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Religious significance
of life cycle events in Judaism. |
All life cycle events have religious significance in
Judaism. Judaism begins at birth and continues to exalt
a presence over all major occurrences in a person’s
life. Observant Jews will participate in every religious
event in the life cycle. |
Birth
When considering birth it is also important to consider who
is a Jew. A Jew is someone who’s mother is Jewish or
who has formally converted to Judaism. Judaism is determined
by matrilineal dissent. However, reform congregations will
consider a child Jewish if either parent is Jewish. Biblically,
since the mother of a child could always be identified, Judaism
followed matrilineal lines. For this reason, Judaism is a
religion determined by blood. The orthodox believe if a person
is born Jewish they will always be Jewish even if they practice
another religion. For reform, a child is Jewish if their mother
or father is Jewish and they are raised Jewish. A non-Jewish
child who is adopted by Jewish parents is not considered Jewish
even if he is raised Jewish unless he converts. Religious
observances of Judaism do not determine if a person is Jewish.
At birth, it is traditional to name Jewish children after
a dead relative. It is considered unlucky and taboo to name
a child after a relative already living. Jewish children are
not given names that include the word Christ because Jews
do not believe that Jesus was the messiah. Some Jews
have a secular name that they use in everyday life and a Jewish
name used on religious documents and in prayer.
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Bris
Bris, the Yiddish word for Brit Milah, is the ritual circumcision
of a baby boy eight days after his birth. If the baby is sick,
the Bris will be postponed until the Baby is well. This tradition
is very important because the circumcision represents a covenant
with God. For this reason the Bris can be held on Shabbat
or Yom Kippur. In this ceremony, the father is responsible
for the circumcision of his son. The actual procedure is performed
by a mohel, a person who has been specifically trained and
certified in circumcision. In most cases, the mohel has had
more training then a physician in this particular operation.
Today, many mohel are also board certified physicians. It
is not only the job of the mohel to perform the circumcision
but also to recite ritual prayers and blessings. During the
procedure, a family member known as the sandek will hold the
baby. The Bris has three main parts, the circumcision and
blessing, Kiddush (blessing over wine), and the ceremony in
which the baby will be given his name. The Bris will be followed
by a celebration meal. Today, most boys in America are circumcised
and some Jewish boys are circumcised in a hospital. If circumcision
occurs in the hospital, the circumcision does not have religious
significance and is not a Bris. Some Jews in America have
started a version of the Bris for girls known as Brit Habat.
During this ceremony the girl will be given her name complete
with Kiddush and prayers. Brit Habat occurs later in life
then Brit Milah.
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Bar/Bat
Mitzvah
Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a coming of age ceremony for Jewish children.
Literally translated as “son/daughter of the commandment”
this ceremony is where children are called to the torah to
offer a reading and become an adult member of the congregation.
This ceremony occurs after a boy’s 13th birthday and
a girl’s 12th. Depending on the congregations the Bar/Bat
Mitzvah may perform only a Torah reading or the entire service.
Sometimes family members will also participate in the service
by giving blessings. Traditionally the child will give a speech
discussing the significance of the occasion. They are now
obligated to observe the commandments and can participate
and lead religious services. Today, after the Torah reading
many will have large family gatherings and celebrations. There
is also a new emerging tradition within the United States
to have Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s performed in Israel. It should
be noted that many Jews from Easter Europe do not believe
in the Bat Mitzvah for girls. For this reason Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s
are also performed later in life.
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Confirmation
Confirmation generally occurs between the ages of 16-18 and
is a way to further incorporate children into the Jewish religion
after Bar/Bat Mitzvah. This practice was mainly started by
reform congregations but has spread to other movements.
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Marriage
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Jewish wedding ceremony.
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DP youth dance the
hora at the Warburg children's home in Blankenese.
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Jews seeking their significant other are said to be looking
for their bashert or soul mate. In Judaism, marriage is explained
in the Talmud and only vaguely mentioned in the Torah. Husbands
sign ketubah with their wives stating their obligations as
a husband and providing money for the wife in the event of
divorce. This tradition although very old in Jewish culture
happens today in America in the form of pre-nuptial agreements.
A Jewish wedding is a time for family to gather and celebrate.
Marriage involves many specific customs performed to various
degrees depending on the observance of the bride and groom.
Traditionally the bride and groom will not see each other
for the week prior to their wedding. On the Shabbat service
that week the groom will be asked to perform a blessing over
the Torah if he is an Ashkenazim Jew. The bride and groom
fast the day of the wedding and the bride is unveiled until
during the marriage service. The service consists of two parts
the kiddushin and the nisuin. During the kiddushin, the bride
will circle the groom, blessings over wine will occur, and
the groom will give the bride a ring. After this the marriage
contract will be read aloud and the nisuin will begin. The
bride and groom stand beneath a chuppah, a covering held up
by four poles. The chuppah symbolizes a bride coming to live
in the home of her husband. Seven blessings will be recited
and the bride and groom will drink the wine. At the end of
the ceremony the groom will step on a wine glass symbolizing
that Jews have endured great hardship and the destruction
of the temple. At the end of the service there is a reception
and at some weddings the hora will be danced.
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Divorce
In Judaism, divorce is accepted as an occurrence in life.
Under Jewish law a man is allowed to divorce a woman for any
reason. Under the marriage contract men are required to pay
women large sums of money in the event of divorce. Women are
given less ability to divorce a man under Jewish law. For
this reason, many Jews today consider a civil divorce to be
adequate.
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Death
Death is an important part of Jewish custom and is a time
for mourning and honoring the deceased. Jews are required
to be buried as soon as possible and many burials will occur
within 48 hours of death. Autopsies are generally not performed
and wakes, open caskets, and embalming are not permitted.
The body is washed and clothed in a white shroud. It is believed
that the body should not be left unattended between the moments
of death and burial. A person will sit with the deceased and
recite prayers. Jewish custom is more concerned with giving
to charity in times of death then spending money on an expensive
casket. It is believed that through burial a Jew will be reunited
with God, therefore the decomposition of the body is ideal.
Cremation is not permitted for Jews and is considered highly
offensive. Jews who have been cremated have essentially severed
ties with the Jewish community. Cremation has become more
problematic due to reminders of the Holocaust when bodies
were cremated in ovens. Burials are not permitted on Shabbat
or certain holidays. During the service, a eulogy honoring
the dead will be read. Mourners will tear their garments or
wear black armbands torn with a razorblade to symbolize that
someone close to them has died. It is considered an honor
to bury the dead and some Jewish burials will include a mitzvah
where mourners will pour dirt on the deceased grave essentially
burying them themselves. At a funeral, several prayers are
given along with the Mourners Kaddish. Following the funeral,
the family will have Shiva in their home for seven days. This
custom is sometimes referred to as “sitting Shiva”
because mourners are seated on very low stools. Shiva is a
time when mourners reflect on the dead so many households
will cover mirrors to prevent vanity, abstain from work, television
etc. During Shiva, visitors bring meals to those in mourning
and prayers will be said at their homes. Between the anniversary
of death and the end of the first 30 days after death the
gravestone will be revealed.
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