SYNAGOGUE

Its role in Jewish Life

Language

• "synagogue" is derived from the Greek συναγωγή, transliterated synagogé, "place of assembly" literally "meeting, assembly".

• In Yiddish: שול, shul

How synagogue is knownin Hebrew

• Beit Knesset - בית כנסת "house of assembly"

• Beit Tefila - תפילה "House of Prayer" בית

• Beit Midrash - מדרש "House of Study" בית

How holy is a synagogue

• Holiness of Time vs Holiness of Space

What would I expect in a synagogue?

• The synagogue, or if it is a multi-purpose building, prayer sanctuaries within the synagogue, should face towards Jerusalem. Thus sanctuaries in the Western world generally face east, while those east of Israel face west. Sanctuaries in Israel face towards Jerusalem. But this orientation need not be exact, and occasionally synagogues face other directions for structural reasons, in which case the community may face Jerusalem when standing for prayers.

• An Ark

• Torah Scrolls

• Reader’s Desk

• Eternal Light

Minyan

• Talmud teaches

“9 rabbis do not make a minyan but 10 shoemakers do”

• Minyan defined as 10 Jews coming together for communal prayer

Variations- Orthodox require 10 men

Conservative require 10 people

Reform not required

Services

• Biblical basis– Abraham –established morning prayers– Isaac –established afternoon prayers– Jacob –established evening prayers

• Replicate daily and special services in Temple– On shabbat and holy days “Additional service”

[Mussaph] added

Once you are inside

• Seating• Services• Ark• Reading desk• Music or not• Windows and human

figures

Seating

• Mixed or segregated• Orthodox• Reform and

conservative• Basis in bible

Ark

• Reflects the place in which Moses placed the Ten Commandments

• Today is repository for Torah Scrolls

 

Torah

                                                   

          Gen. 1:9 And God said, "Let the waters be collected".Letters in black, vowel points in red, trop in green

Torah Scroll Facts

• A Torah Scroll is the holiest book within Judaism, made up of the five books of Moses.

• There are 304,805 letters in a Torah Scroll.

• Each column has 42 lines • The Torah Scroll must be

written by a specially trained scribe called a sofer.

Torah Scroll Facts

• Even a single missing or misshapen letter invalidates the entire Sefer Torah

• The entire Torah is written by hand, each letter is inscribed and individually formed with a quill and specially prepared ink.

• Even a single missing or misshapen letter invalidates the entire Sefer Torah.

• The Torah is made of many sheets of parchment that are sown together to make one very long scroll

Torah ornaments

• Basis Exodus 28- describes High Priests special vestments– Tunic= torah cover– Belt= tied around scroll– Mitre= torah crown– Breastplate

Windows

• Synagogue must always have windows

• Ideally 12 windows like 12 tribes

• Stained glass- what can it have

Reuben Asher

Benjamin

Dan

Gad

Judah

Joseph Zebulon

Simeon Levi Naphtali Issachar

Torah Rules

• Pointer- Yad

• Touching the text– While reading the torah– Can men and women touch a scroll?

Services

• Language- Hebrew or not– Origins of Hebrew

• Head covering– Kippa– Yamulke

Services

• Prayer shawl- Tallit– Biblical basis Numbers 15:37-41– Congregants only wear it at morning services– Do men only wear one

• Orthodox• Conservative• Reform

– Tzitzit (tassles)- symbolism– What is it made from?

Reform

• Abbreviated service- removal of special service for Shabbat and Holy Days [Mussaf-Additional Service] that refers to liturgy on those days and Temple Sacrifice

• Liturgy– Church like– Less focus on Hebrew- more in Vernacular– No segregation of sexes

Recent Trends in Reform

• More emphasis on tradition– Observance– Emphasis on Hebrew in liturgy

• Strong emphasis on non-sexist liturgy

• Inclusion of GLBT individuals in movement and leadership and clergy

Conservative

• Two thrusts– Germany –liberale– America –conservative

• Focus on ‘conserving’ tradition– Response to 1st graduation at Hebrew Union College

• “Treif Banquet”

• Liturgy- similar to orthodox- includes Mussaf but reference to Temple and sacrifices in past tense while orthodoxy focuses on restoration of sacrifices in Messianic Age.

Name the Players

• Rabbi

• Cantor/Hazzan

• Baal Tefila

• Shammas

Rabbi

• "Rabbi" means "teacher" and, through preaching from the pulpit, teaching classes, and individual counseling, teaching is the primary duty of a rabbi. In addition, many rabbis serve as administrators of their synagogues, represent the congregation to the community, officiate at life-cycle events, and serve as Jewish legal decisors (that is, they render decisions concerning Jewish legal matters that come before them).

Rabbi

• Orthodox– Relies on authority derived from “chain of

tradition”

• Conservative– Individual authority tempered by Committee

on Jewish Law and standards

• Reform– Individual authority- may be guided by

tradition- guided by ‘ethical monotheism’

Hazzan

• Traditionally, a Jewish prayer service is chanted. The leader is called the shaliach tzibbur (the representative of the community) who recites the prayers on behalf of the people. Some prayers are said by everyone, and some are recited aloud by the shaliach tzibbur, to which the congregation responds "Amen." The Hazzan (cantor) is specially trained in the art of Jewish music and liturgy for this role.