Glossary Judaism Flashcards
(24 cards)
Monotheism
Belief in one God
Orthodox Judaism
V strict
Reform Judaism
Not so strict
Covenant
2 way agreement setting out terms between 2 individuals or groups
Usually both sides make promises to each other, in best interests of both
Jews believe God cares for all humanity and originally set up Noachide covenant for all humanity but not everybody kept to it
Jews believe God set up new covenant about Jews special relationship with God
Started with Abraham and later Moses
Noachide Laws
Followed gods first covenant with Noah for all humanity
Told in Genesis
God caused storm, rain for 40 days and nights, to get out bad people apart from Noah and animals who had built an arc
God promised he would not destroy the world again if everyone followed 7rules, laws of Noachide
Don’t steal, murder, cruel to animals, blaspheme, sexual immorality, idolatry(worship other God) promote harmony.
Mitzvah
Mitzvot
Singular
Plural
Commandments
613 in the Torah
Torah thought to be account of what God told Moses
Moses lead Abrahams descendants to freedom through wilderness over 40years from being slaves in Egypt
248 positive mitzvot
365 negative mitzvot
Commands Jews to do or not do something
10 comandments
Part of 613 mitzvot in Torah given to Moses
Tells Jews how God wants them to live
Torah
Means ‘ instruction’ in Hebrew
Jewish holy book
Comprised of 5 Books of Moses
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers Deuteronomy
Contains 613 mitzvot
Hand written parchment scrolls
Stored is special cabinet (Ark)
Wrapped in special beautifully decorated cloth
Processed through synagogue
Reach out to touch it and then kiss own hand
Read bits each Saturday (1year for orthodox and 3 years for reform Jews to cover whole Torah)
Ark
Special cabinet to store Torah in synagogue
Bimah
Raised platform in synagogue to read Torah from
Everybody can see and hear it
Yad
Silver pointer used to follow the Torah as it is read
Avoids touching the ancient scripture and marking it or wearing it out
Bar mitzvah
Bat mitzvah
Means son or daughter of commandments
Boy, age 13
Girls, age 12
Entering adulthood, taking responsibility for own actions
They must keep their covenant with God
Often marked with ceremony and celebration, same in reform but different for orthodox girls
Shabbat following birthday, called to recite blessing on the Torah
Orthodox may read whole section, in Hebrew!
Tefillin
Worn by boy for first time at bar mitzvah
Leather box containing passages from the Torah
Strapped to head and arm to be close to heart and mind to show God is in heart and mind
Taught to put on before ceremony
Baruch shepatarani
Statement or declaration made by boy’s father following boys reading
Thanks god for bringing him into adulthood and declares he is now responsible for himself
Mezuzah
Small scroll of parchment in special casing hung on doorpost every door except bathroom
Prayer declaring only one God is written on from Torah (shema)
Mezzotints must be treated with respect as contains word God
Many Jews kiss or touch them as they pass them
Kosher
Food preparation to meet religious rules
Kosher - fit to be eaten
Special butcher, removes all blood from meat
Separate dairy and meat
Scaly fish with fins only
Treifah
Banned foods - unfit to eat
Meat & dairy
Non scaly non finned fish
No insects -wash fruit thoroughly
Shabbat
Day of rest and worship
From sunset Friday to time stars out on Saturday
39forbidden activities ( Melachot)
Meal prepared in advance
Families come together
Synagogue Saturday for Torah reading
As stars come out, candles lit at havdalah ceremony to show return to work and smell spices
Havdalah
Means separation
Marks end of Shabbat
As stars come out on Saturday, candles are lit
Shows return to work
Spices smelled to get sweetness of Shabbat into next week
Secular jews
Jews feel they belong to Jewish race but choose not follow the religion
Sign of the covenant?
Rainbow
God put rainbow in sky to assure his promise never to destroy humanity again
Jews believe a rainbow is a reminder of Gods promise thro Noah
Abraham covenant
4000yrs ago
Jews believe more bad behaviour from Noah descendants after Noah covenent
God chose Abraham to worship one God and follow Noachide laws
Abraham showed God people still followed God
New covenant with God established
Homeland
In Abraham covenant, God promised Jewish people the land of Canaan
Israel known as homeland
Jews believe their land is set aside by
Godfrey Jews to live and practise their religion
Melachot
39 forbidden things for Shabbat
Not all from modern world
