The Jewish Faith: Observing Weekly Sabbath Rest

Judaism is a monotheistic religion based on the belief in a single, indivisible, omniscient, and omnipotent God. The religion is centred on the Torah, which is comprised of the Written Torah (Pentateuch) and the Oral Torah, which was later codified in sacred writings. The Jewish calendar is lunisolar, with months beginning on the new moon and lasting either 29 or 30 days. The calendar determines the timing of Jewish festivals and fasts, which are observed according to a combination of biblical commandments and rabbinic interpretations.

Jewish law, or Halakha, is viewed as the ultimate authority on how to lead a good and moral life in Orthodox Judaism. While the Torah and Halakha are considered unchanging, their interpretation is more open, and it is considered a Mitzvah (commandment) to study and understand Jewish law.

Fasting is an important ritual and act of sacrifice in Judaism, occurring on specific days of the year. There are two annual full fasts, Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, which last 24 hours from sundown to sundown. There are also six minor fasts that last from sunrise to sunset, as well as additional customary fast days.

Fasting

There are different types of fasts in Judaism, including full fasts and minor fasts. Full fasts occur only twice a year, on Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av, and last for 24 hours from sundown to sundown the following day. These days are centred on mourning and repentance, and participants refrain from food and drink, and in some cases, water as well.

Minor fasts, on the other hand, are observed on six different days throughout the year and last from sunrise to sunset. Examples of minor fasts include the Fast of Gedaliah, which commemorates the assassination of the governor of Judah, and the Tenth of Tevet, which marks the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II.

In addition to the full and minor fasts, there are also individual and customary fasts. Individuals may fast as an act of repentance or during periods of intense prayer. It is also customary for the bride and groom to fast before their wedding until after the ceremony.

During a fast, participants refrain from food and drink, and in some cases, water as well. Other activities, such as brushing teeth and bathing, may also be restricted. However, it is important to note that fasting is not meant to cause suffering or harm. If someone is ill or physically unable to fast, it is considered a sin to do so, and exemptions are made for those individuals.

Sabbath

The observance of the Sabbath is rooted in the Bible, specifically in the book of Leviticus, where God commands the Israelites to observe a day of rest: "Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it, you shall not do any work" (Leviticus 23:3). This commandment is considered one of the Ten Commandments and is seen as a sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites.

During the Sabbath, Jews refrain from work and other activities that are considered mundane or labour-intensive. This includes activities such as cooking, cleaning, and operating machinery. Instead, the day is spent in prayer, studying the Torah, and spending time with loved ones. It is also traditional to have festive meals, sing songs, and light candles to mark the occasion.

The Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday. This is based on the Jewish concept of a day beginning at sunset, as described in the book of Genesis, where it says, "And there was evening, and there was morning - the first day" (Genesis 1:5). This timing also allows for the preparation of the festive meal and other rituals associated with the Sabbath.

The Sabbath holds a significant place in the Jewish faith, and its observance is seen as a way to connect with God and strengthen one's faith. It is a time for spiritual reflection, community building, and celebration of the Jewish heritage and traditions.

Mourning

Jewish tradition defines several stages of mourning, with the details of observance and practice varying according to each Jewish community. The principal mourners are the first-degree relatives: parents, children, siblings, and spouses.

Aninut

The period from the moment of death until the burial is called aninut, and a mourner in this stage is called an onen. The onen has no religious obligations except to attend to the practical necessities of arranging for the funeral. Traditionally, Jewish funerals take place as soon as possible after death, often within 24 hours.

Shiva

The first stage of avelut ("mourning") is shiva (Hebrew for "seven"), a week-long period of grief and mourning. During this period, mourners traditionally gather in one home and receive visitors. They refrain from showering or bathing, wearing leather shoes or jewellery, or shaving. Mirrors in the mourners' homes are often covered, and they sit on low stools or the floor. The meal of consolation, the first meal eaten on returning from the funeral, traditionally consists of hard-boiled eggs and other round or oblong foods.

Shloshim

The thirty-day period following burial (including shiva) is known as shloshim (Hebrew for "thirty"). During shloshim, a mourner is forbidden to marry or to attend a seudat mitzvah (religious festive meal). Men do not shave or get haircuts during this time.

Shneim asar chodesh

Those mourning a parent additionally observe a twelve-month period (Hebrew: שנים עשר חודש, shneim asar chodesh, "twelve months"), counted from the day of death. During this period, most activity returns to normal, although the mourners continue to recite the Kaddish as part of synagogue services for eleven months. In Orthodox tradition, this is an obligation of the sons (not daughters) as mourners. There remain restrictions on attending festive occasions and large gatherings, especially where live music is performed.

Yahrzeit

Yahrzeit is the yearly anniversary of a loved one's death, traditionally observed on the Hebrew calendar. A yahrzeit candle is lit in memory of the deceased, and mourners may attend synagogue services to recite the Mourner's Kaddish.

Oral Torah

The Oral Torah, or Oral Law, is a fundamental tenet of faith in Orthodox Judaism. It is believed that God transmitted the Oral Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai during the Exodus from Egypt, alongside the Written Torah. The Oral Torah was passed down orally for generations until it was finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when Jewish civilization faced an existential threat due to the dispersion of the Jewish people.

The Oral Torah encompasses a wide range of rituals, worship practices, interpersonal relationships, and civil laws. It provides interpretations and regulations that define and expand upon the Written Torah. The major repositories of the Oral Torah are the Mishnah and the Gemara, which together form the Talmud, the preeminent text of Rabbinic Judaism.

The Oral Torah is believed to consist of three components:

• Laws Given to Moses at Sinai: These include instructions on how to interpret and apply the Written Torah in daily life. For example, the Oral Torah specifies that tefillin straps must be black and that a sukkah must have at least two and a half walls.
• The Thirteen Principles of Torah Exegesis: These are the keys to uncovering the secrets of the Torah and include rules for extrapolating new laws from extra or missing words, letters, or sequences in the Written Torah.
• Rabbinic Decrees (Gezayrot): The Torah authorizes rabbis to protect and interpret the Torah through rabbinic decrees, which are accepted by the Jewish community. These decrees are flexible and can change according to the needs of the time and place.

The Oral Torah is not a static text but a living tradition that has evolved and adapted over time. It is the basis for nearly all subsequent rabbinic literature and is intricately related to the development of Halacha, or Jewish law.

Monotheism

Judaism is traditionally considered one of the oldest monotheistic religions. However, until the 8th century BCE, the Israelites were polytheistic, worshipping gods such as El, Baal, Asherah, and Astarte. The worship of Yahweh, originally the national god of the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah, became increasingly militant in its opposition to the worship of other gods. Some scholars date the start of widespread monotheism in Israel to the late 8th century BCE, seeing it as a response to Neo-Assyrian aggression. Later, the reforms of King Josiah imposed a form of strict monolatrism.

Following the fall of Judah and the Babylonian captivity, a group of priests and scribes developed the concept of Yahweh as the sole God of the world. Second Temple Judaism and later Rabbinic Judaism became strictly monotheistic. The Babylonian Talmud references other gods as non-existent entities, and one of the 13 Principles of Faith formulated by Maimonides states:

> God, the Cause of all, is one. This does not mean one as in one of a pair, nor one like a species (which encompasses many individuals), nor one as in an object that is made up of many elements, nor as a single simple object that is infinitely divisible. Rather, God is a unity, unlike any other possible unity.

Judaism's monotheism developed further under the influence of Greek philosophy, becoming monotheistic in the strict sense, affirming one God for all people everywhere.

The Complexity of Monotheism

The biblical authors had various ways of understanding God and the divine, shaped by their historical and cultural contexts. The notion of monotheism used today was influenced by the Enlightenment and Christian views. Many definitions of monotheism are too modern and Western to account for the diversity and complexity of ancient sources.

Other Monotheistic Traditions

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