Judaism Identification

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normative judaism

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claims as to what judaism is "really about", ie the correct form of judaism

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amidah

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a standing prayer consisting of 19 paragraphs, this makes up the bulk of a service. recited at every prayer service

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apocyrpha

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additional parts from the Greek Jewish bible that are not in the Hebrew Bible, mostly preserved by christians

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birth

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first "celebration" in a jewish person's life, followed by circumcision, redemption of the firstborn, sometimes the "celebration of the daughter's birth"

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centrist orthodox

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a philosophy of Orthodox Judaism, concerning the interrelationship between the secular world and Judaism, and in particular between secular knowledge and Jewish knowledge.

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chosen people

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Loaded term, sometimes gets Jews in trouble
How are the Jews special?
Making the covenant with god?
Not following the covenant properly?
Some demographic problem has followed the "chosen people" -- they are a huge minority today, maybe they were "chosen" to be persecuted

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circumcision

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Form of protection for male babies
Takes place on 8th day, time when male baby is named
The time when a Jewish child is initiated into the covenant of Abraham
No female equivalent
way for men to be entered into a covenant with god

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codes

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Tens of thousands documents from the practice of law, fewer than twelve codes
These come from oral torah
Ancient society wasn't literate, oral tradition had a greater influence
legal literature

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conservative judaism

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Relatively recent movement, exists primarily in the USA
About a century old
Mixture of scholarly considerations and traditional ones -- hybrid of several different values
Some followers concerned with Rabbinic law, some aren't
More traditional than reconstructionist and reform

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creatio anno mundi

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Anno Mundi (Latin: "in the year of the world"), abbreviated as AM or A.M., refers to a Calendar era based on the Biblical creation of the world. The Hebrew calendar is based after this

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Daily Prayer service

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3 services a day, correspond to sacrifices made in the temple
in most places, afternoon and evening services are back to back

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day of atonement

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Considered by many the holiest day of the year
Like a sabbath
Fast for the duration of Yom Kippur even if it falls on the sabbath, dominates the sabbath
Cleansing
Some crazy people have themselves whipped before the day to atone for their sins

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day of rejoicing of the torah

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simhat torah
medieval holiday
in Babylon the torah was read once a year, simhat torah is the day that it was finished

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death

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there are lots of rituals, superstitions, strange practices
the body is considered sacred -- organs can't be removed until after death
corpses are never left alone, are covered
preparations for burial take place as soon as possible

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derash

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non-literal meaning, another kind of analysis

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Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly (Shemini Atzeret)

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part of sukkot
8th day
often combined with simhat torah

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Exegesis and eisegesis

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things derived from the torah and things read into it
reflected in commentaries, sermons, artwork

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greco roman period

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Period when Jesus lived
Most literature written by Jews in the earlier part of this period is available to us because it was preserved by Christians
Probably the least known period in Jewish history

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Halakhah

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literally "the way you walk"
the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law (the 613 mitzvot) and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.

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hannukah

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a minor holiday, celebrates the Hasmonean revolt
"festival of lights", lasts eight days

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haredi

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a branch of orthodox judaism, also called "ultra orthodox"
very conservative
stereotypical images of jews emerge from haredi customs

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Jerusalem

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capital under King David
home of the Temple Mount

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kaddish

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In aramaic
Used as a mourner's prayer

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kedushah

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traditionally the third section of all Amidah recitations

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minhag

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custom, not nearly as binding as law
ie black suits for Jewish men

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Lag Ba-Omer

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a holiday that commemorates a plague

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lunisolar calendar

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a calendar in many cultures whose date indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year
the Jewish calendar is one of these

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magic and folklore

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examples include amulets, white rocks, the evil eye, hamsas

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marriage

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ceremony divided into two parts, first is a formal engagement, second is wedding
traditions like breaking a glass -- to indicate mourning for temple

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medieval period

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Material produced then is very important
Distribution of Jews in many European countries
Influence from Arabic literature/Islam
Expulsion of Jews from Portugal in 1492

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midrash

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applying the bible to personal circumstances
Seeking an oracle
Analyzing a text

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minor fasts

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last from sun-up to sundown, commemorate random events in jewish history
there are 5

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mishnah

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rabbinic text, divided into 63 tractates, 6 categories
Agriculture, holidays, civil laws about women, damages, purity laws, sacrifices
key text of rabbinic literature, written circa 200 CE

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modern period of judaism

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contemporary judaism, most important events are the holocaust and the establishment of the state of Israel

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new moon

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not particularly significant but still observed; there is a custom that women don't work on the new moon

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ninth of av

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day of mourning for the destruction of the temple
in august

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oral torah

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refers to rabbinic texts like the talmud, traditions handed down, applications, other ideas

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pentecost

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shavuot, pilgrimage holiday, takes place 50 days after passover, celebrates giving of ten commandments

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peshat

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literal meaning of text

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philosophy and mysticism

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codes, responsa, philosophy (limited to mostly middle ages)

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pseudepigrapha

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books not in the greek bible, usually written by jews, preserved by christians

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rabbinic/talmudic period

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ends in 7th century
period when rabbinic texts were written

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reconstructionist movement

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Founded by Mordecai Kaplan
Had radical ideas about how Judaism should be practiced in the USA