The Synagogue

What is happening in this picture?

In this page you will find:
Brit Milah
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Kiddushin
Funeral Rites
The importance of the Rabbi and Chazan

At his brit milah, a newborn lies in the arms of his sandek, who is also his grandfather.

The Brit Milah Ceremony

The basics of this ceremony for an eight-day-old Jewish boy

There are no special rules about the place in which the rite is to be carried out, although, if possible, pious Jews prefer it to be done in the synagogue during the morning service. The infant is taken into the room where the circumcision is to take place by a godmother who hands him to a godfather who, in turn, hands him to the sandek (a word of uncertain origin but meaning the man who holds the infant on his knees during the rite). In some communities the honor of acting as godfather and godmother is given to an engaged couple or to a childless married couple in the belief that their participation in the rite will provide a blessing for the couple themselves in the form of a child.



The function of the sandek is usually performed by a grandfather of the infant or by a man learned in the Torah. The sandek is instructed by the man who performs the rite, the mohel, to grasp the infant firmly so that the circumcision can more easily be performed. Only a man highly skilled in the performance of the rite is qualified to be a mohel. Nowadays, there are special organizations for the training of mohalim. A doctor, provided he is Jewish, can serve as a mohel, but many doctors admit that a trained mohel is best qualified to per­form the delicate operation.



Before carrying out the circumcision, the mohel recites the benediction: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy command­ments, and hast given us the command con­cerning circumcision." As soon as the mohel begins the circumcision the father recites: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy commandments, and hast commanded us to make our sons enter the covenant of Abraham our father."



All present then respond: "Even as this child has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into the Torah, the nuptial canopy, and into good deeds."

The mohel then takes a cup of wine and recites over it a prayer for the infant in which he gives the infant his Hebrew name. (A girl is named in a special prayer in the synagogue on the Sabbath after her birth or at a ritual of contemporary innovation, often called a brit bat, a "covenant for a daughter.")


A drop or two of the wine is placed in the infant's mouth and the father drinks some of the wine, sending the rest to the mother who [traditionally] is not normally present in the room when the rite takes place. Afterwards there is a festive meal, and special prayers are recited in the grace after meals, blessing the parents, the infant, the mohel, and the sandek.



According to the Tal­mud, a circumcision consists of three separate acts: 1. milah, the actual removal of the foreskin with a knife reserved for the purpose; 2. periah, the tearing-off and folding-back of the mucous membrane to expose the glans; 3. metzitzah, the suction of the blood from the wound. With regard to the third stage, there has been con­siderable controversy in modern times. In the [era of the] Talmud, the suction was done by mouth, the mohel actually sucking the blood from the wound. But the Talmud does not advocate this third stage as belonging to the rite itself, but only as a hygienic measure.



In the present stage of medical knowledge, suction by mouth is the opposite of hygienic; germs can be transmitted from the mohel to the infant and from the infant to the mohel. Yet some Orthodox Jews still perform suction by mouth, arguing that the hygienic reason is not the only one and that suction is an integral part of the rite. Many Orthodox Jews, however, adopt the compro­mise of using an oral sucking tube where the mouth does not come into direct contact with the infant's penis.




Excerpted from The Jewish Religion: A Companion, Oxford University Press.

Bar/Bat Mitvah

Prayer of Barmitzvah

In the presence of my teachers, the leaders and the members of this holy congregation, I now prepare to take upon myself the duties which are binding on all the family of Israel.  I ask their help in the years that lie ahead to strengthen my loyalty and devotion so that I may grow in charity and good deeds.  I think also of those who have gone before me, who through all the troubles of the world preserved this heritage of holiness and goodness, so that I should enter it now.

May I be a true Barmitzvah, a song of the commandment, taking my place in the community of Israel, accepting its responsibilities, rejoicing in its blessing.  May I be a witness to the living G-d and His goodness, and the tradition that lives within me.

I remember all those who have helped me reach this time.  I give thanks for the love and care of my family, the patience and instruction of my teachers, and the support and companionship of my friends.

In the Torah I have read the word og G-d. With your help may I go on to fulfill it in my life.

Amen.

Follow the link below to read articles on Bat Mitzvah, from a feminist point of view - what do you think?

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/firstbat.html

 Kiddushin

Symbolism:

Birchat eirusin - the Rabbi recites two blessings over wine to bless it and praise God for his commandments.

The groom gives the bride a ring, saying 'With this ring you are sanctified to me', symbolising eternal love between the married couple.

The Huppah is a four-posted wooden canopy which symbolises the couple's future home and that the groom will look after the bride.

Birchat nisuin - the Rabbi recites 7 blessings, praising God for creating the human race, creating joy and for bringing happiness to the couple.

Breaking the glass symbolises not only the destruction of the Jewish Temple and therefore the history of the Jewish people, but also the possibility of difficulty during a marriage.

Reading from the Ketubah (the marriage contract) shows the groom's intention to look after his wife.

Funeral Rites

Mourners bless God as the ‘true judge’ and make a small tear in their clothes to show their grief.

The body is not left alone to show respect and the burial takes place as soon as possible – the day after if able. Cremation is forbidden as the body is of G-d’s creation and belongs to Him. The body will be thoroughly washed and immersed in a special mikveh. It is wrapped in a plain linen shroud, with the deceased’s Tallit if male. The body is then placed in a plain wooden coffin with no adornment – this is to show that in death everyone is equal. The funeral is simple with a few Psalms and a prayer for G-d.

Shiva - After the funeral the family are given a meal of hard-boiled eggs to symbolise their inability to put their grief into words. From this point on the family will not cook but will rely on food brought from friends. They are forbidden from leaving their home unless absolutely necessary and will recite the Kaddish (prayer for G-d’s greatness) everyday. Except on Shabbat, when no mourning is allowed, they will sit on low stools, wear slippers, stop cutting their hair and nails, refrain from sexual relations and cover all the mirrors in the house to avoid attending to their appearance. These things show that their life has been interrupted by the death and that they are mourning. A candle is kept burning to show the Psalm – ‘a person’s soul is the candle of the Lord’.






Sheloshim - The worst part of the mourning is over. The mourners may now cut their nails and sit on different furniture, although they allow their hair to grow longer for a while. The male mourners will go to the synagogue every day to recite Kaddish.
For the rest of the year - Jews mourning parents or children continue to refrain from joyous occasions and from listening to/playing music. The male mourners recite kaddish every day.
On the anniversary of the death - A candle is kept burning throughout the day and night in remembrance of the person, and the kaddish is said. Relatives of the deceased will do this for the rest of their lives.

The Kaddish

The importance of the Rabbi and Chazan

'Rabbi' is a hebrew word meaning 'my master'. Today, the rabbi has may different roles in the synagogue, ranging from leading services and rituals (eg. weddings, funerals etc) to teaching, to acting as a marriage counsellor. 

This means that there are lots of different personality traits a rabbi might need to have....how many can you think of? Which are the most important?

All three of the above are rabbis.  How do they differ? How might this affect their necessary personality traits/how they go about their jobs?

The Chazan

...is a Jewish musician trained to lead the congregation in songful prayer.

Why might this role be an important one?