The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions: A JPS Desk Reference
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How much do you really know about Judaism? After reading The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions, you may be in for a surprise! Did you know that: Dividing the Bible into chapters and verses was a Christian innovation? Although a recital of the Ten Commandments was once part of the daily service at the Temple in Jerusalem, Jews elsewhere were forbidden to recite them? The Kaddish, which now closes every Jewish service, as well as sections within the service, was originally not even part of the synagogue ritual? Ronald Eisenberg has distilled an immense amount of material from classic and contemporary sources into a single volume, which provides thousands of insights into the origins, history, and current interpretations of a wealth of Jewish traditions and customs.
PrefacexxiLanguagexxiiiLife-Cycle EventsThe Stages of Life3First 16 Years of Life4Birth4Circumcision7Names14Pidyon ha-Ben20Adoption22Bar Mitzvah23Bat Mitzvah26Confirmation26Marriage28Jewish Marriage28Marriage Ceremony32Harmonious Married Life47Obligations and Rights of the Husband48Prohibited Marriages48Levirate Marriage/Halitzah52Intermarriage54Sex57Premarital Sex57Male Homosexuality58Female Homosexuality60Divorce62Jewish Concepts of Divorce62Divorce Other Than by Consent64Consequences of Divorce66Get67Agunah70Death74Death and Dying74Angel of Death77Preparation for Burial78Funeral Service/Burial82Mourning91Suicide103Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide105Cremation109Modern Issues Concerning the Dead110Afterlife and the World to Come114Sabbath and FestivalsSabbath125Overview125Restrictions130Observances136Liturgy145Havdalah147Special Sabbaths152Festivals and Fasts155Overview155Jewish Calendar164Rosh Hodesh166High Holy Days171Repentance (Teshuvah)171Selichot178Elul182Rosh Hashanah184Ten Days of Repentance204Yom Kippur206Fall Festivals227Sukkot227Hoshana Rabbah237Shemini Atzeret239Simchat Torah240Winter Festivals244Hanukkah244Tu b'Shevat252Purim254Spring Festivals264Passover264Omer Period293Shavuot298Fast Days and Summer Observances30317th of Tammuz303The Three Weeks304Tisha b'Av304Tu b'Av307Tzom Gedalyah30810th of Tevet309Synagogue and PrayerSynagogue313Overview313Synagogue Architecture321Torah Scrolls and Ornaments324Ark332Bimah335Mechitzah337Rabbi338Hazzan346Prayer350Overview350Major Themes of Prayer355Language of Prayer356Proper Forms of Prayer357Answer to Prayer363Congregational Prayer365Prayer as Polemic366Siddur367Minyan372Kippah374Tallit377Tefillin382Blessings and Benedictions386Amen392Kaddish394Daily and Sabbath Prayers399Daily Order of Prayers399Morning Blessings (Birchot ha-Shachar)401Pesukei de-Zimra407Barchu411Ahavah Rabbah/Ahavat Olam412Shema413Amidah421Tachanun435Torah Service438Haftarah456Av ha-Rachamim461Yekum Purkan/Mi She Berakh461Prayer for the Government463U-va le-Zion Go'el464Ein Keloheinu465Aleinu466Prayers Recited before Leaving the Synagogue468Psalm of the Day469Yigdal470Adon Olam471An'im Zemirot472Personal Prayers473Modeh Ani473Bedtime Prayers473Blessings before Eating474Grace after Meals (Birkat ha-Mazon)476Shir ha-Ma'alot478Shehecheyanu479Tefillat ha-Derech479Thanksgiving Blessing (Birkat ha-Gomel)480Jewish LiteratureBible485Ten Commandments489Masoretic Text493Biblical Commentary495Rabbinic Literature498Mishnah499Baraita and Tosefta500Talmud501Commentaries and Codes504Midrash507Thirteen Principles of Faith509MitzvotOverview515Enumeration of the Mitzvot515Rabbinic Commandments516Reasons for Observance of the Mitzvot (Ta'amei ha-Mitzvot)517Performance of the Mitzvot523Obligation of Women to Perform the Commandments527Proper Behavior and Ethical Living530Gemilut Hasadim530Tzedakah531Hospitality (Hakhnasat Orchim)539Visiting the Sick (Bikur Holim)542Pikuach Nefesh548Lashon ha-Ra550Washing the Hands553Mikveh (Ritual Bath)555Niddah (Menstruating Woman)557Sha'atnez (Mingling of Fabrics)562Jewish Courts and Judges563Business Ethics568Prohibition against Lending at Interest570MiscellanySymbols of Jews and of Israel575Magen David (Star or Shield of David)575Israeli Flag577Hatikvah578Menorah578Mezuzah580Magic and Superstition583Amulet583Evil Eye584Popular Superstitions586Other Customs and Concepts590Beards590A Chosen People592Conversion595Dreams603Excommunication607Golem610Heavenly Bodies611Kissing Holy Objects618Kitel619The Messiah619Mizrach623Names of God624Numbers630Satan648Shalom649FoodOverview655Dietary Laws (Kashrut)656Seven Species667Specific Foods674Plants and AnimalsPlants695Trees695Specific Plants697Animals705Cruelty to Animals705Specific Animals709Notes733Abbreviations767Bibliography769AppendixWeekly Torah and Haftarah Readings775Torah Readings for Holidays and Special Sabbaths777Orders of Mishnah and Tractates of the Talmud779Index783
