Question Set #1
What acronym is used when referring to Moses Maimonides. DOUBLE POINTS! Give me Maimonides' full name and title
RaMBaM - Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon
What is Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed?
Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed was an attempt to reconcile secular theology and Jewish moral law (Halachah). Specifically, it was Maimonides’ attempt to reconcile Jewish ethics with Aristolean philosophy. Through Guide for the Perplexed, Moses Maimonides reconciled Jewish ethics with Aristotlean theology, enabling Judaism to maintain relevance in the 12th century.
Name ONE of the sources of Jewish Ethics.
• Torah – The Teaching
• Talmud (Oral Law)
• Book of Proverbs
• Rabbinic teachings
• Commentaries and interpretations
• Responsa
In the Jewish marriage ceremony, what Hebrew terms are used when referring to the Bride and Groom?
Chatan (Groom)
Khallah (Bride)
What does the term Halakah mean?
The term Halakah refers to the “way” a Jew is directed to behave in every aspect of life, encompassing civil, criminal and religious law.
Name TWO contributions made my Maimonides to Judaism's development and expression.
Commentary on the Mishnah
Guide for the Perplexed (Moreh Nevuchim)
Book of the Commandments (Sefer HaMitzvot)
Mishneh Torah
Golden Ladder of Tzedakah
13 Principles of Faith
Explain Maimonides' contribution of the Mishneh Torah.
Maimonides composed the first true halachic code, his monumental Mishneh Torah. This work was revolutionary in the way it presented the laws in a totally new format and without providing the biblical and rabbinic sources for its decisions.
- One of the greatest Jewish legal texts of all
time.
- Review of the Torah
- Guide to system of Jewish law.
- Fourteen volume
- “One should read the written Torah and then
read the Mishneh Torah. Then he will know the
oral Torah in its entirety, without needing to
read any other text beside.” (from introduction
to Mishneh Tora
- Written in concise Hebrew
Name TWO of the Jewish environmental ethical teachings we have covered.
Tikkun Olam
Pikuach Nefesh
Bal Tashchit
Tsa’ar Ba’alei Chayim
Name TWO principal beliefs within Judaism
Monotheism
Divinely Inspired Moral Law
Covenant
During a Jewish wedding ceremony, what is a Ketubah?
The legal marriage contract presented to the bride by the groom.
• Signed by the couple in front of two Jewish witnesses, attesting to the promises made by groom to the bride.
• Details mutual obligations of husband and wife and is a formalisation of the Halakha.
• Recalls importance of the law – present throughout the marriage.
• Expression of love and duty, relationship between couple and God.
• After the ring ceremony, the Ketubah is read to all present, symbolising that the couple is now part of the community
Explain Maimonides' Book of the Commandments
- Known in Hebrew as the Sefer HaMitzvot
- Enumerates the 613 commandments.
- Categorises positive and negative commandments.
- Aimed to simplify the commandments.
Provide ONE reason why Marriage is significant for the individual.
• Marriage is important for the individual as it creates a new family in the eyes of God, through the commitment of the partners to one another and God. It also fulfils the expectation of the ideal mate reflected in Genesis.
• Marriage reinforces and affirms for the individual their own faith and is a fulfillment of religious duty and Mitzvah. It reminds the couple of the God who created them and brought them together.
• The couple are called to continue the Jewish Tradition through procreating as seen in Genesis 1:28.
Within the wedding ceremony, what is the Sheva Brachot?
• Within the marriage ceremony, the seven blessings praise God for the creation of all things, linking the couple to the story of creation and the history of the Jewish people.
• The Sheva Brachot must be said in front of a Minyan or a group of witnesses to legitimise the ceremony. In progressive Jewish ceremonies the Minyan can be composed of both women and men.
• Contemporary Sheva Brachot use the following order:
– Blessing for the wine;
– Blessing to honour the wedding guests;
– Blessing to celebrate the creation of humankind;
– The fourth, fifth and sixth bless the couple’s marriage;
– Lastly, the seventh is in honour of the wedding couple and all of Israel.
• After the blessings are recited, the bride and groom drink from a second cup of wine.
Provide ONE example of how Marriage reflects the principal beliefs of Judaism
Individual:
Commitment to the Law
Marriage reinforces and affirms for the individual their own faith and is a fulfilment of religious duty and Mitzvah. It reminds the couple of the God who created them and brought them together.
The couple are called to continue the Jewish Tradition through procreating as seen in Genesis 1:28.
How is the Ketubah different in TWO different variants of Judaism
In Reform Variants, the Ketubah is a legal document that legitimises the marriage.
In Orthodox Variants, the Ketubah lists the religious responsibilities of each partner as well as legalising the marriage.
Explain Maimonides' Golden Ladder of Tzedakah. DOUBLE POINTS! Name at least THREE steps in the Golden Ladder of Tzedakah.
Level #1: To give grudgingly.
Level #2: To give out of kindness, but less than one should.
Level #3: To give after being asked.
Level #4: To give before one is asked.
Level #5: To give without knowing who will receive it, although the recipient knows the identity of the giver
Level #6: To give without making known one’s identity.
Level #7: To give so that neither giver nor receiver knows the identity of the other
Level #8: To give another the means to be self-supportive, through a gift, loan, or employment.
During the Jewish Wedding Ceremony, what is the shattering of glass meant to represent?
The most commonly accepted notion of the glass is in remembrance of the destroyed temple of the Jewish people.
At times of personal joy, Jewish people remember the sadness of their history, which began with the destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem.
Provide an explanation for TWO of the Jewish environmental ethical teachings we've covered
Tikkun Olam (Improving/Repairing the World)
Translates in English to ‘Repair the World’
Tikkun Olam teaches that the world is broken, so human beings must repair it by committing to social justice, political activism and environmental conservation.
Pikuach Nefesh (Preservation of Human Life)
The principle in Jewish law that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious rule.
Ba’al Tashchit (Avoiding Wastefulness and Wanton Destruction)
Ethical teaching found within the Torah which prohibits wasteful and wanton destruction of land and resources. Rooted in the Biblical verses that forbid cutting down fruit trees during times of war:
Tsa’ar Ba’alei Chayim (Suffering of Living Creatures)
Ethical teaching which strictly prohibits the unnecessary suffering of any animal.
Originates from the Talmud; specifically from the biblical law requiring people to assist in unloading burdens from animals:
“Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).
“It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him”’ (Genesis 2:18).
What are the two main components of Jewish marriage?
- Kiddushin (legal act of aquiring the bride by the groom)
- Nissuin (marraige ceremony)
Provide TWO examples of Maimonides' long-lasting impact on Judaism
His Writings:
- Today, still the most widely referenced and studied Jewish philosopher.
- The impact of his Golden Ladder of Tzedakah is still evident today in the Tzedakah boxes which can be found in synagogues all over the world.
Performance of the Yigdal Prayer:
- Inspired by Maimonides' 13 principles of faith.
For Jewish adherents today:
- Philosophically, Maimonides was a religious rationalist
- He was a model for the present; a foreshadowing of the balances inherent in modernity.
- His Judaism is a religion in which concrete behaviour serves the needs of abstract thought.
- He became the inspiration for Jewish people throughout the ages who wished to have a faith based on reason.
In the marriage ceremony, what is the Chuppah?
The canopy in which the Chatan and Khallah stand during the ceremony.
The Chuppah is supported by 4 poles signifying the 4 corners of the world, which recalls the beliefs in the Creator God that made the world. Just as he made the world with Love he has created the couple with love, for one another.
In Orthodox weddings, often the bride’s mother breaks a plate to remind the couple of the seriousness of marriage.
The Chuppah represents the hand of God covering the couple.
Provide TWO examples of individuals/organisations/movements actively living out Jewish environmental ethical teaching
Tikkun Hayam
Jewish Climate Network
Jewish Ecological Coalition
St Kilda Repair Cafe
Modern Kosher Food Practices
Provide ONE reason why Marriage is significant for the wider Jewish community.
Through rejoicing together with the couple, the community remembers their own marital vows and sees in the couple the continuation of the people in Israel in the new family being created. This new family is the foundation for a future Jewish society
Marriage serves as a reminder of the history of Israel. The creation of a new family is a sign of the continuation of the covenant between God and His people
Marriage brings the Jewish community together for a time of celebration, as the people rejoice at seeing the continuation of their community
The community provide support to the bride and groom in their marriage
The bride and groom are exalted to a special state during the wedding
Marriage reflects and reinforces the core beliefs of Judaism.
During the Jewish marriage process, what is the act of Aufruf?
• Aufruf is the first of the events that occur as part of the Kiddushin stage of marriage.
• On the Sabbath prior to the wedding, the groom is called up in synagogue to read from the Torah.
• This is seen an invitation for the community to celebrate the marriage with the couple.
• This act shows that the bride and groom will keep the Torah central to their marriage, their lives, and the lives of their children.
• Following the Aufruf, it is traditional for the couple to be separated for a week.