Orthodox Judaism

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Comunicación y Gerencia

• Orthodox Judaism

Philosophy Instructor Dr. Baird Cindy
STUDENT October 17, 2006
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What is Judaism?

• Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish
  people.
• Judaism does not characterize itself as a
  religion, rather Jews have traditionally thought
  of Judaism as a culture with its own language,
  history, ancestral homeland, philosophy, and set
  of ethics.
• It is their identity.

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Judaism was established in 1300 b.c.e on Mt.
Sinai in Mesopotamia. The words of the Torah was
spoken to Moses by God.
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• Number of Adherents
• There are over 14 million Jewish people in the
  world with over 6 million in the United States.
  Israel ranks second with 5 million.
• A few generations ago, the Orthodox was the
  dominant form of Judaism. Today fewer than one
  fifth of Jews are Orthodox.
• www.factindex.com

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What is Orthodox Judaism?

• A Jew is someone born to a Jewish mother or who
  converts to Judaism in accordance with Jewish law
  and tradition.
• Orthodoxy rejects patrilineal descent they do
  not allow intermarriage.
• Intermarriage is considered a deliberate
  rejection of Judaism.
• www.jewishaz.com

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Ecclesiastical Law

• Orthodox Judaism believes in strict adherence to
  the traditional codes of Halakha or Jewish Law.
• Halakha is based on the commandments in the
  Torah, the first five books in the Old Testament.
• They do not seek converts.

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Holy Work of Judaism

• Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament,
  is The Written Law of Judaism.
• Talmud is The Oral Law.

www.factindex.com
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Clergy

• Hazzan (cantor)
• Rabbi they are given the authority to make
  interpretations of Jewish Law and Custom.

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Requirements to be Clergy

• A man obtains smicha (rabbinic ordination) after
  the completion of an arduous learning program in
  Tora, Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Mishnah and Talmud.
  They must also study Jewish ethics and lore, the
  codes of Jewish law, and philosophy.
• Women are strictly forbidden from becoming rabbis
  or cantors.
• www.jewishaz.com

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Holy Days

• Yom Kipper- Day of Atonement
• Forbidden to eat or drink, wear leather shoes,
  have marital relations, or anoint oneself.
• Guaranteed to be forgiven if you truly repent.

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Holy Days

• Passover
• An important Jewish festival commemorating the
  exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt and their safe
  flight across the Red Sea.
• The primary symbol of Passover is matzo, a flat
  unleavened bread.

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Holy Days
Chanukah- The Festival of Lights A menorah is
placed in the window and each night one candle is
lit. This celebrates the rededication of the
temple when they only had enough oil to last one
night and through a miracle it lasted seven.



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Holy Days

• Rosh Hashonoh- Season of Remembrance
• The anniversary of the day God created Adam and
  Eve.
• May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year,
  good life and peace.

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Communion with God

• The Jewish Holy Day or Sabbath starts at sunset
  on Friday and continues until sunset on Saturday.
  They cannot do anything that counts as work
  including cooking or driving.
• Their place of worship
• is a synagogue.

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Birth Rituals

• Birth When a child is born they are given a
  name to inscribe on their birth certificate and a
  Hebrew name that isnt officially given to them
  until the Brit Milah (for the male child) or
  Simchat Bat (for the female child).

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Male Birth Rituals

• Brit Milah or circumcision is performed to
  symbolize the covenant between God and Israel. A
  baby boy is circumcised on the eighth day of
  life. The ceremony includes giving the baby his
  Hebrew name.
• Traditionally the ceremony is conducted by a
  mohel ( a person ritually trained to perform
  circumcisions).

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Female Birth Rituals
Simchat Bat Ceremony The birth of a baby girl
traditionally is marked in the synagogue on the
Sabbath, when her parents are called to the
Torah to give the newborn girl her Hebrew name.
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Coming of Age Rituals

• At age 13 for a boy and 12 or 13 for a girl, a
  child reaches adulthood and becomes a bar or bat
  mitzvah, or son or daughter of the commandments.
• The ceremony is a public declaration of the
  child's acceptance to participate in the Jewish
  community.
• In the synagogue the child is called upon to
  recite the Torah blessings. Friends and family
  attend and celebrate with a festive meal
  afterwards.

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Marriage Rituals

• Marriage is a sacred act essential for
  procreation and self fulfillment.
• The marriage takes place under a canopy
• (chuppal), symbolizing the home the couple will
  share.
• The main elements are
• 1. Kiddush erusin (sanctification of
  betrothal).
• 2. Betrothal blessing.
• 3. Presentation of the ring.

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Marriage Rituals

• 4. Reading of the Ketubah and its presentation
  to the bride.
• 5. Recitation of Sheva Brachat (seven marriage
  blessings).
• 6. Nissuin (drinking of the wine to sanctify
  the marriage).
• 7. Breaking the glass under the heel of your
  foot (to remember the destruction of the Temple
  in Jerusalem, even at joyous occasions).
• www.jewishaz.com

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• Influential Practioners
• Moses was the first Rabbi of
• the children of Israel. He is known
• to many Jews as Moshe Rabbeinu,
• (Moses, our Teacher).
• Yehuda Amital is an Hungarian survivor of the
  Holocaust and a dominant figure in Israel.

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Death Rituals

• The Jewish traditions related to death and
  mourning are intended to recognize death as a
  part of life. The traditions of preparing the
  body (Taharah), sitting Shiva (a seven day period
  of mourning), and observing Yahrzeit
• (prayer for the dead), all guide Jews through a
  difficult time.

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Taharah

• The Jewish ritual of preparing the dead for
  burial is called Taharah. The Jewish community
  has a voluntary burial society called the Chevra
  Kadisha. They believe that performing a Taharah
  is the ultimate mitzvah or worthy deed. A group
  of three or four people (usually women), prepares
  the body with the traditions handed down through
  generations.

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Taharah

• It starts with a prayer to ask forgiveness from
  the deceased for any errors they might make in
  preparing them. They handle the body with the
  utmost respect and modesty and dont speak unless
  absolutely necessary. The body is washed from
  head to toe with warm washcloths and wrapped in
  white burial shrouds. They anoint the eyes, ears,
  mouth, naval, and hands. The body is then
  sprinkled with earth from Israel. Prayers are
  interwoven throughout the process.

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Orthodox Judaism

• Orthodox means correct in teaching.
• Ultimate Reality- One God (YHWH).
• Purpose of Life Obedience to God
• How to Live Obey the Law and atone for sin.
• Symbol of Judaism
• Star of David