Theology and Folklore in Judaism

[Menolly]

Well now...

This starts on Monday at my shul. If I get in, is anyone interested in me attempting to sum up each week's lesson here?

"Anthropology of the Siddur" Course

Join Dr. Jerry Murray to explore the unfolding theology and folklore bundled in the Jewish prayer book. This course will unearth ancient Jewish traditions, including reincarnation, astrological beliefs, angels and demons, nocturnal soul travel, the Evil and Good Inclinations, resurrection of the dead, Jewish beliefs in Heaven and Hell, blessings and curses, animal sacrifice, and kabbalistic teachings about the three layers of the soul.

[Xar]

I would be very interested...

[Menolly]

Well, pheh.

I have got to pay more attention to details.

The class starts a week from Monday, on the 15th.

Since today is Shemini Atzeret, tomorrow is Simchas Torah, and Saturday is Shabbos I don't think anyone will be in the shul's office to register. But, I'll try calling and if not I'll follow up on Monday.

[Holsety]

Hey, this sounds cool; I surely don't know much about jewish beliefs in heaven and hell. Mostly other jewish kids give the "jews don't believe in heaven and hell" spiel but I know my rabbi has given indications that there are certainly some beliefs judaism has (though maybe not based on the canon texts like the 5 books of moses?).

Anyways, if you have the time to post stuff up about it I'd be happy to read it

[Menolly]

Hey, this sounds cool; I surely don't know much about jewish beliefs in heaven and hell. Mostly other jewish kids give the "jews don't believe in heaven and hell" spiel but I know my rabbi has given indications that there are certainly some beliefs judaism has (though maybe not based on the canon texts like the 5 books of moses?).

Anyways, if you have the time to post stuff up about it I'd be happy to read it

Holsety, I can start you off with the little I have learned about Olam Ha-Ba: The Afterlife from the linked website. This is all I have ever heard on the subject; I am looking forward to learning more if I get into the course and will share what I can.

Olam Ha-Ba: The Afterlife
Level: Basic

Traditional Judaism firmly believes that death is not the end of human existence. However, because Judaism is primarily focused on life here and now rather than on the afterlife, Judaism does not have much dogma about the afterlife, and leaves a great deal of room for personal opinion. It is possible for an Orthodox Jew to believe that the souls of the righteous dead go to a place similar to the Christian heaven, or that they are reincarnated through many lifetimes, or that they simply wait until the coming of the messiah, when they will be resurrected. Likewise, Orthodox Jews can believe that the souls of the wicked are tormented by demons of their own creation, or that wicked souls are simply destroyed at death, ceasing to exist.

Biblical References to the Afterlife
Some scholars claim that belief in the afterlife is a teaching that developed late in Jewish history. It is true that the Torah emphasizes immediate, concrete, physical rewards and punishments rather than abstract future ones. See, for example, Lev. 26:3-9 and Deut. 11:13-15. However, there is clear evidence in the Torah of belief in existence after death. The Torah indicates in several places that the righteous will be reunited with their loved ones after death, while the wicked will be excluded from this reunion.

The Torah speaks of several noteworthy people being "gathered to their people." See, for example, Gen. 25:8 (Abraham), 25:17 (Ishmael), 35:29 (Isaac), 49:33 (Jacob), Deut. 32:50 (Moses and Aaron) II Kings 22:20 (King Josiah). This gathering is described as a separate event from the physical death of the body or the burial.

Certain sins are punished by the sinner being "cut off from his people." See, for example, Gen. 17:14 and Ex. 31:14. This punishment is referred to as kareit (kah-REHYT) (literally, "cutting off," but usually translated as "spiritual excision"), and it means that the soul loses its portion in the World to Come.

Later portions of the Tanakh speak more clearly of life after death and the World to Come. See Dan. 12:2, Neh. 9:5.

Resurrection and Reincarnation
Belief in the eventual resurrection of the dead is a fundamental belief of traditional Judaism. It was a belief that distinguished the Pharisees (intellectual ancestors of Rabbinical Judaism) from the Sadducees. The Sadducees rejected the concept, because it is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah. The Pharisees found the concept implied in certain verses.

Belief in resurrection of the dead is one of Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith. The second blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, which is recited three times daily, contains several references to resurrection. (Note: the Reform movement, which apparently rejects this belief, has rewritten the second blessing accordingly).

The resurrection of the dead will occur in the messianic age, a time referred to in Hebrew as the Olam Ha-Ba, the World to Come, but that term is also used to refer to the spiritual afterlife. When the messiah comes to initiate the perfect world of peace and prosperity, the righteous dead will be brought back to life and given the opportunity to experience the perfected world that their righteousness helped to create. The wicked dead will not be resurrected.

There are some mystical schools of thought that believe resurrection is not a one-time event, but is an ongoing process. The souls of the righteous are reborn in to continue the ongoing process of tikkun olam, mending of the world. Some sources indicate that reincarnation is a routine process, while others indicate that it only occurs in unusual circumstances, where the soul left unfinished business behind. Belief in reincarnation is also one way to explain the traditional Jewish belief that every Jewish soul in history was present at Sinai and agreed to the covenant with G-d. (Another explanation: that the soul exists before the body, and these unborn souls were present in some form at Sinai). Belief in reincarnation is commonly held by many Chasidic sects, as well as some other mystically-inclined Jews. See, for example Reincarnation Stories from Chasidic Tradition.

Olam Ha-Ba: The World to Come
The spiritual afterlife is referred to in Hebrew as Olam Ha-Ba (oh-LAHM hah-BAH), the World to Come, although this term is also used to refer to the messianic age. The Olam Ha-Ba is another, higher state of being.

In the Mishnah, one rabbi says, "This world is like a lobby before the Olam Ha-Ba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall." Similarly, the Talmud says, "This world is like the eve of Shabbat, and the Olam Ha-Ba is like Shabbat. He who prepares on the eve of Shabbat will have food to eat on Shabbat." We prepare ourselves for the Olam Ha-Ba through Torah study and good deeds.

The Talmud states that all Israel has a share in the Olam Ha-Ba. However, not all "shares" are equal. A particularly righteous person will have a greater share in the Olam Ha-Ba than the average person. In addition, a person can lose his share through wicked actions. There are many statements in the Talmud that a particular mitzvah will guarantee a person a place in the Olam Ha-Ba, or that a particular sin will lose a person's share in the Olam Ha-Ba, but these are generally regarded as hyperbole, excessive expressions of approval or disapproval.

Some people look at these teachings and deduce that Jews try to "earn our way into Heaven" by performing the mitzvot. This is a gross mischaracterization of our religion. It is important to remember that unlike some religions, Judaism is not focused on the question of how to get into heaven. Judaism is focused on life and how to live it. Non-Jews frequently ask me, "do you really think you're going to go to Hell if you don't do such-and-such?" It always catches me a bit off balance, because the question of where I am going after death simply doesn't enter into the equation when I think about the mitzvot. We perform the mitzvot because it is our privilege and our sacred obligation to do so. We perform them out of a sense of love and duty, not out of a desire to get something in return. In fact, one of the first bits of ethical advice in Pirkei Avot (a book of the Mishnah) is: "Be not like servants who serve their master for the sake of receiving a reward; instead, be like servants who serve their master not for the sake of receiving a reward, and let the awe of Heaven [meaning G-d, not the afterlife] be upon you."

Nevertheless, we definitely believe that your place in the Olam Ha-Ba is determined by a merit system based on your actions, not by who you are or what religion you profess. In addition, we definitely believe that humanity is capable of being considered righteous in G-d's eyes, or at least good enough to merit paradise after a suitable period of purification.

Do non-Jews have a place in Olam Ha-Ba? Although there are a few statements to the contrary in the Talmud, the predominant view of Judaism is that the righteous of all nations have a share in the Olam Ha-Ba. Statements to the contrary were not based on the notion that membership in Judaism was required to get into Olam Ha-Ba, but were grounded in the observation that non-Jews were not righteous people. If you consider the behavior of the surrounding peoples at the time that the Talmud was written, you can understand the rabbis' attitudes. By the time of Rambam, the belief was firmly entrenched that the righteous of all nations have a share in the Olam Ha-Ba.

Gan Eden and Gehinnom
The place of spiritual reward for the righteous is often referred to in Hebrew as Gan Eden (GAHN ehy-DEHN) (the Garden of Eden). This is not the same place where Adam and Eve were; it is a place of spiritual perfection. Specific descriptions of it vary widely from one source to another. One source says that the peace that one feels when one experiences Shabbat properly is merely one-sixtieth of the pleasure of the afterlife. Other sources compare the bliss of the afterlife to the joy of sex or the warmth of a sunny day. Ultimately, though, the living can no more understand the nature of this place than the blind can understand color.

Only the very righteous go directly to Gan Eden. The average person descends to a place of punishment and/or purification, generally referred to as Gehinnom (guh-hee-NOHM) (in Yiddish, Gehenna), but sometimes as She'ol or by other names. According to one mystical view, every sin we commit creates an angel of destruction (a demon), and after we die we are punished by the very demons that we created. Some views see Gehinnom as one of severe punishment, a bit like the Christian Hell of fire and brimstone. Other sources merely see it as a time when we can see the actions of our lives objectively, see the harm that we have done and the opportunities we missed, and experience remorse for our actions. The period of time in Gehinnom does not exceed 12 months, and then ascends to take his place on Olam Ha-Ba.

Only the utterly wicked do not ascend at the end of this period; their souls are punished for the entire 12 months. Sources differ on what happens at the end of those 12 months: some say that the wicked soul is utterly destroyed and ceases to exist while others say that the soul continues to exist in a state of consciousness of remorse.

This 12-month limit is repeated in many places in the Talmud, and it is connected to the mourning cycles and the recitation of Kaddish. See Life, Death and Mourning.

Recommended Reading
The following books can be found in many major bookstores, or from amazon.com.

Adin Steinsaltz's The Thirteen Petalled Rose (Hardcover) or (Paperback) is a complete mystical cosmology written by one of the greatest Jewish scholars alive today. It discusses the various levels of existence, the angels and demons that are created by our actions, the concept of reincarnation, and many other subjects of interest.

For an outline of Jewish thought on the afterlife, see The Death of Death : Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought, by Neil Gillman. Gillman is a Conservative rabbi and a professor of Jewish philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary (a most important school for Conservative rabbis).

[Menolly]

*sigh*

Well, the course costs $50. I applied for scholarship assistance, but it may not happen for me. I should know by the end of the week.

[Menolly]

Hi Pam,

Yes, we'll take care of the scholarship - please do join the class on Monday night!

[Xar]

Hi Pam,

Yes, we'll take care of the scholarship - please do join the class on Monday night!

Congratulations Please keep us updated, and enjoy the class!

[Menolly]

*blushing prettily*

Thanks Xar. I'll do my best to summarize each week's lesson.

[Menolly]

I was hoping Professor Murray ("Jerry") would link us to his outline of the course by now, but I don't want to get a week behind. So, here are my notes from this past Monday's class. I admit not everything is crystal clear to me, so if you have a question ask, and if I can guess at an answer I will, and if not I'll record the question and ask it at Monday's class.

Jerry started by saying his approach to "anthropology" for our course will be very much a "compare and contrast" approach. I know nothing of anthropology, so I'll accept that and proceed from there.

He started out by saying the course will cover six anthropological periods in the siddur. Those periods will be:

The Orthodox siddur is a compilation
Reincarnation
Astrological belief
Angels and demons
Spirit possessions
Nocturnal soul tradition

He then went on to give us a definition of "siddur" for our course.

Weekday and Shabbos (Sabbath) prayer book
Formal term is siddur tefilah or seder tefilah
Gerund of the Hebrew verb sadder: "to order"
Tefilah means "prayer"

For the High Holidays, the prayer book has a different name, machzor
From the Hebrew verb chazar which means return or recycle

Both books are concerned with prayer.

Compare and contrast the siddur to the TANACH, Talmud, Zohar and Kabbalah, and the Passover Haggadah

The TANAKH:
An acrostic for Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim. It is the Torah and Prophetic writings. It is historical and legislative and does not deal with prayer, except for the Book of Tehillim (Psalms). That consists of conversations between ordinary people and HaShem, thus prayer according to Jerry’s definition.

The Talmud: Consists of the Mishnah, oral tradition supposedly given directly to Moses by HaShem which were written down around the 2nd century C.E. (current era), and the Gemarah, commentaries of the Mishnah, composed around the 5th century, C.E. The oral tradition concentrates on law and analysis, not prayer.

The Zohar and Kabbalah: Esoteric and mystical. Again, not dealing with prayer.

The Passover Haggadah: Outlines, or orders, the Passover seder (meal). It includes blessings over wine and breadm and the grace after meals, but it tells the story of Passover and is not a prayer book.

What is Prayer?

Jerry’s definition of prayer:

An activity by which an individual directs any thought towards invisible spirit beings. This includes thoughts towards deceased relatives and/or friends. It is not limited to asking for things.

Practices of prayer in ancient times most likely had everyone pray in their own language. Jewish sages put together the Amidah/Shemonah Esrai (18 prayers, although it now consists of 19 prayers), and the formulaic siddur evolved from that.

[class participant volunteered that he had heard that the Amidah were verses penned to replace the daily animal sacrifices after the fall of the second temple. Jerry had never heard of that explanation.]

The thoughts of the sages were that if you turn yourself over to formulaic prayer, heartfelt prayers emerge within the formulas. The set formulas and times of Jewish prayer enable consistency to the commandment of praying three times a day. If left to our own devices there is no accounting for how often one would remember to pray.

Purposes of prayer: praise, petition, thanksgiving, contrition, cursing, bargaining

Praise is the most common prayer in the siddur.
Petition is asking for things.
Thanksgiving is the least frequent in the siddur.
Contrition is repenting of sins (to be discussed).
Cursing is directed towards “the evil ones.” The intent is that it is better to curse and leave it to HaShem to handle, than to go out and kill them yourself. (Heh…I can see that)

Anthropological Peculiarities of Jewish Prayer

Thrice daily prayer required of Jewish Males.
Much Jewish prayer is formulaic.
Obligatory prayer is preset.
From the Zohar:
1) Prayers in Hebrew are viewed as more powerful.
2) Prayers in Hebrew have a mystical affect in Heaven.
3) Kabbalistic tradition says the world was created through Hebrew letters.
4) Some prayers are in Aramaic to confuse the angels.
Emphasis is on reading the prayers, we are discouraged from memorizing them.
Pronouncing of G-d’s name is restricted to formal prayer. Even in Torah and Talmudic study, we substitute HaShem for Adonoi, Elokim for Elohim, and Kel for El. We never, ever, say the name that is spelled yud-hay-vav-hay, not even in prayer.
Prayer is mostly directed to the Supreme Being/HaShem.
A minyan of 10 Jewish men over 13 (in the Orthodox and Traditional Conservative movements, 10 Jews either male or female in all other movements) is required to chant key prayers. The reasoning goes back to Avraham’s bargain with HaShem regarding Sodom and Gomorrah.
To paparaphrase (my words, not Jerry’s):

Find me 100 righteous men and I will spare the cities.
100 is a bit much. How about 50?
OK. 50 righteous men and I will spare the cities.
50 is still quite high. How about 10?
Alright already!! Find me 10 righteous men and I will spare the cities.

Women are exempt from the strictures of communal prayer, as they are considered closer beings to the Shechinah (feminine aspect of HaShem), and have their own separate commandments to keep involving purity and home life. (Orthodox view)
Exceptions include gravesites and the Shabbos table.
Examples of exceptions:
Gravesites of parents
Gravesite of tsaddikim (sages)
Greeting the angles who accompany one home from shul on Friday night at the Sahbbos table with Shalom Aleichem…

Shalom aleichem, malachai hashret…

(Syl…if you’re reading this, sorry if I got that wrong. I’m trying.)

“Peace on you guardian angles…
May you come in peace, angels of peace…
Bless me in peace, angels of peace…
Sit down in peace, angels of peace…” (Sefardim only, after welcoming and asking for a blessingthe Ashkenazim kick them the hell out. [my notation again]).
“May your departure be in peace, angels of peace…” (See? What did I tell you?)

Comparison to (Jerry’s interpretation of) Catholic Prayer

Daily formulaic prayers only for priests and nuns.
Not incumbent upon laity.
No distinction between male and female.
Name of G-d or JC spoken freely. Many prayers sent to angels or saints to intercede. For example, a Catholic prayer to Archangel Michael:

Saint Michael the Archangel
Defend us in battle
Be our defender
Against the wickedness
And snares of the devil.
May G-d rebuke him
We humbly pray
Do thou
O Prince of heavenly hosts
By the power of G-d
Thrust into Hell Satan
And the other evil spirits
Who prowl about the world
For the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Comparison to (Jerry’s interpretation of) Muslim Prayer

Commanded to pray five times a day instead of three.
Prayers are shorter and easier to memorize.
Value is placed on memorizing prayers and the Qur’an, instead of reading them.
Dependence on written text is seen as a shortcoming.
Name of Allah is used freely in daily speech.
Less need for a prayer book.

…and we ran out of time…

[Holsety]

In the Mishnah, one rabbi says, "This world is like a lobby before the Olam Ha-Ba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall." Similarly, the Talmud says, "This world is like the eve of Shabbat, and the Olam Ha-Ba is like Shabbat. He who prepares on the eve of Shabbat will have food to eat on Shabbat." We prepare ourselves for the Olam Ha-Ba through Torah study and good deeds.

hehe. This reminds me of a story from the Bal Shem Tov I've been told a few times:

In the afterlife, the Baal Shem Tov once stated, the first thing they do to the person is take their hands and encase them in a locked metal sleeve so that they cannot bend their arms. Then, they are given a ridiculously long utensil and told that it is theirs to attain whatever they desire. Above the souls hang great quantities of food and delights; however, because of their bounded hands they cannot bring these enjoyments to their own mouths. In hell, the souls are emaciated and starving. Being that their hands cannot bend and their utensils are too long to feed themselves, they starve. In heaven, on the other hand, it is truly paradise. The souls are smiling and enjoying the various delights. In heaven each soul uses their own fork to feed the soul sitting across the room.

www.iyyun.com/thought/hell_heaven.html

1) Prayers in Hebrew are viewed as more powerful.
2) Prayers in Hebrew have a mystical affect in Heaven.
3) Kabbalistic tradition says the world was created through Hebrew letters.
4) Some prayers are in Aramaic to confuse the angels.
Emphasis is on reading the prayers, we are discouraged from memorizing them.
Pronouncing of G-d’s name is restricted to formal prayer. Even in Torah and Talmudic study, we substitute HaShem for Adonoi, Elokim for Elohim, and Kel for El. We never, ever, say the name that is spelled yud-hay-vav-hay, not even in prayer.
Prayer is mostly directed to the Supreme Being/HaShem.

First off, any elaboration on number 4? That is, what the purpose of confusing angels is?

As for emphasis on reading prayers, just to give a little further background (because this is one of my favorite "little details" about judaism), this is done because we're supposed to be reading prayers from the heart. And perhaps because of keeping holiness separate from "regularity?" Of course, it's nearly impossible to avoid memorizing the prayers when you're saying them every week, but if you just focus on reading from the page they stop from becoming just like the words to any other song...

A downside is that when it comes to learning the torah from your bar mitzvah, the educators do tend to make the move towards memorization. I mean, I could probably have read the torah portion without translating it but w/ the one prep session w/ the cantor a week there was no way I was going to learn tropes. So I pretty much memorized mine (Shemini, where Aarons' two sons are killed by god, a very fun one ).

Being in another language certainly helps - the english sections of the service as read by my temple's congregation are the most dry ones, you get used to not listening.

Name of Allah is used freely in daily speech.

Is allah actually "the name" of god for muslims?

[Menolly]

In the Mishnah, one rabbi says, "This world is like a lobby before the Olam Ha-Ba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall." Similarly, the Talmud says, "This world is like the eve of Shabbat, and the Olam Ha-Ba is like Shabbat. He who prepares on the eve of Shabbat will have food to eat on Shabbat." We prepare ourselves for the Olam Ha-Ba through Torah study and good deeds.

hehe. This reminds me of a story from the Bal Shem Tov I've been told a few times:

In the afterlife, the Baal Shem Tov once stated, the first thing they do to the person is take their hands and encase them in a locked metal sleeve so that they cannot bend their arms. Then, they are given a ridiculously long utensil and told that it is theirs to attain whatever they desire. Above the souls hang great quantities of food and delights; however, because of their bounded hands they cannot bring these enjoyments to their own mouths. In hell, the souls are emaciated and starving. Being that their hands cannot bend and their utensils are too long to feed themselves, they starve. In heaven, on the other hand, it is truly paradise. The souls are smiling and enjoying the various delights. In heaven each soul uses their own fork to feed the soul sitting across the room.

www.iyyun.com/thought/hell_heaven.html

We've discussed that story before, you and I, here on the Watch. I've heard it told in a much more elaborate way, and the details are a little different, but otherwise it is the same story. It's the only story I know of in Judaism that even hints at a Hell.

1) Prayers in Hebrew are viewed as more powerful.
2) Prayers in Hebrew have a mystical affect in Heaven.
3) Kabbalistic tradition says the world was created through Hebrew letters.
4) Some prayers are in Aramaic to confuse the angels.
Emphasis is on reading the prayers, we are discouraged from memorizing them.
Pronouncing of G-d’s name is restricted to formal prayer. Even in Torah and Talmudic study, we substitute HaShem for Adonoi, Elokim for Elohim, and Kel for El. We never, ever, say the name that is spelled yud-hay-vav-hay, not even in prayer.
Prayer is mostly directed to the Supreme Being/HaShem.

First off, any elaboration on number 4? That is, what the purpose of confusing angels is?

I do not know and didn't think to ask. I know Kaddish is in Aramaic instead of Hebrew. But why we would want to confuse the angels while praising HaShem I have no idea. I'll aks tomorrow night.

As for emphasis on reading prayers, just to give a little further background (because this is one of my favorite "little details" about judaism), this is done because we're supposed to be reading prayers from the heart. And perhaps because of keeping holiness separate from "regularity?" Of course, it's nearly impossible to avoid memorizing the prayers when you're saying them every week, but if you just focus on reading from the page they stop from becoming just like the words to any other song...

I like that, thanks.

A downside is that when it comes to learning the torah from your bar mitzvah, the educators do tend to make the move towards memorization. I mean, I could probably have read the torah portion without translating it but w/ the one prep session w/ the cantor a week there was no way I was going to learn tropes. So I pretty much memorized mine (Shemini, where Aarons' two sons are killed by god, a very fun one ).

I think Torah reading involves memorization because when reading from the scroll there not only aren't any vowels, there isn't any trope marks as well. So if you don't memorize the portion, your head would be going back and forth between the scroll and the Chumash, and then which are you actually reading from?

I honestly feared Beorn wouldn't be able to do it. He did us proud. He chanted all the Torah sections for the three aliyot of his mincha service. And the last aliyah was long. (Nitzvanim, Moses' final address to the tribes before they cross the Jordan)

Being in another language certainly helps - the english sections of the service as read by my temple's congregation are the most dry ones, you get used to not listening.

*nod*

I agree totally.

Name of Allah is used freely in daily speech.

Is allah actually "the name" of god for muslims?

As far as I know. Another question I can ask.

[Holsety]

It figures that I've told the heaven/hell story before XD. It's the only story I've heard about heaven or hell till today, so it's the only one I have to reference when the subject comes up.

I think Torah reading involves memorization because when reading from the scroll there not only aren't any vowels, there isn't any trope marks as well. So if you don't memorize the portion, your head would be going back and forth between the scroll and the Chumash, and then which are you actually reading from?

I honestly feared Beorn wouldn't be able to do it. He did us proud. He chanted all the Torah sections for the three aliyot of his mincha service. And the last aliyah was long. (Nitzvanim, Moses' final address to the tribes before they cross the Jordan)

Hah, awesome! Finishing a reading a torah portion sure gives you a pretty amazing feeling.

Did he get to do a haftorah too? I really don't remember the hebrew of mine at all. It was a story about a guy transporting the ark (or perhaps some other holy object but I think it was the ark) to the temple. He gets into some accident and it's falling to the ground, he tries to save it, touches it, and gets burned to death

As far as memorization, it's true there aren't many alternatives...but if my hebrew school had been able to teach a real working knowledge of the hebrew language we wouldn't need vowels. Or at least I assume so, since israelis speak/read hebrew without them. Of course, I don't blame them for not managing that, considering how little time they had to do so.

[Menolly]

???

...what happened...

I know I had posted a reply...

I'm off to sleep, this makes no sense

[Menolly]

OK...going to attempt this reply again. If it disappears again, I'll have to ask someone why.

It figures that I've told the heaven/hell story before XD. It's the only story I've heard about heaven or hell till today, so it's the only one I have to reference when the subject comes up.

It's the only one I still know about heaven and hell.

I think Torah reading involves memorization because when reading from the scroll there not only aren't any vowels, there isn't any trope marks as well. So if you don't memorize the portion, your head would be going back and forth between the scroll and the Chumash, and then which are you actually reading from?

I honestly feared Beorn wouldn't be able to do it. He did us proud. He chanted all the Torah sections for the three aliyot of his mincha service. And the last aliyah was long. (Nitzvanim, Moses' final address to the tribes before they cross the Jordan)

Hah, awesome! Finishing a reading a torah portion sure gives you a pretty amazing feeling.

Did he get to do a haftorah too? I really don't remember the hebrew of mine at all. It was a story about a guy transporting the ark (or perhaps some other holy object but I think it was the ark) to the temple. He gets into some accident and it's falling to the ground, he tries to save it, touches it, and gets burned to death

Yes, he did a hafTorah, but only because I'm crazy. (and I admit to it)

Beorn had two Bar Mitzvah ceremonies. His Hebrew school that he has attended since kindergarten is at the Egalitarian Conservative shul. It is where he has been involved in youth groups, and it is through them that he goes to his month long sleep away camp each summer. The community is vibrant for a small town, and extremely generous as they are the ones who have given us scholarships for Hebrew school, youth group, and camp. I felt obligated that Beorn's bar mitzvah be held at their sanctuary so all my relatives could see where most of Beorn and my Jewish input comes from.

However...

I personally don't accept egalitarianism for worship, which is why I attend services at the Lubavitch Center. So, Beorn had a morning Shacharis service there, where he said the blessings before and after the Torah reading for the Maftir portion, and then chanted that hafTorah. Most of my relatives are EC, and Hyperception and his relatives aren't Jewish at all, so only my sister and I attended this ceremony along with the regulars at the Lubavitch Center. And I haven't told any of my relatives yet that I did this.

The big ceremony with over 100 guests was during mincha/ma'ariv/havdalah at the EC shul. Beorn led all three services, chanted the portions of the Torah for the three aliyot, and said the blessings before and after the third aliyah. Again, he did us proud.

So, he learned and chanted the hafTorah for the weekly portion before the Torah portion he learned.

As far as memorization, it's true there aren't many alternatives...but if my hebrew school had been able to teach a real working knowledge of the hebrew language we wouldn't need vowels. Or at least I assume so, since israelis speak/read hebrew without them. Of course, I don't blame them for not managing that, considering how little time they had to do so.

*nodding*

Beorn's Hebrew school meets for five hours a week (two hours after school on Tuesday afternoons, three hours on Sunday mornings) nine months a year. I am amazed at how proficient the kids get at siddur Hebrew and feel it's quite a demand to expect them to become fluent with so little exposure.

My own religious education was even less than that, which is why Syl is teaching me Hebrew via transliteration. My alef-bet sucks, and my translation skills are non-existant. I've been concentrating on other things the past few weeks though, and will need to review the lessons I have already received before we continue.

[Menolly]

Second class was tonight. I'll post notes later (still hoping for a link to Jerry's powerpoint presentation. that will make things much easier), but wanted to address Holsety's questions.

4) Some prayers are in Aramaic to confuse the angels.

First off, any elaboration on number 4? That is, what the purpose of confusing angels is?

Jerry said he did not know the reason, just that it was a tradition taught. He suggested I search google, but I am turning up nothing.

Name of Allah is used freely in daily speech.

Is allah actually "the name" of god for muslims?

Jerry says yes, that there is no other name for G-d in the Muslim world.

[Avatar]

I don't think there is any other word for it either.

--A

[Menolly]

*nod*

Thanks Av.

Jerry implied that as well, but I wasn't comfortable making such a statement without further input.

[Avatar]

It's why I've always been amused by the declaration of faith: "There is no god but god."

--A