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Exploring Judaism

Here is some basic information about topics in Judaism to help students understand key aspects of the Jewish religion that we get asked about frequently.

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Jewish Calendar

Yearly Cycle

The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, based on both the lunar and solar cycles. It is important that these cycles coincide.

The Torah teaches us that Pesach (Passover) is a Spring festival and as such must always occur in the Spring.

The solar calendar is 365 ¼ days, whereas a 12 month lunar calendar is 354 days leaving a shortage of 11 days.

Every 4 years the solar calendar has a leap year of one extra day on 29 February.

In order to keep Jewish festivals in their seasons a lunar leap month of 30 days is added to Adar. This occurs 7 times in 19 years.

Jewish Calendar
Jewish Calendar

Hebrew Months

Month Transliteration Month falls between
ניסן Nissan March - April
אייר Iyar April - May
סיון Sivan May - June
תמוז Tammuz June - July
אב Av July - August
אלול Elul August - September
תשׁרי Tishrei September - October
חשׁון Chesvan October - November
ּכסלו Kislev November - December
טבת Tevet Third December - January
שׁבט Shevat January - February
אדר א Adar February - March
אדר ב Adar Sheni Lunar Leap Month

Shabbat and the Festivals

A day in Jewish Life begins in the evening, it says In the Torah, “and there was evening, and there was morning, a first day….” Genesis chapter 1 verse 5 and so Shabbat and Festivals start the evening beforehand.

Shabbat

Begins at nightfall on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday. It is a day of rest

Shabbat at Home
Shabbat at Home

Rosh Chodesh

New Moon
New Moon

The first day of each Hebrew month – when the new moon appears.

Rosh Hashanah – 1 Tishrei

The Jewish New Year, the start of the religious year. The beginning of the 10 Days of Awe. The Shofar – a ram’s horn (one of the world’s oldest musical instruments) is blown. Round Challot (bread) are eaten and also apples dipped in honey for a sweet New Year.

Two Shofrot
Two Shofrot

Yom Kippur – 10 Tishrei

Day of Atonement  – 25 hour fast when neither food nor drink is taken. The focus of the service which continues throughout the period is on repentance, prayer and atonement.

Three Pilgrim Festivals

Traditionally Jewish people gathered at the Temple in Jerusalem on Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, bringing harvest offerings. Although there is no Temple today, each Jewish community celebrates these festivals in their own homes and synagogues.

Sukkot – 15 Tishrei

Feast of Tabernacles, 8 day festival, reminding us of the journey from Egypt, living in temporary shelters during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, these dwellings were called Sukkot. Also when the Children of Israel were finally living in the Promised Land they celebrated the Autumn harvest festival of the year.

Model of a Sukkah
Model of a Sukkah

Pesach – 15 Nissan

Seder Plate
Seder Plate

(Passover) 8 day festival marking the Exodus from slavery in Egypt, when Moses led the Children of Israel to the Promised Land of Israel.

Shavuot – 6 Sivan

Pentecost occurs 7 weeks after Pesach and commemorates the time when Moses ascended Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments.

10 Commandments embroidered on Parochet
10 Commandments
embroidered on Parochet

Chanukah – 25 Kislev

Chanukia made off brass
Brass Chanukia

Festival of Lights, celebrated for 8 Days, commemorates the miraculous rededication of the desecrated Temple in the year 167 BCE by Antiochus IV of the Selucide Empire.

Tu B'Shevat – 15 Shevat

New Year for Trees, marking the beginning of Spring. Celebrated by planting trees and eating different nuts and fruits.

Tree Certificate
Tree Certificate

Purim – 14 Adar

Greggars
Greggars

Celebrating the deliverance of the Jewish people from evil Haman the Aggagite during the reign of Ahasuerus (Artaxerxes II see Book of Esther)

Synagogue

A synagogue or shul is a Jewish house of prayer.

The Synagogue has distinct components.

Adelaide Road Synagogue
Adelaide Road Synagogue

The Bimah

Walworth Road Bimah
Walworth Road Bimah

A raised  platform from where the service is conducted and reading of the Torah takes place, sometimes the Bimah is in the middle or at the front of the Shul.

The Aron Kodesh

The Holy Ark is where the Torah Scrolls of The Law are kept. A depiction of the ten commandments is over the Ark  A parochet (curtain) hangs in front of the doors, to remind us of the curtain that covered the Ark of the Covenant, as we read in Exodus chapter 40 verse 21.

Greenville Hall Bimah
Greenville Hall - Aron Kodesh

The Ner Tamid

Adelaide Road - Ner Tamid
Adelaide Road - Ner Tamid

The Eternal Light, usually placed in front of the Holy Ark to remember of the fire that burned continually in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Seating

In Orthodox Synagogues men and women sit separately. Sometimes the women sit upstairs in the gallery, sometimes on the same level as the men but separated by a curtain or a decorative trellis called a mechitzah. In non orthodox synagogues, families may sit together.

Seating in Adelaide Road
Seating in Adelaide Road

The Home

Shabbat at Home
Shabbat at Home

Shabbat and Festivals are celebrated at home as well as in the synagogue.

Lighting the Candles

The Shabbat and Festivals are welcomed by kindling two candles and reciting the blessing.

Shabbat Candle Sticks
Shabbat Candle Sticks

Kiddush

Limerick Synagogue Kiddush Cup - Silver
Kiddush Cup
Kiddush is a blessing recited over a cup of wine sanctifying the holiness of the day.

Hamotzi

Two Challot (special plaited loaves of bread) are also on the table, reminding us of the double portion of Manna that the Children of Israel collected in the wilderness prior to Shabbat. We also remember the Shewbread that was on display in the Temple in Jerusalem

Pair of Challot
Pair of Challot

Havdallah

Havdalah Set
Havdalah Set

After nightfall, we bid farewell to Shabbat and Festivals by making Havdallah (The Separation) reciting a short prayer over wine, sweet spices and lighting a special double wicked plaited candle.

Pesach

An eight day festival celebrating the redemption from slavery in Egypt. Our houses must be cleaned from cellar to attic – no chametz (anything with leaven) may be eaten for a week.

On the first and second night a Seder – special meal is held, the Haggadah is read recounting the story of the Exodus – special symbolic food is eaten and children are encouraged to ask questions.

Haggadah
Haggadah

Seder Dish

Seder Dish
Seder Dish

The seder plate holds at least six of the ritual items that are talked about during the seder: the shankbone, karpas, chazeret, charoset, maror, and egg.

  • Zeroah – roasted lamb shankbone: commemorates the paschal (lamb) sacrifice made the night the ancient Hebrews left Egypt. The blood of the lamb was painted on the door posts of the houses of the Hebrews so that the angel of death would “passover” their houses.
  • Baytzah – the roasted egg: symbolises springtime and renewal and reminds us of one of the sacrificial offerings which was performed in the days of the Second Temple.
  • Maror – bitter herb: horseradish is the most common. Bitter herbs bring tears to the eyes and recall the bitterness of slavery.
  • Charoset – mixture of grated apples, nuts, wine, and cinnamon that represents the mortar used by the Hebrew slaves to make bricks.
  • Karpas – parsley reminds us of spring, dip a sprig into salt water – then eat.
  • Chazeret – a second bitter herb, most often romaine lettuce or onion.
  • Salt water – Salt water symbolizes the tears and sweat of enslavement.

Four Cups of Wine (or grape juice)

Each person at the seder has a small cup or glass from which they drink four cups of wine. Traditionally, the four cups represent the four biblical promises of redemption:

“I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,
I will rid you from their slavery,
I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments.
I will take you to me for a people.”

Matzah

Unleavened bread – the most important symbol of Pesach is a plate with three pieces of matzah, covered with a Matzah dekel – a cloth.

Thought to represent:

  • Cohenim – the high priests – descended from Aharon
  • Levites – who assisted the priests – descended from tribe of Levi.
  • Israelites – descended from Jacob – whose name was changed to Israel.
Matzah
Matzah

Keeping Kosher

Kashrut - Dietary Laws

National Council of Shechita Boards
Licence to sell kosher food

In the Torah, Leviticus Chapter II, G-d tells the Children of Israel the foods that they are permitted and those that they are forbidden to eat.

Meat

Only those animals that have both cloven hooves and chew the cud, such as cows, sheep, goats and some wild animals such as deer. Pigs are not permitted because they do not chew the cud.

Birds or Fowl

Domestic birds such as chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese may be eaten, however birds of prey are not permitted.

Animals and birds must be ritually killed by a “Shochet” a person trained in the laws of “Shechita” – a quick and painless method of slaughter. The process drains all blood, certain fats and the sciatic nerve, only then can it be pronounced as Kosher – fit to eat.

Fish

Must have both fins and scales and must not be scavengers. Shell fish is not permitted.

Milk and Eggs

Must only come from Kosher Animals or birds.

The Torah forbids the cooking and eating of meat and milk products together. Therefore it is necessary to have at least two sets of cooking and eating utensils – even the washing up is done separately. There also needs to be an interval between eating meat and dairy products and also between eating dairy and meat products.

Fruit and Vegetables

Must be carefully inspected to  make sure that they are insect, bug and mould free.

Ritual Objects

Torah

Torah is the name given to the first Five Books of the Bible.

  1. Bereishit        (Genesis )
  2. Shemot.         (Exodus)
  3. Vakira.            (Leviticus)
  4. Bamidbar.      (Numbers)
  5. Devarim.         (Deuteronomy)
 
A Sefer Torah, or Torah scroll, is the holiest object in Judaism. It comprises the five books of Moses and must be written by a specially trained scribe called a Sofer. 
 
The Torah is read in synagogue on Shabbat, Festivals, the days that the new moon appears and at morning service  on Monday and Thursday.
 
The scroll is mounted on two wooden rollers, bound with a binder and covered with an embroidered mantle of either velvet or silk. A silver breastplate may be placed to hang on the front of the Torah. A silver pointer called a Yad (hand) is used to follow the text when reading from the scroll in order to protect the parchment.
Torah Scroll – Walworth Road
Torah Scroll – Walworth Road

Mezuzah

Mezuzah
Mezuzah
A small piece of parchment (klaf) handwritten with great care by a Sofer (scribe) containing
verses from Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 4–9 and chapter 11 verses 13–21.  Beginning with the words of the “Shema” the watchword of the Jewish People “Hear O Israel The Lord is our G-d The Lord is One”.
 
On the other side of the Klaf is written a single Hebrew word Shadai meaning Almighty, the klaf is tightly rolled and placed in a special case, then affixed to the right hand door frame of the house. Fulfilling the command in the Torah “to inscribe these words upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates”. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 7.

Tefillin

2 small leather boxes, square and painted black containing 4 carefully written paragraphs from the Torah –

  • Exodus chapter 13 verses 1–10
  • Exodus chapter 13 verses 11–16
  • Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 4–9
  • Deuteronomy chapter 11 verses 13–21

They are worn, attached by leather straps, on the upper left arm and on the head. Males over the age of 13 (Bar Mitzvah) wear these at the weakly morning service.

Both the Mezuzah and the Tefillin serve to remind us to keep and to do G-d’s commandments as we leave and enter the house and as we stand and pray in the morning.

Tefillin and Bag
Tefillin and Bag

Tallit

Tallit
Tallit

A four cornered garment like a shawl with special twined and knotted fringes (known as tzitzit) attached to its four corners, worn at morning services. It serve to remind the wearer of the 613 commandments that are mentioned in the Torah.

Kippa (Yarmulke)

A head covering sometimes called a Yarmulke and translated as a skull cap. It is worn as a sign of humility to G-d. Some will wear a hat for the same purpose.

Souvenir Yarmulke
Souvenir Yarmulke

Shofar

Two Shofrot
Two Shofrot
A horn taken from a ram and blown at Rosh Hashanah (New Year) and at the end of the fast on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
 
In Biblical times it was used to sound announcements to the Israelites in the wilderness and later in the Temple.

Menorah

The design and construction details for the menorah which stood in the Temple were revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness; details can be found in the Book of Exodus chapter 25 verses 31–40.

Menorah
Menorah

Chanukiah

Chanukia made off brass
Brass Chanukia

During Chanukah (also known as the Festival of Lights) a nine branched candelabra with eight candles in a row and a separate light known as the shamash (servant) is lit. The shamash and one candle on the first night, the shamash and two on the second and so on until all eight candles are lit on the final night.

This commemorates the number of days it took for the Maccabees to bring fresh oil to rededicate the Temple — during this time an oil lamp with a single cruse of oil which would normally give light for one day, burnt for the whole eight  

Rites of Passage

Birth

Throughout the ages the birth of a child has been greeted not only with profound joy but with the hope of survival for the Jewish people.
 
A baby girl receives her Hebrew name in the synagogue after her father has been called up to the Torah. A baby boy receives his Hebrew name eight days after his birth at his Brit Milah (circumcision).
 
If a mother’s first born child is a boy, a ceremony called Pidyon Haben (Redeeming of the Firstborn) takes place 30 days after his birth. First born boys were intended to be priests, over time that was changed and then the father could redeem the child from the priests for a payment of five shekels.

Bar and Bat Mitzvah

Bar Mitzvah - Harry Wine
Bar Mitzvah - Harry Wine

As a child matures into adulthood and begins to take on the responsibility of an adult in the community, a girl becomes Bat Mitzvah at the age of 12 and a boy becomes Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13 and this is when he begins to wear Tifillin.

Marriage

A traditional Jewish wedding takes place under a Chuppah (Marriage Canopy). The bride and groom stand together with the rabbi and the ceremony begins with the rabbi reciting the betrothal blessing over a cup of wine, he gives a sip of wine to the groom and then to the bride.

The groom places a ring on the bride’s finger and recites the betrothal pledge. The Ketubah (marriage contract) is read out and the Sheva B’rachot (seven blessings) are recited. Finally a glass is put on the floor and the groom smashes it with his foot, the wedding is over and people shout out Mazel Tov! Good luck!

Walworth Road Chuppah
Walworth Road Chuppah

Death

Ballybough Cemetery
Ballybough Cemetery

When a death occurs the person is prepared by washing carefully, dressed in a simple white shroud and then placed in a plain wooden coffin. This work is carried out by a group called the Chevra Kadisha: men prepare males and women prepare females.

Funerals take place very soon after death, after the interment. Shiva, a period of seven days of mourning, is observed by the immediate family. Family and friends come to comfort the mourners in their home and prayers are recited.

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