Judaism and Its Characteristics

Is the oldest of the great living religion, it is not easy to be defined because it expresses religion, a race and a mordan nation. As a religion, the unique community of Israel came into being by a covenant with God as chosen people.



1. Worship: The corner stone of Judiasines the Hebrew bible with particular attention paid to the Pentateuch or the 5 book of Moses. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy by which are considered to be the direct and most fundamental reletaionship of God.

2. The Passover: This is the most popular Jewish festival held to commerorate the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. It lasts for 8 days from the 14th day of the month. Before the festival, every Jewish house is cleaned thoroughly.


THE RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS AND RITUALS

Symbols is mark, a sign or an object though which a religion is known in Christian religion, we use cross as the symbol. Also in ritual, religion expresses it selves in worship, prayer, offering through which a man attained to enter into personal relationship with the powers he fears, the deity he worships and wishes to obtain things from. The above practices are summed up as rituals. Every religious services involves ritual in some sense of outer behavior signs and symbols condimated to an inner intention to make contact with or to participate in the invisible world behavior.

We have classification of ritual e.g. sacred and pragmatic a ritual is said to be sacred when it is involved with worship, prayer offerings of various types. It form the heart of sacred rituals it can also include dance processions sacred games, hymns and music they are limited to sacred places and times. While pragmatic rituals refers to pyhical and mental exercise which aims at concentrating on the transcendent as the invisible. It includes such practices as dramatic form for the veneration of the deity or the mutual relationship between man and the divine.

1. Jen-benevolence-kindness

2. YI-reflection in the feelings of shame after a wrong action

3. Li-manner propriety good form of reflection

4. Chil-wisdom truth

5. Hsin-good faith, truth, worthiness.