A tallit is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews . The tallit has special twined and knotted fringes known as tzitzit attached to its four corners. The cloth part is known as the beged ("garment") and is usually made from wool or cotton, although silk is sometimes used for a tallit gadol .
106-401: The term is, to an extent, ambiguous. It can refer either to the tallit katan ("small tallit") item that can be worn over or under clothing and commonly referred to as "tzitzit", or to the tallit gadol ("big tallit") Jewish prayer shawl worn over the outer clothes during the morning prayers ( Shacharit ) and worn during all prayers on Yom Kippur . The term "tallit" alone, usually refers to
212-676: A tallit , and usually encouraged to do so, especially when called to the Torah or leading services from the bimah . Women in Conservative Judaism began to revive the wearing of the tallit in the 1970s, usually using colors and fabrics distinct from the traditional garment worn by men, in the spirit of (but not necessarily out of adherence to) the contemporary Orthodox rulings regarding women not wearing "male-style" garments. It has become common in Reform and other non-Orthodox streams for girls to receive
318-517: A tallit kattan is not mandated in Biblical law, but in Rabbinic law the practice is strongly encouraged for men, and often considered obligatory or a binding custom. The tallit katan is also known as arba kanfot (Yiddish/Ashkenazic Hebrew: arbe kanfes ), literally "four corners", and may be referred to simply as tzitzit . A continuing misconception within non-Jewish circles is that the tallit katan
424-557: A Torah scroll taken out for a scheduled Torah reading. In the event one of the prayers was missed inadvertently, the Amidah prayer is said twice in the next service—a procedure known as tefillat tashlumin . Many Jews sway their body back and forth during prayer. This practice, referred to as shuckling in Yiddish , is not mandatory. Many are accustomed to giving charity before, during (especially during Vayivarech David ) or after prayer, in
530-582: A comeback. In Modern Hebrew the word is pronounced [taˈlit] , with the stress on the final syllable. In Yiddish it is [ˈtaləs] , with the stress on the first syllable. The plural of tallit in Hebrew is tallitot , pronounced [taliˈtot] . The Yiddish plural is taleisim, pronounced [taˈlejsɪm] . Tallit is an Aramaic word from the root T-L-L ( ט־ל־ל ) meaning cover. Tallit literally means "cloak" or "sheet", but in Talmudic times already referred to
636-620: A day he kneeled on his knees and prayed and offered thanks before his God just as he had done prior to this. The Talmud gives two reasons why there are three basic prayers each day: The earliest parts of Jewish prayer are the Shema Yisrael and the Priestly Blessing , which are in the Torah . Maimonides asserts that until the Babylonian exile , all Jews composed their own prayers. After
742-445: A day, and may not be required to recite a specific text. Traditionally, three prayer services are recited daily: Two additional services are recited on Shabbat and holidays: A distinction is made between individual prayer and communal prayer, which requires a quorum known as a minyan , with communal prayer being preferable as it permits the inclusion of prayers that otherwise would be omitted. According to tradition, many of
848-487: A distinct literary genre. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica , "Midrash was initially a philological method of interpreting the literal meaning of biblical texts. In time it developed into a sophisticated interpretive system that reconciled apparent biblical contradictions, established the scriptural basis of new laws, and enriched biblical content with new meaning. Midrashic creativity reached its peak in
954-515: A distinct preference for a woolen garment as per the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch , among Ashkenazim customs are split, with Moses Isserles ruling that all garment types are acceptable. While the Mishnah Berurah and Moshe Feinstein recommend wearing a woolen garment following the Shulchan Aruch ' s ruling, Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz was known to wear cotton, following the ruling of
1060-470: A fixed, canonical text, considered to be the authoritative and revealed word of God by the midrashist and his audience, and in which this canonical text is explicitly cited or clearly alluded to". Lieve M. Teugels, who would limit midrash to rabbinic literature, offered a definition of midrash as "rabbinic interpretation of Scripture that bears the lemmatic form", a definition that, unlike Porton's, has not been adopted by others. While some scholars agree with
1166-496: A foreshadowing of the technical sense that the rabbis later gave to the word. Since the early Middle Ages the function of much of midrashic interpretation has been distinguished from that of peshat , straight or direct interpretation aiming at the original literal meaning of a scriptural text. A definition of "midrash" repeatedly quoted by other scholars is that given by Gary G. Porton in 1981: "a type of literature, oral or written, which stands in direct relationship to
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#17328847626491272-485: A groom before marriage as a wedding present or even as part of a dowry . The Bible does not command wearing of a unique prayer shawl or tallit. Instead, it presumes that people wore a garment of some type to cover themselves and instructs the Children of Israel to attach fringes ( ציצית tzitzit ) to the corners of these ( Numbers 15:38), repeating the commandment in terms that they should "make thee twisted cords upon
1378-421: A handful of lines in the Biblical narrative may become a long philosophical discussion Jacob Neusner distinguishes three midrash processes: Numerous Jewish midrashim previously preserved in manuscript form have been published in print, including those denominated as smaller or minor midrashim. Bernard H. Mehlman and Seth M. Limmer deprecate this usage claiming that the term "minor" seems judgmental and "small"
1484-554: A manner which helped to refute claims that they were only human interpretations—the argument being that, by presenting the various collections of different schools of thought, each of which relied upon close study of the text, the growing difference between early biblical law and its later rabbinic interpretation could be reconciled. Midrashim that seek to explain the non-legal portions of the Hebrew Bible are sometimes referred to as aggadah or Haggadah . Aggadic discussions of
1590-504: A means of rewriting it in a way that both makes it more acceptable to later ethical standards and conforms more to later notions of plausibility. James L. Kugel , in The Bible as It Was (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1997), examines a number of early Jewish and Christian texts that comment on, expand, or re-interpret passages from the first five books of the Tanakh between
1696-630: A poncho-like vest undergarment was developed as a practical solution to continue following the Torah commandment. This garment is most commonly known as tzitzit, but is also referred to as arba kanfot ("four corners"), or tallit katan ("small tallit"). Jewish men wear the talit katan every day, most commonly worn under their clothing with the tzitzit knots hanging out. Some Jewish men prefer to tuck in their tzitzit to avoid drawing unwanted attention and/or for practical reasons. The tallit gadol became almost exclusively worn only for morning prayers and rarely outside. In many Sephardic and German Jewish communities,
1802-1090: A precise meaning and a precise effect. Prayers thus literally affect the mystical forces of the universe, and repair the fabric of creation. This approach has been taken by the Chassidei Ashkenaz (German pietists of the Middle-Ages), the Zohar , the Arizal's Kabbalist tradition, the Ramchal , most of Hassidism , the Vilna Gaon and Jacob Emden . Hassidism , although incorporating the kabbalistic worldview and its corresponding kavanot, also emphasized straightforward sincerity and depth of emotional engagement in prayer. The Baal Shem Tov 's great-grandson, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov , particularly emphasized speaking to God in one's own words, which he called Hitbodedut (self-seclusion) and advised setting aside an hour to do this every day. Daven
1908-444: A series of kavanot , directions of intent, to specify the path the prayer ascends in the dialogue with God, to increase its chances of being answered favorably. Kabbalism ascribes a higher meaning to the purpose of prayer, which is no less than affecting the very fabric of reality itself, restructuring and repairing the universe in a real fashion. In this view, every word of every prayer, and indeed, even every letter of every word, has
2014-738: A tallit at their bat mitzvah, although some do not subsequently wear it on a regular basis. Other women have adopted the tallit later in life, including the larger, traditional style, to connect with their communities, embody egalitarian values, or create a personalized connection to Judaism. It is rare for women to wear a tallit katan. Jewish prayer Jewish prayer ( Hebrew : תְּפִילָּה , tefilla [tfiˈla] ; plural תְּפִילּוֹת tefillot [tfiˈlot] ; Yiddish : תּפֿלה , romanized : tfile [ˈtfɪlə] , plural תּפֿלות tfilles [ˈtfɪləs] ; Yinglish : davening / ˈ d ɑː v ən ɪ ŋ / from Yiddish דאַוון davn 'pray')
2120-458: A tallit gadol during the morning ( Shacharit ) service; at the afternoon service ( Mincha ), those who wear a tallit gadol make the blessing on fringes then. Other Sephardim (following the Kabbalah and the prevailing custom ( Minhag ) for Jerusalem) wear the tallit at Shacharit as usual. The Kabbalists considered the tallit as a special garment for the service of God , intended, in connection with
2226-501: A tallit gadol for their sons at the age of 13, together with tefillin , though among the orthodox a male child will have been wearing a tallit katan from pre-school age. In the Reform, Reconstructionist, Renewal, and Conservative movements many women nowadays also wear a tallit gadol. While many worshipers bring their own tallit gadol to synagogue, there is usually a rack of them for the use of visitors and guests. At Jewish wedding ceremonies,
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#17328847626492332-478: A tallit gadol is often used as a chuppah or wedding canopy. Similarly, a tallit gadol is traditionally spread out as a canopy over the children during the Torah -reading ceremony during the holiday of Simchat Torah , or in any procession with Torah scrolls, such as when parading a newly completed scroll through the streets. The tallit gadol is traditionally draped over the shoulders, but during prayer, some cover their head with it, notably during specific parts of
2438-574: A tallit. Generally, the time when Maariv can first be recited is when the time for reciting Mincha ends. But there are varying opinions on this. Maariv should not begin before 1¼ hours before sunset . Others delay Maariv until after sunset or after dusk . If Maariv is recited prior to dusk, individuals repeat the Shema later in the evening. Midrash Midrash ( / ˈ m ɪ d r ɑː ʃ / ; Hebrew : מִדְרָשׁ ; pl. מִדְרָשִׁים midrashim or מִדְרָשׁוֹת midrashot )
2544-514: A text. This is not limited to the traditional thirteen textual tools attributed to the Tanna Rabbi Ishmael , which are used in the interpretation of halakha (Jewish law). The presence of words or letters which are seen to be apparently superfluous, and the chronology of events, parallel narratives or what are seen as other textual "anomalies" are often used as a springboard for interpretation of segments of Biblical text. In many cases,
2650-495: Is "for God's sake" rather than motivated by external movements such as feminism. At the gender-segregated sections of the Western Wall , women have been permitted to wear shawls worn around the neck—but harassed, expelled or arrested for wearing the more traditional garments outside the segregated men's section. Women in non-Orthodox ( Reform , Conservative , Karaite , Reconstructionist and others) are not prohibited from wearing
2756-453: Is a fringed garment traditionally worn either under or over one's clothing by Jewish males. It is a poncho-like garment with a hole for the head and special twined and knotted fringes known as tzitzit attached to its four corners. The requirements regarding the fabric and fringes of a tallit katan are the same as that of a tallit gadol . Generally, a tallit katan is made of wool or cotton. Although Sephardic halakha generally maintains
2862-401: Is a metaphor for the argument justifying his rebellion. Just as he argued that a blue fringe is superfluous for an entirely blue garment, in the text of the Torah he argued that a holy leader like Moses was unnecessary for a nation which was entirely holy ( Numbers 16:3 ). The phrase "more kosher than tzitzit" is a Yiddish metaphoric expression ( כשר'ער ווי ציצית ) with similar connotations but
2968-616: Is a sheet which is used by Orthodox Jews during sexual intercourse. It is believed that the fabric being hung from clothing lines during the 19th and 20th centuries within Jewish neighborhoods in the United States started these rumors. Not understanding its purpose, seeing the material with a hole in the middle caused non-Jews to make imaginative assumptions. The tallit gadol ( Yiddish / Ashkenazic Hebrew tallis godoil; traditionally known as tallét gedolah among Sephardim), or "large" tallit ,
3074-448: Is available, whereas kabbalist sources take it a step further by encouraging its practice. According to the biblical commandment, a blue thread ( petil tekhelet ) is included in the tzitzit. However, for many centuries since the exile of the Jewish people from the Land of Israel , tzitzit have been worn without a techelet fringe, though in the last hundred years there has been something of
3180-451: Is based on pre-set assumptions about the sacred and divine nature of the text, and the belief in the legitimacy that accords with rabbinic interpretation. Although this material treats the biblical texts as the authoritative word of God, it is clear that not all of the Hebrew Bible was fixed in its wording at this time, as some verses that are cited differ from the Masoretic , and accord with
3286-492: Is collected from the place of death (home, hospital, etc.) by the chevra kadisha (burial committee). In Ashkenazi custom, after a ritual washing of the body, the body of men is dressed in a kittel and then a tallit gadol . One of the tzitzit is then cut off. In the Land of Israel, burial is without a casket, and the kittel and tallit are the only coverings for the corpse. Women are buried in white shrouds only. In addition to
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3392-564: Is concluded with Malachi 3:4. Ashrei is recited, followed by half- Kaddish , the Amidah (including repetition), Tachanun , and then the full Kaddish. Sephardim insert a Psalm, followed by the Mourner's Kaddish. After this follows, in most modern rites, the Aleinu . Most Ashkenazim then conclude with the Mourner's Kaddish. In Ashkenazic, Italian and Yemenite communities, the service leaders often wears
3498-523: Is considered acceptable, but prayer with a quorum of ten Jewish adults—a minyan —is the most highly recommended form of prayer and is required for some prayers. An adult in this context means over the age of 12 or 13 ( bat or bar mitzvah ). Judaism had originally counted only men in the minyan for formal prayer, on the basis that one does not count someone who is not obligated to participate. The rabbis had exempted women from almost all time-specific positive mitzvot (commandments), including those parts of
3604-492: Is considered more "correct". Based on the Talmudic principle of tadir v'she'ayno tadir, tadir kodem ( תדיר ושאינו תדיר, תדיר קודם : lit., frequent and infrequent, frequent first), when one performs more than one mitzva at a time, those that are performed more frequently should be performed first. While the tallit is worn daily, tefillin are not worn on Shabbat and holidays. On the fast day of Tisha B'Av , different customs prevail. Ashkenazim and some Sephardim do not wear
3710-595: Is derived from the root of the verb darash ( דָּרַשׁ ), which means "resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require", forms of which appear frequently in the Bible. The word midrash occurs twice in the Hebrew Bible: 2 Chronicles 13:22 "in the midrash of the prophet Iddo ", and 24:27 "in the midrash of the book of the kings". Both the King James Version (KJV) and English Standard Version (ESV) translate
3816-470: Is expansive Jewish Biblical exegesis using a rabbinic mode of interpretation prominent in the Talmud . The word itself means "textual interpretation", "study", or " exegesis ", derived from the root verb darash ( דָּרַשׁ ), which means "resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require". Midrash and rabbinic readings "discern value in texts, words, and letters, as potential revelatory spaces", writes
3922-569: Is given in the Mishna, and among these only the Priestly Blessing is in use today, as the others are prayers that are to be said only in a Temple in Jerusalem , by a priest , or by a reigning King . Despite this, the tradition of most Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogues is to use Hebrew for all except a small number of prayers, including Kaddish and Yekum Purkan in Aramaic , and Gott Fun Avraham , which
4028-498: Is inappropriate for midrashim some of which are lengthy. They propose instead the term "medieval midrashim", since the period of their production extended from the twilight of the rabbinic age to the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment . Generally speaking, rabbinic midrashim either focus on religious law and practice ( halakha ) or interpret biblical narrative in relation to non-legal ethics or theology, creating homilies and parables based on
4134-429: Is not necessarily used in a sarcastic sense. It can refer, in the superlative, to something that is really so perfect and flawless as to be beyond all reproach or criticism. In some Jewish communities a tallit gadol is given as a gift by a father to a son, a father-in-law to a son-in-law, or a teacher to a student. It might be purchased to mark a special occasion, such as a wedding or a bar mitzvah . Many parents purchase
4240-484: Is performed with the heart? This is prayer. Based on this passage, Maimonides categorizes daily prayer as one of the 613 commandments . He rules that the commandment is fulfilled by any prayer at any time in the day, not a specific text; and thus is not time-dependent, and is mandatory for both Jewish men and women. In contrast, the requirement to say specific prayers at specific times is based not on biblical law, but rather rabbinic decree . Additional references in
4346-429: Is recited in the morning. Halacha limits parts of its recitation to the first three (Shema) or four (Amidah) hours of the day, where "hours" are 1/12 of daylight time, making these times dependent on the season. Shacharit is generally the lengthiest prayer of the day. Its components include Birkot hashachar , Korbanot , Pesukei dezimra , the Shema Yisrael and its blessings, the Amidah , and Tachanun . Of these,
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4452-400: Is subject to change—rather it is man himself who is changed. It is further consistent with Maimonides ' view on Divine Providence . Here, Tefillah is the medium which God gave to man by means of which he can change himself, and thereby establish a new relationship with God—and thus a new destiny for himself in life; see also under Psalms . Kabbalah (esoteric Jewish mysticism) uses
4558-449: Is such that the midrash is a simple lesson to the uninitiated, and a direct allusion, or analogy, to a mystical teaching for those educated in this area. A wealth of literature and artwork has been created in the 20th and 21st centuries by people aspiring to create "contemporary midrash". Forms include poetry, prose, Bibliodrama (the acting out of Bible stories), murals, masks, and music, among others. The Institute for Contemporary Midrash
4664-670: Is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism . These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the Siddur , the traditional Jewish prayer book. Prayer, as a "service of the heart," is in principle a Torah-based commandment . It is mandatory for Jewish women and men. However, the rabbinic requirement to recite a specific prayer text does differentiate between men and women: Jewish men are obligated to recite three prayers each day within specific time ranges ( zmanim ), while, according to many approaches, women are only required to pray once or twice
4770-522: Is the originally exclusively Eastern Yiddish verb meaning "pray"; it is widely used by Ashkenazic Orthodox Jews. In Yinglish , this has become the Anglicised davening . The origin of the word is obscure, but is thought by some to have come from Arabic (from diwan , a collection of poems or prayers), French (from devoner , 'to devote' or 'dedicate' or possibly from the French 'devant'- 'in front of' with
4876-510: Is traditionally ascribed to the Great Assembly (in the time of Ezra , near the end of the biblical period), though other sources suggest it was established by Simeon HaPakoli in the late 1st century. Even in the 1st century, though, the precise wording of the blessings was not yet fixed, and varied from locale to locale. By the Middle Ages the texts of the blessings was nearly fixed, and in
4982-425: Is wide variation among Conservative congregations. In traditionalist congregations the liturgy can be almost identical to that of Orthodox Judaism, almost entirely in Hebrew (and Aramaic), with a few minor exceptions, including excision of a study session on Temple sacrifices, and modifications of prayers for the restoration of the sacrificial system. In more liberal Conservative synagogues there are greater changes to
5088-509: Is worn over one's clothing resting on the shoulders. This is the prayer shawl that is worn during the morning services in synagogue by all male participants, and in many communities by the leader of the afternoon and evening prayers as well. The tallit gadol is usually woven of wool —especially among Ashkenazim. Some Spanish, Portuguese and Italian Jews use silk tallitot . The Portuguese Jewish community in The Netherlands has
5194-463: The Geonim of Babylonia ; "some were composed by respected rabbinic scholars at the request of far-flung communities seeking an authoritative text of the required prayers for daily use, Shabbat, and holidays." The earliest existing codification of the prayerbook was drawn up by Rav Amram Gaon of Sura, Babylon, about 850 CE. Half a century later Rav Saadia Gaon , also of Sura, composed a siddur , in which
5300-528: The Hebrew Bible have been interpreted to suggest that King David and the prophet Daniel prayed three times a day. In Psalms , David states: Evening, morning, and noontime, I speak and moan, and He hearkened to my voice. And in the Book of Daniel : And Daniel, when he knew that a writ had been inscribed, came to his house, where there were open windows in his upper chamber, opposite Jerusalem, and three times
5406-510: The Vilna Gaon . This was also the practice of Joseph B. Soloveitchik and that of German Jewry historically. While all four cornered garments are required to have tzitzit , the custom of specially wearing a tallit katan is based on a verse in Numbers 15:38-39 which tells Moses to exhort the Israelites to "make them throughout their generations fringes in the corners of their garments." Wearing
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#17328847626495512-657: The Written Torah and Oral Torah (spoken law and sermons), as well as non-legalistic rabbinic literature ( aggadah ) and occasionally Jewish religious laws ( halakha ), which usually form a running commentary on specific passages in the Hebrew Scripture ( Tanakh ). The word Midrash , especially if capitalized, can refer to a specific compilation of these rabbinic writings composed between 400 and 1200 CE . According to Gary Porton and Jacob Neusner , midrash has three technical meanings: The Hebrew word midrash
5618-467: The reflexive form of palal ( פלל ), to judge. Thus, "to pray" conveys the notion of "judging oneself": ultimately, the purpose of prayer— tefillah ( תפלה )—is to transform oneself. This etymology is consistent with the Jewish conception of divine simplicity . It is not God that changes through one's prayer—man does not influence God as a defendant influences a human judge who has emotions and
5724-452: The Bible is specific as to the purpose of these tzitzit, stating that "it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye go not about after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go astray; that ye may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy unto your God". Encyclopaedia Judaica describes
5830-421: The Bible was not to wear a tallit but to attach tzitzit to the corners of one's four-cornered garments every day to serve as a reminder of God commandments; this implies that such clothes were typically worn by Jews during biblical times. Such garments were large, white and rectangular and used as a garment, shawl and burial shroud. These four-cornered garments are suitable for the climate of West Asia. On hot days
5936-402: The Hebrew scholar Wilda Gafney . "They reimagine dominant narratival readings while crafting new ones to stand alongside—not replace—former readings. Midrash also asks questions of the text; sometimes it provides answers, sometimes it leaves the reader to answer the questions". Vanessa Lovelace defines midrash as "a Jewish mode of interpretation that not only engages the words of the text, behind
6042-401: The Jewish prayer shawl . In modern Hebrew idiom, the expression "a completely blue tallit" ( טלית שכולה תכלת ) means something which is completely perfect, and is typically used sarcastically to refer to a person who is imperfect and hypocritical. The expression stems from a rabbinic story about the biblical figure Korah who led a revolt against the leadership of Moses and Aaron . Koraḥ
6148-511: The Second Temple period there existed "liturgical formulations of a communal nature designated for particular occasions and conducted in a centre totally independent of Jerusalem and the Temple, making use of terminology and theological concepts that were later to become dominant in Jewish and, in some cases, Christian prayer." The structure of the modern Jewish prayer service was established during
6254-501: The Septuagint, or Samaritan Torah instead. With the growing canonization of the contents of the Hebrew Bible , both in terms of the books that it contained, and the version of the text in them, and an acceptance that new texts could not be added, there came a need to produce material that would clearly differentiate between that text, and rabbinic interpretation of it. By collecting and compiling these thoughts they could be presented in
6360-666: The Talmudic phrase, " ka davai lamizrach ", 'gazing wistfully to the east'. Kevin A. Brook cited Zeiden's suggestion that the word daven comes from the Turkic root tabun- meaning 'to pray', and that in Kipchak Turkic , the initial t morphs into d , but also cited Beider's opinion that Zeiden's etymology is unlikely. In Western Yiddish, the term for pray is oren , a word with clear roots in Romance languages , similar to Spanish and Portuguese orar and Latin orare . Individual prayer
6466-477: The current standard prayers were composed by the sages of the Great Assembly in the early Second Temple period (516 BCE – 70 CE). The language of the prayers, while clearly from this period, often employs biblical idiom. The main structure of the modern prayer service was fixed in the Tannaic era (1st–2nd centuries CE), with some additions and the exact text of blessings coming later. Jewish prayerbooks emerged during
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#17328847626496572-461: The debate has not reached a conclusion, and many, especially among the orthodox, prefer wool which is accepted by all authorities. There is also debate about mixed wool and linen tallit, since the Bible forbids klayim (shatnez) —"intertying" wool and linen together, with the two exceptions being garments of kohanim and tzitzit. Concerning tzitzit, chazal (the sages) permit using wool and linen strings in tandem only when genuine tekhelet (see below)
6678-508: The differences are minor compared with the commonalities. Most of the Jewish liturgy is sung or chanted with traditional melodies or trope . Synagogues may designate or employ a professional or lay hazzan (cantor) for the purpose of leading the congregation in prayer, especially on Shabbat or holy holidays. According to the Babylonian Talmud , prayer is a biblical command : You shall serve God with your whole heart' – What service
6784-508: The differences between all these customs are quite minor compared with the commonalities. Reform Judaism also has its own version. According to halakha , all individual prayers and virtually all communal prayers may be said in any language that the person praying understands. For example, the Mishnah mentions that the Shema need not be said in Hebrew. A list of prayers that must be said in Hebrew
6890-404: The early Middle Ages during the period of the Geonim of Babylonia (6th–11th centuries CE). Over the last 2000 years, traditional variations have emerged among the traditional liturgical customs of different Jewish communities, such as Ashkenazic , Sephardic , Yemenite , Eretz Yisrael and others, or rather recent liturgical inventions such as Nusach Sefard and Nusach Ari . However
6996-562: The exile, however, when the exiles' understanding of Hebrew diminished and they found it difficult to compose prayers in Hebrew, Ezra and his court composed the Amidah prayer. Modern scholarship dating from the Wissenschaft des Judentums movement of 19th-century Germany, as well as textual analysis influenced by the 20th-century discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls , suggests that dating from
7102-542: The form in which they are still used today. Readings from the Torah (five books of Moses) and the Nevi'im ("Prophets") are specified in the Mishnah and Talmud , as are the order of blessings surrounding the Shema . Other parts of the service, such as Pesukei dezimra , have little mention in early sources, but became established by custom. The oldest prayer books date from the time of
7208-429: The four corners of thy covering, wherewith thou coverest thyself" ( Deuteronomy 22:12). These passages do not specify tying particular types or numbers of knots in the fringes. The exact customs regarding the tying of the tzitzit and the format of the tallit are of post-biblical, rabbinic origin and, though the Talmud discusses these matters, slightly different traditions have developed in different communities. However
7314-416: The garment could be draped around the body and head to provide cover from the sun or just bunched up on the shoulders for later evening use; the evenings can be dramatically cool and the garment could be draped around the neck and shoulders like a scarf to provide warmth. Jews became at risk of losing this mitzvah when four cornered garments went out of fashion and became impractical for everyday wear. And so,
7420-464: The groom traditionally wears a tallit gadol under the chuppah (wedding canopy); in many cases, he will wrap it around the bride as well during the ceremony. In non-German Ashkenazi communities, a more widespread custom is that the groom wears a kittel . In Hasidic and some non-Hasidic communities, an overcoat is worn over the kittel. In the Diaspora , Jews are buried in a plain, wooden casket. The corpse
7526-524: The hopes that this will make their prayer more likely to be heard. According to the Talmud , during prayer one should face toward Jerusalem , and specifically the site of the Temple in Jerusalem . This is based on Solomon 's prayer "...and they will pray to You toward their land, which You gave to their fathers; the city which You have chosen; and the house which I have built for Your name" ( 1 Kings 8:48 ). The Shacharit (from shachar , morning light) prayer
7632-533: The idea that the person praying is mindful of before whom they stand), Latin (from divin , 'divine') or even English (from dawn ). Others believe that it derives from a Slavic word meaning "to give" ( Russian : давать , romanized : davat' ). Some claim that it originates from an Aramaic word, de'avuhon or d'avinun , meaning 'of their/our forefathers', as the three prayers are said to have been invented by Abraham , Isaac and Jacob . Another Aramaic derivation, proposed by Avigdor Chaikin , cites
7738-452: The importance of these texts for finding insights into the rabbinic culture that created them. Midrash is increasingly seen as a literary and cultural construction, responsive to literary means of analysis. Frank Kermode has written that midrash is an imaginative way of "updating, enhancing, augmenting, explaining, and justifying the sacred text". Because the Tanakh came to be seen as unintelligible or even offensive, midrash could be used as
7844-578: The last 2000 years, the various branches of Judaism have resulted in small variations in the Rabbinic liturgy customs among different Jewish communities, with each community having a slightly different nusach (customary liturgy). The principal difference is between Ashkenazic and Sephardic customs, although there are other communities (e.g., Yemenite and Italian Jews , and in the past Eretz Yisrael ), and rather recent liturgical inventions such as Hassidic , Chabad and other communities also have distinct customs, variations, and special prayers. However,
7950-529: The latter among Conservative, Reform and other denominations. The neckband of the tallit, sometimes woven of silver or gold thread, is called the atarah which literally means crown but is often referred to as the collar. The tallit gadol is often kept in a dedicated pouch or cloth bag (often of velvet) which can be quite simple or ornately decorated. The tallit gadol is typically either all white, white with black stripes, or white with blue stripes. The all-white and black-and-white varieties have traditionally been
8056-532: The laws of Shabbat (including a traditional prohibition on playing instruments) are inapplicable to modern circumstances, Reform services often play instrumental or recorded music with prayers on the Jewish Sabbath . All Reform synagogues are Egalitarian with respect to gender roles. In Jewish philosophy and in Rabbinic literature , it is noted that the Hebrew verb for prayer— hitpallel ( התפלל )—is in fact
8162-554: The limitation of the term "midrash" to rabbinic writings, others apply it also to certain Qumran writings, to parts of the New Testament , and of the Hebrew Bible (in particular the superscriptions of the Psalms, Deuteronomy, and Chronicles), and even modern compositions are called midrashim. Midrash is now viewed more as method than genre, although the rabbinic midrashim do constitute
8268-455: The majority of Jews in America today) start wearing the tallit after their wedding. In rabbinic law, women are not required to wear a tallit or other forms of tzitzit . The vast majority of contemporary Orthodox authorities forbid the donning of a tallit by women, although Moshe Feinstein , Joseph Soloveitchik , and Eliezer Melamed approve women wearing tzitzit in private, if their motivation
8374-418: The minyan. Those Reform and Reconstructionist congregations that consider a minyan mandatory for communal prayer, count both men and women for a minyan . All denominations of Judaism except for Orthodox Judaism ordain female rabbis and cantors. There is a publicly said prayer, called Birkhat HaGomel , for giving thanks for surviving an illness or danger. which, in addition to needing a Minyan , also needs
8480-463: The morning prayers of weekdays, Shabbat and holidays, a tallit gadol is also worn for Selichos in Ashkenazic communities by the prayer leader, even though it is still night. A tallit is also worn at night on Yom Kippur , from Kol Nidre , which begins during the daylight hours until after the evening ( Ma'ariv ) service. The tallit katan ( Yiddish / Ashkenazic Hebrew tales kotn; "small tallit")
8586-444: The most common, along with a blue-and-white variety, said to be in remembrance of the blue thread or tekhelet , which served as the visual inspiration for the flag of modern Israel. The all-white variety is customary among Sepharadic communities, whereas among Ashkenazic communities the tendency is toward white tallitot with black stripes. The stripes on the tallit may have their origin in the clavia , purple stripes which were worn on
8692-563: The non-legal parts of Scripture are characterized by a much greater freedom of exposition than the halakhic midrashim (midrashim on Jewish law). Aggadic expositors availed themselves of various techniques, including sayings of prominent rabbis. These aggadic explanations could be philosophical or mystical disquisitions concerning angels , demons , paradise , hell , the messiah , Satan , feasts and fasts, parables , legends, satirical assaults on those who practice idolatry , etc. Some of these midrashim entail mystical teachings. The presentation
8798-480: The period of the Tannaim , "from their traditions, later committed to writing, we learn that the generation of rabbis active at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE) gave Jewish prayer its structure and, in outline form at least, its contents." This liturgy included the twice-daily recitation of the Shema, the Amidah , and the cycle of public Torah reading . The Amidah (or Shemoneh Esreh ) prayer
8904-419: The prayer shawl as "a rectangular mantle that looked like a blanket and was worn by men in ancient times". Also, it "is usually white and made either of wool, cotton, or silk". Traditionally the tallit is made of wool or linen, based on an understanding that reference to a "garment" in the Bible in connection with a mitzvah refers specifically to wool and linen garments. Though other materials are sometimes used,
9010-507: The prayer that cannot be recited without a quorum, due to women in the past being bound up in an endless cycle of pregnancy, birthing and nursing from a very early age. Orthodox Judaism still follows this reasoning and excludes women from the minyan. Since 1973, Conservative congregations have overwhelmingly become egalitarian and count women in the minyan . A very small number of congregations that identify themselves as Conservative have resisted these changes and continue to exclude women from
9116-459: The prayers, while clearly being from the Second Temple period, often employs biblical idiom, and according to some authorities it should not contain rabbinic or Mishnaic idiom apart from in the sections of Mishnah that are featured. Conservative services generally use the same basic format for services as Orthodox Judaism, with some doctrinal leniencies and some prayers in English. In practice, there
9222-592: The recitation of Shema Yisrael and the Amidah constitute the core of the Shacharit service. Those Jews who wear tallit and tefillin generally only do so during the Shacharit prayer. Mincha or Minha may be recited from half an hour after halachic noontime, until sunset. Sephardim and Italian Jews start the Mincha prayers with Psalm 84 and Korbanot , and usually continue with the Pittum hakketoret . The opening section
9328-527: The rubrical matter is in Arabic . These were the basis of Simcha ben Samuel's Machzor Vitry (11th-century France), which was based on the ideas of his teacher, Rashi . Another formulation of the prayers was that appended by Maimonides to the laws of prayer in his Mishneh Torah : this forms the basis of the Yemenite liturgy, and has had some influence on other rites. From this point forward, all Jewish prayerbooks had
9434-496: The same basic order and contents. The siddur was printed by Soncino in Italy as early as 1486, though a siddur was first mass-distributed only in 1865. The siddur began appearing in the vernacular as early as 1538. The first English translation , by Gamaliel ben Pedahzur (a pseudonym ), appeared in London in 1738; a different translation was released in the United States in 1837. Over
9540-436: The schools of Rabbi Ishmael and Akiba , where two different hermeneutic methods were applied. The first was primarily logically oriented, making inferences based upon similarity of content and analogy. The second rested largely upon textual scrutiny, assuming that words and letters that seem superfluous teach something not openly stated in the text." Many different exegetical methods are employed to derive deeper meaning from
9646-452: The service such as the Amidah and when called to the Torah for an aliyah . In the Talmudic and post-Talmudic periods the tefillin were worn by rabbis and scholars all day, and a special tallit was worn at prayer; hence they put on the tefillin before the tallit, as appears in the order given in "Seder Rabbi Amram Gaon" (p. 2a) and in the Zohar . In modern practice, the opposite order
9752-563: The service, with up to a third of the service in English; abbreviation or omission of many of the preparatory prayers; and replacement of some traditional prayers with more contemporary forms. There are some changes for doctrinal reasons, including egalitarian language, fewer references to restoring sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem , and an option to eliminate special roles for Kohanim and Levites . The liturgies of Reform and Reconstructionist are based on traditional elements, but contain language more reflective of liberal belief than
9858-518: The tallit gadol. There are different traditions regarding the age from which a tallit gadol is used, even within Orthodox Judaism . In some Sephardi communities, boys wear a tallit even before their bar mitzvah. In some communities, it is first worn from bar mitzvah (though the tallit katan is worn from pre-school age). In many Ashkenazi circles, a tallit gadol is worn only from marriage, and in some communities it may be customarily presented to
9964-401: The tefillin, to inspire awe and reverence for God at prayer. The tallit gadol is worn by worshipers at the morning prayer on weekdays, Shabbat , and holy days. In addition, in many communities, it is worn by the hazzan (cantor) at every prayer while before the ark and by the reader of Torah , as well as by all other functionaries during the Torah reading . The literal commandment in
10070-520: The text, and beyond the text, but also focuses on each letter, and the words left unsaid by each line". An example of a midrashic interpretation: "And God saw all that He had made, and found it very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day." ( Genesis 1:31)—Midrash: Rabbi Nahman said in Rabbi Samuel's name: "Behold, it was very good" refers to the Good Desire; "AND behold, it
10176-509: The text. In the latter case they are described as aggadic . Midrash halakha is the name given to a group of tannaitic expositions on the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. These midrashim, written in Mishnaic Hebrew , clearly distinguish between the Biblical texts that they discuss, and the rabbinic interpretation of that text. They often go well beyond simple interpretation, and derive or provide support for halakha. This work
10282-472: The third century BCE and the second century CE. Kugel traces how and why biblical interpreters produced new meanings by the use of exegesis on ambiguities, syntactical details, unusual or awkward vocabulary, repetitions, etc. in the text. As an example, Kugel examines the different ways in which the biblical story that God's instructions are not to be found in heaven (Deuteronomy 30:12) has been interpreted. Baruch 3:29-4:1 states that this means that divine wisdom
10388-466: The tradition of decorating the corners of the Tallit. Today some tallitot are made of polyester and cotton. Tallitot may be of any colour but are usually white with black, blue or white stripes along the edge. Sizes of tallitot vary, and are a matter of custom and preference. Some are large enough to cover the whole body while others hang around the shoulders, the former being more common among Orthodox Jews,
10494-429: The traditional liturgy. Doctrinal revisions generally include revising or omitting references to traditional doctrines such as bodily resurrection , a personal Jewish Messiah , and other elements of traditional Jewish eschatology , Divine revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai , angels , conceptions of reward and punishment, and other personal miraculous and supernatural elements. Services are often from 40% to 90% in
10600-520: The tunics of distinguished Romans. One explanation for the significance of the black stripes is that their black color symbolizes the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the exile of the Jews from the land of Israel. In many Jewish communities, the tallit is worn in the synagogue by all men and boys over bar mitzvah age (and in some communities even younger). Aside from German Jews and Oberlander Jews , men in most Ashkenazi communities (which comprise
10706-466: The vernacular. Reform Judaism has made greater alterations to the traditional service in accord with its more liberal theology including dropping references to traditional elements of Jewish eschatology such as a personal Messiah , a bodily resurrection of the dead, and others. The Hebrew portion of the service is substantially abbreviated and modernized and modern prayers substituted for traditional ones. In addition, in keeping with their view that
10812-503: The word as "story" in both instances; the Septuagint translates it as βιβλίον (book) in the first, as γραφή (writing) in the second. The meaning of the Hebrew word in these contexts is uncertain: it has been interpreted as referring to "a body of authoritative narratives, or interpretations thereof, concerning historically important figures" and seems to refer to a "book", perhaps even a "book of interpretation", which might make its use
10918-407: Was formed to facilitate these reinterpretations of sacred texts. The institute hosted several week-long intensives between 1995 and 2004, and published eight issues of Living Text: The Journal of Contemporary Midrash from 1997 to 2000. According to Carol Bakhos, recent studies that use literary-critical tools to concentrate on the cultural and literary aspects of midrash have led to a rediscovery of
11024-413: Was said to have asked Moses a number of vexatious questions, one of which was, "Does a tallit made entirely of blue yarn require tzitzit?" To Moses's affirmative answer, Koraḥ argued that the tzitzit commandment is absurd, in that if a single string of blue makes a garment acceptable ( Numbers 15:38 ) then a completely blue garment should be acceptable even without that string. Korach's argument in this story
11130-567: Was very good" refers to the Evil Desire. Can then the Evil Desire be very good? That would be extraordinary! But without the Evil Desire, however, no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children; and thus said Solomon: "Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour." (Kohelet IV, 4) . The term Midrash is also used of a rabbinic work that interprets Scripture in that manner. Such works contain early interpretations and commentaries on
11236-471: Was written in Yiddish. In other streams of Judaism there is considerable variability: Sephardic communities may use Ladino or Portuguese for many prayers, although usually only for added prayers and not for the established prayers; Conservative synagogues tend to use the local language to a varying degree; and at some Reform synagogues almost the whole service may be in the local language. The language of
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