The Chai Symbols In Jewish Religion

What is religion? In the dictionary it states that “religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods (world spirituality).” But in other walks of faith, religion could be a place of worship, whether if it’s at home, or at a church. In every culture there are those god-seekers. We have created every religion as a method to redeem ourselves and to reach God through regulations, rules, or works. All religions center upon man’s own efforts to make things right with God. Through self-effort or people who try to earn their way into heaven (salvation) or some eternal reward. In the Jewish culture they refer to the word faith instead of the word religion. When we think of the word religious
ethics, we think of them as a set “rules”. We think of both “do this” and “don’t do that.” The way ethics serves religion is by different people and different activities. These serve to shape religious behavior such as professional religious specialist’s, monks, and gurus. There are others, such as saviors, saints, and immortals. When social morality based on religion is constantly, carefully practiced, religion becomes a way of life (Voorst, 2013).
In the Jewish religion there are three symbols chai; menorah and the Star of David.
The Chai symbol is of modern origin, popular and fashionable in jewelry today, it is the Hebrew word for “living.” The oldest symbol of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a large usually seven-branched candelabra. It was a prominent accessory in the Jerusalem temple, and one sees it today in many Jewish homes and houses of worship. For many Jews, the menorah is a symbol of Israel’s mission to be “a light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). The last symbol would be the Star of David. A symbol of two overlaid equilateral triangles was a common symbol of good fortune in the ancient Near East and in North Africa. The Star of David gained popularity as a symbol of Judaism when it was adopted in 1897(Voorst,
2013).
Just as any other religion has, Judaism has many different rituals that they follow. One of the things that they believe in is worship in the Synagogue. Typically, these services take place Friday evening or Saturday mornings. These times are known as Sabbath days. Sabbath is known as the 7th day of the week, which begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday. In the culture of Judaism, they have an annual festival called Rosh Hashanah. This is a Jewish New Year. But unlike our New Years, they don't have a set date. Rosh Hashanah can be anytime between September and October, but depending on the Lunar Year. They also believe in eating Kosher foods over regular foods. The actual meaning of Kosher is proper or fitting. This tells them which foods they can eat, and which foods they need to stay away from. When a male child is born, the Jews believe in Circumcision. Many people nowadays automatically choose to agree to a circumcision for their sons, but in the Jewish culture, they have a significant reason for it. They believe those who choose not to perform a circumcision will not have a chance to enter Heaven. When a Jewish child gets to the age of 13, they are celebrated as they are forming from a child to an adult. This ritual is called either a bar Mitzvah or a bat Mitzvah depending on the gender of the child. Marriage and death rituals are also very important to the Jewish culture. All of these traditions together, make up the culture of Judaism.
One religious practice that shape an individual or the group would be circumcised. The act of circumcision is the sign of the covenant. The ceremony has to occur approximately eight days after the baby boy is born. The timing is very specific, even if the eighth day happens to fall on one of the Jewish holidays they will still perform the ritual. The only time that that rule is invalid for the eight day rule is if the baby boy is too sick for the circumcision to be performed. The circumcision must happen before sundown. The person who does the ceremony is a person called a mohel. The word mohel comes from the word mohela, which is Aramaic for "one who circumcises." In order to perform circumcisions, a mohel has to take special training. “The circumcision is performed in a home or synagogue by a mohel, a respected Jewish man educated in the relevant Jewish laws, skilled in hygienic practices, and possessed of a steady hand (Voorst, 2013).” Some mohels are doctors, who will have the medical skill to perform the circumcision safely. As stated in the book “the commandment to circumcise is given first in Genesis 17:10–14 as an essential part of God’s covenant with Abraham. According to God’s command to Abraham, circumcision is performed only on males as the sign of the covenant and membership in God’s people (Voorst, 2013”).
There are three things that happen while the circumcision in underway.
The parents are there and the person who holds the baby is there. This person is called the Sandek. The Sandek, person who holds the baby, is usually a man that is associated with the family like the grandfather, brother, uncle or a friend of the father. The next special role is the Kvatterin, who is a woman that takes the baby from the mother. The Kvatter is who the Kvatterin hands the baby in and brings the baby to the mohel. At the beginning of the circumcision ritual, the mother gives the baby up. They then take the baby to a special room that is needed, and the Kvatterin takes the child to the room where he is handed to the Kvatter. As the baby enters, there blessings that are cited while the baby is being entered into the room. The baby is then given to the Sandek, who will place his hands on the child. A prayer is said by the mohel while the ritual is being of circumcises of the child is being done. The circumcision is the removal of the foreskin. After prayers are done a drop of wine is placed in the baby's mouth. After the ritual is finished, they then have a celebration. They serve red wine but if children are present the use juice
(grape).
Another participative ritual would be the death of a Jew. There are a lot of does and don’t. The body must not be left alone and the burial must be done 48 hours after the death. The reason the funeral is so quick is so that they can show respect to the deceased and also to the mourners. The mourners are the deceased spouse, children or parents. Anybody else are not considered mourners, but they can still mourner due to the relationships they have with the deceased. With Jews funerals they are forbidden to do autopsy due to the Jewish laws. But if they live in a state where an autopsy must be performed, then they can have it. They are not to remove organs, even if they are an organ donor. The clothing that the deceased must wear is simple. This is so that everyone is the same, at death and for mourners. The body cannot be cremated and the coffin is simple and placed in the ground. The coffin must be made of wood. The mourners have 11 months to mourn the death and on the twelfth month they have an unveiling ceremony for the mourners.
Many races and peoples have mixed together in Jewish communities over the centuries. The one thing that keeps the group together is a common Jewish heritage. It has been passed down from generation to generation. For many of the Jews, Judaism usually refers to the Jewish religion. But it can sometimes be used to refer to all of the Jews.
A secular Jew is a person of Jewish heritage who does not practice the religion of Judaism. That could go for all religions, not just the Jews. Secular Jews do not believe in that religion at all. Probably more than half of all Jews in Israel today call themselves "secular," and don't believe in God or any of the religious beliefs of Judaism. Jews in the United States don't belong to any place of worship or what’s called the synagogue. Just like most Christians, they practice some of the rituals of Judaism and celebrate some of the holidays, but they don't think of these actions as religious activities. They think of them as celebrating what the world celebrates and think that’s fine. Each religion follows their own rules and guidelines. They make sure their follower is worshiped. Secular people are still Jews, regardless of their disbelief they just think that they are not part of the religion.