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Judaism is a monotheistic religion that dates back for thousands of years. This
religion of the Jewish people specifies a set of guidelines of which a person
shall live. Like the Christian Bible, the Jewish have their Torah and their own
version of the Ten Commandments.
The Jewish religion actually has a designated language, which would be Hebrew.
Beliefs of the Jews, differing by individual or group may include:
1. The words of Jewish prophets are to be seen as true.
2. There will be a second coming of the Messiah
3. There will be no other worship aside to God himself and God alone.
4. There will not be a rewriting of the Torah.
5. God praises the deeds of the good people in the world, and will strike down
the wrongdoers so that they get what they deserve.
Jewish tradition frowns upon the eating of lower grade animals, hence relying
upon Kosher meals to supplement their dietary needs. Jews also strongly
discourage premarital sex, divorce, abortion, animal cruelty, stealing, murder,
and slander.
Jews have the belief in contrast to Christians that we were not born with
Original Sin. They believe that when we are born, our life and our sins begin
from that moment on. Speaking of birth, lets discuss the Brit Milah. The Brit
Milah is the celebration of the birth of a male, and a Bris (circumcision) is
performed. The Bris will take place on the 8th day of the child's life, and will
be blessed with a Hebrew name.
Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvahs- to most easily distinguish the two separately,
remember that "Bar" is translated into" Son" and Bat into "Daughter". It is a
coming of age ceremony that begins at the age of 12 for girls and 13 for boys.
Usually a period of studying is required before the ceremony, and the child will
stand up and recite prayers or scriptures from the Torah at Temple.
Marriage- Jewish tradition allows for a contract for the marriage ceremony. This
contract is extremely similar to a modern day prenuptial agreement. The contract
simply states the mans obligations to his wife and children during marriage,
after divorce, or in the event of death. A Rabbi will say a prayer and blesses
wine for the bride and groom, after the married couple drinks the wine the groom
will smash the glass underneath his foot to testify that what he has done cannot
be undone. Festivities follow this including singing, dancing, music, and
raising the bride and groom on chairs as part of their tradition.
Death- Jews show a grand amount of respect for the dead. Open casket viewings,
ceremonies, etc are forbidden. Jewish tradition forbids cremation and insists
that the entire body must be buried into the earth. Autopsies are discouraged
except in extreme circumstances because it shows disrespect to the person. If a
coffin is used, the coffin must have holes or gaps put into it so that the body
comes into connection with the earth.
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