Jewish Symbols

Symbols
In every culture, there are objects that have particular meaning
for that group, and have come to represent the group. For
example, the maple leaf is a symbol of Canada.

Cultural symbols can be religious or spiritual, or they can

represent the ideology or philosophy of a culture's language,
values and traditions. Cultural symbols include signs,
emblems, hand gestures, flags, animals and much more.
More specifically…
•A religious symbol is an iconic
representation intended to represent a
specific religion, or a specific
concept/custom/ritual within a given
religion.
*READ ARTICLE

https://aish.com/9-common-jewish-symbols/
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9 Common Jewish Symbols
Questions from article
1.What is the origin and meaning of the Magen David?
2. What is the origin of the Menorah and where was it to be housed?
3. Who can give the priestly blessing, what does the
hand position reflect?
4. What does “chai” mean and what Jewish value does
it affirm?

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SYMBOL SEARCH…..
Go around you house and choose 5 Jewish symbols.
1. What is the ‘symbol’? (can include a photo)
2. What is the source/origin of this symbol/reminder?
3. When is it ‘used’/done/performed etc.?
4. What does it represent?
5. What does it mean to you?
*upload to Edsby

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Symbols as Reminders
• Some of what we call symbols
are actually reminders of the
Mitzvot (commandments),
some are universal symbols
and some are customs.
 Jewish Reminders and
Symbols
Locate the Jewish Reminders
and Symbols chapter in your
Rhythms textbook (pg. 55) and
answer the questions below, in
your chevrutah.
 Text 1:Devarim 6:4-9

(4) Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.
(5) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your might. (6) Take to heart
these instructions with which I charge you this day. (7)
Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you
stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down
and when you get up. (8) Bind them as a sign on your hand
and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; (9)
inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your
gates.

(‫ֱֹלקינוּ ה' ׀ אֶחָ ֽד׃ )ה‬ ֵ ֖ ‫)ד( שְׁ ֖ ַמע י ִשְׂ ָר ֵ֑אל ה' א‬
‫ב‬
ְ ‫ה‬ ַ ‫ו ְָ֣א‬
‫בכָל־מְא ֹ ֶדָֽך׃‬ ְ ‫בכָל־נַפְשְׁ ָ֖ך וּ‬ ְ ‫בב ְָ֥ך וּ‬
ָ ְ ‫בּכָל־ל‬ ְ ‫ֱֹלקיָך‬ֶ ֑ ‫֔תָּ ֖ ֵאת ה' א‬
‫היּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶ ָֽך׃‬ ַ ‫צוּ ְָ֛ך‬ַ ‫מ‬
ְ ‫אלּ ֶה א ֲ֨שֶׁ ר אָנ ֹ ֧ ִכי‬ ֵ֗ ‫ה‬
ָ ‫)ו( וְהָי֞ וּ הַדְּ ב ֣ ִָרים‬
(‫)ז‬
ְ‫ו‬
‫ְקוּמָֽך׃ )ח( וּק‬
ֶ ‫כבּ ְָ֖ך וּב‬
ְ ָ‫כתּ ְָ֣ך ב ֔ ֶַדּרֶ ְך וּֽבְשׁ‬
ְ ֶ ‫בל‬
ְ ‫ָך וּ‬
֙ ‫ת‬ ֶ֙ ‫בּבֵי‬ְ ‫בתּ ְָ֤ך‬ ְ ִ‫ב ֔נ ֶיָך ו ְדִ בַּרְ ֖ ָתּ ָ֑בּם בְּשׁ‬
ָ ְ ‫שִׁנַּנ ְָ֣תּם ל‬
Answer the following questions.
1. What famous ‘prayer’ is quoted above in this biblical text?

2. What reminders(symbols) do we encounter in this biblical text?

3. What is the purpose of these reminders according to this biblical text?

TEFILLIN
 Tallit Tallit
and
Tzitzit
Tekhelet

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 Text 4: Bamidbar 15:37-41
What is the mitzvah of tzitzit and what is its purpose?

(37) The LORD said to Moses as follows: (38) Speak to the Israelite people and instruct
them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages;
let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. (39) That shall be your fringe;
look at it and recall all the commandments of the LORD and observe them, so that you do
not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. (40) Thus you shall be reminded to
observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. (41) I the LORD am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the LORD your God.

(‫)לז( וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ה' אֶל־מ ֶ ֹ֥שׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ )לח‬

‫וּרא‬
ְ ‫ִיצ֥ת ַהכּ ָָנ֖ף פּ ְִת֥יל תְּ כֵ ֽלֶת׃ )לט( ְו ָה ָי֣ה ָלכֶם֮ ְלצִיצ ִ֒ת‬
ִ ‫יהם לְד ֹר ָ ֹ֑תם וְנָ ֽתְ נ֛ וּ עַל־צ‬
֖ ֶ ֵ‫ִיצ֛ת עַל־ ַכּנְפֵ ֥י ִבגְד‬
ִ ‫דַּ ֞ ֵבּר אֶל־בּ ְֵנ֤י יִשׂ ְָר ֵאל֙ וְאָמ ְַר ָ ֣תּ ֲא ֵל ֶ֔הם ְוע ָ֨שׂוּ לָהֶ ֥ם צ‬
(‫ִיתם א ָ ֹ֑תם ְוֹלֽא־תָ תֻ֜ רוּ אַח ֵ ֲ֤רי ְל ַב ְבכֶם֙ וְאַח ֵ ֲ֣רי ֵעֽינֵי ֶ֔כם ֲאשֶׁר־א ֶַתּ֥ם ז ֹ ִנ֖ים אַח ֲֵריהֶ ֽם׃ )מ‬ ֖ ֶ ‫וּזְכ ְַרתֶּ ם֙ אֶת־כָּל־ ִמ ְצ ֺ֣ות ה' ַו ֲעשׂ‬
'‫ִית֥ם קְד ִ ֹ֖שׁים לֵ ֽאֹלקֵיכֶ ֽם׃ )מא( ֲא ֞נִי ה‬ ֶ ‫ִיתם אֶת־כָּל־ ִמ ְצו ָ ֺ֑תי ִו ְהי‬ ֖ ֶ ‫ל ַ ְ֣מעַן תִּ זְכּ ְ֔רוּ ַו ֲעשׂ‬
‫ֵאֹלקים ֲא ִנ֖י ה' אֱֹלקֵיכֶ ֽם׃‬ ֑ ִ ‫הוֹצ֤אתִ י אֶתְ כֶם֙ מ ֶ ֵ֣א ֶרץ ִמצ ְַ֔רי ִם ִל ְהי֥וֹת ל ֶָכ֖ם ל‬ ֵ ‫שׁר‬ ֶ ֨ ‫ֱא ֹֽלקֵי ֶ֗כם ֲא‬

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THE MEANING OF TALIT.

1. What is the Biblical origin of the Talit?

2. Please give 2 reasons why we wear a Talit?
Kippas

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KIPPAH ON YOUR HEAD
Text 7: Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31a (page 60)
10. Discuss what seems to be the Talmudic basis for wearing
a kippah.

1. What seems to be the Talmudic basis for wearing a kippah?

MEZUZAH

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Please answer ;
1. What prayer is written inside the mezuzah?
2. What is the main purpose of the Mitzvah of “Mezuzah”?
3. What is it meant to remind us?
4. What is the specific way it should be attached to the door?
JewFacts - EXTRA INFO
• https://www.jewfaq.org/signs_and_symbols