GEAR
ALTAR—Place of offerings to God. The table in the Jewish home is
often seen as a substitute for the altar and many customs are derived
from this identification.
ARK—The enclosed structure, freestanding or built into the wall of
the synagogue, which houses the scrolls of the laws. The ark is placed
on the eastern wall of the synagogue—toward Jerusalem—so that
worshipers will face the Torah and the Temple area in prayer.
Whenever a Torah scroll is taken out for the reading of the law, the
ark becomes the focus of a dramatic ceremony. Adorned with silver
crown, breastplate, and finial, the scroll is carried in a procession to
the reading desk, amid song and praise, as the congregation stands in
respect. During the reading of special prayers, worshipers also rise as
a mark of respect and stand while the ark remains open.
BIBLE—The common English designation for the Hebrew scriptures.
BIHAM—An elevated platform with a reader’s desk or table from
which the reading of the law and other liturgical functions are
conducted in the synagogue.
CANDLES—Lighting the Sabbath candles before sunset on Friday or
on the eve of the festivals is primarily done in the home. At least two
candles must be used.
At weddings, it is customary for fathers of the bride and groom to
accompany the groom down the aisle or to the chupa each holding a
lighted candle. The two mothers then accompany the bride, also
holding lighted candles.
A more general practice is lighting candles in rituals connected with
the dead, lamps and lights being symbolic of man’s soul. Candles are
lit when a person dies, in the house of a bereaved family throughout
the 7 days of mourning, on the anniversary of the death of a close
relative, and on those days when memorial prayers for the dead are
recited in synagogue. It is also customary for a memorial light to be
kept burning throughout the Day of Atonement.
CANDLESTICKS—see MENORAH.
ETERNAL LIGHT—A perpetually burning lamp used in Jewish
worship. The eternal light is electrified with a bulb whose encasement
and pendant chains are often elaborate.
FIVE SCROLLS—The biblical books: Song of Songs, Ruth,
Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther.
HALLOT—Special loaf of bread for Sabbaths and festivals
HANUKKAH LAMP—Also known as a Hanukkah menorah; an
eight-branched candelabrum ritually lit in celebration of Hanukkah.
KIDDUSH CUPS—A special or unique benediction cup.
MAGEN DAVID—The shield of David, a hexagram or six-pointed
star formed by two superimposed equilateral triangles. This star of
David has become a distinctive Jewish symbol.
MENORAH—Candelabrum, with seven branches.
MEZUZAH—Meaning doorpost, the Mezuzah contains a small
scroll of parchment containing selected biblical passages. The
Mezuzah is traditionally affixed to the right-hand doorposts of the
Jewish home, synagogues, and public dwellings.
PENTATEUCH—The Torah or first five books of the Bible,
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
SHOFAR—A kind of trumpet producing distinctive notes and blown
ritually during the penitential season.
STAR OF DAVID—See Magen David
SUKKAH—The booth erected for the Sukkot festival.
SYNAGOGUE—The central religious institution of Judaism, the
center for public prayer and for other religious and community
activities.
TABLES OF THE COVENANT—A two stone tablet received by
Moses from God on Mount Sinai containing the written law or
commandments.
TORAH—See Pentateuch.
TORAH ORNAMENTS—To honor and protect the Torah, Jewish
communities decorate the Scrolls of the Laws. The scroll has a cloth
mantle and a metal breastplate hung over the cloth mantle. The
rollers to which the parchment scroll is attached are made of wood
and are often topped with metal finials. Torah scrolls are adorned
by a keter, a crown that fits over the two rollers.
UNLEAVENED BREAD—Also known as matsah, this bread is
made without leavening agents to be used during Passover.
YAD—Pointer used to keep the place while reading from the Scroll
of the Law.
Figure 1-13A.—Essential gear for Jewish worship.
GARMENTS
AMULETS—Objects worn or kept close to one’s person as a protection
against evil, natural and supernatural. Amulets are normally inscribed
with blessings, names of God, names given to angels, the star of David,
a menorah, the hand, and squares and rectangles.
PRAYER SHAWL—See Tallit.
TALLIT—A four-cornered, fringed garment worn during certain
prayers.
TEFILLIN—Two small
quadrangular
black leather
boxes
containing four biblical passages that male Jews from the age of 13
wear on the left arm and on the head during the weekday mourning
service.
YARMULKE—See covering the head.
Figure 1-13B.—Essential garments for Jewish worship.
1-30
