The Talmud contains the Mishnah and another text known as the Gemara which examines the Mishnah. It includes the interpretations of thousands of rabbis and outlines the importance of commandments of Jewish law.
The first version of the Talmud was finalized around the 3rd century A. The second form was completed during the 5th century A. Judaism embraces several other written texts and commentaries. One example is the 13 Articles of Faith, which was written by a Jewish philosopher named Maimonides. Shabbat is recognized as a day of rest and prayer for Jews. It typically begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday.
Observing Shabbat can take many forms, depending on the type of Judaism that a Jewish family may follow. Orthodox and Conservative Jews, for example, may refrain from performing any physical labor, using any electrical device or other prohibited activities. Most observant Jews celebrate Shabbat by reading or discussing the Torah, attending a synagogue or socializing with other Jews at Shabbat meals.
Throughout history, Jewish people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. Some well-known events include:. The group also kidnapped and crucified Joseph ibn Naghrela, the Jewish vizier to the Berber king. The First Crusade: In the first of the Crusades —a series of medieval holy wars involving Christians and Muslims—thousands of Jews were killed, and many were forced to convert to Christianity. Experts estimate about , people were ousted and tens of thousands died while trying to reach safety.
The Holocaust: In the Holocaust , the most infamous of modern-day atrocities, the Nazis murdered more than 6 million Jews. During and after the Holocaust, many Jews returned to their homeland in the Middle East region known as Palestine and embraced Zionism , a movement for the creation of a Jewish state that emerged in 19th-century Europe. In , Israel officially became an independent nation. David Ben-Gurion , one of the leading promoters of a Jewish nation state, was given the title of prime minister.
This event was considered a success for the Jewish people who had tirelessly petitioned for an independent state in their homeland. However, tensions between Jews and Arabs living in Palestine escalated in the years since Israel became a state and are still ongoing today. Orthodox Judaism : Orthodox Jews are typically known for their strict observance of traditional Jewish law and rituals.
Orthodox Judaism is a diverse sect that includes several subgroups, including Hasidic Jews. This form started in the 18th century in Eastern Europe and holds different values than traditional or ultra-Orthodox Judaism.
This is then followed by the hazzan's mini-repetition of the Amidah, Magen Avot, a digest of the seven benedictions. In some Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogues the second chapter of Mishnah tractate Shabbat, Bameh Madlikin, is read at this point, instead of earlier.
The service then follows with the Aleinu. Kiddush is recited in the synagogue in Ashkenazi and a few Sephardi communities. Most Sephardi and many Ashkenazi synagogues end with the singing of Yigdal, a poetic adaptation of Maimonides' 13 principles of Jewish faith.
Other Ashkenazi synagogues end with Adon 'olam instead. Shabbat morning prayers begin the same as the regular morning services. Of the hymns, Psalm is omitted, its place being taken in the Ashkenazi tradition by Psalms 19, 34, 90, 91, , , 33, 92, Sephardic Jews maintain a different order, add several psalms and two religious poems.
The Nishmat prayer is recited at the end of the Pesukei D'Zimrah. The blessings before Shema are expanded, and include the hymn El Adon, which is often sung communally.
The fourth intermediary benediction of the Shaharit Amidah begins with Yismah Mosheh. The Torah scroll is taken out of the Ark, and the weekly portion is read, followed by the haftarah. After the Torah reading, three prayers for the community are recited.
Two prayers starting with Yekum Purkan, composed in Babylon in Aramaic, are similar to the subsequent Mi sheberakh, a blessing for the leaders and patrons of the synagogue. The Sephardim omit much of the Yekum Purkan. The Musaf service starts with the silent recitation of the Amidah. It is followed by a second public recitation that includes an additional reading known as the Kedushah.
This is followed by the Tikanta Shabbat reading on the holiness of Shabbat, and then by a reading from the biblical Book of Numbers about the sacrifices that used to be performed in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Next comes Yismechu, "They shall rejoice in Your sovereignty"; Eloheynu, "Our God and God of our Ancestors, may you be pleased with our rest"; Retzei, "Be favorable, our God, toward your people Israel and their prayer, and restore services to your Temple. After the Amidah comes the full Kaddish, followed by Ein ke'eloheinu. In Orthodox Judaism this is followed by a reading from the Talmud on the sacrifices that used to be performed in the Temple in Jerusalem. These readings are usually omitted by Conservative Jews, and are always omitted by Reform Jews.
The Sabbath Mincha commences with Psalm and the prayer U'va le-Tziyon, after which the first section of the next weekly portion is read from the Torah scroll. Midrash Tehillim Praying in public affirms that a person is a member of a community, and when they do so, an individual puts themselves into the context of other Jews, and to some extent puts their own particular situation aside to put the community first.
And attending regular services, and following the order of the prayer book, is a valuable spiritual discipline, and a mechanism that enables a person to spend time with God on a regular basis.
The Jewish prayer book is drawn from the writings of the Jewish people across the ages. It contains the wisdom of great thinkers, and some of the most beautiful Hebrew poetry. Spending time with these prayers enables a Jewish person to absorb the spiritual teachings of the Jewish people. For example, this extract from the Morning Service is a profound lesson in the nature of God, as well as an act of worship.
Blessed be He who spoke and the world came into being; blessed be He. Blessed be He who maintains the creation. Blessed be He who speaks and performs.
Often a cantor , called the hazzan, stands at the front facing the aron hakodesh to lead prayers, which are often sung or chanted. The siddur is used during each service. It contains the daily prayers. Opening prayers are usually said, and these are followed by a recitation of the Shema.
The Shema is the Jewish declaration of faith , and Jews have a duty to recite it three times a day. The Amidah is a prayer that is central to Jewish worship. It is performed standing and in silence while facing Jerusalem. Worshippers think over the words in their minds rather than saying them out loud. Services also contain readings from the Torah.
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