judaism key concepts

• tenakh


  the jewish sacred text comprising three sections: torah, nevi'im and ketuvim
• talmud


  a collection of jewish law and tradition; mishnah and gemara collected together. study of the talmud is an important religious duty for jewish men
• covenant


  a solemn and binding promise or agreement between two parties. covenants were made between god and noah, abraham and moses
• brit milah


  the ceremony of circumcision - removal of the foreskin of the penis on the eighth day after birth. it is regarded as a sign of god's covenant with his chosen people. translates as 'covenant of the cutting'
• bar mitzvah


  means the son of the commandment. a boy who reaches adulthood (age thirteen). it is usually marked by a synagogue ceremony and family celebration
• bat mitzvah


  means daughter of the commandment. a girl who reaches adulthood (age twelve). it is usually marked by a synagogue service and celebration
• mezuzah


  means 'door post'. it is a scroll enclosed in a case (often decorative) placed on the right-hand door post of every room in a jewish home
• pesach


  also called passover of the feast of unleavened bread. festival commemorating the exodus from egypt, celebrated in the spring
• magen david


  the 'shield of david', popularly called the star of david. a six-pointed star which has become the symbol of judaism. its exact origin is unknown
• abraham


  the first jew; the founder of judaism. abraham is believed to be the biological and spiritual ancestor of the jewish people
• moses


  an important prophet. moses led the hebrews out of slavery in egypt and took them to the holy land promised to them by god. he gave the hebrews the ten commandments from god and is considered to be the only human to have encountered god directly (in the burning bush)
• promised land


  or the land of canaan, was promised to abraham and his descendants by god. today it is known as israel
• tefillin


  small leather boxes containing passages from the torah, strapped on the forehead and arm for weekday, morning prayers. this is observed by orthodox jewish men of bar mitzvah age and over