In Judaism the word Kabbalah in common form means to receive, and in fact in Modern Hebrew, one would interpret the word as “receipt”.  If you bought something in a store, you would be given a “Kabbalah” as receipt of purchase.

Yet for those who sincerely believe in the power of Kabbalah, it has a much deeper significance. To its many followers throughout the World, Kabbalah stands for immeasurably more.

The earliest followers of Kabbalah were reputed around the thirteenth century, and to have hailed from the region of Provence, particularly around the port city of Marseille.   It was more than likely that from Marseille that the teachings of the Kabbalah gradually spread into Spanish city of Gerona, encouraged by the learned scholar, Nahmanides.  Nahmanides is regarded as being the driving force behind the spread of the Kabbalah throughout Europe over the space of decades and when the Spanish inquisition began in the late fifteenth century, Jews driven from the country spread the message of Kabbalah to the United Kingdom, the United States and around the World.

Over the course of hundreds of years the followers of Kabbalah have come to be regarded as following a more relaxed form of Judaism which can almost regarded as reform in its nature which can largely explain why it has gathered many hundreds of thousands of followers throughout the World who are looking for a less structured from of religion to follow, irrespective of whether they were born into the Jewish religion or not.

Many high profile stars from the World of entertainment have begun to follow the Kabbalah teachings with pop diva Madonna being probably the best known. Madonna’s interest in Kabbalah probably stems from the spiritual transformation that following it brings as well as the emphasis on the many charms and trinkets associated with Kabbalah.

The best known and most popular of the Kabbalah charms is the famous red string bracelet, which is always worn on their left wrist by followers of the faith. Speculation has it that the practice of wearing a piece of red string around the wrist  began when followers of Kabbalah who congregated at the ancient religious site of Rachel’s tomb in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem., would tie a piece of red string around a rock at the entrance to the synagogue to ward off the evil eye. At the end of service, the elders of the congregation would cut the red string into lengths long enough to make a bracelet, so that the evil eye would continue to be warded off and negative influences be unable to enter the wearer’s body as well as their spirit.

Among the other well known wearers of the Kabbalah bracelet you will find Paris Hilton, David and Victoria Beckham and Demi Moore. While the Kabbalah bracelet is the most well known charm to Kabbalah followers, the Hamsa is not far behind.

In the form of an open hand, the hamsa is often worn as part of a necklace or as part of a key chain. However in Israel it is often found as a decorative element hanging or attached to the wall near the front door of a family home, as it is also reported to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck and health to the family.

Many of the hamsa designs will incorporate a fish, which are a very powerful symbol of god luck in Judaism in general and Kabbalah in particular. Some of the larger “Hamsot” will have prayers engraved on them, either a blessing form the home, or if someone decides to place a Hamsa in their car, they can ask for one with traveler’s prayer “Tefilat HaDerech” inscribed on it.

Purim is one of the more raucous celebrations celebrated by the Jewish people, commemorating their liberation from the evil emperor Haman ruler of the ancient Persian empire. At this point in history, the Jewish people found themselves living in Persia as unwilling exiles from the Kingdom of Judah.

The story of Purim is recorded in the Book of Esther (Megillat Esther). An interesting fact is that so sure was Haman that he would be successful in his mission to annihilate all of the Jews living in the Persian kingdom and steal of their money and possessions, that to create some added interest, he even allowed his followers to draw lots to decide which day the massacre would take place. Esther was a queen, the wife of King Ahasuerus and when she discovered Haman’s plans to destroy the Jews and take all off their money; she foiled the plot and arranged for Haman to be replaced by her cousin Mordechai. Ahasuerus, in turn issued a decree allowing the Jews to destroy Haman and his evil crew. To celebrate the victory, a great feast was held and noisy celebrations were held to mark the fact that once again the Jewish people had survived another attempt to destroy them.

That’s why Purim is celebrated each year on the fourteenth day of Adar, according to the Hebrew calendar. According to Jewish tradition, the festival begins at dusk on the previous secular day, known as Erev Purim. Purim ends at dusk of the following days. In the holy city of Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, as it was regarded as being a walled city and the tradition has also remained.

Purim is a festival where families put a lot of effort in preparing plates of food and drink, usually wine to be given as gifts. Known as mishloach manot, these gifts are usually based around triangular shaped cakes, known as Hamentachen, which indicates the shape of hat that the evil despot was inclined to wear. These mishloach manot are always received gratefully and reciprocated.

Purim is also closely associated with helping the poor and the needy. These days’ members of the congregation are inclined to give a donation to the synagogue so that they can fairly allocate the money and goods contributed.

In the synagogue on Erev Purim, the Scroll of Esther is always read out loud, often to the background of booing and hissing, stamping of feet and anything that makes a lot of noise whenever Haman’s name is mentioned. In recent years, children, traditionally dressed in a festive costume, were allowed to bring a noisy rattle or grogger as they are also known, into the synagogue. They would wave them in the air, making a tremendous sound whenever Mordecai’s name was mentioned or the victory of the Jewish army over Haman. The atmosphere in the synagogue at Purim is always exceptionally joyful and noisy.

After the reading of the Megillat Esther, the next stage in the celebrations is a family meal known as se’udat Purim, and to round off the evening. Purim is one of the Jewish festivals where there is no limit to how much wine can be drunk, and in honour of the occasion many adults end the meal in a reasonably advanced state of inebriation.

It is also a tradition of Purim to organise pantomimes where Haman and Mordechai are depicted as a sort of Punch and Judy, while in Israel in recent years, huge street parties are organised to celebrate Purim.

The Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah as it translates into Hebrew, although the literal translation for Rosh Hashanah is “Head of the Year”

Rosh Hashanah falls during the month of Tishrei, and always ten days before the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are regarded by most as the most important days in the Judaic calendar, and are generally known as the Days of Awe or Yamim Nora’im, in Hebrew. Jews in the Diaspora normally will refer to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as the High Holidays.

The month of Tishrei holds very special significance for observant Jews because it is believed that Tishrei is the month during which God created the world. While many Jewish festivals are celebrated for just one day in Israel, and for two among Jews in the Diaspora, Rosh Hashanah is observed over two days around the World, and always on the first two days of Tishrei. There are several reasons given for this, but it is generally accepted that because of uncertainty of when the new moon would be observed, the Torah sages decided that the festival should be celebrated over two days.

Tradition demands that Jews should use the days immediately before Rosh Hashanah as well as the days leading up to Yom Kippur as a period of self-examination. Known as teshuvah, Jews should also repent for any wrong-doings they have perpetrated during the previous year, as well as making amends to anyone they may have wronged. Rosh Hashanah is regarded as the time for a person to set any plans that they have for self improvement in motion.

Although Rosh Hashanah, by nature, is a time for reassessment, it is still a festive occasion in most respects, and a reason for family and friends to s pray together, dine together and enjoy being together

The significance of Rosh Hashanah will always hit home, when attending the prayer service to celebrate the festival as it can last several hours, usually from early in the morning till well after lunch time. The service for Rosh Hashanah is conducted using a prayer book, known as the Mazhor. The Mazhor contains two of the most important and well known prayers in Judaism, Unetaneh Tohkef, which relates to the meaning of life and death, and Avienu Malkeinu which stands for “Our Father Our King” in Hebrew.

Blowing the shofar is one of the most well central parts of celebrating Rosh Hashanah. The shofar is to be blown one hundred times during the two days of Rosh Hashanah with the purpose of reminding people in the congregation of the implications of reflection.

Another tradition followed during Rosh Hashanah is known as Taschlich, which is followed during the first day of Rosh Hashanah. The meaning of “Tashlich” in Hebrew is to “cast off” and is enacted by a Jew tossing pieces of bread or another food into a body of flowing water, to depict the symbol of casting off the sins of the previous year

After all of the hours spent in synagogue, families enjoy congregating for a traditional Rosh Hashanah meal. The centre piece of the table will always be based around a plate containing apples and honey, which will symbolize a sweet new year while pomegranates are often found on traditional tables. The reason being that pomegranates are reported to contain no less than 613 seeds, one for each of the 613 mitzvoth.

Round challah bread will also be found at every table, its roundness symbolizing that the year has gone found circle. Ashkenazi Jews will also serve Gefilte fish and a sweet honey cake known as Lekach during Rosh Hashanah.

Honoring the Sabbath day, known as Shabbat in Hebrew, is considered the most important observance in Judaism.

The order to celebrate Shabbat originates in the ten commandments handed down to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. The fourth commandment (Exodus 20: 8-11; Deuteronomy 5: 14-15), translated from Hebrew, reads “Remember [observe] the Sabbath day and keep it holy”.

For Jewish people, the celebration of Shabbat honors God for creating the world in six days and resting on the seventh day. Jews around the World celebrate the day of rest and relaxation in many ways, each according to how they interpret their religion.

Shabbat commences at sunset on Friday evening and ends on Saturday at Sunrise. The duration of Shabbat should be around 25 hours, and according to the Torah, Motzeh – the end of Shabbat – begins when there are three stars in the sky.

Much of the celebration around Shabbat involves dining. A lot of care and thought goes into planning and preparing not only the Shabbat meal but also the table that it will be served on.

Since Shabbat is the day of rest, preparations for begin for it towards the middle of the week, with the mother of the home usually involved in planning the menu, and if there will be a large number of guests for Shabbat, who will be preparing what to eat. Once that issue has been settled, the mother of the family will devote whatever time is needed to prepare the family home so that there is no need to cook or clean on Shabbat.

As the onset of Shabbat approaches, the mother of the family will light two candles which remain lit for the entire 25 hours of Shabbat. The Torah instructs that should any candle extinguish them for any reason, it cannot be relit. The reason for lighting candles on Shabbat is to create an atmosphere of “peace in the home” as the Torah scribes hoped that the extra lights would prevent the strife and contention of praying and eating in the dark could cause.

The role of lighting the Shabbat candles goes to the mother of the family. She will place them in a set of candlesticks, usually made from silver, and whilst lighting them will whisper a prayer for her family whilst waving her arms in a manner that is designed to beckon the Shabbat into her home.

In recent years, since the advent of electricity, electric lights are switched on before Shabbat and remain lit for the duration. The timer switch has made keeping the home lit less of a financial burden, with lights being switched on and off without the need to press a switch, which is forbidden under Jewish law during Shabbat. Despite all this progress, the tradition of having lit two candles at the Shabbat Table remains as strong as ever.

The Shabbat meal is undoubtedly the family gathering of the week. Because it is forbidden to travel on Shabbat, families tended to live in close proximity to one another as well as to their synagogue. This meant that families and friends could walk to each other houses as well as to and from the synagogue. Whether by accident or design, this fact meant that the Shabbat meal invariably signaled a fairly massive gathering of family members and friends, ready to sit down to pray, sing and enjoy a good meal together.

After returning from Synagogue the family positions themselves around the table, which is usually long and narrow. Before the meal can be served, Kiddush is recited, and wine sipped from a special Kiddush cup. At one time, the quality of wine served at the Shabbat table was very low level. However, in recent years, with the revival of interest in wine making in Israel, many fine kosher wines are now available, making the mitzvah if drinking wine at the Shabbat table a much more pleasant experience.

Another centerpiece of the table will be the traditional Challah bread served on Shabbat. The Challah bread, usually bedecked in a velvet or satin cover represents the manna that fell from heavens as the Jews wandered the deserts after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt. According to Torah, Manna did not fall on Shabbat instead the Jews received a double portion on Fridays to tide them over. Challot can be readily recognized by their traditional braided style.

After the Shabbat meal has been served and enjoyed, the family will enjoy signing a series of traditional songs that celebrate the Shabbat. The hearty singing can continue for hours will signal the end of the evening. Family and friends who live nearby will set off for home, and guests who have come from out of walking distance will settle down to pass the night.

Shabbat morning begins with a visit to Synagogue for prayers followed by another Kiddush. Before lunch, weather permitting, families usually take a stroll around their neighborhood, stopping to chat with friends and acquaintances, before wending their way home for Lunch.

Although it is never mentioned in the Torah, Shabbat has become synonymous with serving Cholent for lunch. Cholent is believed to have originated from the Ashkenazi Jews. In order to fully observe the rules of Shabbat, over the centuries it became tradition to prepare a kind of stew that could be cooked in advance, and retain its taste for almost a whole day. The Cholent is cooked in a large metal pot which is brought to boil on Friday before Shabbat. It is then kept warm on special hotplate or electric stove until it can be served at lunchtime.

Whilst Shabbat was meant to be a day of rest, reflection and prayer, as is the case with most of the Jewish festivals, it has also developed to become a celebration of family togetherness and enjoying good food, good wine and good company.

Despite the fact, that traditions and laws have become less stringent and many Liberal Rabbis have proclaimed that it is possible to operate light switches on Shabbat, and even drive a car, the sanctity of the special day has remained untarnished.

A long running tradition celebrated in Judaism is the practice of Tzedakah. A literal translation of the word Tzedakah to English is “righteousness” yet for most Jewish people it is equivalent to ”charity”.

Jewish people often give Tzedakah as a way to thank God, for example, after a loved has recovered from illness, survived an accident or simply to celebrate a happy occasion such as a birth in the family or a marriage. This act of giving is one of the greatest “mitzvahs” that can be performed in the Jewish faith.

The normal practice is to place any coins or low denomination notes into what was known in Jewish circles as a “pushke”. Initially pushkes were hand- made and fairly basic.

While pushkes have been part of the scenery in Jewish homes for thousands of years, the concept of Tzedakah gained special significance during the early twentieth century, and especially after the Second World War, with the foundation of the Jewish State in Eretz Israel. The various organizations and charities that were established to help the infant state get on its feet, put great effort in placing Tzedakah boxes in every home, as well as every site where Jewish people congregated so that they could contribute whatever they could to the fledgling state.

The Jewish National Fund produced tens of thousands of simple metal tins to gather contributions. These tins, painted in the bright colors of the Israeli flag and resplendent with the Star of David were distributed by a team of volunteers. The volunteers wasted little time and spared no effort in gathering contributions, sometimes on a daily basis. The collections from these  modern Tzedakah boxes, especially in North and South America, as well as the UK and Australia played, a significant part in helping the state survive in the early days of her foundation.

It is apt that it is written in the Torah that the first Tzedakah was used to gather donations to renovate the First Temple in Jerusalem which had fallen into a state of advanced disrepair. Donations were gathered in a large wooden chest with a hole bored through the top. This simple wooden chest was the forerunner of the Tzedakah box and it is apt that the foundation of the modern State of Israel was aided and assisted by the same principal of giving.

In the 21st century, there are many Jewish people who have the means to donate to charities and in considerable amounts. In the age in which we live, these sums are donated by grants to specific charities and authorities who in turn distribute the contributions to help the needy and infirm. This means of giving is less hands on, and might even be regarded as in-personal. For this reason, most people have a Tzedakah box of some sort in their home.

Tzedakah boxes have now become examples of modern and ancient art with the finest of coppersmiths, silversmiths or even wood or stone carvers producing exquisite designs and craftsmanship that are given pride of place in the family home.

On Friday night, when the Sabbath begins, the Kiddush ceremony is carried out before sitting down to the Sabbath meal.

Kiddush, literally meaning  ”sanctification”, is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat or a Jewish holiday. The Torah refers to two requirements concerning Shabbat – to “keep it” and to “remember it” (shamor and zakhor). Jewish law therefore requires that Shabbat be observed in two respects. One must “keep it” by refraining from thirty-nine forbidden activities, and one must “remember it” by making special arrangements for the day, and specifically through the Kiddush ceremony.

Reciting Kiddush before the meal on the eve of Shabbat and Jewish holidays is thus regarded as a commandment from the Torah (as it is explained by the Oral Torah). Reciting Kiddush before the morning meal on Shabbat and holidays, however, is a requirement of rabbinic origin. Kiddush is not usually recited at the third meal on Shabbat, although Maimonides was of the opinion that wine should be drunk at this meal as well.

The term Kiddush is also used to refer to a ceremonial meal served at a synagogue following the recitation of Kiddush at the conclusion of services, in which refreshments are served. Traditionally, this often includes cake, crackers, and fish.

First, a cup of wine is filled and held in the hand by the person presiding, usually but not necessarily the father of the house, and the benediction over wine is recited. The Kiddush prayer is then recited:  “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hath hallowed us by Thy commandments and hast taken pleasure in us, and in love and favour hast given us Thy holy Sabbath as an inheritance, a memorial of the creation-that day being also the first day of the holy convocations, in remembrance of the departure from Egypt. For Thou hast chosen us and hallowed us above all nations, and in love and favour hast given us Thy holy Sabbath as an inheritance. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who hallowest the Sabbath.”

As a prelude to the Kiddush, the verses of the creation narrative which speak of the Sabbath (Genesis 2: 1-3) are recited. After the drinking of the wine, the benediction over bread is recited and the family partakes of the Sabbath meal.

To honor the mitzvah of reciting Kiddush, a silver goblet is often used, although any cup can suffice if necessary. The cup must hold a revi’it of liquid (about 76.5 milliters,[citation needed] although some try to use double this amount). After the person reciting the Kiddush drinks from the wine, the rest of it is passed around the table or poured out into small cups for the other participants. Alternatively, wine is poured for each of the participants before Kiddush.

Before reciting Kiddush, the challah, which will be the next food item eaten in honor of the Shabbat or holiday, is first covered with a cloth. According to Halakha, the blessing over bread takes precedence to the blessing over wine. However, in the interests of beginning the meal with Kiddush, the challah is covered to “remove” it from the table (some do not have the challah on the table at all during Kiddush). Some interpret the covering of the challah allegorically, explaining that just as we go out of our way to protect an inanimate object (the bread) from being “insulted” (by the blessing over wine taking precedence), we should display the same sensitivity toward the feelings of other people. Some do not have the challah on the table at all during Kiddush.

After prayer services on the Shabbat or holiday morning, Kiddush is often recited in the synagogue’s social hall, although the participants do not intend to sit down to a full meal. Instead, cake or other light refreshments are served. Some only recite Kiddush when they are about the partake of the full morning meal.

In the absence of wine or grape juice, the Friday night Kiddush may also be recited over the challah; the blessing over bread is substituted for the blessing over wine. In that case, the ritual hand-washing normally performed prior to consuming the challah is done before the recitation of Kiddush. Some groups, including German Jews, follow this procedure even if wine is present. If there is only sufficient wine or grape juice for one kiddush, it should be used for the Friday night Kiddush.

In many synagogues, Kiddush is recited on Friday night at the end of services. This Kiddush is normally drunk by children under the age of Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah and does not take the place of the obligation to recite Kiddush at the Friday night meal. When recited in a synagogue, the first paragraph (Genesis 2:1-3) is omitted.

The donning of Tefillin represents for Jewish people probably the most sacred and important tie that binds them to their religion and God. They have been worn by Jews for thousands of years. In the early Talmudic times, they were worn all day. However in modern Judaism they are only worn during morning prayers.

The Tefillin consists of two cube-shaped leather boxes – one worn on the head and the other on the arm. Tefillin have leather straps that are fixed to them to allow them to be wound around the head and the arm. The tefillin’s black boxes are known in Hebrew as batim or ‘houses’ in English. The boxes contain four Pentateuch passages.

According to the Torah, Tefillin are worn to remind Jews that God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Requirements for a Kosher Tefillin

The writing inside the boxes must be kosher and follow the finer points of Jewish law, particularly as relating to kashrut. Great importance is placed on ensuring that the black leather straps of the Tefillin are made from the hide of kosher animals. In order to retain the tefillin’s kashrut, the written passages inside the boxes must be examined by a scribe at least once every three years to ensure that it contains no broken letters or that the parchment is wholly intact.

The Torah lays down several requirements that a set of tefillin must be produced according to, in order for them to be regarded as kosher. They run as follows:

•  The scrolls must be made of parchment and written with ink.
•  The tefillin boxes as well as their stitches must be perfectly square shaped.
•  The Hebrew letter shin must be embossed on the right and left side of the head-tefillin
•  The scrolls must be wrapped in a strip of cloth.
•  The scrolls bound with kosher animal hair.
•  The stitching must be kosher animal sinew.
•  A “passageway” must be made for the strap to pass through.
•  The straps must be black and should be knotted in the form of the Hebrew letter dalet.

Each of the tefillin contain the same four passages, which are hand written in Hebrew. In the teffilin worn on the prayers hand or forearm to be more exact, all four passages are inserted into the black box, which has no compartments. In the tefillin worn on the forehead, there are actually four compartments, one for each of the passages.

The four Torah passages contained in the tefillin are:

•  Exodus 13: 1-10; 2.
•  Exodus 13: 11-16; 3.
•  Deuteronomy 6: 4-9; 4.
•  Deuteronomy 11: 12-21.

How To Wear The Tefillin 

As is prescribed in the Torah, the procedure for donning tefillin has to be very strictly adhered to. First of all the teffilin to be worn on the hand should be removed from the special bag or purse where they are stored. They should be wrapped around the arm seven times while the wearer recites the prayer ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast hallowed us by Thy commandments, and hast commanded us to put on the tefillin.’

The next stage is that the head tefillin be then taken out of the bag, placed on the head, while the next prayer is recited: ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast hallowed us by Thy commandments and hast given us command concerning the precept of tefillin.’

Only when the prayer is completed can the wearer begin to tighten the straps around his head so that they cube or bayit is situated in the middle of the prayer’s forehead, and just below the hairline.

Lastly the wearer wraps the strap of the hand tefillin three times around their middle finger while the following verse is recited: ‘And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving-kindness, and in mercy: I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.’

The Tefillin in Society

From the earliest periods of Judaism, the passages contained within the Tefillin were learned and studied by Torah scholars, and the significance of wearing these boxes on their head and their arm were explained to all Jewish males and females upon their coming of age. Every Jewish male who celebrates a Bar mitzvah will have been called upon to don their Tefillin for the very first time

In modern Judaism, men wear their tefillin for morning prayers wherever they happen to be. In Israel, for example, there can be no more moving scene than a group of soldiers praying around their tank as the sun rises, reminding us all that Jewish tradition endures all and will continue to do so for time immemorial.

Passover, otherwise known as the spring festival, celebrates the exodus of the Jewish people from captivity and slavery by the Egyptians. According to Jewish law, Passover begins on 15 Nisan, lasting for seven days in Israel and eight for Jews living in the Diaspora.The literal translation for Passover or Pesach in Hebrew derives from when God when slewing the first-born (Exodus 12: 23) as the last of the eight curses imposed upon the Egyptians to passed over the houses of the children of Israel. In modern times, within the Diaspora, the festival came to be known as Passover, although many Jews refer to the festival as the Hag Ha-Matzot, meaning ‘the Festival of Unleavened Bread’.

This is what typifies Passover for most Jews, the fact that eating leavened bread (hametz) is forbidden, and eating only unleavened bread (matzah) is allowed during the entire duration of the festival. (Exodus 23: 15; Leviticus 23: 6; Deuteronomy 16: 16).

As part of Halakhich law, on the night before Passover begins (14 Nisan), every Jewish home must be thoroughly searched and any hametz removed from the house. Many observant Jews observe the tradition of carrying out a last minute token search for hametz using a candle and feather to brush away any last crumbs that may have been overlooked. A prayer is then offered declaring any hametz that may have been overlooked be rendered void.

In modern Israel, it has become common practice for a non-Jewish person to make a ritual purchase of all hametz stored in the country’s warehouses, as Israel imports all her wheat. At the end of the festival, the hametz is sold back to the country, at a token profit.

Preparing of matzah must be carried out under the rules of kashrut and under the strictest of supervision. In Israel, there are many specialist bakeries that produce only Matzot, as they keep all year round. Special care is required to be taken, whilst the dough is being kneaded and whilst it is being baked. The supervisory ritual, known as shemirah is to prevent the dough from fermenting so that it doesn’t rise. As is the case with many other aspects of Judaism, there are arguments as to what stage the shemirah should begin.

The fact is that many find eating matzah hard to bear and desist from eating bread altogether for the duration of Passover, apart from a single piece that is obliged to be eaten during the Li’l Haseder (Seder night) ritual which takes place on the first night of Passover. Jewish people in the Diaspora hold two Seders, on the first and second nights of Passover.

Passover is one of the most enjoyable, family orientated festivals in the Jewish religion and celebrating Seder together with families and friends is the highlight of their religious year.

Seder in Hebrew means order, and when used to describe the service and festive meal held on the first (and second) nights of Passover, maintaining the order or sequence of events holds great significance. A special prayer book known as the Haggadah acts as a program for the evening, laying out in considerable detail the order of the event as they are supposed to happen.

A literal translation for the word Haggadah is “telling” ‘, and indeed, the Haggadah tells the story of the Jews coming out of Egypt and their need to pass on the story of their Exodus into the desert and their subsequent freedom for generations to come.

Interestingly, despite the fact that the Talmud mentions the story of the Exodus, no formal Haggadah was printed for thousands of years. Today the Haggadah exists in around 2,000 formats containing not only specific instructions on how the Seder table be laid out as well as how the service be conducted.

Most importantly, the Seder table should be bedecked with a white tablecloth, on which should be placed the various artifacts that are the focal points of the service. First of all, a set of candlesticks with lit candles lit should be placed on the table, beside the Seder plate. The Seder plate is where all the foods that need to be eaten during the service should be placed, each with their own special significance. These are:

• Matzot: Unleavened bread, three in number, representing that when the Jews went out of Egypt, they had no time to wait for their bread dough to rise. The Matzot are placed on a special plate and covered with a specially embroidered Matzah cover.
• Maror: These are bitter herbs, representing the bitter and tough lives of the Hebrew slaves.
• Charoset: This is a paste made from apples, almonds and wine, to remind Jews of the mortar used to build the Pyramids with a sweet taste to represent the sweetness of freedom.
• Salt Water: This represents the tears of the oppressed Hebrews.
• Parsley: To dip in the salt water.
• A Roasted Bone: This is to represent the Paschal lamb that was slaughtered during the days of the Temple when Passover was first celebrated.
• A Roasted Egg: This represents a reminder of the festival offering

Once the father of the Seder has inspected the table and made sure that all is in order, then the Seder can begin.

First of all Kiddush (benediction) over the first cup of wine is taken. Anyone at the table, who has passed the age of bar mitzvah, is allowed to drink wine at the Seder table.

The next stage is to break the middle slice of Matzah into two parts, with one half being set aside as the afikoman (dessert). The parsley on the Seder plate is then dipped into the bowl of salt water and passed around by the “Ab Haseder” (father of the Seder) to be eaten.

The next stage is when the youngest person at the table (who has been Bar mitzvah) is allowed to ask the “Four Questions” Usually this segment of the service is treated very lightly, with the person who has been given the task of asking these questions suffering from stage fright and being egged on by the rest of the family and friends around the table. The questions basically ask” why is tonight different from all other nights” and pertain to the sudden change in circumstances of Jewish people during their Exodus from Egypt. The four questions are answered by the guests in a light hearted and frivolous manner but in strict accordance with what is written in the Haggadah.

After the four questions have been safely completed, Grace before meals is then recited over the remaining Matzot where everyone in attendance has to partake of their token piece. The last ritual to be observed before dinner is eaten is to dip the Maror into the Haroset which is then passed around the table to be eaten.

Once the meal has been enjoyed, and all those who contributed have been duly complemented, the service resumes. First step is the search for the afikoman, the half matzah that has been taken away surreptitiously by the “Ab Ha Seder” and hidden. The child who succeeds in finding the afikoman gets a prize, with the runners up also been awarded various consolation prizes.

As the service begins to wind down, grace after meals is recited and a third cup of wine partaken of.
The “Ab ha Seder ” also fills a cup of wine which is set on the table in anticipation of the arrival of the prophet Elijah, who according to Jewish legend, is supposed to visit every Jewish home on Seder night. The front door of the house is left open so that Elijah can enter and throughout history many small children have promises them that they will never take their eyes of Elijah’s glass in case they miss the prophet’s visit.

In recent years, a new ritual for the Passover Seder has begun to be observed. The ritual of pouring a cup of water to honor the memory of Miriam the Prophetess and the role she played in the Exodus from Egypt as part of a long line of contributions that women have made to Jewish culture.

To round of the Seder a hearty rendition of the Hallel along with other hymns of thanksgiving take place while the fourth and last cup of wine is drunk. As the wine and the warm and friendly family atmosphere around the table take full effect, the family home is filled with the sound of singing, especially the two favorite hymns” Had Gadya’ “and “Achad ani Yodeah.”

In the Diaspora it is traditional for Jewish people to celebrate two consecutive Seder nights, while in Israel it is common practice to hold another, yet much more muted, Seder on the night before Passover is due to finish.

In Israel, Jews influenced by those who have immigrated to Israel from Morocco mark the end of Passover with a fabulous feast known as Mimouna

Depending on the spring weather, Mimouna is celebrated either indoors or outdoors, where the sweetest of tidbits are served to the sounds of oriental music, and singing and dancing continue into the early hours to celebrate the end of one of the most joyous and significant festivals on the Jewish calendar.

Havdalah is a Jewish ceremony that is performed to mark the end of Shabbat, and many other festivals that are part of the Jewish calendar. It is best described as marking the transition from the ‘holy’ back to the ordinary.

Whilst being a short and simple ceremony, is one that has great significance in the Jewish religion. Havdalah when literally translated from Hebrew to English means “to differentiate”.

Jewish people observe Havdalah to define the transition from a day of specific religious contemplation to the ordinary days of the week or year. The ceremony of Havdalah can be enacted either in a synagogue to mark the end of the evening prayers or in a family home.

The service begins with prayers at the end of the evening service. A cup of wine is held in the right hand of the person who is leading the service who recites the relevant Havdalah prayer.

The Havdalah prayer blesses God for making a distinction between right and wrong, between Shabbat, the Jewish Festivals and the rest of the days of the year, as well as between Jews and Non Jews.

Once Shabbat has drawn to a close, indicated by at least three stars lighting up the sky, two additional prayers are recited.

The first Havdalah prayer is recited over sweet-smelling spices – the most popular spices are bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon, which are placed in a special ornamental container. During the prayer, the spices are handed out to the congregation so that they can enjoy their pleasant and soothing aroma.

The second prayer, which concludes Havdalah, is made in the presence of a lit candle, to to thank G-d for creating light and fire. For this prayer, a special Havdalah candle is used. The candle has two wicks, and has been braided. The custom in Judaism is that while the prayer is being recited, those in attendance stand in a circle and do not stare directly at the candle. Instead they watch the reflection of the flames in their fingernails.

Here is a video that demonstrates the elements of the Havdalah ceremony:

The holiest and thus by nature the most important book in the Jewish religion is the Sefer Torah – the Hebrew Bible. For as long as the Jewish people of the World have celebrated and studied their religion, the scrolls of the Sefer Torah have always been their focal point.

At the center of every religious service held in a synagogue, where Jewish people go to pray, you will find the Sefer Torah. There are a few interpretations of the literal meaning of the words “Sefer Torah” - the closest probably being “book of the law”. This in itself is something of contradiction in terms, as their actually five books contained in the torah and the Sefer in this form is not a traditional book but actually a scroll.

The Sefer Torah is always written on a parchment which not only has to have been made from the skin of an animal that not only was kosher (of cloven foot), but also was slaughtered according to the Jewish dietary laws of kashrut. . Once the animal has been “flayed” and the skin treated, a Torah scribe or sofer is called on to transcribe the Torah onto the parchment, under the strictest of religious regimens.

The five books of the Torah are written by hand which can take a considerable time. Estimates run between eighteen months and two years, depending on the extent of the sofer’s experience, The many reasons why it is such a painstaking task include that the sofer may not write even one letter into a Torah Scroll from memory, and instead that he must have a second scroll opened before him at all times. As he writes, the scribe must read out every word with its correct voul pronunciation before transcribing it.

All of the writing of a Torah Scroll must be done using a quill pen with black ink. As the scribe or “sofer” writes he marks out forty-two lines on every page. The parchment used is in strips with each strip containing four columns of writing. When the strips are completed they are sewn together to form the complete Scroll with four lines of text left empty to differentiate between the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Another tradition that the sofer has to maintain is that letters have to be written in different sizes. A Sefer Torah must contain no more and no less than 304,805 Hebrew letters.

When scribe has completed his worthy task, the Sefer Torah is presented to the Synagogue who has commissioned its writing. Usually the Synagogue who is to receive the Sefer Torah is new or has been rebuilt, and the scenes of joy and celebration when a new Sefer Torah is brought into the synagogue for the first time are amongst the most joyful in the Jewish religion.

Jewish religious law states that the torah scrolls must never be touched by hand after they are completed. There are many reasons, and theories are one of them is to protect the scroll’s longevity. If taken care of, Sefer torahs can last for many years. Unfortunately the history of the Jewish people has been so traumatic that many of these highly important artifacts have been destroyed or lost. This may well be the most practical reason why they are treated with such care and attention.

The Sefer Torah enjoys pride of place in any synagogue, in a special cupboard at the very center. Known as the “Aron Kodesh” which translates to Holy Arc, the Aron Kodesh, usually covered by ornate velvet or satin curtain is placed on the wall that faces closely as possible in the direction of the holy Jewish city of Jerusalem.

Reading of the Torah is carried out every weekday morning in the Synagogue. In order for the Aron Kodesh to be opened and the service begin, there needs to be a minimum of ten adult males present. This is known in Judaism as a minyan. In the midweek services, held in mornings, the males must wear their talit (prayer shawls) and lay or put on teffilin (two black leather boxes placed on the forehead and right arm. The teffilin also contain scrolls of parchment inscribed with bible verses. ) When the Aron Kodesh is opened and Sefer Torah is carried around the synagogue before prayers are recited, it is tradition for the members of the congregation to touch the Sefer Torah with their talit and then kissing it on the corner.

When not in use, the Sefer Torah covered with the traditional embroidered and silver adornments that consist of two bells, a form of breastplate, and a silver yad (pointer).

To further protect the scrolls, the Sefer Torah is mounted on wooden handles to minimize the possibility of physical contact. During prayer recitals, to further avoid the possibility of human contact, a silver pointer is used to help the reader pick out his words without using his finger to point to them. After use, the Sefer Torah is returned to the Aron Kodesh.

The busiest day in the week for a Synagogue is Shabbat (Saturday) when most of the congregation comes to pray. This is also the day when young men of the congregation take part a very important religious service known as a Bar mitzvah. Occurring after their thirteen birthday, they become adults in the eyes of the Jewish community by reciting a relevant portion of the Torah.

There are many people who may have formed the impression that practicing Judaism is a fairly solemn process. Whilst there are certain solemn practices and specific festivals in the Jewish calendar, practicing Judaism can be very fulfilling and much of the laws contained are based around common sense. One of the happiest ceremonies you will ever witness in a Synagogue is Simchat Torah, which takes places after the principal holidays of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

Simchat Torah is when the cycle of torah reading for the coming year begins and sparks off tremendous celebrations within the synagogue among the congregation. Although much red wine may be consumed , it is the happiness of the occasion more than anything else that will inspire the Rabbi and his followers to sing and dance around the Aron Kodesh and whilst carrying that most important of religious artifacts in the Jewish religion; the Sefer Torah.

Hanukkah – the festival of lights is here! Light the menorah, play with the dreidel and feast on latkes and sufganiyots.

Gold Menorah wishes all Jewish readers a most joyous and happy Hanukkah!

The Menorah is a candle holder (candelabra) that is lit during the 8-day festival of Hanukkah – “The Festival of Lights”. Hanukkah takes place on the 25th Day of the Hebrew Calendar month of Kislev, which falls around Christmas time.

Hanukkah marks a divine miracle that occurred in the 3rd century BC, following the defeat of the Seleucid Empire and the recapture of Jerusalem by the Jewish Maccabee army.

During the Seleucid occupation, the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was converted into a Pagan temple. When the temple was recaptured by the Maccabees, it was rededicated as a Jewish place or worship. The rededication process required a large quantity of consecrated olive oil for the oil lamps, but only 1 day’s worth was available. Through a miracle, the lamp burnt for 8 days by which time additional consecrated olive oil was prepared. That is why the festival lasts for 8 days.

The Menorah symbolises this miracle – it holds 8 candles, plus a separate candle known as the ‘Shamash’ that is used to light the others. On the first day of Hanukkah, a single candle is lit at sundown. On each successive day, an additional candle is lit. By the final day, all 8 candles are burning. The candles are ritually required to burn for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Many cities with significant Jewish communities honor this religious holiday by placing an electrically illuminated Menorah in a public square.

The following video demonstrates the correct procedure for lighting a Hanukkah Menorah:

A dreidel is a toy top used to play games of chance. It is a enjoyed especially by children as part of the festivities for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The name comes from the Yiddish verb dreyden meaning ‘to turn’. In Hebrew, the toy is known as a ‘Sevivon’.

The dreidel has four sides, each marked with the hebrew letters Nun, Gimel, Hay and Shin. These are the first letters of the Hebrew sentence ‘Nes Gadol Haya Sham’ meaning ‘A Great Miracle Happened There’, referring to the story of Hanukkah.

The dreidel game is interesting in that it appears to be one of the few examples of religiously sanctioned gambling, which is normally frowned upon in Judeo-Christian traditions.

It can be played with real money, but this is often substituted with gold-wrapped chocolate coins [gelt], candy or plastic pieces.

The game requires four players. Each player spins the top in turn. Each Hebrew letter is associated with a specific outcome.

Nun:     Nothing (lose a turn)
Gimel:  Take everything in the prize pool
Hay:     Take half of the prize pool
Shin:    Contribute one piece to the prize pool

The game normally goes for a number of rounds to ensure that everyone has a chance to win a prize.

There is no consensus about the origin of the dreidel game. The least fascinating explanation is that it originated in the last several hundred years in Europe, having evolved from existing childrens games like Teetotum.

A deeper story states that it originated in ancient times, in places where Jews were forbidden from practising their religion. The Jewish people used the dreidel game as a decoy to hide the fact that they were secretly studying the Torah. When inspectors used to come to enforce the ban, Jewish students would quickly hide their books and pull out dreidels and pretend to have been playing games.

The dreidel has been popularised in recent years due to its appearance on TV shows like the Simpsons and South Park. The song “I have a Little Dreidel” has also become popular in the USA and is often sung together with Christmas carols.

Here is a detailed instructional video on Hanukkah Dreidel gameplay:

A Kippah is the name for the skullcap that Jewish men wear on their heads. The word Kippah means ‘dome’ in Hebrew, due to its curved shape. Yiddish-speaking Jewish communities in Europe used the word Yarmulke instead of Kippah.

The religious purpose of wearing the Kippah is to signify that God is above everyone. It has become an accepted custom amongst observant Jews to wear the Kippah at all times. Less observant Jews may choose to only wear a Kippah whilst attending a religious service at a synagogue.

Kippahs are made from all kinds of cloth including cotton, wool, silk, satin and nylon. Decorations range from plain single colors to intricate multi-colored patterns.

Non-religious Jews and gentiles often wonder how the Kippah remains on the head, as it does not grip the head in the same way as a cap or top-hat. The answer is that it can be fastened in multiple ways – mostly, it is just a friction fit and Jews just learn not to jerk their heads suddenly. Other times, the hair is cut in a way to contour to the inside of the kippah. Some people attach Kippahs with hair clips or velcro pads, but many would consider this cheating.

Jewish women generally do not wear kippahs, but married women are required to cover their hair in some way, commonly with a hat, beanie or a wig.

The festival of Sukkot begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which is 5 days after Yom Kippur and lasts for 7 days. It is immediately followed by the holidays Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

Sukkot is named after the plural form of Sukkah – the type of hut that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised Land. These huts were made of branches  and designed to be portable.

In English, Sukkah is sometimes translated as ’booth’ or ’tabernacle’, hence Sukkot is also known in English as the ’Festival of Tabernacles’ or ‘Festival of Booths’.

During this holiday, Jews construct and reside in Sukkahs. Here families eat their meals, entertain guests, relax, and even sleep if weather and space permit it. It is important for to share meals with others. In fact this sharing is so important that the holiday is also know as Chag Ha’asif, Festival of the Ingathering.

The walls of the sukkah can be made from any material, including wood, canvas, plaster, or regular walls of glass or aluminium. A sukkah may be free-standing, or include one or two sides of a building or porch in its structure. The roof of a sukkah, however, must be of organic material that is detached from the ground. Palm fronds, branches, bamboo and wood are the most common roofing materials. The amount of shade inside the sukkah must exceed the amount of sunlight that can enter through the roof.

One of the best known Sukkot ceremonies is the waving of the ‘four species’ – three branches and one fruit, depicted in the above photo. These consist of the following:

Lulav – a ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree
Hadass – boughs with leaves from the myrtle tree
Aravah  – branches with leaves from the willow tree
Etrog – the fruit of a citron tree

The ceremony is prescribed by the Torah, and contains symbolic allusions to a Jew’s service of God.

For more information including a video on how to build a Sukkah, click on more.

How to build a Sukkah

EXternal Links:

http://www.holidays.net/sukkot/story.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot

Gold Menorah wishes its readers a sweet and happy Rosh Hashanah!

Rosh Hashanah is the festival marking the start of the Jewish New Year, which occurs on the first day of the Month of Tishrei in the Hebrew calendar. This year is numbered 5769.

As the Hebrew Calendar is Lunar (based on the moon), its date changes from year to year. This year (2008), the festival starts at sunset, September the 29th and ends on sunset, October 1st.

Rosh Hashanah is a day of rest and Jewish people go to Synagogue to pray and hear the sounding of the Shofar. Jewish people greet each other joyously with the Hebrew phrase “Shana Tova!” – “A Good Year!”

The 10-day period between Rosh Hashanah and the next festival of Yom Kippur is known as the High Holidays. It is considered the best time for Jews to seek divine forgiveness and repent for wrongs commited in the previous year.

The Shofar is a musical instrument, typically made from the horn of a ram, and used for Jewish religious purposes.

Today, most Jews hear its unmistakable wail while attending Synagogue during Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and at the end of the Yom Kippur Fast (the Day of Atonement).

Here is a video demonstrating some common Shofar sounds:

We’ll take a look at the origin of this unique piece of Judaica and the various uses of the Shofar throughout Jewish history.

~GetWIKI(Shofar)~

A Mezuzah is a rectangular case that you often see mounted on the door frame of a Jewish household or Synagogue. Inside the case is a hand-scribed Hebrew parchment containing the words of the main Jewish prayer, the Shema.

The commandment to install Mezuzahs is derived from a sentence in the Shema that states – “Thou shalt write them [the words of the Shema] on the doorposts of your house and upon your gate”.

Mezuzah cases are made from all sorts of materials including base metals, silver, gold, plastic, wood and ceramics. They are usually mounted diagonally for the interesting reason that religious scholars are divided over whether the desired mounting should be horizontal or vertical.

Many Jewish families have a single Mezuzah on their front door. In more observant households, there may be one on the entrance to every room except bathrooms.

The following video demonstrates how to mount a Mezuzah, including the insertion of the parchment and the correct prayer to recite:

References:

• Mezuzah handbook by Dovid Zaklikowski
• “A Light Unto My Path”: A Mezuzah Anthology” by Alexander Poltorak