spoken through the prophets, survives in the holy scriptures
of Judaism, the Tanakh. The prophetic writings are a combination of practical
advice, social criticism and poetic beauty. Their ongoing refrain is “Love God
and keep the covenant with him.”
Mitzvah is a commandment from God that gives people direction on how to live
ethically while honouring God. The Bible contains a total if 613 mitzvoth: 248
positive, or “do, commandments and 365 negative, or “do not”,
commandments. For the Jews, it is essential that one strives to keep the
covenant with God. The way to do this is by following God’s commandments,
particularly the Ten Commandments.
According to Jewish tradition, when the Hebrews received the Ten
World Religions: Figures and Terms
Unit 3 (part a): Judaism
http://markvillehistory.cjb.net
the tablets inscribed with the
Ten commandments. The
temple in Jerusalem became
the home of the Ark.
Kashruth
Jewish dietary laws.
Shabbat
Also known as the Sabbath, it is
a time to put aside work,
shopping, housework, and
homework.
Star of David
A figure consisting of two
interlaced equilateral triangle.
It is used as a Jewish and Israeli
symbol.
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Commandments in the desert, they were told to make an ark in which to place
them. This is called the Ark of the Covenant. Today, the Holy Ark (a cabinet-like
structure) sits on a raised platform in the synagogue and contains the Torah
scrolls. During the service, the Torah school is taken from the Ark and placed on
a special table called the schulchan, where it is unrolled and read.
An active expression of adherence to the commandments is the practice of
keeping kosher. The Jewish dietary laws of Kashruth serve a number of purposes.
They establish the Jews as an identifiable group. First, the idea of kosher foods
identifies the distinctiveness of Jews to others. Second, kosher food laws speak to
the humanity and humility of the Jewish people. Humanity is reveals in the
prescribed method of killing animals in the most human manner possible.
Humility enters into the equation when one considers the level of thoughtfulness
and gratitude the Jews give to God for the food provided to them.
It is not a period of restriction, but a period of rejuvenation. It is an opportunity to
set aside time for the important things in life—prayer, family and friends. At
sunset on Friday, Jews go to the synagogue, where the service opens with the
lighting of candles as a reminder of creation—the first act of creation was, “Let
there be light.” Once they return home, families sit down to the Shabbat dinner,
which begins with the kiddush (the prayer over wine). Challah, a special egg
bread, is blessed and eaten at the meal. Following the meal, particular songs
are sung and the prayer of thanksgiving is recited. Sabbath morning is spent at
the synagogue in prayer and worship. At sundown, the Sabbath ends with a
brief service that separates the holy Sabbath from the rest of the week. The
Sabbath has played and enormous role in the Jewish religion. No matter where
Jews have lived, and no matter what their circumstances or conditions are, the
Sabbath has always sustained them as a people.
Perhaps the best-known symbol of Judaism is the Star of David or the Magen
David (shield of David). It is thought that this was the shape of King David’s
shield. This symbol may have been used for magical and ornamental purposes in
ancient times, and it was not official accepted by Judaism until the nineteenth
century. The Star of David became even more closely identified with Judaism
when it was adopted by Zionists as a marker of Jewish nationality in the twentieth
century. Jews today see the Star of David as a symbol of the will to survive and
as a source of pride in their Jewish identity. It is prominently featured on the blue
and white Israeli flag. As well, in Israel, the Red Shield of David is equivalent to
the Red Cross in Christian nations and the Red Crescent in Muslim countries.
World Religions: Figures and Terms
Unit 3 (part a): Judaism
http://markvillehistory.cjb.net
Menorah
A candelabrum with seven
branches used at home and in
the synagogue on the Sabbath
and holidays.
Rosh Hashanah
The festival celebrating the
Jewish New Year.
Yom Kippur
The most solemn religious day
of the Jewish year, marked by
fasting and prayers of
repentance.
Pesach
The Passover festival in spring
commemorating the liberation
of Israelites from slavery in
Egypt.
Hanukkah
The eight-day festival of lights,
usually in December,
commemorating the
rededication of the temple.
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The menorah is a very ancient source of light. When the temple was built in
Jerusalem, the seven-branched menorah became a central ritual object. After
the second temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the menorah was carried off to
Rome. Today, many non-Jewish people thing of the menorah as a ninebranched candelabrum that is used in celebration of Hanukah. But it is the
seven-branched menorah, one branch for each of the six days of creation and
one for the Sabbath that is the authentic Jewish symbol. It is also used as the
logo of the modern State of Israel.
The Jewish New year falls in September or early October. It begins a ten-day
period of repentance, ending with the festival of Yom Kippur. The two days of
Rosh Hashanah and the eight days that follow concentrate on an assessment of
conduct and behaviour in the previous year. Jews request forgiveness from God
and from other human beings for their mistakes and transgressions.
Also known as the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur is the most solemn religious
day of the Jewish year, marked by a twenty-five-hour fast and prayers of
repentance. Since the task of repentance is so important, regular activities are
avoided on this day. Signs and comfort and luxury are not allowed (e.g. no
makeup, no sexual relations, no food or drink).
This holiday celebrates the Jewish people’s identity as a people of God. During
the entire week of Pesach, Jews do not eat anything chametz, or leavened, in
order to commemorate the haste in which the Hebrews had to flee from their
oppressor. On the eve of Pesach, a ceremonial search for chametz takes place.
This is a last chance to find any that might have been missed in preparations for
Pesach. Another custom is for all first-born Jewish males to fast on the first day of
the festival in remembrance of the first-born Egyptian males who were killed so
the Hebrews could be freed from slavery. The Seder, a ritual service and
ceremonial dinner, is held at home on the first night Resach. It includes songs,
special food, and prayers of praise. The events of Exodus are told, re-enacted,
and explained. The book used to explain these events is called the Haggadah.
It is filled with Biblical quotes and interpretations of the events. It describes the
rituals, symbols, objects, and food that are used during the Seder.
This festival, which usually falls in December, celebrates the events of the
Maccabean revolt. After the small army had reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem,
the ceremonies rededicating the temple took place over eight days. When the
people tried to rekindle the sacred lamp in the temple, they discovered there
was only enough oil to last one day. According to the legend, the oil continued
to burn in the temple lamp for eight days. As part of the celebration, a candle is
lit for each of the eight days. The menorah has nine branches—one for each
World Religions: Figures and Terms
Unit 3 (part a): Judaism
http://markvillehistory.cjb.net
Shiva
A seven-day period of
mourning for the dead
beginning immediately after
the funeral.
Torah
Refers to the Law of Moses as
well as the rest of the Hebrew
Scriptures and the entire belief
system of the Jewish faith. The
word Torah is often translated
as meaning “law”, but a more
accurate translation is
“teaching” or “instruction”.
Chosen People
The idea that God chose the
Jewish people to be the
keepers of his covenant on
earth. The concept of
“chosen” is reciprocal, with
God choosing humanity and
humanity choosing God.
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night and a ninth candle (shammus/servant) which is often placed in the centre
and used to light the other candles.
This is the time when family mourners are protected from everyday problems and
responsibilities. Immediately following the funeral, a shiva candle is lit in the
home to symbolize the soul of the deceased. Mourners then eat a small meal of
consolation, which is prepared by friends and neighbours. This meal symbolizes
the need to continue living and to being the healing process. While sitting shiva,
family mourners do not leave the house, so friends and relatives come to visit.
The mourners recite Kaddish, known as the mourner’s prayer. In some homes,
mirrors are covered so that mourners do not look at themselves, thus avoiding
vanity at this time.
The word Torah is used to refer to the Law of Moses, as well as the entire belief
system of the Jewish faith. The written Torah is primarily a description of the
development of God’s relationship with his chosen people. The sacred writings
were assembled with intense study and debate about which books to select and
which to reject. Eventually, certain books were deemed “sacred”. Commentary
on law (Mishnah) also emerged within Judaism dating from the time of the Exile
up to 500 AD. In Babylon the rabbis gathered both legal and non-legal material
into compilation of literature known as Gemara. Then they combined the
Gemara with the Mishnah to form the Babylonian Talmud. There is also a
Palestinian Talmud that was compiled earlier, but the Babylonian Talmud has
become the standard for the administration of Jewish law.
In a vision to Abraham, God said, “Go forth from your native land and from your
father’s house to the land that I wills how you. I will make of you a great nation,
And I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing”
(Genesis 12: 1-2). Amid a society characterized by polytheism and idolatry
(Mesopotamia), God chose Abraham and promised to bless him and make of
him a “great nation”. On this basis, Jews refer to themselves as God’s chosen
people.
World Religions: Figures and Terms
Unit 3 (part a): Judaism
http://markvillehistory.cjb.net
Western Wall
The remaining part of the wall
of Herod’s temple in Jerusalem
where Jews traditionally pray
and lament on Fridays.
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The Western Wall (a.k.a. Wailing Wall because of the mournful prayers that were
being recited there) is the most significant site in the world for Jews. It is he part
remaining after the temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. This location
is of historical significance because it is near the location where Abraham built
an altar to sacrifice his son Isaac, and three temples have occupied this site.
Throughout nearly 2000 years of Jewish exile, this wall has stood as a symbol of
indestructibility of Jewish people. The temple, which was inside the wall, was
seen as the spiritual centre of the world for Jewish people. It is mentioned in
prayer daily and is a permanent reminder of God’s presence—the fact that the
Jews will never be destroyed. When the temple was still standing, Jews made
three pilgrimage a year; today, the site remains a place of pilgrimage. Several
festivals are based on the existence of the temple. Hanukkah commemorates
the rededication of the temple; Passover, the autumn harvest and thanksgiving
festival, and the spring harvest festival are the three pilgrimage holidays. While
the temple was still standing, Yom Kippur was the only day when the high priest
was allowed within its holiest areas.