Important Jewish Rituals

[sparklekaz]

The most important, primal, and very first rite of Judaism—both in terms of its historical origins and occasion in life—is the circumcision of all baby boys at the age of eight days.

This ritual was initiated when God commanded the first Jewish patriarch, Abraham, to circumcise himself, all the male members of his household, and all his descendants as an eternal sign of the Divine Covenant between God and Abraham's progeny, the "chosen people."

Since biblical times, the rite of circumcision has been the most primal and essential rite of entry into the Jewish community. So, for example, the uncircumcised were prohibited from participating in the very first and most important sacrament of ancient Judaism, the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb on the eve of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt. In the rabbinic tradition, one who is not circumcised is "cut off" from both the community of Israel in this life and from enjoying his "portion in the world to come."

The soul of the uncircumcised Jew is believed to perish with his body, and he will not experience the anticipated resurrection of the dead at the end of days that will accompany the messianic era. A specially trained ritual surgeon, known as a mohel, performs this rite, which includes a ceremony in which the baby is given his Hebrew name, followed by a celebratory feast. Girls, who are not circumcised, are commonly named in a synagogue ceremony on Sabbath morning, usually within thirty days after their birth.

In ancient Israelite religion, there was an elaborate system of laws intended to maintain ritual purity, largely in relation to the cult of sacrificial worship in the Jerusalem Temple. While most of the ancient regulations regarding personal purity and cleanliness fell into abeyance with the Temple's destruction, two vital aspects of the laws of purity, derived from the "code of holiness" in the biblical Book of Leviticus, have remained in full force to this day.

The dietary laws, or kashrut, that prohibit the consumption of any of the species of animals, birds, and fish classified by scripture as unclean; and the laws of family purity (taharat ha-mishpacha) that require menstruating women to avoid intimate contact with their husbands until a week after the end of their period and following their immersion in a mikvah, or ritual bath.

The mikvah is also used by some Orthodox Jewish men, mainly the Hasidim, on the eve of Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and by all Orthodox men and women on the eve of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) to purify themselves before theseHoly dayss. Converts to Judaism are also immersed in the mikvah as a symbol of their re-birth as members of the Jewish community.

[rt369]

That's all well and good Kaz and I do understand the correlation of rituals and traditions to bolster ones faith. However the notion that God demands removal of a body part to form some sort of holy covenant is barbaric and archaic. There are still primitive tribes in Africa that remove certain parts of the female sexual anatomy around puberty as part of a coming of age ritual to guard against any unclean sexual arousal and to curtail the urge to be unfaithful to their husbands. Most of the civilized world is vehemently opposed to this practice and work to prevent this forced mutilation of primarily black African women. I'm not strictly opposed to male circumcision or a little snip if it's a medical necessity or is done by choice of an adult who is of legal age. However mandatory circumcision of an 8 day old baby or any child male or female should be outlawed and viewed the same as if you were cutting off an ear or poking out an eye. Religious freedom should end where barbaric physical mutilation of adolescents, little children and babies begin.

[sparklekaz]

Hi RT,

I do understand your feelings, I simply presented the information about a very important part of the Jewish faith. We may not approve of or feel uncomfortable with certain ritualistic parts of the traditions and spiritual beliefs of others, but who are we to say what is right or wrong about the beliefs of others. It is always about freedom of choice. For those who take part in this ritual, it is a very sacred thing, an affirmation of their beliefs and the covenant into which Abraham entered with God.

Who is to say if we had been brought up in this belief, we might feel very differently! Though I guess speaking as a women, it would not directly affect me, but it would any male children I had. I believe it is all done very hygienically and with no pain. Indeed this medical procedure is actually often carried out for medical reasons and it in no way has a detrimental affect on the child after. The same cannot be said for the as you say barbaric mutilation of young girls in some African countries. I do believe this practice is slowly being phased out thank goodness, though it still happens.

Some might say that in the catholic religion, eating the bread and drinking the wine which is symbolic of the flesh and blood of our lord is a cannibalistic concept, even if it is only symbolic. I do totally take your point though RT and have to say I agree, but where do we draw the line? Think of the uproar and offense it would cause to millions of Jewish people the world over. It would be misconstrued as an attack on their faith rather then simply a concern for the child.

You know how easily things can be twisted. More importantly, if we believe we should all be allowed to follow our own beliefs and show tolerance for the beliefs of others, then we cannot use what we approve of and what we do not, as some kind of yardstick for religious tolerance. For that would be hypocritical wouldn't it!

Love and light
Kaz

[rt369]

I know you were simply presenting the information in a factual and informative manner and I agree with you to a point. I also understand what religious freedom and tolerance is but where do we draw the line?

The ancient Romans drew the line at human sacrifice back in the biblical days when they took control of ancient Judea where at the time people were being sacrificed for blood atonement.

Call me hypocritical if you will but I disapprove of any type of physical mutilation or blood sacrifice in the name of religion no matter what sect is doing it or how loudly they complain.

There was an uproar when the Romans outlawed human sacrifice also but they thought it was simply too barbaric to allow on their watch. By the way the Romans also banned circumcision and for either offense the punishment was death. That seems a little harsh for performing a circumcision but hey it was the Romans!

Eating a cracker and drinking some grape juice is a far cry from cutting off body parts and the mutilation of pubescent women in Africa is also part of their sacred religious rituals and I bet that really hurts, a lot, ouch!

Speaking of things getting twisted I guess some people actually believe God really cares about what men's private parts look like? If so why didn't God just design human males without that extra flap of skin and fore-go all this religious snipping?

The whole concept of a covenant between God signified by altered genitalia is simply bizarre to me. I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall when Abraham told the men what they were going to have to cut off?

I say lets just outlaw the practice and in 50 to 75 years or so all the diehards causing any uproar will be six feet under. Then everybody else will gradually come to accept and obey the law just like they did in Roman times.

Currently there are various laws throughout the world that curtail or strictly prohibit male circumcision. The laws aren't uniformly or strictly enforced but there are people currently doing prison time for these little snippets.

Obviously this issue isn't on most peoples priority list but I believe in a modern civilized society we shouldn't allow forced religious genital mutilation on little babies or anybody else either.

[soul33]

only one espect of jewish tradition is about worshiping god.
actually jewish tradition his very Rationale and she due from deeply understanding of the uniqe deligente situation of evry detail in the univers.

[chris86]

They have thier skin cut off, why?