Jewish Synagogue

Jewish Worship

Shema – HebrewShema Israel, Adonai elohenu – Adonai

echadVe’ahavta et Adonai eloeikahB’khol levavkahUve’khol naphshekahUve’khol m’odekahVe’ahavta le’reacha Kamocha, Amen

Shema

Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord alone. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

And Love your neighbor as yourself. Amen.

7 items in a Synagogue

1. Mikveh – for ceremonial washing and baptism

7 items in a Synagogue

1. Mikveh – for ceremonial washing and baptism

2. Torah Closet – for holding community copy of the Scriptures – 1 copy could cost as much as a house

Orientation of Synagogue

• The orientation of the synagogue depended on where the Torah Closet was located– Did not matter where the people entered

• Before 70 A.D. – a synagogue faced some way other than East.– This was to honor Jerusalem, the Temple faced

east.• After 70 A.D. – a synagogue faced toward

Jerusalem, the Temple was destroyed.

4th century synagogue

7 items in a Synagogue

1. Mikveh – for ceremonial washing and baptism

2. Torah Closet – for holding community copy of the Scriptures – 1 copy could cost as much as a house

3. Bema – raised stone where reader read Scripture

Bema

7 items in a synagogue

1. Mikveh – for ceremonial washing and baptism

2. Torah Closet – for holding community copy of the Scriptures – 1 copy could cost as much as a house

3. Bema – raised stone where reader read Scripture

4. Colonnade – pillars for roof

Colonnade

7 items in a Synagogue

5. Chief seats – honored spots for community elders to sit

• Video

7 items in a Synagogue

5. Chief seats – honored spots for community elders to sit

6. Moses Seat – weekly Scripture reader sits here until time of reading

Moses Seat

7 items in a Synagogue5. Chief seats – honored spots for community

elders to sit

6. Moses Seat – weekly Scripture reader sits here until time of reading

7. School – small room to practice reciting

Schools

En Gedi CapernaumKorazin

Order of Worship

1. Go to Mikveh2. Enter synagogue as families3. Caretaker starts the service4. Stand for Shema and prayer

1. similar to Lord’s prayer5. Bringing out Torah scroll

1. Silence in reverence2. Dancing and singing as it is opened

Order of Worship

6. Torah is read and then closed-Solemn moment and crying

7. Haftarah is read – other scripture writings8. Testimony given - by reader

-truth of the passage, not explaining it9. Questions could be asked10.Benediction

-Someone who traces their line to Aaron11.Freewill gift as they leave

Luke 4:14-30

• Jesus goes to Nazareth for Shabbat (Sabbath)– He participates in the worship service– Only those from the community could participate– He was scheduled to sit in Moses’ Seat

• Scheduled reading was Isaiah 61:1-2– What did Jesus leave out?

What else was omitted from story?

• What was the Torah reading– The schedule is very clear– Parashat Nitzatim – Deuteronomy 29:9-11

Carefully follow the terms of this covenant so that you may prosper in everything you do. All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God – your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel, together with your children and your wives, and the aliens living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water.

People’s reaction

• What did they think of his explanation?– They LOVED it!! Verse 22

• What got them upset?– What kind of mindset did they have?– Kanah – passion, zeal, even violence?

• They started the first step in stoning him• What blasphemy were they stoning him for?• He left and moved to Capernaum – Matthew 4:13

Next week

• Parable of the Good Samaritan• Luke 10:25-37• Mark 12:28-34