Hebrew Prayer |

For any of you who have immigrated to Israel, how long did it take you to become fluent in Hebrew?

It depends on how old you are and how careful you are to associate with people who will speak Hebrew to you. The younger you are, the more quickly you'll learn. As an English speaker, you'll have the problem of Israelis wanting to speak English to you to improve their own language skills.

Avoiding your mother tongue is important. I know many immigrants who stayed in their own tightly nit community and never learned Hebrew.

If you're about 20 or 30, I'd guess a year or two.

Good luck.

Zvi the Aged Fiddler

also why is it basically important and treated with such respect?

It's part of their religion.

Coach

Did any earlier religion have the concept of a day of rest?

The Ten Commandments were not original, except for the item about Sabbath-keeping. That one item seems to be absent from the Egyptian Books of the Dead and the Babylonian codes of law such as Hammurabi's. Did it perhaps originate with the Hebrews?
Monotheism was not invented by the Israelites. It was invented much earlier by Pharoah Akhneton.

An open question is whether or not monotheism has been beneficial. Maybe it breeds intolerance and conflict.

Monotheism however is a step towards atheism. If you can repudiate the claimed existence of a whole bunch of gods, it's not too much of a stretch then to proceed to trash the one still left standing.

Though Judaism may not have been the first authors of monotheism, it is a religion based on the finely tuned concept of a "perfect" law (Common Sense)…

This led to later prophets, etc. such as Jesus and Muhammed, who were considered to be embodiments of this "perfect" law…

The Torah/Old Testament says:
"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

So most Jewish congregations should welcome you in their midst if you are respectful of their service.

It doesn't matter whether you are religious or not, Christian or atheist. God wants people to come to Him, and the Judaism provides for people to come into a relationship with God even if they are not ethnically Jewish.

Similarly, a Christian congregation should do the same, since it is based on a foundation of Judaism.

But most importantly, you should approach the moment with respect for those who are worshipping, and try to be attentive to their expectations for visitors as much as you can. I think they would be very welcoming. :))

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan derived its name from the Prophet's sect, Hashem.

The Hebrews were active in Mecca and Medina and the Prophet actively engaged with them, hearing about the Torah and their prayers. Was the reference, Ha Shem, used for G-d during this time?

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan derived its name from the Prophet's sect, Hashem.

The tribe was (is) Al-Quraish.
Hashem is a smaller grouping, the clan.

According to Answers.com, the definition of Kashrut is the state of being Kosher and/or the body of Jewish dietary law. Of course, there are many more meanings to the word Kashrut or Kosher. It does not simply apply to food. It can be in the way people are treated. However, in this article I will focus on kosher foods in the United States to help make it easier to find a kosher restaurant in Los Angeles or anywhere else.

The Hebrew word Kosher, Kashrut, etc. are all different titles given to the Jewish dietary laws. In the United States and the English language, we use the word Kosher. The word actually means fit or correct, as well as suitable according to the Jewish law. Pigs are (for some reason) most notable when it comes to non-kosher foods. If an animal is not slaughtered appropriately or is killed ferociously by its predator, it is not considered kosher.

Orthodox Judaism has a much stricter way of it’s laws than Conservative Judaism does.

In the United States, there are many laws stating that it is a crime if a company says that a food is Kosher when it really is not. This law is in effect in the following states:

- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Texas
- Virginia

It is also a law in some parts of Florida and Baltimore.

According to Answers.com, there are many restrictions placed on food for it to be labeled kosher by the Jewish law. Here are some of those restrictions.

1. Mammals that live on the land have to eat food that they chew the cud and have cloven hoofs.

2. Birds of prey are not considered kosher.

3. Fish must have fins and scales.

4. Any dairy and meat products are not to be served at the same meal, cooked using the same dishes or tools, or stored inappropriately. They cannot touch each other.

5. A trained Shochet uses a particular way to slaughter animals known as shechits. A Shochet severs the jugular, carotid artery, esophagus, and trachea in one smooth cut with a sharp knife.

6. The blood is then removed from the animal. This can be done by broiling, soaking and salting.

7. If a kitchen has been used in a non-kosher way (such as a young Jewish couple moving into a new apartment) they must boil everything in that kitchen to prepare it to become kosher.

There are many laws in Judaism that pertain to kosher foods, but it does not end at just food. It is a way of living. It is the lifestyle of the Jewish and of the Jewish law. It has come over to the United States to appropriately welcome Jews into the country. Hopefully, someday all of the states in the United States will have a law on labeling foods kosher, and hopefully there will be more kosher restaurants in the United States.

Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a Hebrew calendar year. It is a serious occasion, more akin to the first day of school than the first day of January. It is a time to see how much we have grown over the year, in a Jewish sense – a time for accounting for spiritual, ethical and religious growth. Hence, the shofar, the ram’s horn: like the alarm clock on the morning of the first day of school, the piercing sounds of the shofar are a wake-up call, challenged to examine the lives led in the year just concluded, and to think about paths for the year ahead.

The two-day celebration of Rosh Hashanah is referred to as ‘yoma arichta’, meaning one day, as the forty-eight hour long observance of Rosh Hashanah is considered to be one extended day. This observance of two days is observed not only in Diaspora but in Jerusalem as well. Nevertheless, it is imperative that the first day of Rosh Hashanah will fall only on the following days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Shabbat. Moreover, there is a subtle difference between the second day of Rosh Hashanah celebrated when the months were calculated based on testimony and the second day celebrated at present. In the former period, if witnesses did not appear, the first day celebrated would be observed according to the dictate of the Rabbi and the second day would be at the behest of the holy book, Torah. Presently, as the calendar is dependent on fixed calculations, the first day Rosh Hashanah of is a Torah obligation and the second day is a Rabbinical enactment.

A custom observed on the first day of Rosh Hashanah in the afternoon (or on the second day in the afternoon if the first day is the Shabbat), is to gather at a stream or river to symbolically cast away one’s sins. The ceremony is known as ‘Tashlich’ (”cast off” in Hebrew) and involves the throwing of crumbs from one’s pockets into the running waters and the reciting of biblical verses. A central verse in the ceremony is from the Book of Micah (7:19): “And you kill cast [vetashlikh] all their sins in the depths of the sea.”

At the dawn of Rosh Hashanah, it is an old custom to go from house to house with a sack, where people, who have money, put coins in it and those who can’t afford it take coins out of the sack, but no one can know for certain, who donates and who takes away. This custom is known as Tzedakha, or ‘Charity’ which is observed in adherence to the Mitzvah or commandments which promulgates to share what we have with those in need.

Rosh Hashanah includes the standard holiday choreography of candle lighting and the Kiddush blessing over wine, complemented with a variety of culinary customs highlighting the day’s themes. These begin with a round Challah loaf, recalling a king’s crown – denoting God’s kingship—or alternately the ongoing continuity of the life cycle.

Apples are dipped in honey, expressing the hope that the coming year will be one of goodness and sweetness, and the following is recited: “May it be Your will, our God and God our ancestors, that our new year be good and sweet”. Honey other than being consumed with apple is also used to soak Challah, the traditional bread. In fact there are several dishes prepared with honey to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. Sephardic Jews serve covered fruit baskets so nobody knows what’s inside the basket, likewise no one knows what’s in store for the coming year.

Several other foods became customary to eat, because of the connection of their names (in Hebrew or Yiddish Aramaic) to our prayers for the coming year. Before each food, a prayer is said that begins: “May it be Your will, our God and God of our ancestors…”

On this holiday people spend most of their time praying in Synagogues. It provides them the opportunity to repent and pray for mercy to God side by side with their friends, family or loved ones. Married men dressed up in Kittel, traditional white attire as a symbol of purity. Likewise married women cover their head inside the synagogue. They pray and ardently listen to the ‘chazan’ which the rabbi recites.

However Rosh Hashanah is not merely about fun and frolicking. It is the time for prayer, profound personal introspection and the time for rekindling spiritual sensitivities. It is the time for the families and friends to look back and try to rectify the felonies that they have committed. Family members ask for forgiveness and forgive in return. Flipping through the family albums and remembering the fond memories of yesteryears is how some like to spend this holiday.

Jewish Torah Videos 300 FREE from Israel
www.torahvideo.com

Duration : 2 min 47 sec

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: jewish

Celine Dion&Josh Globan

Duration : 4 min 53 sec

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: Celine Dion

Judaism is not only cool but inspirational, spiritual, mystical and relevant to life. This short movie will show you why tapping into Torah is awesome and why people around the world are reconnecting to it.

Duration : 14 min 58 sec

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: Judaism